My Moment with Richard Peck

In which I spend 900 words talking about ninety seconds.

Jacqui's Room Goes To SCBWI-NYC Memorable Moment #1:

Have you read A Year Down Yonder? No? What about A Long Way From Chicago? ANYTHING by Richard Peck? No? Okay. Dear readers, I have failed you. I don't do this often. Turn your computer off and go to the library. Take out one of those books, or any one of Richard Peck's thirty plus fabulous books for young readers and READ IT.

There is nobody (and I mean nobody, not Salman Rushdie, whom you know I adore, or Katherine Paterson, or even me) who strings words together with the precision and beauty of Richard Peck. Witness:

Summing up exactly why I write: because "books show us that even our most secret fears are shared."

On writing: "we look to make a blank page sing with voices that are not our own."

On why kids should read: "if you cannot find yourself on the page early in life, you will go looking for yourself in all the wrong places."*

Peck's books have humor, adventure, emotion, vivid settings, unique characters with strong voices, and satisfying yet surprising endings, all in that gorgeous, exact language. I read The Teacher's Funeral on the way home on the plane and laughed out loud from line one:

"If your teacher has to die, August isn't a bad time of year for it."

ANYWAY, I was in New York for the 10th annual Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) winter conference this weekend. Richard Peck spoke there last year and he was brilliant and afterwards I introduced myself and thanked him for existing and got a little light-headed. This year he wasn't on the agenda.

And then, all of a sudden, there he was! He's made an SCBWI master class DVD on writing novels for young people and came to introduce it.

And THEN, as he was walking in to give his speech, he passed by, looked at me and said, "Oh! Hello!" and shook my hand.

AND THEN he said, "Good to see you again. Looking forward to Two of a Kind."

Okay, I made up that last part. But still: Richard Peck recognized me.

After his talk, I found him and Linda Sue Park** at his signing table and we got to talk a bit. As in, he asked me about myself and I said, "Aggle flabble klabble" and "It's an honor to meet you sir."** And then Richard Peck signed my book and wished me luck.

And then my new friend Michie gave me cheddar goldfish. So life was perfect.

Coming tomorrow, two more Memorable Moments...

* I may be misquoting all of these. This is because I cannot even take notes when Richard Peck is speaking. I just sit there and think, "Yes!" And occasionally drool.
** Who was very sympathetic to my star-struckness, and who has, in addition to many great books and a Newbery medal, the kindest smile in kidlit.
*** I am not a formal person, but "sir" rolls off your tongue effortlessly when you talk to Richard Peck.