IMG_1289 (1)By: Kyle Ross, Andrew da Roza, Kenan Poole, Amir Webster, Chase Harris, and James Myers

Emily Arsenault, an accomplished author, visited students at Ravenscroft School last week, taught them about the writing process, and showed them how to conduct tea-leaf readings, which is a primary part of her 2017 young adult novel, The Leaf Reader.

Arsenault visited from Wednesday, February 06, 2019  to Friday, February 08, 2019 in the Upper School. Arsenault brought tea cups with tea leaves in them so that students at Ravenscroft could be educated on how leaf reading works. Upper School English teacher and friend of the author, Ms. Nicole Moore, coordinated Arsenault’s visit in conjunction with the English Department. Ms. Moore says, “For Emily, The Leaf Reader [LR] was her first official foray into the world of YA [young adult literature]. She had written 5 mysteries for adults prior to LR’s publication. With the LR’s success, Emily has penned her second YA mystery, titled All the Pretty Things, due in 2020. “  Arsenault’s visit was made possible by the generous donation of the Bell Family.

Arsenault’s grandmother-in-law, Ruth, was the inspiration for The Leaf Reader. Ruth apparently read tea leaves as a pastime for her grandson. Arsenault still possesses her grandmother-in-law’s tea leaf-reading book, which has been passed down through generations and which she shared with students last week.

Arsenault publishes primarily in the mystery genre. So, if you like Arsenault’s book The Leaf Reader, review her other novels in your local bookstore or online.