Meet Gwendolyn. She and her friend Omar have big dreams – Gwendolyn longs to dance ballet, and Omar wants to join the football team. There’s just one problem: they’re both pigs! How will Natasha Levertov, “the greatest teacher of ze dance in ze vorld” help them make their dreams come true?

 

Students found out the answer when children’s author David Ira Rottenberg visited Saint Benedict Academy on Friday, November 21 to read his book “Gwendolyn, the Graceful Pig” to the 131 students gathered in the school gymnasium. The story’s message encourages readers to pursue what they love with joy and dedication. Rottenberg was joined by a talented cast of dancers from Dimensions in Dance of Manchester who acted out the story with music and dance.

“Gwendolyn” has been the buzz at SBA for the past several weeks with readings of the book in the classrooms, posters hung around the school, the distribution of special bookmarks and color sheets, and notes home in the weekly newsletter. The children were thrilled that the performance day and the opportunity to meet the author had arrived at last.

The children were truly entertained, and enjoyed having the opportunity for a Q&A session with a published author. Mr. Rottenberg also signed several personalized copies of his book and its “squeal-quel” “Gwendolyn Goes to Hollywood.”