Librarian Leaps: CHOBANI and Almonds Grabenstein Style

The bookstore asked if I could sell 100 books. Could I?
I told my students there was a "contest".
IF we sold 100 books, our friend Chris Grabenstein would visit.

We sold 108 books.
Splendiferous! As our reward, Chris Grabenstein returned to CES last week. WOOHOO!

We love having lunch with our visitors. This time it was going to be a bit challenging. Got this message from the bookstore coordinating his visit:

Apparently he likes: Chobani blueberry no-fat yogurt and a bag of almonds

That was a stumper. Were the kids going to be into that? For lunch???

So...I knocked this around with one of my teachers who said,

Chobani... suggestion: have a selection of five or more different almonds... sliced, blanched, roasted, tamari, raw... and some fresh blueberries...

Within the parameters, you can still be you (AKA going over the top)

I took that and leapt. What about a Chobani and Almond blind taste test with some fourth graders?

A trip to the grocery store and twelve different tubs of Chobani, five cans of almonds later I was ready for "Chobani and Almonds Grabenstein Style." I made up a review sheet, got some pencils and spoons and we put our taste buds to test. It was a wonderful interaction between reader and author that I highly recommend. Giggles, "ews" "yums" and guesses all lead to a different kind of bonding that we don't usually experience when we have lunch together.

In hindsight, I believe Chris wishes he requested ice cream, but a healthy dose of yogurt was certainly a close second. (and I was thrilled that so many of the kids enjoyed the Chobani.) Maybe for the launch of SHINE (Chris's new middle grade he wrote with his wife. It's due out in the fall--Stay tuned!) we'll have ice cream. I had to ask Chris, "Why Chobani?" He told me it was a good company with a good mission (see below). Also, yogurt is easy to polish off while chatting with kids. And as far as Chobani goes, he is right--Check out the [anti] CEO's recent TedTalk. If it's up to me, we'll be having more Chobani tests in the future.