Taylor Merlino asked Dawn Malone:

What was the encouragement of writing 'The Upside of Down'?

Dawn Malone Hi Taylor! This is a great question. Like many of my stories, it began with an article I saw in the newspaper. It was about a woman who passed a homeless boy on the sidewalk every day on her way to work in New York City. One day she decided to ask him to lunch at McDonald's. After that day, they became good friends. She took him to lunch regularly, bought him clothes, invited him to the zoo, her church, and to meet her family. Years later, they are still friends, and now he has a family of his own. After I read this story, I wondered if two boys could meet, and despite their very different backgrounds, become friends. It was important to me to show that no matter where you come from, every person has something to offer others whether that be a hand-me-down sweatshirt, something to eat, or just a willingness to listen.

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