Yes Virginia, Santa's deer are real!

I was walking my dog when from the corner of my eye

two tiny reindeer I was sure I did spy

then out of my peripheral vision I knew

on the side of that house were another two 

they seemed solid, no moving, I thought they were fakes

then the snow started falling, magical Christmasy flakes

Suddenly the deer sprang from that place

you should have seen the look on my face

 

Then those deer turned towards my dog

and started to hop, one started to jo

they bound through the yard, the biggest one flew

I grabbed my camera, and that's when I knew

Santa was here, in my neighborhood early

he was spying it out, one reindeer seemed surly

he stared at my dog and snorted a bit

my dog started barking, so Rudy's snorting would quit

They had a conversation, they talked for awhile

then my little pooch started to smile

I caught a few words, "can't go", and "need help"

my pooch headed towards home, she barked with a yelp

she was so excited, seems she had a plan

if Santa needed some help, she was his woMAN!  

We returned to our house, and when we went inside

my hound ran up the stairs, came back down with deer pride 

then a loud noise came from my living room

I ran cross the house, I ran with a zoom

I saw my dog ju she pounced and she ran

Practicing, seems my dog had a Santa Claus plan

So when you look up in the sky

this Christmas Eve, 

you just might see something, 

that you won't believe    

Leading that sleigh

will be my good girl

she'll fly round the world

with Santa, she'll hurl!   

 

Sometimes you just have to find the right place to write.  On a sunny beach. In a remote Colorado lake.  

Anywhere that inspires and doesn't get cell service!  Where's YOUR place?

How do reading and writing correlate?

So, where do you get the ideas for your books? An oft asked question always seems to turn the conversation to reading and writing and how they work together...

"A good writer is a great reader and a great writer is a VORACIOUS reader!" and you can quote me on that!

Gabe is at it again...

Good day/night Blog Reader, I really appreciate the fact that you are here.  Book 5 (in my six book GB series) is well underway and for those of you familiar with Gabe you will know he and most of his crew are heading into Middle School! (queue the eerie music... BOM BOM BOM...)

 Having spent time working with middle schoolers lately, I have been mulling over some of the issues they deal with and Gabe is going to "represent".  I am interested to hear from anyone in middle school, teaching middle school or having vivid memories of middle school to hear what you think Gabe and his crew should encounter.  

 

I have the book outlined and about ten chapters written.  Much of their time is going to be spent at camp during the summer, but when back in school is what I am particularly interested in hearing about.

The awesomely talented David Schiedt is designing and illustrating the series and I would love for him to have some great challenges to bring Gabe and his adventures to life!    That's him ------->

THIS IS BETTER THAN A GROUPON!

Please pass this article on to your teacher friends, your eager readers and mostly your reluctant readers.  

I have tried to pack my poetry books full of subject matter which will get the most reluctant reader chuckling, engaged and on the road to enjoying more and more reading and poetry!

http://highlandsranch.macaronikid.com/article/273139/book-review-theres-a-fly-on-my-toast

It is officially National Poetry Month and there is a new review and a great book deal associated with it.  Three books and a performed CD of poetry to enjoy in the car for the low price of two books, a whopping discount and a money back guarantee that your reader/listener will enjoy what he or she hears.  

ALSO, if you indicate on your order to whom they should be signed, I will gladly do that.  

http://justinmatott.com/JUSTIN_MATOTT_AUTHOR/MACARONI_KID.html

BASEBALL SEASON DREAMS!

IF I COULD

If I could pitch a ball,
and strike out every guy,
I’d throw the ball so hard,
you couldn‘t see it fly!

I’d shut out all the players
when they addressed the plate.
I’d pitch and pitch and pitch and pitch!
Someday I’d be so great!

And then when I stepped up,
right behind home plate
to hit the ball out there,
that would seal my fate!

I’d swing and hit the ball.
It’d fly over the big fence.
The folks would stand and cheer,
and my baseball fame commence.

Recent School Visit Synopsis

Please click on the link below to read a great synopsis of a recent school visit.  The writer caught the true essence of what I try to do when motivating a school during my visits.  

http://www.thebrightonblade.com/content/comedic-author-and-storyteller-motivates-students-put-pen-paper

What's the story?

