Chilling with Lois and Jack at Harvard

a nervous-making sign
welcomed us to the event


Up first: Lois Lowry
(THE WILLOUGHBYS)

Lowry Fun Facts:

Took the photos for many of her book covers • Attended school in the same Japanese town as Allen Say • Absolutely loves movies and has seen Fargo six times • Once drew herself wearing her pair of Newbery Medals as earrings • Recently gave books by Suzanne Collins and Kim Ablon Whitney as birthday presents • When asked about glam gown for the red carpet premiere of THE GIVER, joked about needing a walker by the time the movie version finally comes out • Is fit, young, fun, and gracious, and has many more stories to tell.


Up Next: Jack Gantos
(THE LOVE CURSE OF THE RUMBAUGHS)

Gantos Fun Facts:

Had tea with Margaret Rey of CURIOUS GEORGE fame in Cambridge • Tormented sleeping older sister by lowering a roach on string into her open mouth • Loved THE OUTSIDERS by S.E. Hinton • Relies on charming middle-school daughter for tech help during presentation • Switched JOEY PIGZA from third-person to first-person narrative voice and the story came to life • Mesmerizes a crowd with hilarious stories and gossip about children's book writers, illustrators, and editors.

I was up last. After that. Deep breath. Technical glitches. Somehow I managed to blaze through my fifteen minutes. After that we took some questions from the students, signed books, and raced to an Indian restaurant nearby where the fun continued.

the plate of extra spicy
lamb vindaloo would be mine



Jack Gantos isn't a big man,
but this can't be right



Mitali likes her job