Lower School Students Meet Award-Winning Author Adam Gidwitz

Lower School students had the opportunity to experience the magic of storytelling firsthand when bestselling author Adam Gidwitz visited campus to speak with students in grades 3-6. Gidwitz is the author of A Tale Dark and Grimm, The Unicorn Rescue Society series, the Newbery Honor-winning The Inquisitor’s Tale, and Max in the House of Spies, a New York Times bestseller. He is also the creator of the popular children’s podcast Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest.

From the moment he began, students were captivated. With dramatic voices, sound effects, humor, and just the right amount of suspense, Gidwitz brought stories to life in a way that made reading feel immediate and unforgettable. Third graders even had the chance to help shape a story as he invited them to offer suggestions during an interactive storytelling session.

But beyond the laughter and excitement, Gidwitz shared a powerful message about creativity. He reminded students that writing begins long before words are written on a page. “Writers imagine,” he told students. “And then they write.”

That message resonated deeply as students watched an author transform ideas into stories right before their eyes.

“We tend to venerate authors and think of them as larger than life,” said Lower School Librarian Annie Lyon. “But they put their shoes on one at a time, just like we do. Our students are beginning writers, and it’s great for them to hear stories from published authors about how they, as children, got their start. I like to imagine that our students hear those anecdotes and think to themselves, ‘I can do that.’”

The visit reflected Holton’s commitment to fostering curiosity and confidence in young learners. By hearing directly from an author, students gained insight into the writing process and saw firsthand that stories are born from creativity and perseverance.

Fourth grader Imogen H. ’34, said hearing Gidwitz read made it feel “like the story was forming in your eyes,” adding that “he made me laugh so hard.”

For third grader Olivia A. ’35, the visit offered an important lesson: “When you are stuck in writing, you can always erase and write something different.”

Other students reflected on how hearing the author changed their understanding of storytelling. “It made it feel more real when he made the sound effects for the story,” shared fourth grader Maddie V. ’34.

Lyon hopes the experience leaves a lasting impact—especially for younger students experiencing their first author visit at Holton. “I hope they’ll greet future visits with the same growth mindset they showed today: loving to read, open to inspiration, and knowing that they are writers, too.”

Judging by the excitement that lingered, that inspiration is already taking root. As fourth grader Kayden W. ’34 enthusiastically put it: “Read The Inquisitor’s Tale! You should read it!”