DANVILLE — Children's author and illustrator Lita Judge hopes to inspire Danville Elementary School students to follow their dreams — just like she did.

Judge wraps up her two-day visit today with first- through fifth-graders, sharing the journey she took to what she said is her dream job.

She told students about growing up with parents who were wildlife photographers on a tiny Alaskan island with no TV, radio or phone.

"We had to be really creative to entertain ourselves," she said. "But I think that creativity led me to where I am. So I encourage everyone to use their creativity as often as they can."

Judge said growing up in the wild was a major influence on her stories about history, science and nature. But she said she also spent years doing paleontology, and she hoped pictures of her experience at the digs would encourage students to participate in activities that fuel creativity.

Third-grade teacher Jennifer Bordis said she thought the presentation had a wonderful lesson for her students.

"I think it's so important because it shows them why they're writing now, and how it can affect them in their futures," she said. "Writing can be a wonderful tool, and it can bring them places."

Beth Kisiel, the school's library media specialist, agreed.

"Lita's just so unique," she said. "And it's important for kids to see that all of us have so much in us we can share."

Judge said sharing is what her presentations are all about.

"When I do school visits, I want to share what I know about the topics of my books," Judge said. "But more importantly, I want to share my journey with them and I hope it strikes a chord with kids who want to be authors or illustrators. Maybe they will truly start to visualize themselves doing what they've always wanted to do."

Isabelle Richard, 8, who loves to draw, said she was inspired by the presentation.

"I liked when she showed the drawings she did first and then what it looked like when she painted it," she said. "I like to draw, so it's nice to see how it goes from one thing to the other."

Cameron Magner, 9, said he also was fascinated by Judge's lesson.

"I liked when she talked about the dinosaurs because I've always loved dinosaurs my whole life," he said. "I like reading about them, too. I really liked all the pictures she showed us about when she was digging up the dinosaur bones. It was really cool to see how it works."

Kisiel said she hoped the presentation would encourage students to focus on what they love.

"You can be anything you want to be," she said. "Lita is sure proof of that."

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