Things I Love Thursday

I love getting letters and drawing from students.

Here are a few I recently received.

Notice Owen on top of the motorhome saying, "Swear swear." This one came with a letter that said, "My favorite part was when Popeye and Elvis were spitting and swearing into the ditch because when Mrs. M read that part, I burst out into laughter because I did not expect it to happen."

This one was signed by Hudson, Jack and Luke and included, "P.S. Hudson is one of seven rowdy kids."

And of course I love this one because she says, "It is the best book in the world!"

 

I Love My Job

I get a lot of letters from readers.

I read and love each and every one of them.

And every once in a while, I get a special letter....

...one that reminds me that what I do is important and appreciated and might make a difference to someone.

Recently, I received one of those letters.

With the permission of the sender, I'm printing it here in its entirety.

I love my job.

 

Dear Barbara O’Connor,

  

Growing up I noticed that I had trouble reading. I was born dyslexic and so I had trouble understanding how to comprehend the words that I was reading, so not long after the second grade I decided I was not going to read unless I really needed to.

It didn’t take long after I made the decision to not read unless I found a good enough reason that of course I found one. My older brother had a dog named Roscoe. He was my brother’s best friend they did everything together, but one night Roscoe went outside without my brother and he got hit by a car passing down our street very fast. My brother stayed up for days so sad and he refused to go to school. Soon after, my mother asked me if I knew anything that could help him cheer up, and after thinking about it for a while I couldn’t really think of anything until I went on a class trip to the library and my librarian asked me what kind of books I was interested in and I immediately thought of my brother and I told my librarian that I wanted to LOOK at books about dogs so maybe I could show him cool pictures of dogs that looked like Roscoe to cheer him up. 

My librarian looked up the key word Dog and the only book that she found in what was supposed to be my reading level was your book How to steal a dog. Without even opening it I came up with the perfect idea to cheer up my brother.

I figured that your book would teach me how to get or steal a dog for my brother so he would not be sad anymore (I want to remind you that I was only nine years old and didn’t fully think through what I was planning on doing.) So I found the perfect reason to read my very first big girl book as I called them (with chapters). I figured that if I skimmed through it I could figure out fairly quickly what I wanted to know. 

So I started flipping through the pages and I couldn’t find a list of ways to get a dog, so I figured I would sort of start reading the book to find out where in the book it gave me the steps that I was looking for. Of course I could not find them so then I thought I should just try to actually read it and maybe I could figure out what I wanted to know.

After I started reading the book I became fascinated with Georgina and her family. I guess I could say that I sort of felt connected to Georgina and I became interested in her and her family. So I started reading the book because I was interested in it instead of my original meaning.

After I finished the book I was so proud of myself for actually reading a book that didn’t have just pictures in it. I bragged to my family and friends and even teachers. I was so interested in your book that I wanted to read more of it, I was sad that the book was over and that I would never get to know what had happened to Georgina and her family after the book ended. I tried to Google books that had similarities with your book and I couldn’t find anything that seemed fascinating to me. So I never really read another chapter book again after your book.

I enjoyed your book very much. When I was in my English class at school I was telling a story to my friend about how I would like to become an author when I got older but I thought that I would be a hypocrite if I wrote books but did not read them because of my difficulties with words. 

While I was telling my story my instructor, Ms. White overheard me and asked what I was talking about. After I explained everything that I was saying before, I told her that I have only read one real book my whole life and that I loved it. When I told her that the book was How to steal a dog she immediately knew what book I was talking about and remembered that her mentor was your best friend and told me she was going to try to get a hold of her mentor through Facebook and tell her about my story and she was hoping to get in contact with you.

  

Despite my challenges with reading I am actually very good with writing and grammar. I just have trouble while reading words because the letters mix match and change up and the words seem to look different. 

I’m not really sure why I let it defy me so much. I guess it could be because it seems like a good excuse to not try hard enough or to be lazy. I don’t know, but I’m guessing that since I thought of those assumptions that maybe they could be true, maybe.

I am so enthusiastic about writing you this letter. I really hope you find my liking of your book interesting. I hope you can find time to write me back with everything you have going on.

Thank you for your time,

Two Things on Tuesday

Thing One

Dear Barbara O'Connor:

You are the best writer in the world. I promise that is not a joke. 

Thing Two

Dear Barbara O'Connor:

 I really appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to tell us about your book How to Steal a Dog. I learned that some of Mookie's quotes are real but some are fake and are from your brain.

Things I Love Thursday

I love getting notes from teachers like this one:

Ms. O'Connor, I'm a 3rd grade teacher at __ School in Irving, Texas. This past Thursday I finished reading How to Steal a Dog to my class. I loved it and have been inspired to make a list of my own…

“How to Know Your Students Love a Book You’ve Read to Them”

1. When they check it out of the library to read it again.
2. When they beg you to keep reading at the end of each chapter.
3. When they keep making connections to it throughout the year. (“Mrs. E, I saw a homeless man and I thought of Mookie!”…)
4. When you hear students call out, “Yes! How to Steal a Dog!” when they see you pick it up.
5. When you  look in their faces and can see their emotions as you read it aloud.
6. When you hear their laughter at the funny parts.
7. When you all feel just a little sad when you read the last words aloud because you didn’t want it to end.