CLICK THE PIC FOR A CLOSE UP LOOK

When I visit schools, I try to encourage the students to find the story in EVERYTHING!  So, as I was leaving Rock Springs, Wyoming on a twin prop airplane from a my second trip to the wonderful North Park Elementary School, I spied something from my window.

The steam rising up from the stacks formed something that looked familiar and the CLOUD like character began to work its way into my imagination.  

WHAT DO YOU SEE? 

What could you write about?  

What is right outside YOUR window right now that deserves YOUR attention?

There are Gargoyles among us...

Meet Roderick, the main character of my present writerly obsession.

I am busy working on a book which I am targeting at the Middle Grade audience, but I hope will be full of enough "good stuff" that it will find an adult audience the way other "kid's books" have.

My book (presently in the manuscript stage) is full of fantasy, historical fiction, present day adventures, and incorporates unlikely subjects including; crime fighting, Guinness World Book Record type of activities, Parisian nights, Malibu days, underworld Basque conspiracies, extreme underwater swimming speed battles, a bumbling news reporter, La Costa Nostra and other crime elements, epic battles, surfing and surfers, Laguna Beach, California, exclusive yacht clubs and snooty people, a touch of romance, an ancient curse which must be broken, secret detectives, the search for Gargoylian Kryptonite, magic, a priest with an ancient text about Gargoylian lore, nocturnal carnivorous feasting, Grotesques and Chimeras who battle the Gargoyles for supremacy, California Coast Cruising (an extreme water sport few know about), some Red Hot Chili Peppers music, texting, social networking, video blogs and tons of mystery.

So much packed into one book and thus far this book has been tons of fun to write, but the hard work of editing, cutting, adding, refining, redesigning and restructuring is about to begin.

With all of the swirling elements it remains primarily about one subject; the Notre Dame Gargoyles, which have intrigued me for years, since seeing them on a trip to Paris, and I hope my book will intrigue readers as well.

While researching this current book project and scouring the world for examples of these creatures (my book is about Gargoyle Superheroes) I discovered one protecting the baggage area at DIA! He is sitting inside a suitcase.

Now how cool is that?

Do you know anyone who would want to read about gargoyle adventures?

I need some "fantasy"readers to critique several chapters to see if this new genre for me will work for you.

If you are interested in reading a bit of it and chiming in, please email me at justin@justinmatott.com I am looking for critique, not compliments (though they are welcomed too). I am hoping those who enjoy this style of book will give constructive criticism which would help guide me to a better book in the end.


PROCESS:

Trying to "zero in" on what is important in story, incorporating the outline devised for it. The structure of character development (WHO), describing settings which details place and time (WHERE AND WHEN) for the characters to dwell in, while identifying and sticking with a main idea and/or author's purpose (WHY) and ultimately delivering active plot lines which will keep the pages turning. (WHAT HAPPENS). Once those goals are articulated within the pages of the manuscript, I must determine if my reader can SEE, HEAR, TASTE, SMELL AND FEEL THE STORY I have designed for them.

A Librarian's Lament

I just got back from the library, where I am using old school tools (the best kind, real books made out of paper products) to research my upcoming Gargoyle book. I found one book I really liked, but sadly the last person to check it out must have been eating Cheetos while using it, because there were so many orange finger prints on the tops of the pages, that I got a bit grossed out and decided to buy it instead.




Anyway, it got me to thinking about a poster I made with John Woods Jr. and one of my favorite librarians in the whole world (Wendy Jo Woody) some years ago when we were promoting our first poetry book in elementary schools, There's A Fly On My Toast!, and I thought I would post the poster here for all to see.



Click on the image and it will get big enough to read well.
IF you like it, please feel free to use it, especially in a library!

Here is the text to the poem, since the image seems a bit small to read:



A LIBRARIAN’S LAMENT

I spend so much time selecting books.

Those special one’s that make kids look,

“I LOVE TO READ! THESE BOOKS ARE GREAT!

PLEASE ORDER MORE. I JUST CAN’T WAIT!”

And yet, sometimes, I become disturbed.

The way they treat books gets me perturbed.

When I look down in the book return,

what I see there can make me burn!

This book has water damage, torn pages, too!

The spine is loose! Oh, where’s my glue?

And right there damaged is another

“That wasn’t me, that was my brother!

He used it once to stop the door.”

The whole book’s bent, and here’s one more…

“The dog chewed it, then the dog got sick.

