James Preller’s Blog

Fan Mail Wednesday #156: “Why Is Jigsaw Always In Grade 2?”

Ethan asks a great question . . .

Dear Mr.Preller,

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I really like your Jigsaw Jones mystery novels, but I have a few questions:

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1. In Jigsaw Jones #23 The Case of the Perfect Prank it says: “Mila had been my partner for years.” Why years? Have they solved mysteries together since grade Kindergarten?

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2. Why is Jigsaw always in grade 2?

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Ethan

Ethan,

Thanks for your email.

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Yes, Mila and Jigsaw have been friends for a long time, and they did crack their first case back in kindergarten. I haven’t written that story yet, but maybe someday I will.

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Illustration by Jamie Smith.

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When I started the series, the stories kind of cycled through the school year. After a few books, when it looked like the series was a success and my publisher wanted more titles, I asked my editor: What now? Does he go into 3rd grade?

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She said, No, he stays in 2nd grade.

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Forever? I asked.

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Forever, she told me.

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I said, Well, what about Thanksgiving? It’s already happened in this series.

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She told me that I could and should write about that time of year again, but each time would be like the first time. Just basically pretend the other books hadn’t been written.

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Pretty confusing, because with each book the series accumulates new information on all these characters. Mila has a stepmother named Alice, for example, Bigs Maloney’s father works as a florist, and so on, so I’ve had to recognize that the books happened, certain facts have been established, while simultaneously pretending that the stories never occurred. Weird stuff.

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It’s been strange, I’ll admit it, but that’s the way my publisher wanted the series to go.

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Great question, thanks for writing, and have a terrific, book-filled summer!

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JP