[fiction, instead of lies]

Is it that they have great teachers?

Is it that they live in sunny North Hollywood, California?

Is it that they’re readers?

There’s something about those sixth graders at Oakwood Elementary that makes them amazing. And it’s not just that they read and loved MARE’S WAR enough to invite me to speak to their class.

Every time I hear people disparage “kids today,” I’m irritated; from now on, I’ll not be irritated, I’ll be smug. Because I’ve met forty-eight game-changing people of awesomeness, who will in just a few years be unleashed on our world.

I CAN’T WAIT!

Thank you, Diana & Michelle and Margo for the invitation to your school, and your willingness to set aside a whole hour of your class time. Thank you, sixth-graders! You’re amazing.