Can I Tell You a Secret?

We LOVE Anna and Chris AND their books!

It's ANOTHER book birthday party!

You know I love my book birthday parties and we had another one today!  This time celebrating our friends, author Anna Kang and her illustrator husband, Chris Weyant.  We are some of their biggest fans ever since this fall's Geisel project.  Bet you didn't know, though, that I was at the event at ALA last summer watching them receive their Geisel award with tears in my eyes as they spoke.  I even got a fuzzy picture while Anna was speaking:

San Francisco, CA ALA Annual, June 2015

But today was all about Monty.  Monty has a secret that he hasn't even shared with his parents.  He asks us, the readers, if we can keep a secret and when we shout, "YES!" he discloses that he can't swim. Now, this would be tough for anyone, but it's especially hard if you are a frog.  Finally, Monty gets the nerve up to tell his parents his secret.  Does he do it?  Does Monty overcome his fear?  Does he end up in the water?  You don't think I'm going to give it all away, do you?  This is the perfect book to read by the pool just before you get your toes wet (oh, and the rest of your body, too, perhaps, just like, uh...maybe a new friend named Monty?).

Introducing Monty!  Anna read us the book!

These first graders were captivated!

Check out some of their mouths wide open--they are so interested in the story!
And how cool is that to have the author read it to you?!!!

Here the young artists are at work drawing Monty, thanks to directions from Chris!

Showing Chris and Anna the finished products!

We have some talented kids in our school!

Chris and Anna together!  Love them!

Some smiling artists--Notice the "Happy Birthday" wishes? Too cute!

Yes, that is a cup of popcorn in his hand!
What's a party without food and "Rattner Popcorn"?!

That was my Monty.  I always tell the kids, "There's a reason I didn't go to art school."

What a fun day! Thank you, Anna and Chris and happy birthday, Monty!

GEISEL! ANNA! CHRIS! OH MY!

PINCH ME!  Did today really happen?  Did we really have a Google Hangout (not the best quality, mind you, but we made it work) with Anna Kang and Chris Weyant?! Did they just chat with us as if we were hanging out with them in their office and kitchen? Give a thumbs up if you think the answer is YES! THUMBS UP!

Holy moly! If you have not read the 2015 Geisel award winning book, You are (Not) Small, go out and get it! Then, go out and get their newest book, That's (Not) Mine, featuring the same characters. Perfect books for the first grader (and BIG first graders, like myself!).

I had NO IDEA our Mock Geisel project would turn out as wonderful as it has so far, and we've only been doing it for two weeks.  The Geisel community is so warm and welcoming and open.  I feel like we have made so many new friends just through these books and our students.  The kids are so excited to read the Geisel contenders and score them.  They are honest, too!  They have no qualms about giving a book 2-3 stars and saying that they would not be interested in reading a sequel or other books by that particular author.  Thankfully, we all wanted to read more of Anna and Chris's books because there are going to be a total of five (so far!).  Different characters but still same awesomeness!  Woo-hoo!  AND we got to see the cover of the next one which will be released in May. Yay!

Despite the poor sound quality, and me having to mute our end of the conversation, the hangout was great!  The students came up and asked questions and I typed them in.  There is no lag time with the typing so Chris or Anna answered the questions almost immediately.  Anna showed us the new book and Chris showed us some sketches. They talked about the writing and illustrating process and how long it takes to make a book.  The kids were surprised it took a year (or more!). Regardless, teamwork makes the dream work.

Anna and Chris are such wonderful people.  Mrs. Pryde already put a bug in my ear that she wants them to be our author/illustrator visit next year.  Hmmm....we might be able to make this work (wink-wink).  At least it's only a car ride away.  You know how you'd just LOVE to see Castleton, New York, right?

We are thinking we want our Geisel Committee members to have special t-shirts.  How cool would that be?  And we have a crazy idea for the design but we also asked the kids to come back by Monday to see if they had any ideas.  Stay tuned.

Check out these pictures. I'll put my arm out the next time I see you to get that pinch!

Anna showing us the book that comes out in May featuring a frog!

Posing with BIG Chris!

Posing with BIG Anna (with me on the left and Mrs. Pryde on the right)

Another shot of us all riveted by Anna and Chris!

Thanks again to Anna and Chris for taking time out of their day to be with us and being patient as we figured out the technology and making it work!  Hooray for Anna! Hooray for Chris! Hooray for Geisel!  

Our 2016 Castleton Elementary School Geisel Committee Members!