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. That's when a first attempt at a short story won recognition from her student teacher, Miss Bockstanz. That thrill transferred to writing assignments with an eagerness that continued into 4th grade with Mrs. Morgan and progressed from there.
A 6th grade social studies teacher introduced us to Shakespeare, and it was on! The power of words still fascinates me every day.
What do I hope young readers (of all ages) will take from IF I WEREN'T ME?
Laughter in herds, and wings like a bird's
to soar through ideas as you play with words.
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 as their 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 from kindergarten.
COME DAY IN NIGHT was to be a stage play (my 25th). 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