Amy Denise Silvester, author and illustrator of “The Tender Turtle” and “The Tender Turtle Needs Glasses,” paid a visit to Leonard Elementary last Friday, in honor of March is Reading Month.

Silvester, of Lake Orion, has published three books.

“The Tender Turtle” is Silvester’s first children’s book and is a story about a little brother, Toby the turtle, who misses his older brother, Billy, and cannot wait to visit him at Turtledome University.

Toby and his family then go on a road trip to visit Billy.

According to Silvester, she also has several other characters in the works, such as The Playful Panda and The Dutiful Dog.

During her first presentation of the day, she taught fourth and fifth-graders about the ins-and-outs of good storytelling.

“As long as you answer who, what, when, where, why and how in your story and you fill it with lovely descriptive words and get creative with how you explain it… you’re going to write something really great,” Silvester told the students.

She also told students to be confident and how to find new, out-of-the box ways to get things done.

“Maybe your brain does not work this way . . . there’s always more than one way to do something. It’s okay if you’re doing something differently. Just make sure that you’re doing your best,” Silvester told the students.

Silvester worked with the students to create a story idea of their own, which featured Silvester’s character, Toby, and fifth-grade teacher Amy Granger, who starred in the tale as a giraffe.

Silvester closed her presentation with some advice for the students.

“I hope that you walk away today inspired to follow your dreams and do really well at whatever it is you choose to do in life,” Silvester said.