Resident Debi Novotny spent 20 years in a classroom filled with first graders.

Now she spends time in classrooms filled with all ages of children, but most of them are kindergarteners and first graders. She isn’t teaching now, but she has found a way to utilize all of her loves.

Novotny is the author of three children’s books. Her first two, “My Magic Hat Rules!” and “My Magic Hat Goes to School!” were created to help children read.

They are simple rhyming books with colorful illustrations by Thea Schaeffer, designed to teach eight reading rules to youngsters.

The third book, “What Do You Do When the Couch Eats Your Shoe (and other things, too)!,” is a bedtime story about a first grader whose couch keeps “eating” his things.

With her three books, Novotny visits schools and libraries all over the state, giving readings and teaching children about writing.

“I love teaching them about how a book becomes a book,” Novotny said. “And even the very young kids are fascinated by the process.”

She utilizes the first two books to teach reading skills, and the third volume is used both to teach and entertain.

But her “Magic Hat” books are completely entertaining, as well. Novotny has a magic hat she wears to her presentations, and brings along a magic wand to add to the fun.

With her shoe-eating couch story, she has a little couch she uses while telling the story of all the things a couch “eats.”

“It is just fun,” she said.

It’s not hard to imagine Novotny as a first grade teacher. She is cheerful and bubbly and easily engages her audience; perfect traits for a teacher of young children.

In her presentations, Novotny provides other props to help the students enjoy what they are learning.

“I bring my tools – a pencil and paper,” she said. “I talk about how to write, and how important it is to rewrite stories. I revise and edit my own work, and I tell the children that that is part of the process.”

The more sophisticated lessons are for the older children, but she gives age-appropriate information to the younger ones.

Novotny doesn’t have much spare time. She works as operations manager at the L. Alan Cruikshank River of Time Museum.

As a resident of Fountain Hills for 31 years, Novotny said working at the museum has been a great place to learn about the community and the area.

“The museum is a great place to learn about the history of Fountain Hills, the Yavapai Nation and Rio Verde,” she said. “I’m intrigued by the stories, the history and the importance of preserving the past.”

Novotny has a degree in business, and she worked as a mortgage banker for seven years until she had children. It was then she decided to go back to school so she could teach.

“Teaching opened up a new world for me,” she said. “I miss the classroom sometimes, but I am so lucky to have the opportunity to continue working closely with children.”

In the coming months, Novotny will be working on a fourth book, “Where Do Hearts Grow?,” a board book of photographs of heart-shaped items in nature. She has shot the photos and is preparing the book for publication.

Novotny’s books are available at the museum gift shop, as well as online at her website, mymagichatrules.com.

She lives in the community with her husband, Jim, who is a Scottsdale firefighter. They have two grown daughters.