Our 2nd through 5th Graders were treated to a visit from author and illustrator Yangsook Choi. Yangsook took students on a virtual tour of her studio in Seoul, offering a glimpse into her creative sanctuary, including her “thinking chair,” where she where she comes up with her fantastical stories. She demonstrated her passion and talent for drawing by sketching along to classical music “like a conductor guiding an orchestra.” Yangsook also shared personal stories from her childhood, including experiences that inspired her book, The Name Jar. She explained to our students that it’s the difficulties a character faces that help them grow — and that the overcoming of obstacles is also what makes a story interesting. The visit left students feeling inspired, with a deeper understanding of how personal experiences can fuel creativity and how perseverance makes for compelling storytelling.