If you follow my posts at all, you know I shamelessly use my grandchildren to promote my books.
And why not? I wrote First Grade King when my own boys, Peter and Christopher were about the same age as my two oldest grandchildren, Ethan(7) and Evan (4)are now. It’s based on the experiences of my two boys …kind of. In fact the book is so similar to life around our house at that time that Christopher, when he heard the rough draft, exclaimed, “Mom! You can’t steal my ideas like that!”
That gave me pause for thought. Yes he was afraid of the dog on the corner when he had to walk to school and there was a bully and fears about having a substitute, but wait a minute that was MY first grade experience too.
So get over it kid, your mother is a writer.
Outdated you say? I thought so too… possibly
But I have reports that Ethan and Evan are enjoying the read-aloud as much as any any 7 and 4 year old might have when my children were that age…when I actually wrote the book…kind of about my first grade experience and yes kind of like Christopher’s first grade life too.
Maybe they like it because their grandmother wrote it. Definitely a possibility….
But it turns out that Ethan, living in Taiwan, going to school, has fears too…bullies and more. “Why IS Roger so mean?” He wants to know. He has questions about the Joey’s visually impaired classmate. Like Joey in the book Ethan is a sensitive kid, like his dad and his uncle at that age and like…I think… most kids.
I am happy to know that my stories cross generations and cultures even if I am using my own grandkids to prove it.
Full disclaimer? I am listening and watching and might be using my grandchildren’s “ideas” next.