Puked on this book. Oh, yuck! Oh, ick!”

“I was eating lunch, my sandwich fell

into the book, so hence the smell.”

Salami in a book’s just not good.

They don’t treat ‘em the way they should.

Look, someone’s written in this book,

“I was taking notes and didn’t look…

Oh, by the way, that book won’t float,

I tried it out with my bathtub boat!”

How did this one happen? I must ask twice.

The pages are warped, no longer nice.

“I was balancing it upon my head,

to see if I was poised, but instead,

the book fell off and landed hard,

into my muddy, snowy yard.”

SO PLEASE, DEAR STUDENT, HEED MY ADVICE,

CHECK THE BOOK OUT, BUT TREAT IT NICE.

A BOOK IS TO BE READ, NOT EATEN BY DOGS.

A BOOK IS TO BE PONDERED, NOT SUBMERGED LIKE FROGS.

A DAMAGED BOOK IS SAD INDEED,

“TAKE CARE OF ME”, I HEAR THEM PLEAD.

IT’S NOT A BALL TO USE IN PLAY,

IT’S NOT A TABLE FOR FOOD TO LAY,

IT’S NOT FOR BATHTUBS OR WATER AT ALL,

IT SHOULD NOT BE TORN, PLEASE HEAR MY CALL.

TAKE CARE OF THIS PRECIOUS BOOK,

SO OTHER STUDENTS CAN HAVE A LOOK.

HANDLE IT LIKE IT WAS YOUR OWN,

PLEASE DON’T MAKE THE LIBRARIAN GROAN.

I GUESS I’VE SAID WHAT I WANTED TO,

BE NICE TO THESE BOOKS, OR I’LL BE BLUE.

Snow's piling up!

It's cold and it's blowy
it's white and all snowy
hot chocolate is floating whipped cream
I went to bed warm, and I woke up real cold
is this a weird wintertime dream?

I like to go sledding or snuggle in bedding
when the white stuff is whipping out there
we'll put in a movie
pop corn treats are so groovy
my snow hat gave me hat hair

School got canceled today
and that makes this day so okay
we're snowed in our house all together
With games and warm soup
no cold and no croup
it's all because of this weather!

The words and pictures from an "Optimist"

"The Northwest Denver Optimists were privileged to sponsor local author, poet and storyteller Justin Matott at Trevista at Horace Mann.







He is a dynamic speaker. I wish you all could have heard his message. Below are photos of him during the three assemblies.

The students were not disappointed.

After lunch Justin held two workshops in the library.
This is the time the students learned how, as an author, he organizes his thoughts, his ideas and how he writes, rewrites and rewrites some more.

















At the end of each workshop the kids gave Justin the workings for a story. Then while the students worked on their "verb boxes", he wrote poetry. You will see the ideas and the start of a story/poem below. It was amazing. Again, thanks to everyone who supports the Optimists with their time, talents and monies. Because of YOU, these kids were winners today."

My thanks to the wonderful people in The Optimist Club of Northwest Denver, who care so much about their community. I had the wonderful opportunity to have lunch with the librarian, Cat, who is one cool cat for sure and Trish, who's life is seriously one of a hero. It is SO wonderful to spend time with people who have such rich, full hearts for children! I love my "job"!

OH BROTHER!

MY BROTHER, OH BOTHER!

A brother is a bother,
just take out one small “r”.
He bugs me in the bathroom!
He bugs me in the car!
Without the “r” in brother,
the word describes him clearly.
I’d like to try a different bro,
I think I’d like that dearly!

The one I have is older
and thinks it’s really great
to hold me down and torment me,
and sneak things onto my plate.
At dinner he takes vegetables
he doesn’t want to eat,
and puts them at my place,
and kicks me on my feet.

He whispers if I tell my mom,
he’ll pound me in our room.
So all those vegetables of his
I’ve no choice but to consume.
Bring me a new brother,
and make it really quick!
This one I have right now,
makes me mad and makes me sick!

This is another poem in my newest collection, Nitwittles, due out soon!

Nose Prints? Poems about Pooches.

I am thinking of Nose Prints as a title for a poetry collection ALL about dogs. I love this image and it would be used both as a jacket flap illustration as well as an interior.

