Yesterday the 6th grade book club welcomed a special guest: Mac Barnett! The author of The Case of the Case of the Mistaken Identity came to Willard to talk with students who had read his book. This intimate talk was a great treat for the students. Mac seemed to enjoy their thoughtful questions almost as much as the delicious school lunch we provided him.
Mac told us, while daintily picking at his salad, that he had grown up in the East Bay and worked as a counselor at the Cal Summer Camps. It was there that he began telling stories to little kids and first thought of becoming a children's author. Perhaps some of our current students were his wee campers.
We learned that he has read piles of mystery novels in preparation for writing his own. While the Hardy Boys were his favorite growing up, he espoused the better plotting in the Nancy Drew books while enjoying the chow mein. For those of you wondering, he did not slurp his noodles.
Most of his books were illustrated by Adam Rex, author of The True Meaning of Smekday and Fat Vampire. Mac described the collaborative process in creating a picture book. But he emphasized, while gesticulating with an egg roll, that the writer does more of the work while having to share the royalties equally.
Join the lunchtime book club for more exciting conversations! Our next book will be Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis. See Ms. Lee to get a copy and join the discussion.
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