The Old College Try

Hello again from Norfolk, Virginia! It was rainy and gray outside but it was terrific on the inside as I spent the day talking to the great kids at Norfolk Collegiate Middle School. I gave my Samurai Shortstop talk, and then spent the rest of the day answering really thoughtful and amazingly detailed questions about my book. For the first time, I even had a student find something symbolic in my book that I didn't intend! But she was right! It worked! I suppose that's the sign that my book is officially the world's now, and not mine--people are interpreting things about it I never intended.

The school was decked out for my visit, from window displays about Japanese culture...

To displays featuring my other books!

Norfolk Collegiate really rolled out the red carpet for me. I don't know if I've ever had a better school visit, particularly because every kid in the middle school had already read and studied Samurai Shortstop. I know, because I signed every one of their 220 books. The school also offered elective courses to the kids in things like sushi preparation, flower arrangement, sumo wrestling, and anime! The school really embraced the spirit of the book and Japan, and the students really seem to have enjoyed the entire experience. I certainly did.

Thanks, Norfolk Collegiate! I had a great time, and I hope I can make it back some day.