Your rhyming submissions might go on the jacket flap and are being accepted through September 1, 2011. The rhyme should represent what dogs mean to us humans, something along the line of man's best friend... FUNNY, THOUGHTFUL, INTERESTING...

Send a four or eight line rhyme to me at justin@justinmatott.com or post it on the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Works-of-Justin-Matott/213624096290?ref=ts (don't forget to LIKE the page on Facebook if you haven't) and if your poem is used you will receive credit on the acknowledgement page (no further remuneration, come on folks, we are doing this for fun, poetry doesn't make any money...) and an autographed book if and when it publishes.

Meanwhile, keep watching for Nitwittles poems here on my blog as well (chime in anytime your thoughts), and soon the book will be available on your ereaders and traditionally too!

Come give a listen to some fun poems

Summertime is a great time to catch up on things! I write. This summer I've finally made my website "user friendly", including a page for people to contribute to. To build with pictures, poems or just anything they/you want on there.

But one thing I really like is the ability for people to experience something and now with the poetry page it is possible. Come give a listen and let me know what you think.

http://www.justinmatott.com/JUSTIN_MATOTT_AUTHOR/my_poems.html

A 5TH GRADE CLASS REVIEW AND POINTS OF VIEW, THANK YOU!

A HUGE 'shout out' to Sara S. and her fifth grade class who recently posted the following reviews at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Works-of-Justin-Matott/213624096290?ref=ts


FROM THE TEACHER, SARA S:

I just finished reading The Gabriel Book of World Records with my 5th grade class. It was one of the funniest books I have read in a LONG time. When the kids began laughing, it was hard to stop myself. In fact, at one point I even started to cry because it was so amusing. Gabe was easy to relate to as he went on many adventures with his friends in their pursuit of getting into the Guinness Book of World Records. The book reminded me of my own childhood and I could not stop laughing as the boys played pranks on their older brothers. The boys in my class definitely enjoyed it because of the "boy" humor, but the girls loved it too. I would recommend this to any reader who is looking for a good laugh. Below are the reviews my students wrote. Enjoy!!!


FROM THE STUDENTS:

The Gabriel Book of World Records by Justin Matott is a fantastic story. It is creative and full of adventure. One minute Gabe might be investigating an old abandon grave yard and the next, he could be planning a surprise attack on his goon-of-a-brother. Gabe has his heart set on a world record of his own, to be in the Guinness Book. With the Brotherhood of Boys, they can do anything.
This is one of the best books in the world! (Good enough to be in the next Guinness Book of World Records!) Fun and surprises lurk around every turn. If you’re looking for an exciting story, this is the book for you. I strongly recommend this amazing tale of a boy, with a dream.
~ Tessa C.

Hilarious. Intriguing. Amazing. Those are just some of the words to describe The Gabriel Book of World Records by Justin Matott. His true amazement comes out in this book. Gabe, as so his friends call him, goes on tons of adventures, as well as trying to get into the Guinness Book of World Records. Of course, Carl, Gabe’s brother, gets in the way with his friends and out comes war! To know the end, read it. I absolutely LOVED this book. It was so entertaining and our class would be so happy when we read it. In our free time in class, we would mostly want to read more of Gabe. It’s too good of a book to not be read by a lot of people. I’d recommend it to, well, ANYONE! ~ Elise G.

The book Gabriel Book of World Records by Justin Matott was filled with humor and a great way to remember your childhood. I liked most the way Justin Matott put in all the adventure. It was a fun, exciting book. Gabe is a normal boy that has fun with his friends. He invades his older brothers and blows up their fort. He does many other action packed things. I would recommend this book to kids and adults because it is humorous and brings back memories for adults.
~ Cullen F.

The Gabriel book of world records by Justin Matott is strongly recommended by a majority of Mrs. Stites 5th grade class. The book was filled with many laughs. I strongly enjoyed the kid’s point of view in this story. This story can be for both boys and girls because I, as a girl, enjoyed hearing The Secret Brotherhood of Boys do some of the things I do in my own neighborhood. This story had great feeling in it and our class was always disappointed to stop reading.
This book is very funny! This is just the book to get any one laughing and smiling. Justin Matott did a fabulous job of entertaining the reader. This is a great book! ~ Elise T.

