by Judy Press
This past Friday, June 7, Marcy and I posted our answers to Judy’s debut chapter book, The Doodles of Sam Dibble. Today, you get to read Judy’s favorite’s. It was fun to see that some of mine and Marcy’s favorites were also Judy’s.
1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character’s development and/or growth?
In the beginning of the book Sam’s teacher asks the third grade class to name a person they admire the most. The student’s answers range from their teacher, a dad who promises a fishing trip, and a pet parakeet who can roll over and play dead. Sam picks Demolition Dan, “The World’s Greatest Wrestler.” But when questioned about choosing someone he doesn’t personally know, Sam lies and tells the class that Demo Dan will be coming to his birthday party. At the end of the book Sam re-considers and picks Grandpa Dibble. “I like the stories Grandpa tells because they’re really funny. And when I get in trouble for doodling, Grandpa says it’s not such a bad thing ‘cause he got in trouble all the time. But the best thing about Grandpa is he is my family, and he’s my best friend.”
2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?
Sam’s classmates are waiting expectantly for Demo Dan to show up at his birthday party. With time running out, the house suddenly fills with smoke and the fire department is called. A firefighter rushes in and discovers the birthday cake Grandpa left in the oven has burnt. When firefighter Dan removes his mask, Sam realizes that it’s Demolition Dan.
3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?
Grandpa Dibble has an offbeat sense of humor and is always there to support Sam, even when he gets into trouble. And when Demo Dan fails to show up at his birthday party, it’s grandpa who puts a bowl on his head, drapes a towel around his shoulders and passes himself off as the “Grampinator,” a WFG (World Famous Grandpa) who won his match against Demo Dan using his secret weapon, “The Grandpa Hug.”
4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?
When Rachel, the most popular girl in his class, asks Sam about his birthday cake, he answers, “My grandpa is making my cake and it’s a surprise.” Then he goes on to say that one time his grandpa told him about a cake that he baked for a king in Egypt but when the King died they had to bury him inside the cake.
5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?
As a former art teacher I encourage all kids to express themselves through various forms of art, including doodling. My favorite line in the book is when Sam says, “I think doodling is a lot of fun. It’s like taking your pen for a walk and going places you’ve never been before.”
Book two of the series, Double Trouble – The Doodles of Sam Dibble is also out and the third and fourth book in this series will be coming out soon!
Thanks Judy for sharing your favorites!
You can find the illustrator Michael Kline at:
by Dave Amaditz and
Welcome to June’s version of – First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day. In this monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a debut novel that will hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the novel and read it themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight into the author’s writing style and voice as well as how some of the characters might think or act. We do this by presenting, first, answers to ourFive Favorite Things, followed by the author’s answers in a follow-up post.
This month we’re pleased to highlight debut chapter book author and Route 19 member Judy Press’ chapter book, The Doodles of Sam Dibble.
Congratulations, Judy, we’re so proud of you!
1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character’s development and/or growth?
Dave -With this particular passage, I believe Sam realizes what is really important in life. Warning, this could be a spoiler for some.
The person I admire the most is two people. The number two person is Demo Dan. He’s the world’s greatest wrestler, and when he has a match he climbs up on the ropes and jumps down on top of the other wrestler, but then he goes home and puts out fires and keeps people safe.
The number one person for me, though, is my grandpa. He used to be a kid, but then he got old. Now he is really old, like, maybe a hundred years old. I like the stories Grandpa tells because they’re really funny. And when I get in trouble for doodling, Grandpa says it’s not such a bad thing ’cause he got in trouble all the time. But the best thing about Grandpa is he is my family, and he’s my best friend.
Marcy – I cleared my throat and looked down at the floor. “I invited Demo Dan to my party, that’s all. It’s no big deal. And he hasn’t said he’ll be there, but I know he’s coming.
Sam confesses to his mom at dinner that he invited Demo Dan to his birthday party. Even though his dialogue seems confident, his body language (clearing his throat and looking down at the floor) is not. The reader realizes that Sam is having doubts that the greatest wrestler ever will not show for his birthday party.
