Cypress, Texas Part 4

Next I spoke to students at Warner.

Me with librarian Gina Moss

Next up? Duryea School

Me with librarian Alana Wilkin

The week flew by.

Last day: Keith School.

Me with Keith student Bethany Budnek

And the last school of the week: Swenke!

Me with librarian Angie Arnett

Swenke students

Thank you, Cy-Fair, for a great week!

Cypress, Texas Part 3

Next I went to Lamkin. The kids were great.

Me with librarian Megan Casas

Then I spoke to students at Black School.

Me with librarian Julie Lenk

That night, we had a blast at dinner.

(l to r) Peter Catalanotto, me, Phil Bildner

Cypress, Texas Part 2

Day 2: Sampson School!

The students had made some awesome Lost Dog signs in honor of How to Steal a Dog. 

Wow!

There were so many of them.

I wish I could have posted pics of all of them.

But here are some so you can see how great they were.

A special thanks to Mrs. Cabrera for helping with that project.

Me with Mrs. Cabrera

It was such a joy to meet librarian, Paula Morgan. (I think we are soul sisters.)

Mrs. Morgan and me

Some more Sampson photos:

Me with wonderful fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Callaghan.

Presenting to the great students at Sampson!

And check out this great gift: ornaments that represent three of my books:

Next stop?

Adam School

Thank you, Mrs. Anthony and all the great students!

Mrs. Anthony (left) and me

Chatting with students from Adam School

Cypress, Texas Part 1

I had a GREAT week in Cypress, Texas, visiting schools in the Cypress-Fairbanks School District.

All the schools made me feel so welcome and the kids totally rocked.

The first day started with a bit of bad luck: My luggage stayed behind in Boston.

So the uber fabulous librarian, Jennifer Lucas, took me to Target for all the essentials in life, like mascara. (Thanks, Mrs. Lucas!!)

But, wait! We forgot something! 

A comb!

Dang!

But never fear! Mrs. Lucas and I spiffed up my hairdo with forks.

 

So now I was ready to present to the great students of Hamilton.

Me and Mrs. Lucas (right) with our forks

Me with Paige

Me with Jordan

Me with Jackson

Me with Rachel

Next stop?

Fiest School.

The kids were great and welcoming. 

Thanks, y'all.

 

 And later, I got to have a great dinner with their super librarian, Mrs. Sweet.

(l to r) Librarian Claudia Fenske, author Phil Bildner, Kim Sweet

More about my great Cypress visit coming up.

Stay tuned.

Things I Love Thursday

I love this red plate.

The purpose of this plate is to celebrate something special that happened to the person eating from it.

You document the occasion with a marker on the bottom of the plate.

When my son was growing up, we always referred to a special event as "a red-plate dinner."

Alas, some of the events are wearing away with time, but most of them are still visible.

Most of them are my son's. 

(I did, however, get one event on there.)

Here are some:

First day of first grade 9/3/93

Grady lost his first tooth 10/15/93

 

Grady got a perfect grade on his spelling test; second grade; November 1994

No more crib! Grady in a big boy bed 3/19/90 photo

 


Grady caught his first fish 4/4/94
Grady got a job 2011 [a personal favorite]

Grady's first oil change 6/8/03

Grady beat final Bowser in Mario 64 Nintendo

(This one is my favorite. I was a HUGE Mario 64 fan and played endlessly. I was so happy when he beat Bowser.)



Here is mine: Blondie (that's me) Fame and Glory book signing 6/14/03
 
 

Bye, y'all

Headed to Texas for a week of school visits!

 

Things I Love Thursday

I love it when teachers and librarians take the time to write to children's authors with letters like the one below.

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that there are times I doubt myself. 

I'll never write another book.

I'm a pathetic excuse for a human being pretending to write books for children that matter to anyone besides my best friends, who are required to like them.

Every other children's author in the universe is far better than me.

I might as well quit and become a dental hygienist. 

And then....lo and behold.....I receive this email with the subject line:  Love you, love your books.

Wait!

What?

Me?

My books?

So to those of you who do amazing things like write amazing letters....thank you.

And now, without further ado....that letter:

Good Morning,

Allow me to introduce myself. I am possibly one of your biggest adult fans. Your books are so perfectly suited for kids. I am a curriculum specialist at a Title I school in ___. 

We were a school of transformation when I came, meaning we were in the bottom 5% of the state in testing. In one year we grew 20 points in reading and math, and 40 points in science. 

I say all that to say what we are most proud of is that our kids saw themselves are readers for the first time. The Small Adventure of] Popeye and Elvis was a part of that. We used that book with fourth graders as a mentor text for character study. 

This year we actually bought every 4th grader their own copy so that as the teacher reads and models thinking the students will have it with them. (They actually start today….. .)We will also be using it in writer’s workshop to study author’s craft.


I read your blog religiously and have loved your TIPS for writing, especially the ones about SET UP. I have actually incorporated that into the reading lessons. So thank you for that.

Again, I just wanted to thank you for your love of kids, your talent as a writer and the impact that you have made on me but more importantly of the students we server.

Have a great day and keep up the great work!
 

Big Apple Recap

My recent trip to New York was great (despite my Amtrak train nightmare, which will go unmentioned).

I was meeting up with my agent, Barbara Markowitz, for the first time ever!! We've worked together for 18 years.

Yes, I said 18 years.

Never met.

How did that happen?

But.....we finally did it.

I literally ran from Penn Station to The Algonquin Hotel.

What a perfect spot for a writer to stay! The home of the Round Table, a group of amazing writers who met there for lunch every day to exchange ideas (including, ultimately, founding the New Yorker Magazine). I hope I absorbed some writerly vibes.

The Round Table of writers

Then it was off to the Flatiron Building to meet my great Macmillan/FSG team.

Flatiron Building

Barbara Markowitz (left) and me

(l to r) Susan Dobinick, Barbara Markowitz, Margaret Ferguson, Harvey Markowitz

(l to r) Me, Barbara Markowitz, Janine O'Malley (front) Margaret Ferguson

 That night, Barbara, Harvey and I had a lovely dinner and toasted ourselves.

(l to r) Barbara Markowitz, Harvey Markowitz, me

Babs Sr. and Babs Jr

We even had cotton candy for dessert!

By the end of day two, Harvey and I were tired.

A grand old time!!

And the winners are....

The drawing for the audiobooks was done in a highly scientific and technologically advanced method.

And the winners are:

Thanks to everyone who entered!!

(Note to Portia: I don't have an email address for you. Will you contact me barbaraoconnor at mac dot com?)