From left, authors Nancy and Phil Rink spoke to students in Teacher Lori Thompson’s Freshmen English class Thursday at Los Alamos High School. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com
By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post
caclark@ladailypost.com
Authors Phil and Nancy Rink of White Rock read newspaper articles about what local teacher Lori Thompson was doing with her English classes incorporating sports as a focus to get kids interested in literature. They contacted Thompson as they have a similar focus with their Jimi & Isaac books.
Thompson invited the Rinks to present a talk to her students last Thursday.
“We really appreciate Phil and Nancy for giving their time and energy to support our Freshman English classes and specifically our short story unit,” Thompson said. “Their presentation was truly engaging for these young authors as they go on to write their own creative stories in English 9. Having these local, published authors to motivate the students to write was truly inspirational!”
Phil was born and raised in Los Alamos and graduated from Los Alamos High School in 1978. He has written 10 books, two focus on sports including school soccer and curve ball. The books are very “inside” sports and fast moving. His books are also about science and inventing, farming and raising animals, social skills and an intense book about Traumatic Brain Injury.
“Our mission is to get all kids reading. The books are fast moving with short sentences and short chapters,” Nancy said. “Readers of all ages will learn something new in each book.”
Following their presentation to the class, Phil told Thompson, “You have a great group of Freshman … some very deep questions were asked … it was awesome!”
The Jimi & Isaac books are carried in public, elementary and middle school libraries across the country, and all are available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Baker & Taylor and Ingram book sellers. Samizdat Book Store in Los Alamos also carries the books.
Along with being an author, he is a professional mechanical engineer, inventor (11 patents so far), entrepreneur and science and soccer coach. He has published a book on sailing the Caribbean, several magazine articles, and a few professional papers.
Learn more at www.jimiandisaacbooks.com.