One of the Perks of Writing for Children

One of my favorite parts of writing is hearing from young readers. I recently received a packet of letters from a third grade class in Illinois that read Third Grade Mix-Up as a class read aloud.  A lot of the kids suggested that Sydney & Sidney be turned into a movie. (I’m all for that if any movie producers are reading, by the way. I know of at least 20 kids that said they would turn up at the theater.)

Another big question was whether or not Sidney and Sydney like like each other. This sort of threw me as it was coming from third graders.  I don’t think I even thought about like liking someone until fifth grade. Kids these days.

I also received some great ideas for future books:

You are a great author and maybe in your next book you can put a famous person in there like Christina Augilera.

You should also write a second book about a new kid named Misao and that she is getting teased but then Sidney and Sydney help her out.

Maybe you could make Sidney and Sydney at recess and they meet two other BFFs name Quin and Quwin in your second book.

I just spent the better part of an afternoon writing them back. How could I not when more than half of them signed off as ‘Your Biggest Fan’? You gotta love writing for kids.