You know when someone asks you that question- “If you had the opportunity to sit alone in a room with any author of your choice and talk to him/her…” I found myself in that situation yesterday with Rick Riordan. I am honored to have been picked to be on HuffPost’s Live “Tell Me Why” segment with my friend Felicia (kid-author extraordinaire who wrote “The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets” click HERE to go to her website). I have to thank Felicia and her mom (and my mom). We practiced with each other ahead of time and that really helped.
Me talking to Mr. Riordan before the segment.
In the “Tell Me Why” segment, they invite kids to appear and talk about what they are passionate about. Felicia and I are passionate about books and reading. Click HERE if you’d like to see the segment. When I joined the Google chat yesterday the moderator was there and Mr. Riordan. Then the moderator dropped out to go take care of things so it was just me and Mr. Riordan – so I was trying to appear calm and normal but thinking “AAAHHHH!!! – AAAAHHHH!!! – AAAAHHH!!!” I managed a “So, how are you doing Mr. Riordan?” in my oh so cool cracking voice. He said he was great and then commented that he liked my collection of books (which were all his I put on the top self of my bookcase 😉 ) and he liked my Godzilla that was attacking his books. 😉 Then I felt much less nervous. He was so nice and made me feel really at ease. I got to ask him about his upcoming book (a short story) “The Staff of Serapis” and Mr. Riordan talked about how he thought the “blended” gods in mythology were cool (Serapis was a god used by a Greek ruler of Egypt to unite the Greeks and Egyptians under his rule). Mr Riordan asked me how Felicia and I ended up on the segment and I started to tell him and the google hangout got dropped! So that was the end of my very cool pre-experience experience. Sorry if I’m being geeky about it, but hey, I’m a book geek. 🙂
Felicia and me with Mr. Riordan in a google hangout!
ENOUGH WITH THIS SILLINESS! ON TO PERFECT PICTURE BOOK FRIDAY!!!
Susanna Leonard Hill has a feature on her blog called Perfect Picture Book Friday. It is a list of “perfect” picture books recommended by all sorts of people. I chose this book because I have never seen a picture book about Vitiligo.
Snow White’s Seven Patches: A Vitiligo Fairy Tale
By Jewel Kats
Illustrated by Dan Goodfellow
40 pages – ages 6+
Published by Loving Healing Press on November 4, 2013
Theme/Topic- vitiligo/retelling fairy tale
Genre- Fiction/help book
Opening and Synopsis-
Opening
“There once lived a very rich lady named Ivy. She thought the world of her own looks. Her beauty pageant crown only added to her arrogance.”
In this modern re-telling of the fairy tale, Snow White was a beautiful girl who happened to have the condition vitiligo (a condition where white patches appear all over the skin). Snow’s vain mother who is so hung up on beauty hides Snow White away and steals the wonderful stories Snow White writes and publishes them as her own. Ivy can’t keep up the lie forever, especially when the Magic Mirror knows the truth!
Why I liked this book- I have seen people with vitiligo before but I never knew what it was. I like that this book has a princess who doesn’t look like all the other princesses – just like people are all different. I think this is a great book to teach kids about vitiligo so they understand when they see someone with it. I also like the part of the story about plagiarism – how the evil Ivy stole all of Snow White’s work and published it as her own.
Activities and Resources-
I didn’t find a lot of activities about vitiligo, but I think it is a good idea to learn about it and teach kids about it. So I found places with good information.
For adults the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases has a lot of information on vitiligo to help you understand it. Click HERE.
You can visit the National Vitiligo Foundation HERE. It has tips on how to help kids with the condition.
To learn more about the author, please visit her website HERE.
To find more Perfect Picture Books please visit Susanna Hill’s blog HERE!
Enjoyed your interview on Huff Post! Very cool and so neat you were chosen! Now your own book has been seen live, too!
Thank you Ms. Cho! I am grateful that I was chosen! 😀
I never knew about this condition either. You pick some amazing books, Erik. Love this one, colourful illustrations. Hey and congrats on your interview with Mr Riordan. Love that you managed to post a couple of pics about it too. Go you!
