Family Lecture Series

Junior League of Tacoma's focus on literacy has partnered with the Tacoma Public Library to offer a Family Lecture Series whereby each year a new author(s) visits local area schools and libraries - offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for some of the most beloved childrens authors to meet fans and educators in a sharing environment.

In 2005-06, the Family Lecture Series welcomed Visiting Author is Gerald McDermott. His first book, Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti, was named a Caldecott Honor Book. His subsequent books include Arrow to the Sun: A Tale from the Pueblo, which won the coveted Caldecott Medal, and Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest, another Caldecott Honor Book.

Through a combination of ancient imagery and contemporary design, McDermott communicates the transformative power of mythology. Traditional African and Japanese folktales, hero tales of the Pueblo Indians, and the archetypal mythology of Egypt, Greece and Rome have inspired over twenty-five distinctive, culturally diverse books and films.

An extraordinary artist, McDermott was admitted to class at one of the nation’s finest museums, the Detroit Institute of the Arts, when he was just four years old. He continued to pursue his passion for the visual arts at Cass Tech public high school for the artistically gifted and New York’s Pratt Institute.

You may visit www.geraldmcdermott.com for more information about Gerald McDermott’s life and his works.

If you would like more information about the Family Lecture Series, please contact the 2006-07 Family Lecture Series Chair, Holly Richart at 253-212-1007 or the Junior League Office at 383-1030.