Let’s get to it. I’ll plunge my hand into the giant barrel I keep beside my desk . . . let’s see what we have here . . . a fish? Oops, wrong barrel. I use that one for target practice. Okay, next barrel. It’s a letter from a mother and a daughter in New Hampshire. And sadly, they are quarreling. Stand back, folks. Put on your protective goggles. This is a job for a trained professional — disputes of this nature can tear a family apart.
Dear Mr. Preller,
My 9 year old daughter, Sarah, has to do a school project and design a small pumpkin to look like the main character in her book report, Jigsaw Jones! This could be quite interesting! However, the problem is we’re having difficulty finding out what color hair he actually has. We’re torn between brown and orange in our house. We were hoping you might be able to answer this for us. Thanks…we love reading your books!
Sharon & Sarah
I replied:
Sarah,
Jigsaw has brown hair. At times it does look a little light, but I’ve never thought of him as red- or orange-haired.
I’d love to see a photo of the final pumpkin!
JP
And thus, domestic serenity is restored. Thank you, thank you very much. Mom soon wrote back — typing with a damaged digit — and included photos!
Hi Mr. Preller,
I’ve attached pictures of Sarah’s final project. Her fourth grade class had to read a book with a mystery and then create this project. On each index card are various topics: information about the book itself, setting, characters, main character and the mystery. The cards had to be attached to the pumpkin which was to be created any way the kids wanted to look like the main character in the story. Although I told you my children do their own projects, I lied…I did end up having to help Sarah with this one as the blue cap was a bit tricky with the glue gun! Plus, after letting her use the glue gun and her applying hot glue to my thumb instead of her project I sort of took back control to the weapon!
Anyhow, thanks for taking the time to respond . . . . my children, ages 10, 9, 7 and 4, all thought it was “SO COOL” that we received an email from you!
Enjoy!
Sharon & Sarah
As I later wrote to Sharon: “I love this!” I mean, okay, it’s a little bizarre, I’ll admit it, but I’m honored nonetheless. It took me a minute to realize that Jigsaw had a magnifying glass, which came as a relief, since at first I wondered why Jigsaw was smoking a Cuban cigar.
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