Paul Aertker's Blog, page 2

Letters to authors from children are the BEST!!!

Letters I get from speaking at different schools are always the best! 
Kids in 4th, 5th, or 6th grade tend to use the superlative a lot, and anything you do is either the greatest, the funniest, or the best! 
It certainly makes speaking to schools a lot of fun. 
This photograph is from a packet of letters I received this week. 
One student wrote:

Dear Mr. Paul Aertker
Thank you for coming and signing our books and talking to us about geography and Djibouti, Djibouti. (PA: Djibouti, btw, is a country in East Africa on the Horn of Africa, near Ethiopia). 
My favorite story you told us was the royal wedding and I could see everything you described. I want to learn French and the first word I learned was L'abeille  = bee.
Sincerely Lilly.

Travel pillow of the gods or travel pillow for those us who fly coach

Ok. This is an awesome travel pillow. Cabeau neck pillow is kind of like a chapeau for your neck, head, and back. It's thick enough when you're using it to lull yourself into la-la land and it's squishy and small enough to jam into your backpack or travel carryon. Happy trails! 

Best earplugs for blocking out snoring

My Crime Travelers series is about kids traveling the world.
 This is a blog post about must-have travel tools. Enjoy!
Sleep next to someone who snores?

I'm using these silicone earplugs for minimizing all forms of noise pollution. The silicone turns sirens into a distant cat's meow. Perfect for that late night Harley's that motor through your neighbor at 3:00 in the morning. 
I haven't used them at a football game but I will the next time. Those folks are loud! 
What is the loudest football stadium? 
Use them in the swimming pool or use them on the airplane or use them on a train. Use them anywhere anytime!

What's more valuable than priceless?

Teaching kids geography: Cool.
Hearing Hollywood refer to your book series as "a property": Awesome.
Writing book 3 in the Crime Travelers trilogy: Priceless.

Priceless  is Now Available: 
This is the 3rd book in the middle-grade series that editor Mark Robichaux says,
"reads like The Bourne Identity -- but for kids."

Not for you?
But still want to help kids learn about the world?
Please forward this to a 4 - 7 grade teacher.

Thanks for the support!
Paul
Here's an early review from someone named Margo.
PRICELESS is an action packed ride of underwater scuba adventures and elaborate art heists. Sprinkled amongst the story are interesting and educational examples of Spanish cuisine, art, language, and geography. Most importantly, the book contains a positive lesson on what is truly priceless in life and what can be accomplished through collaboration and a sense of purpose. Lucas Benes and the New Resistance kids have triumphed once again!
Amazon here.

Adapted from Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass - Reading at my friends' wedding this weekend in Vermont.

The day when I rose at dawn from the bed of perfect health, refresh’d, singing, inhaling the ripe breath of autumn, When I saw the full moon in the west grow pale and disappear in the morning light, When I wander’d alone over the beach, and undressing bathed, laughing with the cool waters, and saw the sun rise, And when I thought how my dear friend my lover was on her way coming, O then I was happy, O then each breath tasted sweeter, and all that day my food nourish’d me more, and the beautiful day pass’d well, And the next came with equal joy, and with the next at evening came my friend, And that night while all was still I heard the waters roll slowly continually up the shores, I heard the hissing rustle of the liquid and sands as directed to me whispering to congratulate me, For the one I love most lay sleeping by me under the same cover in the cool night, In the stillness in the autumn moonbeams her face was inclined toward me,
And her arm lay lightly around my breast – and that night I was happy.

A kid's book review: "Full of Action and Hilarious scenes!

Dear Mr Aertker,
Thank you so much for Skypeing our class! The book Crime Travelers was outstanding! 10 out of 10! I would highly suggest this book. It was full of action and hilarious scenes! My favorite part was when Gini had a certain kind of explosion in her pants. It was amazing.
Thanks again! Macey



http://www.crimetravelers.com/http://...

The exploding diaper

Dear Mr Aertker,

I really enjoyed reading Crime Travelers. I really thought that you put a lot of work into this book. I think it is one of my favorite books. My favorite part is when [Gini]'s diaper exploded onto the guy's face.
From, Riley



Thanks Riley,

I too really like the part in the book where Gini's diaper explodes onto the guy's face and Lucas is then able to flee through the streets of Paris. Thanks for recognizing the amount of work authors (and editors) put into their work.
Paul

http://www.crimetravelers.com/
Brainwashed: http://www.amazon.com/dp/194013711X
Diamonds Are For Never http://www.amazon.com/dp/194013725X

Wimpy Kid

I love the Wimpy Kid books, and I especially love what Jeff Kinney has done with this entire series. 

One of the best things about writing for kids is getting them excited about books. I'm in favor of getting kids to read more, and I especially like series that make kids love reading. 

But to be honest, I have to admit it's a little bit fun to see my Crime Travelers Spy Mystery Series in second place behind such an awesome series!





CrimeTravelers.com

Free book discussion guide for teachers who want to teach more geography to 4th - 8th graders.

We now have this awesome book discussion guide for the Crime Travelers series. 

Written by middle school and geography teachers, the guide is focused on getting kids to think about where things are in the world, languages people speak, and the currencies they use in different countries. 

Want to expand your students' horizons? 

Download the free book discussion guide plus the first 101 pages of Brainwashed book one in the Crime Travelers series - #1 Amazon best seller in children's travel books.


Crime Travelers Spy Mystery Website

A middle school series like "Alex Rider and the Hunger Games."

Thanks, I'll take that!

Crime Travelers
Brainwashed
Diamonds Are For Never