Patricia Lundstrom

February 3, 2009

Mr. Pinkwater:

I just recently discovered Hoboken C.E. for my 8 y.o. son. It was a wonderful book, and, possibly based on the title alone, I went on to order 4 Novels and 5 Novels. I have simply buried my child in Pinkwater and am enjoying myself immensely. I mean, he can’t read them ALL at the same time, so we’re rotating the stock between us. Your vocabulary and rhythms are also a joy to read out loud.

The thing you do best, I think, is to set up the abnormal (or super-normal?) as normal and then take the story from there. You didn’t go into much detail about how odd and unbelievable it was that there was a 266 pound chicken walking around. It simply WAS, and you went on with the story. No time wasted on explaining Uncle Borgel’s time travel. That part wasn’t the story, it was simply a ground zero on which to start the adventure.

This is very sneaky, because as the reader, I am forced to come up with my own back story about why the professor was breeding super-fowl in his apartment. It doesn’t help the narrative, but it is an entertaining thought. Thus, you actually served up TWO stories for the price of one – and I had to write one of them in my head, although I gave you all the credit.

I am betting dollars to donuts that my son is not constructing a back story, but is using his extra time hoping against all hope that he will actually someday meet a 266 pound chicken.

Well done, and thank you.

Yours, Patricia Lundstrom and her fearless, book-mad son Nicholas

Thank you for clearly stating my theory of fiction. (I once had a terrific crush on a girl from Homewood, IL--and now you). You may continue reading.