MY TRAVELS, A BOOKSTORE, AND HOUDINI THE HANDCUFF KING

I was in Richmond VA this week for a school visit. As usual, the kids were great and the librarians were fabulous.





Afterward I did a little signing at a local bookstore called bbgb.



One of the owners, Jill, is really great and knows her stuff. She showed me a bunch of nonfiction graphic novels because I told her I was working on some. She let me pick one for the plane ride home. I chose HOUDINI: THE HANDCUFF KING, by Jason Lutes & Nick Bertozzi.

It's a glimpse into Houdini's life and shows one of his stunts: his jump off a bridge. I really enjoyed it. The art and text are just right.









I think the lesson for me is that sometimes it's best to take a snippet from someone's life instead of trying to tackle the whole thing. This book left me wanting more. I think any kid who reads this book will want to research Houdini's life afterward and that's what a great nonfiction book does! This book also reads like a great movie - another key to a great nonfiction book. No snore fest here! A big thank you to all the staff at BBGB's. You were great... and of course Brenda, the librarian, who was with me all day!