'The Terrible Two' writers Mac Barnett and Jory John embark on a whirlwind book tour
The writers reportedly visited 22 schools over the course of one week for their children's book. 'Two' centers on prankster rivals living in the town of Yawnee Valley.
'The Terrible Two' is by Mac Barnett and Jory John.
Many authors find public appearances exhausting. There are the demands of drawing in an audience, answering questions, and signing many copies of books. Of course most writers don鈥檛 visit 22 schools in one week.
But authors Mac Barnett and Jory John recently did just that to promote the publication of their children鈥檚 book 鈥淭he Terrible Two.鈥� 鈥淭wo,鈥� which was released on Jan. 13, tells the story of Miles, a boy who moves to a new school in the town of Yawnee Valley. At his old school, Miles was king of the pranksters. But in Yawnee Valley he soon realizes there鈥檚 someone who may be a serious threat when it comes to his title.聽
Cathy Berner of Texas鈥檚 Blue Willow Bookshop, who helped to organize, recently wrote a column for industry newsletter detailing the extremely busy tour.
鈥淥ur biggest concerns 鈥� were whether or not we could pull off the logistics and whether that many school visits would provide meaningful experiences for all involved,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淚n short, we could and they did鈥�. Mac and Jory opened each presentation with a prank on the students. As we arrived at each campus, they asked an administrator to pretend that the author visit was cancelled due to the book's content. But since an assembly had been promised, the administration would provide two doctors to discuss healthy eating. Mac and Jory entered in lab coats and moustaches and began the presentation, speaking seriously (and boringly) about 鈥榗ool foods鈥� and 鈥榮top sign foods.鈥� Some kids never bought into the prank, but most did, and their looks of shocked surprise when Mac and Jory removed their disguises and began the real presentation brought extra energy to the assembly鈥�. They were mobbed at the end of each assembly, wading into the crowd to give the special prankster handshake or to consult on prank ideas. Because of that connection mixed with humor, they turned kids on to their book, and 鈥� I suspect 鈥� on to reading. At one of the Title I schools we visited, more than 20 students wrote a letter to the librarian asking if they could each pay $1 per week in order to get their own copy of 'The Terrible Two'. If that doesn't speak to the impression these two pranksters made, what does? It was a crazy, hilarious week.鈥�
Barnett鈥檚 Twitter account provides some images of the authors in their 鈥渄octor鈥� garb.
Woodville Library of Houston's Woodview Elementary expressed on Twitter how happy staff were with the authors鈥� visit.
Meanwhile, 鈥淭wo鈥� is getting some critical praise as well. Juliet Morefield of Oregon鈥檚 Multnomah County Library reviewed the book favorably for , writing that 鈥淐oauthors and friends Barnett and John have created a fast paced, laugh-out-loud novel sure to appeal to those who appreciate a good prank and have a sense of justice鈥�.. This is a good candidate for reluctant readers and a natural next read for fans of Jeff Kinney's 鈥楧iary of a Wimpy Kid鈥� series.鈥� wrote that 鈥渃haracters may be stock; however, the pranks are anything but鈥�. Fluffy, fast, fun reading for fans of Clueless McGee and the Wimpy Kid鈥�. found the book to be 鈥渂oisterous鈥�. Barnett 鈥� and John 鈥� are in perfect comic harmony.鈥