On vacation this week with my college pals Craig, Howard, and Ray. We’ve known each other for fifty years.
@dangutmanbooks.bsky.social
Here’s your answer to this morning‘s quiz. Three of you got it right.
Am I the only one who dislikes dunking? (Not donuts. Basketballs!) I hear there’s a league for competitive dunking now, and even a “Dunkman” TV show.What?! Really? Watching a 7-foot guy dunk a ball is like if a baseball player in the batter’s box stepped on home plate and claimed he scored a run.
CLASS OF THE WEEK is Mrs. Reese’s first graders at East Iredell School in North Carolina. I have a feeling they like My Weird School.
From the mind of George Carlin… --I’ve never owned a telescope, but it’s something I’m thinking of looking into. --I was expelled from cooking school, and it left a bad taste in my mouth. --In comic strips the person on the left always speaks first. --If the shoe fits, get another one just like it.
Happy days are here again! The next My Weird School book—"Mrs. Towne Is a Clown!”--comes out a month from TODAY. I’ll tell you all about it then. In the meantime, you can have the kids color in Jim’s cover sketch…
Book festival season is here! I love meeting readers, and if you live in New Jersey or New York, come say hi at one of these festivals. I’ll post details the week before, or you can visit their websites… --9/26: Chappaqua (NY) --10/3: Glen Rock (NJ) --10/10: Morristown (NJ) --10/11: Warwick (NY)
Football season has begun and baseball season is nearly over. This is the one time of year when the NFL and MLB overlap. So it’s the perfect time to remember George Carlin’s classic comparison of the two sports. If you haven’t seen this, you MUST! He’s brilliant. www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIkq...
READER OF THE WEEK is Lucas, from Florida. Lucas was the only second grader at his school to join the “Million Word Club” last term, after reading more than 100 My Weird School books. His parents told me, “He just couldn’t put them down.”
Your kids love graphic novels, right? Well, all 3 My Weird School GNs are available in a box set. Not only that, but it’s on sale for just $21.58. Better yet, you can order the box from your local bookshop, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other chains all through one link. See my comment…
Sorry I missed Dad Joke Monday. I spent the entire 10-hour flight back from Istanbul reading this hilarious book. So I gathered tons of material for future DJMs. Good to be home.
It’s Seagulls vs. Fish under the Galata Bridge in Istanbul. It’s a free for all! Check out the size of those tunas.
Kids like Zeynep are playing “Drone Football” In Turkey (and all over the world). Teams of 5 kids try to fly a drone through suspended hoops while their opponents try to stop them with their drone. Super cool!
Guess what I’m holding. More importantly, guess what it’s used for in Turkey. Tell you later.
The Basilica Cistern was built underneath Istanbul in the 6th century to store 2,800,000 cubic feet of water for the city. Amazing, and beautiful.
Having a great time in Istanbul. Wish you were here! I didn’t even remember that some of my books have been translated into Turkish (by Epsilon).
This isn’t a “work” trip to Istanbul, but when Natalie Yumlo reached out, I had to meet her. Natalie started The Little Library That Could, which encourages reading for kids in Turkey. (Info: www.thelittlelibrarythatcould.com) We had tea at the Pera Palace hotel, where Agatha Christie used to stay.
I’m leaving for a vacation tonight. My wife and I are going to Istanbul, Turkey. I’ll try to make a few posts while I’m away. But if I don’t have the chance, I’ll see you back here when I get home on September 7th. Thanks to the kids for reading, and grownups for sharing my books with kids.
Besides her other accomplishments, Dolly Parton started Imagination Library to put books in the hands of kids who need them. The organization has donated MILLIONS of books to kids. To find out more about Imagination Library, go to: imaginationlibrary.com R.I.P. Dolly.
I just autographed 70 copies of “Dorks” at the New York Public library main branch gift shop. If you happen to be in or near the city, go get em!
I was walking down the street when I passed the house where Samuel Thomas invented the English muffin in 1880. He was a British immigrant who developed a secret baking process to create the famous “nooks and crannies.” This is why I love New York. You never know what you’re going to stumble upon.
When I start something, I like to finish it. BUT NOT BOOKS. I know it’s good to stick with a book, & that we feel good completing a book. But life is short, and so is my attention span. If a book doesn’t grab me in the first few pages, I bail. That’s why, in my books, I try to start off with a bang…
I wanted to buy a water bed, but my wife was against it. She was afraid we’d drift apart.
MY READER OF THE WEEK is Phoebe from Texas. When she was little, she hated to read. Then she discovered My Weird School. Her mom told me, “It’s like a switch turned on in her brain. Phoebe says it’s so fun and exciting to read.” This summer, she challenged herself to read 20 books.
TEACHERS and LIBRARIANS: What’s your first read-aloud for the new school year? May I suggest... --For grade 1-3: “Mr. DiPilla Is a Gorilla!” This is the newest My Weird School book, so your students probably haven’t read it yet. --For grade 4-6: “The Picasso Curse.” My latest middle grade novel.
PTA PRESIDENTS! How about a virtual author visit to your school this term? My presentation is just as fun, engaging, and educational as an in-person visit (and MUCH less expensive). If your K-5 school would be interested in a virtual visit, visit my website: dangutman.com/virtual-scho...
