Award-winning author James Ponti visits MSD

Malena Molina

James Ponti, a published author comes to visit Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School to talk about his new book City Spies. Sharing his story of becoming a writer, Mr. Ponti entertains the MSD students.

Vincent Ciullo, Writer
February 3, 2022

On Wednesday, Feb. 2, students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School enjoyed a visit from New York Times bestselling author James Ponti.

The event started at 8:00 a.m. in the media center. Many English classes attended the presentation, which lasted around an hour long. At the end of the meet, there was a question-and-answer portion for audience members to speak with Ponti.

“I loved the author. The way he told the story about his life was really intriguing, engaging, and he had this humor with a hint of sarcasm that I loved,” English teacher Lauren Rower said. “I just thought all around it was a great experience.”

Ponti, who grew up in Florida, didn’t like reading throughout his life. Growing up in Atlantic Beach, Ponti lived a good childhood with his mom and 2 brothers. Ponti explained his journey of his school experiences, how he became an author and told funny stories from his childhood.

He first got into writing during 5th grade, after being taught poetry by his teacher. During high school, Ponti had aspired to become a screenwriter. He wrote many scripts for shows including “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.” Many years later, Ponti gave up his screenwriting career and got the idea to write books. Nowadays, he has received a great amount of awards for his many books.

Ponti’s new book in the City Spies series, “Forbidden City,” was published on Feb. 1. “Forbidden City” tells the story of three teenagers who go on missions around the world. No matter the danger, the city spies are always up for an adventure. Ponti has also written other books, including the “Framed!” and the “Dead City” series.

“I am currently working on book 4 of this series, and I’m planning on writing 7 total,” Ponti said.

Ponti plans to attend author meets at 18 schools throughout Florida. MSD will be the only high school he presents at.