CT Children's Book Fair 2017: Part 2

Today we're featuring part 2 of our highlights from the 2017 CT Children's Book Fair at UCONN. We had a great time finding out the stories behind the stories, and the day was inspirational.

Here's a link to part 1 of our adventure, in case you missed it. :)

Happy reading!
~ Jess & Stephanie

GORDON KORMAN, Restart, Mastermind series, Titanic

Gordon Korman's presentation was interesting, and it was funny to hear about how the titles of his books translate into other languages. For instance, in one language the title of his book, "Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire," translates to, "Speaker of Untruths, Your Pants Have Combusted." Another fascinating topic he touched on was the character research for Titanic. When the ship was going down, people today would say something like, "That water looks mad cold." But a hundred years ago, it'd have been more like, "Seems as though we're in a tight corner." It's important to get a character's voice right for their time period.

RESTART by Gordon Korman
Chase doesn't remember falling off the roof. He doesn't remember hitting his head. He doesn't, in fact, remember anything. He wakes up in a hospital room and suddenly has to learn his whole life all over again . . . starting with his own name. He knows he's Chase. But who is Chase? When he gets back to school, he sees that different kids have very different reactions to his return. Some kids treat him like a hero. Some kids are clearly afraid of him. One girl in particular is so angry with him that she pours her frozen yogurt on his head the first chance she gets. Pretty soon, it's not only a question of who Chase is--it's a question of who he was . . . and who he's going to be. From the #1 bestselling author of Swindle and Slacker, Restart is the spectacular story of a kid with a messy past who has to figure out what it means to get a clean start. ~Amazon

Gordon Korman on the web

CAMMIE MCGOVERN, Chester and Gus, Say What You Will

Cammie McGovern is delightful, and we enjoyed finding out more about her stories that deal with life issues. Her autistic son was the inspiration that sparked her journey to becoming a storyteller. Today she writes books and runs Whole Children, a creative center for kids learning how to understand their world. We're looking forward to reading her stories!

CHESTER AND GUS by Cammie McGovern
Chester has always wanted to become a service dog. When he fails his certification test, though, it seems like that dream will never come true—until a family adopts him. They want him to be a companion for their ten-year-old son, Gus, who has autism. But Gus acts so differently than anyone Chester has ever met. He never wants to pet Chester, and sometimes he doesn’t even want Chester in the room. Chester’s not sure how to help Gus since this isn’t exactly the job he trained for—but he’s determined to figure it out. Because after all, Gus is now his person. In the spirit of beloved classics like Because of Winn-Dixie, Shiloh, and Old Yeller, Cammie McGovern’s heartfelt novel—told from Chester’s point of view—explores the extraordinary friendship between a child and a dog with a poignant and modern twist. ~Harper Collins

Cammie McGovern on the web

Thanks for the fun book day, CT Children's Book Fair! 

See you next year. :) 

Jessica Haight & Stephanie Robinson, co-authors of the Fairday Morrow series. CASL/CECA conference 2017