Two Great Graphic Novels

Jimmy Gownley, author of the popular Amelia Rules series, writes his autobiography in graphic novel form. Covering junior high through early high school, Jimmy explains how "the dumbest idea ever" completely re-wrote his life. The story follows Jimmy as a series of illnesses side line his athletic goals but jump start his love of cartooning. The story explores friendship, coping with stress and fame and figuring out what is important to you. You will laugh and worry right along with Jimmy, his best friend and parents in this true story.

Geeks, jocks, high school elections and robotics all merge in this laugh out loud slice of modern life. Charlie, all around great guy, is caught between his cheerleader ex-girlfriend and his nerdy oldest friend. Each one represents a group vying for Student Council money. The cheer squad wants new uniforms and the techies want to go to the Robotics Competition. So they both mount campaigns to win student council but the two candidates are best friends. What could go wrong? Plenty and plenty of laughs. Where is the sequel authors Prudence Shen and Faith Hicks??!!

Stephan Pastis Wows are Students!

 Stephan Pastis visited with our 3rd, 4th and 5th graders on March 27th. Equiped with a great group of slides, he told the students about how he started out being an attorney for his career path. After ten years, he realized he really wanted to be creative and took the plunge to become a comic strip artist. He was rejected many times until he added a second character to his beloved rat, a very clever pig. (Pearls Before Swine comic strip author/illustrator)

Mr. Pastis explained his creative process. He made our group laugh as he explained his need for loud music, lots of coffee and a room with walls that he draws on to get his ideas down on paper.

He was approached several years ago to write a book for middle school children. At first, he felt he was too busy but eventually an idea came to him based on the type of stories he loved when he was that age: Detective stories. And so Timmy Failure was born!

Mistakes were Made was the first Timmy story. It was on the NY Times Best Seller list for many weeks. Soon, part two came along Now Look What You Did which is how we got to have Mr. Pastis come visit us.  Since he was doing a huge tour, The Book Stall in Winnetka asked if we would like to have him visit us here at Sears School! Well, we certainly did.

After talking to the students, Mr. P. fielded questions from the audience. He brought t-shirts, three Timmy Failure watches and temporary tattoos. We were able to have a drawing right there with him picking the names of the lucky winners.

He then signed books before heading off to his next appointment.

PS Mr. Pastis even gave our students a sneak peek at the third Timmy Failure story We Meet Again, due out in October! We will be looking forward to that!

Gordon Korman does it again with "Ungifted"

Donovan Curtis is the likable cut-up of his junior high school. Only problem is that trouble seems to find him wherever he goes. Detention is his home away from home. When a seemingly simple whack on the school statue of Atlas holding up the world ends up destroying the better part of the gym, it looks like the end may be near for Donovan. But instead of the expected expulsion, Donovan's family receives notice that he has been admitted to the district's school for the gifted The Academy of Scholastic Distinction. Pretty much a straight C kind of a guy, Donovan realizes that some sort of bureaucratic mix-up has taken place. He decides to go with this odd turn of events. The ASD may be the just the place to hide out while tempers cool. Donovan may not be gifted in the conventional way but it turns out that he does have some unique talents that his new classmates do not. The story is told from various characters' points of view.   Donovan, his parents, his married older sister, his brother-in-law's dog, the superintendent of the district, his old pals at the junior high, his new gifted classmates and the Robotics Club's competition robot are all changed in this hilarious, non-stop romp. You will never think of "gifted" in quite the same way.