Robert Young

What’s better than a room full of 8-12 year-olds on a summer afternoon? A room full of 8-12 year-olds making their own chewing gum!

That was the scene yesterday at the Springfield Library in Springfield, Oregon. It was part of their Tween program that offers kids a variety of events during the summer. I was honored to have been invited to share my gum research and the book – Chomp! A Chewer’s Guide to Gum – that resulted from my work.

Chomp! is not my first encounter with gum. My very first book for kids, published by Dillon Press in 1989, was The Chewing Gum Book. It was the first kids’ book written on the topic. Chomp! is the updated version. It’s got more information, color, and variety. It’s more reader-friendly.

I shared some gum history with the kids, including the story of how the first modern gum came to be with the help of General Santa Anna from Mexico as well as the American inventor, Thomas Adams. I also talked about how gum has helped save lives, solve crimes, and inspired art.

In addition to making gum (there are kits available for this – see http://www.gleegum.com/make-your-own-gum-kit.htm) I led them through the process of creating gum art. We made a sculpture out of chewed gum. When sealed, the sculpture will be on display at the library. Beautiful!

Chewing gum is a worldwide phenomenon that is rich with possibilities for the classroom. I am currently finishing up with activities that can be used with Chomp! with third to fifth grade classes. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, check out the pics from the library event.

Okay, so my posts have been a bit sporadic this last month. I have a reason: travel. Colombia, to be exact. My son’s living down there, so I visited him and we did some exploring of the country.

So, what’s this have to do with writing? Plenty! Travel, or for that matter, any type of experience, is fodder for writing. Going places and doing things provide the foundation for finding out more (= research) and/or sharing the experiences through the written word.

There’s lots to write about from my recent trip: the bustling metropolis of Bogota, population eight million; the predawn hike up 1,100 steps to the church atop Monserrate on Easter weekend; a steam train ride to the famous salt mine in Nemocon.

I could write about visiting Medellin, the city of “eternal spring.” That’s an improvement of what it used to be: the home of the country’s most infamous drug lord. I could also write about visiting the small islands located in the Carribbean that we visited: San Andres and Providencia. We had plenty of experiences there: hot humid weather, interesting foods, snorkeling around a sunken ship and coral reefs, and seeing all kinds of wonderful fish, including rays and barracuda. On the smaller island (Providencia) we rented bikes and rode around the island, and had money stolen on an “empty” beach while we swam.

So, while I was having a grand time in new places, I was also gathering information and experiences to write about. I have plenty of notes and lots of pictures to help me when I’m ready to write. It may be weeks, months, or even years.

El Pico on Providencia

Up close with the fish – San Andres

To promote books and reading, our local school invited students to draw the covers of their favorite books. Several chose Moving Targets. What an honor.

While traditional reviewing sources help librarians select books to add to their collections (which is also helpful to authors who want to sell books), I prefer the feedback I get from kids who have read the book.

Here’s some recent examples from fifth graders:

“Moving Targets has good words, great details, and I like how it is kind-of like an everyday life story.”      Kaitlyn

“…and it leaves you thinking what could happen if you become friends with a bully.”           Aidden

“David is a very relatable character that a lot of us can see in ourselves.”   Fisher

“I will give this book to my kids when I have them.”      Dora

Here’s hoping that you will wait awhile, Dora. I appreciate all the comments. Thanks!

Here’s some book background:

Moving Targets, a novel for readers aged 8-11, is a beloved project I have been involved with for many years. The setting – a small town, near a migrating bird sanctuary – was inspired by Hawk Mountain, PA, where I took my seventh graders on field trips while teaching in New Jersey during the 1970s. Over the years, I have returned to Hawk Mt. on several occasions, the last being the fall of 2012 during a cross-country road trip with my son. It’s still an amazing place!

The topic explored in Moving Targets is a universal one: bullying. Bullying happens everywhere and, sadly, is not limited to certain time periods. I experienced it growing up and confronted it during my years as a teacher. It still goes on today, for sure, but it’s reassuring to see the concerted efforts being made to stand up against it (e.g. Project Anti-Bully).

In the book, eleven-year-old David Jennings, moves to a small town (Eagle View, PA) with his mom. He does his best to make friends, but the best he can do is a small group led by the town bully. Paul gets thrills picking on kids and abusing animals. Reluctantly, David follows until events force him to consider actions that could change – or end – his life.

The setting figures heavily in this story, as townspeople debate the future of the sanctuary. Should the town keep it commercial-free, or should they permit businesses to operate there? Finding a balance between commercial interests and nature is a universal theme that is considered in towns and cities throughout the world.

Moving Targets is for sale at Amazon or on my website.

I’ve written about my distain for the term nonfiction over the years. I’ve complained about how ridiculous it is to name something based on what it is not. To make this point with the countless students I’ve met with during author visits, I tell them to imagine a world in which there is no such word as girls; females are called non-boys. And then, to quiet the boys’ laughter and cheers get too loud, I reverse it. No such word as boys; they are non-girls. The kids get it.

Making matters worse is the role that nonfiction plays in our lives. It’s the type of reading and writing we mostly do. Sure, we read fiction, but we also read newspapers, magazines, reports, and e-mails. And, when was the last time you wrote a short story? Fiction is an essential part of living, but so is nonfiction. And so it should be accorded a more appropriate and meaningful name.

I’ve thought about this for a long time. Years. I’ve researched it and talked to anyone who would listen about my concern. Not a single person—not one—has disagreed that nonfiction should be renamed. And so, having not found an alternative term, I’ve created one: faction.

It’s simple and clear, has real meaning, and doesn’t try to upstage fiction in any way (it even has the same number of letters). It’ll be easier to teach as well as remember since fact is at its foundation.

Now, all we have to do is use the word and share it with others. Talk to your friends and neighbors. Tell librarians. If you’re a teacher, let your students and your colleagues know that they never have to use that senseless term again.

Faction is in; nonfiction is out!