Erin Dealey

Who’s getting excited for Kindergarten?

Me, me, me!

And I can’t wait for you to meet my author pal, Jim Averbeck, on this week’s #tbt Show and Tell.

Look at this cute kid who grew up to be

the handsome and talented author of amazing #kidlit books like

ONE WORD FROM SOPHIA

(Atheneum/ Simon & Schuster –illus. by Yasmeen Ismail)

“From the first page to the last, Sophia’s energy, creativity, and innovative critical thinking willentertain both adults and children.. A must-read.” Kirkus starred review 

and the MG mystery,

A HITCH AT THE FAIRMONT  (Atheneum)–

wherein eleven-year-old Jack Fair teams up with THE Alfred Hitchcock to solve the mystery of his wicked Aunt Edith, who disappears from San Francisco’s swanky Fairmont Hotel…

“A Hitch at the Fairmont is terrific…a fun plot, wonderful characters, belly-laugh humor, and lots of truly lovely writing.”

(Linda Sue Park, author of the Newbery Medal-winning A Single Shard)

Hard to believe this guy was “frightened to go to kindergarten.”

Here’s Jim’s kindergarten memory:

“I clung to my mother’s skirts as she dropped me off that first day. But when we entered the classroom, heavenly choirs sang and sunbeams streamed through the window, illuminating my very first love– the teacher, Miss Lewandowski. We were to call her Miss Rita. She wore a blue double-knit dress with a wide, white belt and white go-go boots. In the following days I used up the midnight blue Crayolas™ from several boxes as I drew many portraits of her. (Alas, none survive.)

Near the end of the school year she got married and changed her name to Mrs. Smith.

My heart was broken forever.”

“Trevor is a canary who begins an equally doomed relationship,” Jim says; “But he comes out the stronger for it. As do we all.”

The other thing I can’t wait for?