bookmark contest!

You know what's great about being an author? Aside from hearing from readers and all the other cool stuff. Being invited to do things – like judge a bookmark contest! I have no expertise in bookmarks, unless you count, you know, using them. But I was invited to be a judge at the MSLA bookmark contest last Thursday. We – a venerable group of local authors, school librarians and MSLA leaders – gathered at the Plympton Elementary School in Waltham, Massachusetts, where all of the entries were arranged on tables in the library. I was teamed up with picture book author Stephen Krensky, who luckily is a pro at judging a good bookmark. We narrowed the field down to two honorable mentions and one winner, which will be produced as an actual bookmark.

The bookmarks were amazing – these students are doing some really great, creative work, and I hope they keep at it. Some of my personal favorites included a dragon, one of a child reading in the company of wolves (this looked surprisingly cozy) and another filled with fairies and vampires and monsters and all my favorite fantasy things. Lovely. Good work, everyone!

Also present: Ralph Masiello, David Yoo (pictured, above), Jacqueline Davies, and others whom I did not get to meet, personally. And librarians, who are among my favorite people on this earth. Also, Ralph Masiello (who draws gorgeous picture books) showed us an early copy of THE MYSTIC PHYLES, The Journal of Abigail Thaddeus by Stephanie Brockway and Ralph Masiello. This book looks amazing – written in diary format and heavily illustrated, it chronicles a young girl's research of magical beasts. This is exactly the type of book I wanted to read at age 12! Oh, and now, too. But we have to wait – it will be out this summer.