LEWISTON – L/A Arts will bring Maine children’s book author Lynn Plourde for an author-in-residence program for Walton School grade two and three on Jan. 29, Feb. 5 and 12.

Plourde will visit with students in their classrooms over the three-day residency and help students write stories, including how to get ideas, plan, write and revise stories. Parents are welcome to attend Plourde’s sessions. Call Walton School at 784-1528 for details.

Plourde’s first picture book, “Pigs in the Mud in the Middle of the Rud,” published in 1997, was illustrated by Caldecott-medalist John Schoenherr and was selected as a School Library Journal 1997 Best Book and a 2006 Association of Booksellers for Children Best Books. Down East Books brought “Pigs” back in print in 2006.

Plourde’s other 2006 book was “Book Fair Day,” a humorous story illustrated by Thor Wickstrom. Her next book, “Dino Pets,” will be released in the spring.

Plourde has had 15 books published to date. She co-authored a guidebook, “A Celebration of Maine Children’s Books,” with her husband, Paul Knowles, and she presents frequently about the newest Maine children’s books.

Plourde worked for 21 years as a Maine public school speech-language therapist and had 10 educational books for teachers published, including the “Classroom Listening and Speaking” series. Learning activities and bookmarks are available on her www.lynnplourde.com Web site. Plourde is a Skowhegan native and lives in Winthrop with her family.

L/A Arts is working with the Auburn and Lewiston school districts in bringing artists into schools. For more information about L/A Arts education programs, visit www.laarts.org.