Authors are my Rock Stars!

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This weekend I met a legend. He did not disappoint! Kwame Alexander, a Newbery Award winning author, was signing books at a local Barnes & Noble. Since The Crossover was one of our favorite read alouds this year, I shared the information with my classes. The signing was on a Saturday afternoon and many students told me that they had games or plans already. I told them that I would be there getting our classroom copy signed.

Traffic was terrible. Sitting on Route 50, I was afraid I wouldn't get to see him. It was almost 11AM and the signing began at 11:00. I worried that the line would be too long and I would miss him. You see, authors are my rock stars. I'd much rather get to meet an author and talk with them than I would any other kind of celebrity. When I arrived at Barnes & Noble, there was plenty of time. I got into line and noticed the people in front of me. One was a teacher from the graduate class I taught, another was a close friend and colleague and the best...one of my students!! 

I got a chance to watch one of my students meet an author they admire. Listening to him discuss the book, with the author...the AUTHOR...the NEWBERY AWARD WINNING AUTHOR...I was speechless. We got pictures. 

When it was my turn I was nervous! I shook his hand and asked him to sign my book. Classroom books always get signed to Ms. Haseltine's Students. I was spelling my name and he stopped and said, "Michelle?" I nodded. He smiled and said, "I know you from Twitter." WOO HOO!! I got so flustered that I forgot to tell him to add "Students" to the signature. 

I blabbered on like a crazy fan for a few minutes. I don't even remember what I said. 

Oh, how I made a complete fool of myself over meeting him. His book is so wonderful and it meant so much to me and my students this year.

The story could end there, but it doesn't! I was in a bookstore, so of course, I shopped. As I was looking around, I heard, "Ms. Haseltine!" Another student ran up to me and said, "I just met him!! I'm still shaking." A kindred spirit, for sure. She brought her writer's notebook for him to sign. He signed her WRITER'S NOTEBOOK. 

An author, a Newbery Award winning author, signed her notebook! She told him that she didn't used to like reading, but now she loves it. He asked her to repeat it and he videotaped her. So cool!!

As I left the store with my signed books, I drove home and I started to cry. This day will be a priceless memory for years to come. This is my evaluation. This is my report card. Not some state test! Not some meaningless number! NO! These two students got their parents to drive them to a bookstore to meet an author. They lit up when they met him and talked with him. He changed them. They are readers. They are writers. He is a ROCK STAR!