This is a very good book. 🙂 Mr. Riordan was very nice! 😀
Erik, that was an excellent interview with Mr. Riordan! What an opportunity to visit with him. And I’d never seen Felicia before… Wow, another great kid author. You guys are amazing. Well done.
Felicia is awesome!!!!! 😀
Erik, I’m watching the Huff Post piece now, and you did a tremendous job. I think talk show host is in your future! And cool, PPBF pick. This should help answer a lot of questions kids have.
Thank you Ms. Larson! 😀 Hmmm… Talk show host… *scratches chin* 😉
If I got to talk to Rick Riordan, I would totally geek out, too! How cool that you were chosen to do that. Congratulations! Impressive book choice, too — I think vitiligo is misunderstood by a lot of people.
Thank you Ms. Petersen! It was an awesome experience! 🙂
This sounds fabulous Erik! I can’t believe you got to talk to Rick Riordan, you are so cool Erik.
Thank you Ms. Johnson – you are so coolER! 🙂
First, congratulations on you HuffPost with Rick Riordan! That must have been so cool. I would have gotten tongue tied. I love the book you choose for today. I don’t think there is another kids book on vitiligo plus the story about plagerism is terrific. Great post Erik!
Thank you Ms. Morris! 😀 This book is well done. 🙂
Do not call that interview work “silliness” you silly boy! Mom and I are going to watch your work right now. I hope you didn’t embarrass us!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
I hope you like my silliness! 😉
We LOVED it!
Aww… Thanks! 😀
That’s an unexpected book topic. Thanks for sharing it. I LOVE that you shared about the interview. I need to go and watch it. (I tried yesterday, but no connection. I’ll try your link). Very happy you were able to do that. You are a hard worker! (Nice work mom for making it happen too!)
Thank you Ms. Jensen! 😀 😀 😀 I hope my link worked! 🙂
Listened to the entire interview. Very well done. You asked intelligent questions. It would be nerve racking to be part of an interview with your favorite author. Well done!
Your book choice is really unusual. I haven’t seen a fractured fairy tale with the character having a special issue. This is was a great way to introduce Vitiligo. I know two girls who have it. So, this is a fun plot with a girl who has Vitiligo. This book is a keeper.
The author also has a book about Cinderella having a wheel-chair. It is also good. This book is a definite must-have. 🙂 Thank you for watching the interview! 🙂
You find such unusual books – and that’s a good thing! I always enjoy seeing what you’ve found. (and the interview rocked).
This book is a great one! 😀
Erik, you should be so proud of yourself. I just watched you and Felicia on the Huff Post and I am just so in awe of how eloquent the both of you were. As Rick Riordan said, keep reading, keep writing, all of the things you both do so well. Snow White and the Seven Patches truly is such a wonderful premise. I hope the author plans more stories, that highlight children with differences, learning to deal with them and triumph in adversity.
Thank you Ms. Grasso! That means a lot! 🙂
Erik, I cannot wait to say I knew you when… awesome awesome awesome job AGAIN! So excited for you being on the HuffPo and getting to talk to Mr. Riordan. So totally cool!
Thank you!!!!!!! 😀
You were super articulate in the interview, Erik.
Love it when picture books address unusual topics like this one. Great find.
Thank you Miss Marple! 🙂
You did a great job in the interview, Erik! I bet it was awesome to talk to Mr. Riordan (whose name I have apparently always mispronounced in my head so it’s a good thing I wasn’t talking to him :)) Love your pick for today too!
