“The book focuses on self-love and how to handle bullying situations,” explains Spann. “I wrote the book because I wanted to motivate our youth of today.”
Spann is a first-grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary and is in her fifth year at the school.
She says that writing the book did not come without some challenges for her in the beginning of the writing process.
“I had so many different ideas in my mind, so I had to slow my mind down in order to begin writing because I was full of excitement,” she says. “Once I did this my writing flowed and Azalee was created.”
Now with the character - and the message behind the book – on paper, Spann said that she also has used the book with her own students.
“I used the book to discuss self-love and bullying,” she explains. “My students also practiced making predictions throughout the story.”
In the coming weeks, Spann says that she and her class will be using the book to review problem and solution, characters, setting, and plot.
“My students are currently working on opinion writing, so I will give them the opportunity to write their opinion about the book,” she says.
Now that the book is published, Spann said that she is still in shock about becoming a published writer.
“I have the greatest feeling of gratitude,” she says. “I am so grateful for the support that I have received from my family, friends, former and present students and their families, my school, the district, and the many supporters in Chesterfield County as well as my hometown Sumter County.”
In addition to her accomplishments as a writer, Spann is also a former Teacher of the Year for her school.