A Note to the Reader
I’m delighted to welcome my dear husband Harold to the blog. Harold will appear at Boswell Books next Sunday, November 23 at 4:00 PM. Visit Boswell Books online to register.
Teaching Deadpan
Tell us about your novel, Deadpan.
Deadpan is a middle grade novel-in-verse about Jackson, a 12-year-old boy from Milwaukee who cannot smile because he was born with an extremely rare form of facial paralysis which causes his mouth to droop. He loves to tell jokes, much like his father, a stand-up comedian who left the family years ago. Jackson is bullied for looking different and he longs for his classmates to see that beyond his blank face there’s a kid who is smart and funny. When the COVID-19 pandemic strikes, Jackson experiences a unique opportunity. His school closes and he transfers to a new one, where masks are required. Meanwhile, Jackson’s father reenters his life. Emboldened by his father’s encouragement and the fact that nobody can see his face, Jackson immediately revels in his new role as the popular class comedian, catching the attention of a girl he likes. But he knows he can’t hide his face forever. And when the mask comes off, Jackson fears that the girl will reject him and he’ll be bullied all over again.What do you hope your young readers will take away from your book?
I hope Deadpan will challenge young readers (and readers of all ages) to consider how frequently we all make assumptions about others based on their appearance, and how often those assumptions can be wrong. And like Jackson who gains courage to use his superpower of making others laugh, I hope my book will encourage young readers to discover and share their own untapped superpowers. And of course, I hope Deadpan will make young readers laugh— a lot— while reflecting on those serious matters.What are your book’s hooks for teachers, librarians, and community leaders?
Moebius Syndrome Awareness Day is celebrated every year on January 24, and people are encouraged to wear purple to commemorate it. Teachers and community leaders can find a host of activities to do on that day and throughout the year right here:Moebius Syndrome Awareness Day
Can you share an exercise or activity that teachers can do with students after they’ve read your book?
For fun, students can try to tell a joke deadpan style and see if they can do it without laughing or smiling. On a more serious level, teachers can share activities designed to increase awareness of Moebius Syndrome from the Moebius Voices Kids page on the Many Faces of Moebius Syndrome website. https://www.mfoms.org/moebius-syndrome-voices-kids
