Thanks to Shirley Petersen, elementary media specialist, the Wilton Elementary had a nice treat on Friday, October 19th. 

Dori Hillestad Butler, a children's author, visited and spoke to the children about several of her books.  Here is a little more

information about Mrs. Butler.

She currently resides in Coralville, Iowa with her husband, two sons, a black cocker spaniel named Molly, a cat named

Ashley and a betta fish named Willie.  She was born and raised in Fairmont, Minnesota.  She didn't have any brothers

and sisters until she was 8 1/2 years old, so she spent a lot of time by herself, writing stories.

She had wanted to be a writer since she was five years old and finally got the opportunity after college, when her husband

encouraged her to pursue her dream. She began by selling two magazine stories and then worked as a ghost writer for a

popular children's series. She went on to publish her first book, The Great Tooth Fairy Rip-Off in 1997. It took eight

years to sell her first book, but she kept on writing!

Her short stories have appeared in anthologies entitled, The Green Umbrella and Other Sports Stories (Highlights for

Children, 1995) and Not the Only One (Alyson Publications, 1994) and in magazines including Cricket, Spider, Highlights

for Children, Children's Digest, Child Life and a variety of Sunday School publications.  She also writes educational

materials, edits stories for www.storydog.com and has a regular book review column in her local newspaper.

She has written novels, picture books and nonfiction.  Her books are as follows :  

1997     picture book     The Great Tooth Fairy Rip-Off

1998     picture book     W is for Wisconsin

1998     picture book     M is for Minnesota

2000     picture book     ABC's of Wisconsin

2001     picture book     H is for Hoosier

2003     nonfiction          Whodunit?  How the Police Solve Crimes

2003     novel                 Trading Places with Tank Talbott

2003     novel                 Sliding Into Home

2005     picture book     My Mom's Having a Baby!

2005     novel                Alexandra Hopewell, Labor Coach

2005     novel                Do you Know the Monkey Man?

2006     novel                Tank Talbott's Guide to Girls

2007     picture book     F is for Firefighting

2007     picture book     My Grandpa Had a Stroke

You can find this information and more at Dori Butler's website listed below.