By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

Students at Alabaster’s Creek View Elementary School who have seen Taylor Swift’s Geico Insurance commercial recognized a familiar face during Awesome Authors Day on May 15.

Josh Castle, a Nashville musician featured on the commercial, donned a rainbow-colored mohawk and peace sign glasses as he played alongside singer-songwriter Roger Day in the school’s cafeteria.

During the performance, Day and Castle played songs dealing with topics ranging from brain-freeze to coastal ecosystems.

“I love coming here,” Day said, noting it was is his fifth straight year to play at Awesome Authors Day. “It’s great for the kids to associate a real live person with a musician, illustrator or writer.”

CVES holds Awesome Authors Day each year to give students a chance to meet authors, musicians and illustrators whose work they have enjoyed throughout the school year.

In addition to Day and Castle, Awesome Authors Day also featured children’s authors Kim Norman, Jo Kittinger and Will Rankeillor, illustrator Carly Strickland and state Sen. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster.

While reading to a group gathered in Lyn Wyatt’s art room, Ward encouraged the students to read as often as possible both inside and outside the classroom.

“No matter what you read, it’s good to keep reading your whole life,” Ward said. “If you take time to read now, that’s going to make you a lot smarter when you grow up.”