Thank you for a wonderful book!!

Two Things on Tuesday

Thing One

Dear Barbara O'Connor:

Since you live in Duxbury, Massachusetts, have you ever seen Pilgrims?

Thing Two

The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester puppet show!

 

Two Things on Tuesday

Thing One

Dear Barbara O'Connor:

How are you? I’m doing good. Your book The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis was so good. Sometimes it was sad and sometimes happy. 

I really enjoyed your book. 

Thank you for writing it to me. 

 

Thing Two

Popeye, Starletta and Elvis

Dear Barbara O'Connor

Dear Barbara O'Connor:

Thank you for all the things you do for me and people all around the world. 

You are welcome.

Love, Barbara 

It's Not Thursday

...but here's something I love: I love getting fan mail. What author doesn't?

And then there are letters like THIS:


Dear Barbara O'Connor:

I liked the book The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis. It was really cool how you made it sound like you were actually in South Carolina. 

I also liked how you used words like drip, drip, drip. It made me feel like I could really hear that in my heart. 

I liked how you made your book come alive. I also liked how you used vocabulary words and I liked how you told us what they meant so we weren't curious, but wondering is good.

I hope I read more of your books and people that read it like it as much as I like it.

Your biggest fan ever, 
P  

Things I Love Thursday

I love getting letters like this:

Dear Mrs. O'Connor,

 Hello, I'm a fifteen year old freshman living in land-locked Indiana and I am in love with your novel "Moonpie and Ivy". This book really inspired me. The setting is a place I can relate to, the land set up is similar to my grandparents. I first read that book at my grandparents when I was in fifth grade. I saved money just to buy this book. Every year since, I have read it during the summer or whenever I need an escape. I also love the attachment Pearl has to her aunt who becomes a mother figure almost, because Ruby is off who knows where. 

Now the reason I am writing this is because I am trying to write a novel myself but don't quite know where to start. I have ideas but they never seem to last or take off from the ground. Recently I have been writing a journal and keeping notes on things I see, hear, and experience. How did you get inspired to write "Moonpie and Ivy"? How do you get an idea to take flight and actually become something? What tips do you have for an author to be? Anything helps.

Things I Love Thursday

I love getting letters like this from kids:

It was fun to meet you in person and it felt good that we got similar reading and writing report card grades. 

Also, it felt really good you called me an author during our library meeting. My mom was proud. If I become an author, I'll come to my old schools to inspire future authors, too.

Dear Barbara O'Connor

Dear Barbara O'Connor:

I like to read books about animals and monsters. I like the book How to Steal a Dog because the kids are funny. 

I do have a wish. I wish you would have put a couple of monsters in it.

Dear Barbara O'Connor

Dear Barbara O'Connor:

One last thing: If Popeye's Uncle Dooley shot Popeye in the eye, his eye would fall out, wouldn't it?

Dear Barbara O'Connor

Dear Barbara O'Connor:

You’re very good at first impressions. 

I like your ideas and I think you are very neat and organized. 

Things I Love Thursday

I love receiving letters like this:

Hello (: My name's Autumn. I'm thirteen years old and live in North Carolina.  I just wanted to tell you that your book "How to Steal a Dog" is the best book ever!! I read it last year in sixth grade and was inspired. 

I've been writing for a while now and I absolutely love it. The details and plot of that book is amazing. I love the relationship of her and her brother. When she takes the dog and goes to the old house and when her, her brother and her mother  are living in the car having trouble, I could really relate and picture the setting in my mind. 

I just wanted to say thank you :)

Dear Barbara O'Connor

Dear Barbara O'Connor:

I liked when Georgina told Toby to shut up. I liked when Carmela cried her lungs out.

Dear Barbara O'Connor

Received from a fan:

Beautiful and graceful
Adoring and helpful
Reading means a lot
Breathtaking words
A lot of hard work
Really a good person who not only cares about herself but the whole entire world
A lot of great books and effort put into them so they sound great

Aren't kids great??!!  

I LOVE 'em!!! 
(And I do care about the whole entire world.) 

    

Dear Barbara O'Connor

Dear Barbara O'Connor:

For my school summer project, I read How to Steal a Dog. The book was interesting and gloomy. 

It was a nice book the way you made it doomed in the beginning then in the end you made a joyful story.

Dear Barbara O'Connor

Dear Barbara O'Connor:

You were very nice for talking to our class. I never got bored the whole time. You are full of good stories.

Dear Barbara O'Connor

Dear Barbara O'Connor:

I like your spicy words.

Dear Barbara O'Connor

Dear Barbara O'Connor:

The story you wrote, How to Steal a Dog, is amazing, but a little emotional, at least for my teacher.