2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?
Dave – Sam is having a conversation with his best friend Robert and he’s trying to squash Robert’s doubts about Demo Dan, the world’s greatest wrestler not showing up at his birthday party. As Marcy mentions below, I too thought this could’ve been used to show how his main character grows and develops.
“What if he’s got a match that day or his tour bus breaks down or he gets hurt and has to go to the hospital?” Robert asked me.
I shook my head. “Demo Dan won’t miss it for anything because I am his number one fan.”
And if he does, I’ll be in the biggest trouble of my life!
Marcy – I shook my head. “Demo Dan won’t miss it for anything because I’m his number one fan.” And if he does, I’ll be in the biggest trouble of my life.
This chapter ending could have gone either way for favorite cliffhanger or how the main character grows and develops. In the beginning of the story, Sam has no doubt that Demo Dan will come to his birthday party. But now that he’s invited so many people who are looking forward to meeting the star wrestler, he begins to have doubts whether Dan will actually attend.
3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?
Dave – Grandpa Dibble is my favorite secondary character. He is so unbelievably quirky and funny, and it’s obvious that Sam has inherited his sense of humor. Even with all those oddities, he’ll stop at nothing to make his grandson’s birthday celebration worthwhile.
The following are a few examples of Grandpa’s personality:
“Lucy is also very bright,” Wax’s dad told my mom. “Her teacher said she could be another Albert Einstein.”
Maybe she could be a dangerous criminal and have her picture on a wanted poster.
“Did you say Al Einstein?” Grandpa said. “We used to pal around together. He was always coming up with crazy ideas.”
“How’d you do it?” Robert asked. “No one’s ever beaten Demo Dan.”
“I got him with my secret weapon,” Grandpa said. “It’s the ‘Grandpa Hug.’ Those bums can’t take all that loving. They cry like a baby and give up.”
Marcy – Grandpa – my favorite character has to be Grandpa. He’s always there trying to help his Grandson, Sam, even though his plans usually backfire in a hysterically funny sort of way. There were actually scenes from previous pre-publication versions of Grandpa being over-the-top funny, but those scenes were eventually cut. I personally think Judy should do a take-outs version like they do in the movies of the scene cuts of Grandpa.
I opened the front door wide and saw Grandpa! He was standing there with a bowl on his head and a towel knotted around his shoulders.
4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?
Dave – I chose this particular passage because it gives insight into Sam’s way of thinking, which as you can tell, matches exactly the way most young boys think. It lets you find humor in his seriousness.
Mrs. H. was in the back of the classroom helping Cookie with his math. Everyone was working on math except me. I had to write my report on the person I admire the most.
I didn’t write it when I was supposed to. It was my birthday, and there should be a rule that says kids don’t have to do homework on the weekend when it’s their birthday parties.
Marcy – Here’s the weird thing about Wax’s dad: He owns a funeral home and he hangs around dead people all day. When Mr. Baxter sees me, he always wants to slap five. But I know he just touched a dead person, so I tell him I just pooped in the toilet and didn’t wash my hands.
This line made me laugh out loud. How appropriate that Wax’s father owns a funeral home and Sam is completely grossed out by this. What’s worse is Sam’s Mom is dating the guy.
5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?
Dave – I think the following line shows perfectly the character of the antagonist Sam has to deal with. Wow! What a character. (And I promise, Marcy and I worked separately and did not share the results until after completing all five answers).
Wax stood back as his dad walked inside. “Happy birthday, Dribble,” Wax said. “I can’t stay long because I have a baseball game, and my dad said that’s more important than your party.”
Marcy– Wax stood back as his dad walked inside. “Happy birthday Dribble,” Wax said. “I can’t stay long because I have a baseball game, and my dad said that’s more important than your party.”
This line is so typical of Wax and his family who are often out for only themselves. And Wax isn’t afraid to repeat his dad’s words to Sam even though they are downright rude.
You can find the illustrator Michael Kline at:
