Cyndi Loza

Writer/cartoonist Marc Tyler Nobleman dazzled Hidden Valley Elementary School students on Friday through a lecture that helped teach students the rejection and persistence involved in producing cartoons and writing.

The Connecticut author and cartoonist visited Hidden Valley and Swope Middle School on Friday to give an interactive lecture on what it takes to be successful in his field and in life. His presentation featured live sketches, a cartoon slides show and games with the audience.

“I liked his cartoons the best because they were very creative,” said fifth-grader Bailey Paulson, 11.

As a regular writer for Nickelodeon Magazine and author of children’s books such as “How to Do a Belly Flop” and the “Detective Notebook: Ghost Hunting Handbook,” it was not hard for him to keep the students engaged.

“I kind of liked how he could turn a bunch of lines into a work of art,” said sixth-grader Joey Lovato, 12.

Nobleman’s presentation focused on four key items: persistence, rejection, cartoons and writing.

“Cartoons are usually a pretty easy sell to kids,” said Nobleman, 35. “But I like to take it to the next level.”

He focused on the persistence it took for him to get his cartoons and writing published despite the numerous rejections he received. He read a couple of rejection letters out loud to the students because, he said, he thinks rejection is an important lesson in life that often is not taught in school.

“I have found that there are four ways to handle rejection: you can cry, get angry, give up or keep going,” Nobleman said.

Nobleman choose to keep going. He has written 70 books and has appeared in more than 100 publications including the Wall Street Journal, Good Housekeeping, Forbes and Barron’s.

Lovato said he plans to follow Nobleman’s advice and “never give up.”

“If you get rejected, you should keep trying,” Lovato said.

Nobleman will end his lectures on Monday at Huffaker Elementary School.