PAST Urban Fairy Event
Kathleen's 826Michigan Writing Workshop:

"Finding Fairies"

May 12, 2007

Kathleen gave a writing workshop in conjunction with
826michigan

Finding Fairies
Taught by Kathleen Wright
Ages 6-8, 12 students
Saturday, May 12, 10-12pm

Location: This workshop started at the Ann Arbor District Library downtown, 343 S Fifth Avenue, at 10am.

Class description:

Do you believe in fairies? Have you seen the numerous fairy doors around Ann Arbor? In this workshop, we’ll hunt down the doors, and then use our imaginations to write about the fairies which may live behind them. Participants (and their parents) will meet at the downtown library at 10. We’ll then take a walk to find as many of the famed fairy doors as we can. When we return to the library, we’ll learn about how writers zoom in and add details to a small moment as we write in special fairy books.


Kathleen Wright is a kindergarten teacher at Lakewood Elementary. She is the proud author of a fantastic manuscript, which is currently traveling from publishing house to publishing house on its way to becoming a chapter book about fairies who move in with a human family. She and her husband Jonathan may or may not have connections to the fairy doors.

Photos From the workshop:

Coming up to the Selo-shevel Gallery.

Making some mental notes.

2nd stop The Peaceable Kingdom.

Inside, The Peaceable Kingdom the students see the fairy "store" and the annex on the right (under construction).

3rd stop.

Sweetwaters Café, and the "micro-brew" café there.

"Here we come, just a walkin' down the street, get the funnest looks from all the people we meet..." ~ (The Monkies)

4th stop.

Checking out the yellow-brick floor in the fairy space within Red Shoes.

5th stop.

Carefully harvesting fairy tickets at
The Ark.

6th stop.

Was back at the Library to see the fairy reading room. I missed photographing this.

Now, it's time to think about writing.
Kathleen advises not to just "list" what they saw, but to focus on details, and feelings... maybe one door, perhaps who they imagined lived there...

... they really got into the writing!

A blinking feather pen helps with inspiration.

illustrations augmented the words.

Kathleen not only donated her knowledge of literacy, but also her artistic crafting skills, time and materials.

Assembling the fairy books with ribbons, flowers, fairy doors made for a beautiful book to read and treasure.

Here's the whole group with their finished books.