Going ape for the story form

When I was a kid we had a subscription to 'National Geographic.' My favorite articles were about Jane Goodall's experiences among the chimpanzees in the Gombe Stream Game Reserve by the shore of Lake Tanganyika. I loved the photos of her reaching out to some enormous male chimp or making friends with a new infant. And I think, well, that I was a little in love with Ms. Goodall.

That's the source for the short story "My Life Among the Apes" which was published recently in the excellent journal 'Taddle Creek.' (I suggest you all subscribe!) A link to the story can be found here:


http://www.taddlecreekmag.com/my-life-among-the-apes

The magazine also posted "Valentine's Fall" on its recommended reading list. "A damn good book" was the verdict. No wonder I like the magazine.

'Ten Lessons' A Silver Birch Express Honor Book

Today at the Silver Birch Awards 'Ten Lessons for Kaspar Snit' was named a Silver Birch Express Honor Book! (Yes, that deserves an exclamation mark.)

And did I like being cheered by hundreds of kids? Yes, I did.

Thanks so much to everyone who organizes these great awards, to the teachers and librarians who run the program in their schools, and most of all to all the kids who read the books. Cheers to you!

I've been visiting a lot of schools in southern Ontario and will be going to a few more before the school year is out. What a treat to be able to meet so many kids in person and talk about books. Yup, being an author feels pretty good today.