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The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes by Anne Mazer.
I promised I would find something for the club to read while I was
in NYC. My cousin took me to this HUGE bookstore with my new friend,
Abigail. Inside, I saw the book's bright yellow cover and I laughed
-- the second Abby I met in NY! I knew this was it.
Abby, who wants to be a writer, has a big family, a cat and hip
grandmother. She's sad because her best friend, Jessica, moved away.
And, to make matters worse, Jessica hasn't been writing back lately.
Then, Abby's Grandma invites her to visit during spring break! Abby
flies there by herself and when she arrives, she learns that she's
going to a bookmaking class.
This book really moves along and Abby rocks! It's a regular story
but is filled with these cool calendar and journal entries and little
doodles. It's so much fun! Jenni, Lesa and Kate were so inspired
by Abby's bookmaking that we made our own. Kate is having a sleepover
so we can share our books and celebrate the start of summer vacation!
Yipee! PSST.Visit the Abby website by clicking
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CJ: Where do you get your ideas for Abby's stories - are they based on things that happened to you?
My ideas come from everywhere - from my own
life, from my daughter and her friends, and from my
imagination. The book closest to my own life is
probably TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT because of all the
family camping trips I went on as a kid! We got lost
in the woods exactly like Abby did. My father used a
compass to lead us out. (He was the one who got us
lost in the first place!) I put in the scene picking
blueberries because it's one of my favorite summer
activities (though I've never thrown a blueberry
eating party - that came from my imagination). My
daughter Mollie has also given me many ideas. When I
started writing the series she was ten years old just
like Abby. She reads all the books and often makes
suggestions.
Lesa: I'm sad that Abby and Jessica aren't close
anymore - why did you decide to have them lose touch
with each other?
One of the wonderful things about writing this
series is that it constantly surprises me. I realized
one day that Jessica never saw her father. I decided
she needed to visit him and perhaps even to live with
his new family. In OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND, I
explored how Abby felt without her best friend. In TOO
CLOSE FOR COMFORT, Abby makes a wonderful new friend,
Hannah. In book #13, SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE, Jessica
returns for a visit. Wait and see what happens!
Jenni: What do you do when you aren't writing?
Pick blueberries when I can! I also love to hike
in the woods, swim, talk with friends, read, and joke
around with my daughter Mollie and my son Max.
Kate: I love to draw and find the picture of Abby (and
her doodles) so much fun? Do you illustrate them or
have any input on the drawings?
The pictures of Abby are drawn by a terrific
artist named Monica Gesue. My editor at Scholastic
decides which journal entries need illustrations. She
sends a list to Monica, who then does the pictures. I
usually see her sketches before she does the final
drawings. I love her illustrations!!
CJ: Can you tell us a secret about Abby that no one
else knows?
Many alert Abby fans have written to me pointing
out that Abby has gone through several summers and
even a birthday, but is STILL in fifth grade every
fall . I've had to explain that Abby exists in "series
time," and that she might always live in fifth grade.
However, Scholastic and I have decided together that
Abby WILL get to go to sixth grade (in book #15). As
Abby would say: YAY! HOORAY!
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Where I'm going to: Grandma Emma's.
Where I came from: my house.
Does knowing where I'm going to and where I came from mean I'm a bad traveler?
I hope not.
Good travelers know how to pack.
I packed my bags very carefully. Everything will fit in a small, wheeled suitcase
and knapsack.
Abby's travel list
Jeans and cargo pants
T-shirts and sweaters
Pajamas with purple hearts
Socks, striped and solid Purple tie-dyed underwear
Rain jacket
Sneakers
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Hairbrush and scrunchies
Earrings (just in case Grandma Emma takes me to get my ears pierced)
Journal and purple pen
Books
GUESS WHERE I'M WRITING THIS???
If you know the answer, you win a free bag of airplane pretzels and a glass
of juice. (That's all they give you to eat! Good thing I packed some food.)
The airplane is crowded. There is a man typing on a laptop next to me. Across
the aisle, a woman is sleeping. We're flying above the clouds. They look like
giant pillows. I wish I could somersault from one to another. Or have a pillow-cloud
fight with Natalie and Bethany.
Only ten more minutes and we'll be there!!!!
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