In the book The Gabriel Book of World Records by Justin Matott a boy named Gabe and his friends have many adventures over the summer and during the year. They are all in The Secret Brotherhood of Boys. Their adventures range from catching a giant crawdad to sleeping in a haunted school house. When school starts back up their adventures slow down but not their passion for getting into The Guinness Book of World Records. They need to find out how to get in.
The Gabriel Book of World Records was an awesome book. It’s hysterical. I recommend this book to anyone who loves funny books. ~ Victoria P.

The Gabriel book of World Records by Justin Matott is about a boy and his friends. They call themselves the Secret Brother Hood of Boys. They are trying to set a world record and get into the world record book. They have all these crazy ideas, like creating the biggest sheet of glue rolled in hands made into a sheet and creating the biggest spit pool, they actually tried both. Will they make it into the record book? I recommend this book to people how like fireworks and getting down and dirty in books. ~Shae M.

Gabe always wanted to be in the book of world records. He and his friends are called the secret brotherhood of boys. The brotherhood battles the goon squad(older brothers) and has many humorous adventures. Gabe writes stories(that you can read) and tries to get into the book. This book brings back memories of being little. I love that it’s hilarious and has many tales. I recommend this book to anyone who likes to laugh. ~ Jack M.

In the book The Gabriel Book of World Records, Gabriel Peters is an intelligent young boy who is just dying to get into the Guinness book of world records. He and his Secret Brotherhood of Boys, get together and start their own world record for the book. This book tells the long enjoyable year of a group of young boys and their interesting ideas.
I suggest this book to anyone who loves to laugh. It is full of hysterical things, like fat cats, frogs and much more. This is the best book to read in a classroom. I loved this book and so did all of my class. A really great book! Justin Matott you did a really good job. ~Juliana L.

THE GABRIEL BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS is a fun, crazy, story. Gabe is always thinking of fun adventures, like when he tried to start a frog farm. That was a mess! In the end it tells a wonderful story of a boy’s summer. I would recommend this book for people who are in for a good laugh. ~ Lauren K.

In this picture filled chapter book by Justin Matott, a boy named Gabriel Peters tries to get into the book of world records with his group of friends called the Brotherhood of Boys. It’s a story about Gabriel and the different ideas he and his friends try to use to get into the record book. It was also about he and his friend and how they pestered his older brother and his friends older brothers. It was a quite amusing story.
In my opinion this book was one of my favorite books ever and I don’t usually read this kind of book but I would totally recommend it to other kids to read. I loved all the pictures in it and the funny stories told in it. I love the Gabriel Book of World Records ~Makena S.

In the chapter book The Gabriel Book of World Records by Justin Matott, Gabriel Peters and his friends are trying to get into the world records book. The things in the way are their older brothers, they are ruining the whole experience and helping a tiny bit. Justin Matott really went and made it realistic and a hilarious story. I strongly recommend this absolutely humorous story. ~ Mariah C.

Gabriel Peters was the main character in the Gabriel Book of World Records by Justin Matott. Gabe was a kid that would pick on his older brother and his older brother would pick on him right back. He had some friends that were in the “Secret Brother Hood of Boys” with him. The “Secret Brother Hood of Boys” is a club Gabe and his friends came up with. Gabe’s whole plan for the summer was to get into the book of records. Gabe and his friends tried to get into the book by making the world’s largest spit pool. (The sad thing is they did not get into the book that way.)
The Gabriel Book of World Records was a very entertaining and funny book. I would highly recommend it to people who are looking for a well written book. ~ Natalie T.

In the book Gabriel Book of World Records by Justin Matott, Gabriel Peterson is one action full kid, blowing up fireworks here and there and trying not to get in trouble by the Goon Squad. Gabriel is the president of a group called The Secret Brother of Boys and all the of the older brothers of the boys are called the Goon Squad. I would recommend this book to anyone that wants a great laugh and burn up time.
P.S. This is my favorite book I have ever read.
~Philip P.

The book The Gabriel Book of World Records by Justin Matott is about a boy and his friends who try to get into the Guinness Book of World Records. I liked the book because it was funny when one of the boys gets pinched by crawdads after falling into the water. ~ Ryan O.

