Pryor elementary students explored storytelling, acting, and beekeeping during a special visit from children’s picture-book author and professional actor Justin Colón.

Over a period of three days, Colón visited all three Pryor elementary schools to celebrate the release of his latest book, Zombees, just in time for Halloween. Known for humorous stories featuring spooky mischief, silly creatures, and wild adventures, he brought plenty of laughter and energy to each presentation.

A self-described kid at heart, Colón is also a voice actor, beekeeper, and classical pianist in training. He drew on those interests to engage students in an interactive presentation that blended reading with opportunities to learn and perform.

Students learned about beekeeping and practiced their acting skills by role-playing a beekeeping scene from Zombees. Through the activity, Colón demonstrated how physical movement can bring a scene to life and make a performance more memorable.

He also offered a behind-the-scenes look at the writing and publishing process, explaining how authors and illustrators work together to turn an idea into a finished picture book. Students and staff gained a deeper understanding of the creativity and collaboration involved in bringing stories to readers.

Following the presentations, students had the opportunity to meet Colón and have their personal copies of his books signed. Some Tigers also enjoyed lunch with the visiting author.

Pryor Public Schools thanks community business partner The Book Exchange and elementary librarians Sara Melugin, Jamie Aylward, and Amber Chavez for working together to make this special experience possible for our Tigers.