Hi! I'm hal evans.
I've been a teaching artist since 1993, but I've worked in and around education even longer. The passion for learning began with my parents, I'm sure. They were both educators.
My love of writing started in Mrs. Markham's 3rd grade class when a first attempt at a short story won recognition from her student teacher, Miss Bockstanz. That thrill continued into 4th grade writing assignments with Mrs. Morgan. A 6th grade social studies teacher (Ruby Purdue) introduced our class to Shakespeare, and it was on! The power of words still fascinates me every day.
IF I WEREN'T ME
WINNER 2018 Finalist NCTE Excellence in Children's Poetry
ARTYFACTS grew out of the poetry residencies I've taught in classrooms across the US. Utilizing acting techniques, I elicit word palettes from students to create ekphrastic poems. With visual art serving for prompts, students in grades 2-12 paint pictures with their words before they realize they're really studying and writing poetry. This book contains the first volume of my odes, most set to songs the students learn in kindergarten.
CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL Showcase, 2021, 2022, 2023...
COME DAY IN NIGHT was to be a stage play. Then, the pandemic happened. Theaters closed. Schools closed. There was only time... and a remarkable publisher who believed I could write a novel. Result?
WINNER 2023 AWARDS for Teen Fiction (13-18)
NAUTILUS Gold Medal
IBPA Benjamin Franklin Silver Medal