Five Things on a Friday

   1.  Last night, I was the guest author at Family Literacy Night at the George Mitchell School, a K-3 school in Waterville, Maine. 

They do such a nice program.  There were craft stations and activities and readings by the author, and it all ends with a parade!  Every family that came was given a paperback copy of Hot Rod Hamster, and I signed them all. 

Since whole families come to this event, I had lots of very little children. When I give a reading, Q&A works with older kids, but not as well with little ones. And with a large mixed group, it's especially challenging, because you're stretching over so many developmental levels.  

So after I read Hot Rod Hamster, I had about 10 minutes before I could send my groups to their next sessions. "Sometimes kids like to tell me their ideas for NEW Hamster books," I said. "Would you like to do that? Let me give you a couple of examples. . . Haunted Hamster where he goes trick or treating and ends up in a haunted house!  Hip-hop Hamster where there's a dance contest and . . . ." 

That's all it took. All those hands were in the air.  Here are a few of their great ideas:

Thunderstorm Hamster!    ("Oh!" I said. "How does he feel about that? Is he scared?" The child nodded solemnly. "Very scared.")

Hamster's First Kiss.  ("He's kissing?!" I asked, shocked. "Who is he going to kiss?!" The child grinned. "A girl hamster.")   

Hamster's St. Patrick's Day ("Maybe he could mistaken for a leprechaun?" I asked. "He is very small." The child added, "And people think his trophies are his GOLD")

Make room on your schedule, Derek Anderson!  We've got work ahead of us! 


The parade!  Everyone made banners and it was led by one of the local policemen

2.  My voice held out with the help of a microphone last night, though I still sound froggy this morning.  Now, I'm glad to have almost a week off before my next talk.  At the end of next week, I'm off to California--which I'm really excited about!  So I'm going to do my best to get back to sounding like myself before that trip.  

3.  I was sorry to miss American Idol last night.  I'm really enjoying this season.  Steven Tyler is both magnetic and surprisingly kind.

4.  My daughter comes home for a week's break today.  I can't wait to pick her up this afternoon! 

"Today's going to be a fun day for you," I told Milo. I love to watch that moment when he first sees her. He freezes, like he can't believe what he's seeing. And then he turns into seven pounds of tail-wagging joy.

5.  It was blissfully warm yesterday. Which for Maine in February means high 40s!