Twin Cities children’s author gives book talk at MAFAC

With school starting soon, children’s author Joanne Anderson Reisberg (Reese-berg) gave a timely presentation of two of her children’s books at MAFAC on Thursday, August 10.

What’s Behind the Mighty Fitz portrays middle-school-aged boys who want nothing to do with school going on an adventure to understand why the Edmund Fitzgerald, en route to Detroit with 26,000 tons of taconite and iron, didn’t make it.

In her presentation, Reisberg uses real images and mathematical explanations to illustrate how 15-foot waves caused by a “small gale” impacts the ship’s ability to stay level in the water, and ultimately, to stay above water.

Her former students in El Paso, Texas and Minneapolis learned to calculate real life situations, increasing their probability of success in understanding both math and history.

Zachary Zormer (the Shape Transformer) is rarely prepared for school.

There is a standing assignment in Zack's fourth grade class on Friday. Students must bring something interesting to measure, explain what it is and how it is measured. Unfortunately, Zack forgets three Fridays in a row. His improvisations are impressive.

First he takes a strip of paper, gives it a half twist and joins the ends to form a Mobius strip. This, he claims, doubles the length of the paper, which is only partially true, but its cleverness cannot be denied.

The second Friday he demonstrates that by a few ingenious cuts he can increase the effective perimeter of a very small scrap of paper. Reisberg demonstrates these paper tricks in her presentation.

There are more “transformative” demonstrations in the books of fascinating math adventures that students, teachers, and parents can benefit from.

Unfortunately, no children attended the event, so the adults ate all the chips and dip and took the Tootsie ® Pop suckers home with them.

These two books by Reisberg can be purchased at MAFAC on 3rd Street in Downtown Marshall. When doing so, 25% of the total sales goes back to arts education endeavors in the Marshall Area.

The books can also be purchased for the same price through Amazon. To give a smaller percentage back to MAFAC, purchase them through Amazon Smile and select MAFAC.

A graduate of the University of Minnesota and Macalester College, Joanne Anderson Reisberg’s books have been published in the U.S., Canada, China, and Korea.

She received a Certificate of Achievement award from Writer's Digest and an Alumni of Notable Achievement from the University of Minnesota.

She loves a good mystery and enjoys giving presentations in elementary classrooms. Reisberg has written several books for ages 5-13, approximately, and is now preparing to publish for adult audiences.