Author Jerry Pallotta recently visited students at Northwestern Elementary School.

“This is the first ever return author to our school.

He visited with us 10 years ago,” Librarian Sue Hanlon said as she introduced Pallotta.

Pallotta could not wait to talk to students.

“One day when I walked past the teacher’s lounge in school, the door was open so I looked inside.”

Pallotta said teachers were surfing, riding camels and more, in the book “What I Saw in the Teachers’ Lounge.”

When he was young his family spent summers at Peggotty Beach, Mass.

“I have great memories of lobstering, fishing, clamming and rowing in my dory” he stated.

His book “Dory Story” tells a story about a child who decides to take his dory (flat bottom fishing boat) and explore the ocean.

The adventures the child has were inspired by Pallotta’s experiences with his dory.

“One day while I was reading an alphabet book to my children, I realized I could write books like this,” he said.

Rather than going with the typical A is for apple, B is for ball theme, he chose to write about crabs, birds, boats and things found underwater.

More recently, he created the “Who Would Win” series in an effort to encourage boys to read.

These fact filled books share information on the two competing mammals or animals, such as a whale and a shark or a lion and a tiger, and allow the reader to determine who the winner will be based on what they have read.

Pallotta shared a slide of the cover of “The Airplane Alphabet Book,” and the different covers that were considered.

He told students there must be agreement agree on the color of the cover, the picture depicted on the cover and the color of the writing on the cover before sending it to be published.

During their music class with Shawn Fies, second graders wrote their own alphabet song to perform for Pallotta.

They also created and performed a song based on the book “Who Would Win Lion or Tiger” wearing lion or tiger masks as they sang.

A group of lucky students were treated to lunch provided by the Northwestern Elementary PTO with Pallotta.

One student from each classroom was chosen.

The lucky winners included: Laila Van Allen, Addison Kahl, Emily Kistler, Baylin Kresge, Kayla Kinney, Ainsley Behler, Hadli Huber, Skylar Frey, McKensey Miller, Jackson Bacher, Liia Pallop. Mikayla Cerullo, Logan Miller, Caleb General, Owen Rex, Katie Solt, Mark Boushell, Elijah Behler, Ally Long, Angelina Klein, Ben Surman, Miriya Fratrik and Rebecca Danner.

For more information visit jerrypallotta.com.