Jacksonville – Noted children’s author, Richard Peck, paid a visit to the MacMurray College campus Tuesday, Sept. 20th.

     As part of the “Jacksonville Reads” program sponsored by LOJIC (Libraries of Jacksonville In Cooperation), Mr. Peck was invited to speak at several different venues including Annie Merner Chapel.

     The Jacksonville Public Library and other local school libraries had been coordinating read-ins around the community that featured two of his books, “A Long Way From Chicago” and “A Year Down Under”. It began in February with a read-in at Turner Junior High School where College President Lawrence D. Bryan read selections from A Long Way Home.

     Mr. Peck spoke to students from area schools including Routt Catholic High School, I.S.V.I., and I.S.D as well as MacMurray students, faculty and staff. He delighted the audience with his reflections of his early life in Central Illinois (he’s a Decatur native who now lives in New York City) and his take on the world of modern day publishing. The author prefers a simple typewriter to word processing and referred to computers as “the devils tool”. Mr. Peck does NOT own a computer.

     An author of thirty novels, he prefers to live in New York City if only to “keep an eye on my publisher.” To emphasize why he chose to do so, he showed the students the “preferred” cover jacket for one of his books and then showed the actual artwork as it finally appeared…nothing at all like he had been expecting! However, he was happy to mention that it would be changed to suit him for the hard-cover edition.

     A special proclamation was read from Jacksonville Mayor Ronald Tendick declaring it “Richard Peck Day” in the Jacksonville area. A Newbery Award winner and the author of thirty novels, he was treated to a presentation of his work by the Jacksonville Readers Theatre featuring MacMurray English majors who read a selection from A Long Way From Chicago. They were: Rachel Rogers, a junior from Altona; Danielle Empey, a senior from Jacksonville; Angie Frazzini, a senior from Chicago; and Kelly Matthes, a junior from Chicago.

     Mr. Peck followed his presentation with a book signing in the chapel narthex with many happy and excited students getting the chance to meet and greet one of their favorite authors. He is the first children’s book author ever to receive a National Humanities Medal, bestowed upon him by Pres. George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush. The author is currently planning a trip to Moscow.

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     Located in Jacksonville, Ill., MacMurray College is a private, four-year, liberal arts, coeducational college, founded in 1846, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Its friendly, informal environment stresses academic excellence, personal attention, career experience, and well-rounded development of each individual.