Author tells students what inspired books

Kennedy Junior High students got the stories behind the stories this week when they met author Jordan Sonnenblick.

The author, who recently released "Zen and the Art of Faking It," visited the Lisle school to talk about his inspirations and the joy of hard work.

Sonnenblick's first book, "Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie," is a nominee for the 2008 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award.

"His books have a lot of life's lessons inside them and they're told in a way that connect with students," said library resource center director Paulette Goodman.

"He's just right there for them. He's a reflection of what they think and what they feel, and he's able to give it back to them in a way that they can learn."

Sonnenblick said he drew inspiration for his books from his own students when he was a middle school English teacher.

In the case of "Zen and the Art of Faking It," he was inspired by a student named Chris in his honors English class who he admits to not liking.

Chris was involved in a power struggle with his step-father and refused to do any homework whatsoever.

During one class, a large bug scuttled across the floor, sending the girls in the class into a tizzy, yelling at Chris to kill it despite such an act being against his religious beliefs. Chris refused to give in, captured the bug and released it outdoors.

"That was the moment I realized the same stubbornness, the same irritating inability to back down in the face of anything that made him sort of like the Martin Luther King of not doing your homework, was also the same stubbornness to resist 13 girls telling him to kill a bug and making fun of his religious beliefs," Sonnenblick said.

"The exact same thing that made him difficult could also make him great."

The incident inspired "Zen," a book about the new eighth-grader in school who decides to embrace being different and convinces his classmates he's the Zen Master.

Sonnenblick also was inspired by one of his own teachers, Frank McCourt, author of "Angela's Ashes."

"He was a huge inspiration for me because, when his first book came out, I thought, well, he could do it, he's a person, I know him. If he can write a book, I can write a book," Sonnenblick said.

Though it was always his dream, he figured once he did, he'd check it off the list and move on. But moving on wasn't in the cards. He learned the fun part isn't the glory but the work that goes into it.

"The only satisfying thing I've ever found in this life is using your talents to make good work that helps people," he said.

Sixth-grader Julia Li enjoyed meeting an author up close and hearing his stories. She is currently reading "Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie" and said it's the kind of book many people can relate to.

"It's really good," she said. "I want to see what happens next."