The book Gabriel Book of World Records is a funny book about a boy named Gabriel Peters. Gabe is a boy that has a club called the Secret Brotherhood of Boys. All of the boys in the club have older brothers. The older brothers have a club named the Goon Squad. The older brothers and the younger brothers are always fighting. (Don’t get me wrong it’s a funny book with funny fights). During the summer they all camp, play, and do other fun things together.
During the summer Gabe and the rest of the Brotherhood of Boys think of ways to get into the Book of World Records. One way they try is to make a huge spit pool! They try to put it into the book of world records. But don’t make it.
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone. It is a really funny book and love it. ~ Sofia R.

The Gabriel Book of World Records by Justin Matott is about a boy named Gabriel (Gabe) who really wants to get into the book of world records with his friends the first thing he thinks of is a giant spit pool, but it does NOT work at all. Next, he thinks of tying fireworks to his bike and jumping over the canyon where the train goes, that doesn’t work either. So now he starts annoying his brother and the rest of goon squad and that works. So now his brother’s crazy goon squad go against Gabe's brotherhood of boys club. Who will win and what will happen next? I would recommend this book for people who love hilarious books and who also love do weird experiments. ~Tomah W.

The Gabriel Book of World Records by Justin Matott was a funny one indeed. Gabe and his Secret Brotherhood of Boys try to set world records like the world’s largest spit pool. On their assuming and marvelous adventure, they don’t just try to set world records. They make bets with their older brothers, like sleeping in a haunted school. This book was funny, but some parts in this story are really disgusting. I would recommend it to anyone who needs a good laugh, or Y-O-U!!! ~ Clara H.

In the book Gabriel Book of World Records by Justin Matott, Gabe and his imaginative friends try to make world records like the biggest spit pool and many more. They face troubles and mean brothers but have a blast doing it. I loved it because it made me laugh. It was LOL. It was the best book I ever read!! I would recommend it to anyone who likes fun. ~Ellie S.

The Gabriel Book of World Records by Justin Matott is the complete opposite of bad. It’s awesome! It’s filled with excitement and adventure of Gabe’s life. One time he’s exploding fireworks and the next he’s consulting with his brotherhood on how they can break the world record. I strongly recommend this book to whoever is looking for a book that is humorous and great. If that sounds good then this is the book for you. ~Rob R.

The book Gabriel Book of World Records is very funny that will keep you hooked for hours! Gabe as they call him in the story is fascinated about the Guinness book of world records. He can’t even think how cool it would be to get into the book. The book will entertain you whether you laugh, cry, or pee your pants! ~Ethan K.

Gabriel Peters is an imaginative young boy full of adventure. In this book you will enjoy reading Gabe’s absurd plans like a frog farm and the world’s largest spit pool. Read as Gabe and his friends conquer dangerous plans with fire crackers, and assaults against the goon squad [older brothers], a dare off, and attempts to get into the World Record book. Learn about glen the sea monkey, the brother hood of boys, old Indian legends, and Mr. Pattchet. You will probably double over laughing at their pranks.
This is a great with action adventure, and humor. The action is nonstop because of how the characters are always doing something new. An example would be when Gabe and his friends go frog hunting but the next day, go to the haunted school house. This also provides lots of adventure. There is also lots of humor between Gabe and his brother Carl, because of their double trouble.
I loved this book with all of its humor and adventure. It is never boring. I loved the whole book except for one of the pages where it got a little violent. I also think the author could have ended the book better. Other than that I think it is a great book.
I recommend this book for ages six and up because some of the humor may not be appropriate for young readers. If your kids are pranksters, you might think twice about letting your kids read this. It might give them a bad idea. Not like horrible ideas but, some silly ones that people may not find funny. I recommend this book for anyone who likes Diary of a Wimpy Kid. This is a great book. ~ Maddie B.

SCHOOL VISIT BLOG ESTABLISHED

Whether your school is a HUGE complex smack dab in the middle of a GIANT CITY or a tiny "one room schoolhouse" out on a prairie, I want to come visit you!

At long last my new website design is out there with a ton of information, including new school visit information @ www.justinmatott.com
Please come take a look and let me know what you think!

IN ADDITION: I have created a "subBLOG" for schools with all the information I am asked for about how to create the most successful school visit. IF you have any interest in a school visit, please come check it out http://justinmatottatyourskul.blogspot.com/

I have visited schools as far away as Guatemala and hope you will consider one whether I am in your backyard or a plane ride, boat trip or yak ride away! And don't forget to watch my school visit video to get a flavor for what you are in store for!