Today is my birthday and what better present is there for an author than to know that her books are connecting with readers? My day started with emails from Candlewick sharing great news about two of my books:
The Luck of the Buttons has been nominated for the 2012-2013 Georgia Children's Book Award. Thank you, Georgia readers! I am honored to be included on this wonderful list.
2012 is also the ten year anniversary of Dear Papa's publication and I am thrilled to learn that there are plans to release it in e-book next spring.
The very best celebration of Dear Papa's tenth birthday was a visit with a group of enthusiastic ten-year-old readers. I had the great privilege of spending an afternoon with Ms. Bishop's fourth grade last week. They read and discussed Dear Papa as a class over the course of several months and knew the story and characters inside and out. It was incredible to hear how the life of 1940s Isabelle resonated with these readers of today. There was talk of what to call a step-parent, what it's like when we find out Mama's having a baby, what it's like to miss someone. They shared the letters that made them laugh and had so many interesting questions and comments. I look forward to my next visit when we'll explore journal keeping. Thank you, fourth graders!
