OKAY FOR NOW by Gary Schmidt

 I rarely read a book during the day—unless I am close to the last page and I HAVE TO KNOW. Well, it's 10:30 AM and I just read the last word and stroked the cover of Okay For Now by Gary Schmidt. It is a sequel to Gary Schmidt's, Wednesday Wars. 

  I had a love/hate reaction for the first third of Okay for Now, mainly because of the father. He was such a jerk. As the story progressed, I remembered why Gary Schmidt is an award-winning writer. I loved this book. The plot has so many layers and yet they meld into a story that drifts into your thoughts through the day, as if the characters are your friends, and their pain is your pain.

  If you have read it, I’d love to talk about it. If you haven’t, please read and let me know what you think.
  I’ll be reading it again sometime—after I listen to the audio, probably more than once. :-)

  

Anna Myers--Guest Author

Yesterday was one of those special days at school that will plant in my memory and make me smile when it is recalled. Anna Myers, one of Oklahoma's treasured children's authors, shared her wit, wisdom, and writing with over 700 of our sixth graders. She mesmerized us with her book talks on several of her nineteen children's novels.
"The character will be with you soon," she said. Then she turned her back, slipped into a simple shirt or shawl, and led us into the smoke of Tulsa Burning, the prisons of Time of the Witches, and backstage at Ford's theater in Assassin.
An extra special moment was when she gave writing tips to ten lucky students who entered a contest to spend "face-to-face" time with her. I said afterwards, "Who knows how those few moments of your time have changed the direction those young lives will go."
I am so thankful to call Anna a dear friend, but I'm even more thankful that she is able to share her life with students all over the country.
One sweet girl said it best when she shyly raised her hand during Anna's presentation and whispered, "I love your books."