Look what was Book Of The Week at DENBIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY last week!!

I love it when teachers and librarians highlight my books this way. Back in 1997, when every publisher in the UK rejected the early draft of Cirque Du Freak, one of the reasons cited was that it would inspire fury among educators, who would call for it to be banned. When the book came out in 2000, not only did this prove NOT to be the case, but teachers and librarians became some of the earliest champions of the book, recommending it to their students and helping it become a word-of-mouth success. They saw what the publishing experts didn't -- that despite its grisly trappings, it was a positive, uplifting story about the importance of friendship and the courage it sometimes takes to do the right thing and put others' futures ahead of your own. So, whenever I see a post like this one from the staff at Denbigh High School, it tends to remind me who the TRUE experts are when it comes to the world of children's books and what kids will or will not want to read. Publishers, book sellers, reviewers, authors... we all play second fiddle to these guys!!!! Respect!!!!!!!