Follow up on my Skype visit at Bradenton Prep, in Dubai.

One of the beauties of being published is the feedback we receive from the children who read us. Yes, we write because we don't really have a choice. Writers write the way they breathe - sometimes easily, sometimes with some difficulty, but it's not something they can live without. And yes, we dream, hope, and work very hard so our writing can be published. And when it happens, it's an amazing high. But the best part is still to come : the children's reactions, their questions, thoughts, comments, and praise. As a follow-up on my visit to Bradenton Prep Academy, in Dubai, the teachers asked the 4th and 5th graders to write me a short letter. I discovered them in my mailbox this morning. What a treat !

A few excerpts about the virtual visit :

"I liked the skype interview. I thought it was cool. I liked the book a lot it was one of the best books I have ever read. I liked how you replied to all of my class mate's." 

"I really enjoyed the Skype interview!! It was very cool the way we got to see the original illustrations for Amadi's snowman. I really enjoyed the way you told us how it started and why you wrote it. I had a great time listening to all the interesting questions and all your answers. I also noticed during the interview that you have seemed to live in a lot of places. I also really enjoyed the book Amadi's Snowman."

"It was great to see you on skype the other day. I enjoyed listening to the story of Amadi and the snowman. It is very important to be able to read and write and this book reminds us about how lucky we are because we have lots of schools in dubai. [...]"

"Thanks for your time and information during our skype interview! It was very interesting and I learned a lot about an authors' work. I hope I will be able to write a book myself in the future."

"I loved the Skype talk that we had a couple of days ago, it was fun. I really liked the part in Amadis Snowman where Amadi finds out that his mum has the book. That was probably my favourite part. I liked the way you only put one sentence at the end of the book.  I thought that is was a really good book to read and it was great and very  interesting to meet an author on skype."

And a couple more - because I can't resist sharing some comments and showing the little graphics that accompany them :

"I really loved your book in so many ways. I loved the man that sells the books. Why? I love the way he says get out of here now! You had so much description. I love how a boy wants to do something new because most boys say no I don't want to read or reading is boring. But this boy wants to read, he's not like the other boys. I love how he's all around signs he can't read. Why does he want to be a businessman? You have to know how to read to be a businessman. I love how his mom encouraged Amadi to want to read. I just have one more thing to ask you. Is this how you started to read like Amadi? If not how did you start? Did you go to school? Did you go to a book store and you saw a cool book?

p.s. YOUR BOOK IS AWESOME"

"I loved the book. I think it was great! My favorite part was the end cause it was fun to read a page that has ony one sentence. My favorite charachter is Amadi. You must like writing right? your book was awsome!!!!"

"I really enjoyed your book! It inspired me to think that reading gets you into stuff. 

I mean, you learn spelling from reading,but also you learn reading from knowing how to spell words!" 

Thanks again to the 4th and 5th Graders at Bradenton Prep, and their teachers. I will never forget my first school visit in Dubai - even though I never set foot there. 

Keep reading !!!