ROYAL CITY - Royal Middle School sixth-graders were treated to a visit from Jack Gantos, the 2012 Newbery Award winner for children's literature, earlier this month.

Gantos's rollicking presentation came courtesy of the North Central Washington Regional Library, which sponsored the author as he toured schools throughout Central Washington.

Gantos's Newbery book, Dead End in Norvelt, is autobiographical with some exaggerated and hilarious events. Through his book he illustrated how students could become writers themselves.

"The sixth graders responded enthusiastically to Mr. Gantos, asking many pertinent questions," librarian Susan Piercy said.

"They are grateful to Principal David Jaderlund for supporting the visit, language arts teacher, Nancy White-Hursh for preparing them so well and Shannon Stewart for her introduction," Piercy added.