Today I spoke to creative writers and intensely curious and engaged readers in Clarksville Middle School, Howard County, Maryland. These young people are already busy workshopping each other’s work and thinking about how they can join Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Whoa, these guys and girls are way ahead of where I was in middle school: a boy-crazy adolescent playing the piano, working hard to make friends and dreaming of America. Anyway. It was amazing to meet them!

And then I came back to my own class, who were being perfectly productive angels and working so hard that I had to put a stop to it at once.

And so we stood on desks, to celebrate our greatness, because standing on desks is now my second favorite thing to do — after school visits!

Happy Friday, all!

Love,

Katia