Léman Manhattan Preparatory School, located at 1 Morris St. in the Financial District and headed by school master Drew Alexander, will be opening its doors to Newbery medal winning author Jack Gantos on May 9. Leman Manhattan Prep., which is a K-12 school, has both a Middle School/High School building at 1 Morris St., as well as a Lower School located at 41 Broad St. The Morris St. location opened in Sept. 2010, and is the first independent, nonsectarian below Canal Street.

Gantos will take part in various activities throughout the day centered on his book, Dead End in Norvelt, with different grades participating in different ways. Gantos will introduce himself to students’ parents to start the day, and meet the high schoolers and 8th graders thereafter to see their presentations on his book. After that, he’ll enjoy lunch in the school cafe with grades 4-6 while discussing his writing process as leading a writing workshop. The day will end with Gantos reading from his book to lower school students in the school library and an after-school book signing.

Mr. Gantos spent much of his childhood moving around the country and to the Caribbean, which aligns him with Léman Prep.’s own values, which include cultural diversity and global awareness.