I mispronounced “Riordan” until I went to one of his book signings and heard it several times. 😉
Yes, at our conference a couple of years ago, his agent was there and corrected the whole audience how to pronounce it! lol
Wait! You were at a conference with his agent?! 😉
LOL, Erik! Yes, she was AT the conference. No, she wasn’t WITH me! lol Generally, you will find editors and agents (people in the industry) at writer’s conferences. Of course, there are great conferences, good conferences, and not-so-good conferences, which often makes the difference as to who attends. It almost goes without saying that the NJ SCBWI annual conferences are GREAT! 😀 hehehe In fact:
https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/tab2.aspx?EventID=1427434
Stop making me jealous. I’m too young to join the SCBWI. 😉
Actually, I’m not so sure about that, you know. At our 2012 conference, I do remember seeing a teenage boy, though I didn’t know his precise age. I’m now curious…off to see if I can find out! 😀
You need to be 18 to officially join. 🙁
OK, BUT—-you don’t have to be a member to attend a conference 😀
BUT you need to have time. 😉
lol…yeah, well, you can usually find time for things like this, but—ahem—the money? Different story! 😉
That too… 🙂
You did a great job on the call, Erik! Neighbor Girl (Felicia) is still going CRAZY about what happened. I think the best term to use is “Disbelief’.” This post is awesome, and it sounds like a good book!
-Katina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge =^.^=
Umm… Right, O Master Cat! 😉
Silliness? Are you kidding me? How about you just had a PERFECT Thursday! You did an awesome job!
Thank you L.Lobo! 😀 You’re right! 🙂
What a great interview — a great privilege and a great experience, too. Well done, Erik!
This looks like such a good book in so many ways. The messages about both vitiligo and plagiarism seem to have been handled very well. Good pick, Erik!
Thank you Ms. Stilborn! 🙂 This is a great book! 😀
Erik you are my hero! Did you get to take off from school to do that chat with Mr Riordan? What fun! You and Felicia looked like real TV interviewers! Job well done! And an interesting book choice as always. I don’t know anything about vitiligo and I’m pretty sure most kids don’t. This sounds like a unique way to introduce it. Thanks for sharing it all!
We got out of school. 🙂 It was awesome. My principal is awesome, too. 🙂
yay for awesome principals!!
WOO!!! 🙂
Great interview, Erik. Also, thanks for sharing your behind the scenes experience as well. And don’t forget to mention that you were part of the world exclusive peek at Rick Riordan’s new book. Oh the list goes on 😃. Well done.
And you got mentioned Mr. Lothian! That was AWESOME! 😀
Oh, Erik, you are NOT a geek! Well, maybe you are, but it in a good way 😉
No, seriously, I mean YOU got to talk to one of your FAVorite authors in a very rare circumstance. If you DIDN’T get excited about it, I’d wonder about you! (Well, I wonder about you anyway, but that’s another story 😉 ) You and Felicia were GREAT! I had a lot of trouble logging in to comment, and was VERY glad the recording was there to view later, too. Just so happy for you, and proud. How wonderful 😀
Oh—and great review, too lol
Thank you Miss Donna! 😀 I am a geek, nerd, and bookworm, esquire (whatever ‘esquire’ means…)! 😉
I know it’s not hard work when you love reading and writing, but I still think it’s fair to say that your hard work really paid off this week with the Rick Riordan interview. Congrats, Erik, and it was a great interview!
I also like the use of a fairy tale above to shed some artistic light on a skin condition. Good job, Jewel Kats. 🙂
Thank you Mr. MacDonnacha! 😀 This is a great book! 🙂
Thanks, Erik. My mother-in-law has vitiligo. This looks really interesting. And, SRSLY! who wouldn’t be geekin’ OUT!!!!! Fun interview!
Thank you Ms. Roberts! 😀 This is a very good book! 🙂
How interesting – two of my friends have vitiligo too. I’ve been a way so I haven’t had the chance to watch your segment with Mr. Riordan yet, so thanks for the link!
This is a great book Mrs. RoZo! 😀
Just watched the segment. Wow, that was fun! Great opening remarks, Erik! You two both had great questions! Very professional!
Thank you so much Mrs. RoZo! 😀
Oh, what a very cool experience! And amazing to be able to “meet” a favourite author this way–technology is so awesome! I’ll bookmark your segment to watch when I’m back on wifi.
Thank you Ms. Neal! It was so much fun! 🙂
Great job with your interview. Very professional as always.
Thank you Mr. Bern! 🙂
Oh, it’s the first time I’m hearing the term vitiligo. How ingeniously woven into the story!
It’s marvelously done! 🙂