Jeff Kinney's Cabin Fever tour stop in Richmond, Virginia

Brenda and Lucinda in our official Cabin Fever tour shirts.

Last week I unexpectedly became a roadie for a day during Jeff Kinney's Cabin Fever book launch tour!  The Diary of a Wimpy Kid author asked his publisher Amulet/Abrams to send his tour to independent bookstores.  My St. Christopher's colleague, Brenda Snead, and I offered to help our friends at bbgb Tales for Kids.  We thought we might be handing out hot chocolate or directing traffic.  Imagine our surprise when we found ourselves up close and personal on the Jeff Kinney autograph line!  From my vantage point of one foot away from Kinney, I had a chance to witness the power of his books.  

3000 people attended the Richmond Cabin Fever event!  Some of the fans waited two, three, even four hours to meet their hero, but since I was their last stop, I only saw their smiles of anticipation.  My favorite was the 9 or 10 year boy who proclaimed, "This is the MOST exciting night of my life!"  A woman who attended middle school with Jeff came through, yearbook in hand.  The publishers' representatives gleefully took pictures of the middle school-aged Kinney, no doubt to abuse him with later.  A teacher brought an entire busload of students and patiently photographed each happy child with Jeff.  Parents rushed to shake Jeff's hand.  Several thanked him for getting their children interested in reading. Jeff Kinney's brother stopped by. Children brought Kinney stories and drawings.  They proudly displayed Wimpy Kid shirts and toys.  One girl handed over a slice of cheese in a plastic bag, spreading the dreaded cheese touch!   Kinney happily greeted every fan.  "Thank you--that means so much to me,"  he said several times, but I think he truly did appreciate each gesture of devotion.  As my own students came through the line, they were surprised to see me so close to the famous visitor.  One asked, "Mrs. Whitehurst, why didn't you tell us you knew Jeff Kinney?!"  

Surveying all the hoopla, one mother said, "You'd think it was Aerosmith or something!"  Her bewildered child gave us a puzzled look (thinking "who's Aerosmith?" I'm sure) but I was on her same wavelength.  I may never go on the road with a rock band, but briefly being on tour with Jeff Kinney has to come close!--Lucinda Whitehurst

One of my students with his sister, me, and Jeff Kinney

Tia Isa Wants a Car

Meg Medina and Lucinda Whitehurst at bbgb Tales for Kids bookstore 

Summertime is the perfect time for Meg Medina's new picture book.  Tia Isa announces that she wants a car "to take us to the beach!"  Her niece thinks a car is a terrific idea and creatively finds several jobs on her own to help Tia Isa save up the money.  As the story continues, we see how the car and the beach mean more than a simple outing.  Several family members still live far away on an island.  As they wait for them to move to America and as they wait to save the money for the car, the girl observes, "Sometimes it's hard to wait for good things to happen."  The young girl and Isa receive a letter with news of Mami, Papi, and Abuelo.  They think of those loved ones in the "breezy house by the sea."  For the girl and her aunt, getting to the beach helps them connect with the home and people they miss.  Claudio Munoz's sun-splashed, energetic illustrations, rendered in pencil, watercolor, and ink, extend the story perfectly.  He shows the warm relationships between the characters, captures both homes, and makes that car look just as wonderful as the girl thinks it is! For an entertaining story, as well as gentle lessons about love and responsibility, look for Tia Isa Wants a Car--Lucinda Whitehurst.  (Picture book, gr. preK-3; Candlewick, 2011)

Meg Medina celebrates her birthday at the Tia Isa book launch party at bbgb Tales for Kids in Richmond, VA