I’m super excited to reveal the cover to Jill Diamond’s Lou Lou and Pea and the Bicentennial Bonanza. Jill was kind enough to answer a handful of my questions.

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1. Can you tell us a little bit about LOU LOU AND PEA AND THE BICENTENNIAL BONANZA?

Best friends Lou Lou Bombay and Peacock Pearl are back, and this time they’re busy preparing for the Bicentennial Bonanza, their city’s two-hundredth birthday bash. The party will take place in their beloved community of El Corazón and Lou Lou and Pea couldn’t be more excited, particularly since Pea is making the traditional Bonanza hats and Lou Lou is growing honeysuckle for the occasion. With a baking contest, talent show, and a new gazebo planned, the whole community can’t wait to celebrate! But when Vice-Mayor Andy Argyle claims the festivities belong to neighboring Verde Valley, using a mysterious diary as evidence, Lou Lou and Pea smell trouble. Will the friends be able to uncover the secrets of their city’s founding, and bring the Bonanza back to El Corazón?

 

2. What is the best part about being a book creator?  

There are so many great parts, it’s difficult to choose just one! One of the things I really love is building a whole new world that becomes anything I conceive. It can be fun, colorful, mysterious, exciting, joyful…the possibilities are endless. And, on top of that, I get to share my world with readers who use their imaginations to make this world their own!
3. What’s the hardest part of being a book creator?

Learning not to take criticism personally and instead using it to make your story better. This is hard, but so incredibly important!
4. If you could spend one day living in the world of a book, which book would you pick?

The world of the The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander so I could be best friends with Princess Eilonwy.

5. What advice do you have for the young creators in my classroom?

Look to your own life and world for creative inspiration. It is all around you. Inspiration comes from your family, your friends, your community, your culture, and, most of all, your own heart and dreams!

We end each day with a picture book read aloud. On Friday of last week, we ended the day reading aloud a book written by one of my students. It was awesome.

It is pretty wild to think that my school year ends Thursday.  I’m moving to fifth grade next year, and I can’t help but think about how cool it will be to have some of this year’s students again in a couple of years.

Here are some things I’m going to miss about my class and teaching third grade.

1. Their Smiles

Is there anything as precious as the smiles of a group of third graders? Their love of learning and joy in everything they do will be missed. I hope fifth graders are as happy as third graders.

2. Basketball

Playing basketball with my students during afternoon brain break is one of my favorite parts of the day. It has been wild to see how much better they have gotten this year. I’m sure that by the time they get to fifth grade, they will totally dominate me.

 

3. Reading Aloud

We have a few chapter left in our class read aloud, and I am going to savor each and every word. Introducing them to characters like Ivan and Ruby (The One and Only Ivan), and Opal (Because of Winn Dixie) makes my heart happy. I hope they continue to find characters that help them grow and make them think.

4. Classroom Meetings

Sitting around the carpet with a bunch of third graders trying to get to know each other and solve the world’s problems is a great way to spend some time. My third graders are thoughtful, caring, and kind. The world needs them.

5. Stuff

I am always amazed by the things third graders bring to school: Legos, fidget spinners, baseball cards, walkie-talkies, and about a billion other things. You never know what they are going to pull out of their backpacks. It was WAY more interesting than any unboxing video you are going to find on YouTube.

6. Anticipation 

The excitement my students have about everything is crazy. They remind me a little bit of Will Ferrell in Elf. I have learned a lot from them about celebrating life.

7. Mr. Sharp Mr. Sharp Mr. Sharp 

As exhausting as it can be at times, I’m going to miss my students saying my name three times in a row (really fast with lots of excitement) when they want to get my attention. “Mr. Sharp! Mr. Sharp! Mr. Sharp!”

8. Can I…

This year’s class loves to ask me if they can do things.

Can I bring my bearded dragon to school?

Can I give a book talk?

Can I make a comic with my friend?

Can I go get a book from the principal’s office?

Can I have that thing you threw away? I need to build something with it.

Can I have that thing you threw away? I want to take it home.

Can I have that thing you threw away? I just need it.

Can you play _________________ with us?

I hope that they always have teachers that tell them yes.

9. Mr. Sharp you should _____________________________.

My students are great at giving me advice. I suppose you could say that they double as my life coach.

Mr. Sharp you should get a haircut.

Mr. Sharp you should buy this book.

Mr. Sharp you should get us a couch.

Mr. Sharp you should take your kids to ________________ movie.

Mr. Sharp I think your kids would like __________________. You should buy it for them.

Mr. Sharp you should get a class pet.

Mr. Sharp you should give us an extra recess.

10. Everything

I’m going to miss everything about them. My third graders are the bomb. It has been a joy and a privilege to spend the year with them.

I can’t wait to see what I love about teaching fifth grade!