1 of My Stories

*Only some of the pictures I took at this event are in this post. For the complete set of pictures, click here.

Well, the Animazement Con went above and beyond my wildest expectations. Many times, I have this vision in my head of what something will be like. My Myers Briggs type is idealist. So often I am let down by the reality. In this case, though, it went even better than I imagined. The enthusiasm people demonstrated about the library setting up a booth was very touching. They seemed excited that we had come onto their turf.

Michelle and I went to set up our table at around 4 pm. The convention officially starts at 1 pm, so there were many folks there when we arrived. There were no places to park so I dropped Michelle and all our junk at the door while I found a place to park. This was my first time ever being at this convention, so I had no idea what to expect or where to go.

I found a parking spot at a building across the street from the hotel and walked over. Regis…

Jeremy Fink is in a terrible spot. He has just received a wooden box that his deceased father left him to open on his thirteenth birthday. He didn't know about this box until just a few days ago. The box is labeled "The Meaning of Life." Jeremy's 13th birthday is right around the corner. He can't wait to open the box. There's only one problem: the lawyer who was keeping it until the right moment has lost the keys that are the only way to open it.

The search for the keys begins Jeremy on a search within himself for what he believes about friendship, loss, the meaning of life, and why we are here on this Earth.

The plot moves at a great pace. Jeremy and his best friend, Lizzie, are a hoot to be around. Jeremy, an observer and scientist at heart, is full of curiosity about everything around him. He has random facts jammed in his head like a Jeopardy expert. Lizzie, on the other hand, is the practical one, full of vinegar. Both feel a definite affect…

The thing I really like about graphic novels is that you can usually read them in less than an hour. There are notable exceptions, of course, such as Alan Moore's The Watchmen. But most of the time, they read fast. I finally gave The Arrival a viewing, and it's quite an intriguing read.

The problem with describing it is that it's wordless. Much of the content is up to the viewer. You can make a guess as to what is happening or what is represented. Then, in about a year, you could look at it again and have a new take.

From what I can tell, this is the story of an immigrant that comes to a new land. We don't know why, only that he decides to pack up his bags and travel to a new home. He leaves a spouse and a daughter behind with great sadness. You can tell this parting brings them all pain. You can tell because of the drawings Shaun Tan made. Each one is packed with emotional punch.

This past April, I held an art contest for students in grades 6-12. This is a great program to try. First of all, it is pretty easy to put together. The work you have to do is minimal. It takes a little longer if you want to make those extras that will make it special for the teens, which of course you do. Once you have your materials made, you can continue to use them again every year. Another thing that's good about an art contest is that it gives teens a real feeling of accomplishment. They can put something like this on their resume. So parents will really dig it. Also, this is a great way to advocate for teens. You can have the exhibit at your library, and library patrons will get a chance to look at the artwork and be impressed. This is a way we can show all ages how talented teens can be. This is a way to counter attack those negative stereotypes of teens that adults sometimes hold. The last thing is that your community will get into it. Local businesses will…