Two quick ones, featuring Bystander and Jigsaw Jones.
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William zinged over a quick email:
In my class, we are going to read Bystander as a group activity, and I have one question. How did you become such a good author?
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I replied:
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William,
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Every February I spend two weeks meditating in a yurt in Mongolia.–
Pro tip!
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That’s pretty much it.
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Oh, and: I mostly learn from reading. Slowly, thoughtfully — not blazing through to get it over with, but reading as a writer.
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And then, of course, now that I’ve written so many things for so many years, I learn from writing, too.
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My best,
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James Preller
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SPECIAL BONUS MAIL . . .
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Rees writes:
Hi Mr. Preller,
My mom is letting me use her phone and write to you. I have a book report to do about my favorite character. Mine is Jigsaw. What color are his eyes? What color is his hair? What do you think is special about him?
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Thank you for your help.
Rees
2nd grade
(My mom helped with punctuation and capitals.)
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I replied:
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Rees,
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You have a nice mom. Don’t drop the phone in the toilet or she’ll be mad. My wife, Lisa, has done that — twice!
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Jigsaw has brown hair and . . . I don’t know what color eyes. If you look at drawing, it’s just black dots. –
You can say hazel and no one will ever know the truth.
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There are many things that make Jigsaw special. In no particular order:
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* His honesty.
* His sense of fairness.
* His kindness — he’s a good friend.
* His determination.
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Jigsaw isn’t perfect. He makes mistakes. But he never, ever gives up.
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Now give that phone back to your mom before I hear a splash.
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Thanks for writing. I just finished writing a new Jigsaw Jones book, The Case of the Hat Burglar. It’s about how items from the school “Lost and Found” begin to disappear. Someone has been stealing them!
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Your friend,
James Preller
Hi Mr. Preller the book Bystander (we are reading it for a group activity), did you experience or have seen any bullying in your life as a kid and as an adult?