Broadly speaking, a classic is something of sufficient quality to have withstood the ravages of time. Today, for my own purposes, I will revise this definition, first by dropping the test of time angle and next by elevating the quality aspect. This allows me to declare that my first effort at adaptation in 2007 is indeed a classic that deserves to be recognized as one.

Why so?  Because I am a delirious ego-maniac? Perhaps. But in order to be fair to me, a little history. In 2007 I formed a self-publishing company (ArtWrite Productions) so I could adapt for publication a term paper my son Paul had created for his middle-school science class. I lifted it and adapted it with Paul’s permission after employing him to refine and expand the illustrations he had created for his term paper. That book was titled: Sammy’s Day at the Fair: The Digestive System, featuring Gut Feelings and Reactions. In 2018 I published a second, slightly revised and updated edition of the book. That edition won gold and silver medals from the Midwest Independent Publisher Association (MIPA)—the gold for Children’s Non-Fiction, the Silver for Children’s Fiction.

Okay, there’s the history. Now why call it a classic when the book is somewhat short of 20 years from its first publication date and when I’m still alive enough to be producing and hawking books? Because of the awards it won, that’s why! Think of it and think of history. Has any other book won awards in the same contest in these two exactly opposite categories before—fiction and non-fiction? Ever? Please let me know if any book has and I will then gladly try to get my delirious ego under control. Of course, I understand accomplishing that would almost certainly require professional treatment, which I would undergo using my Medicare B coverage (if it’s still available by the time you let me know there was such a book). But even then while I’m confessing my ego problems to a therapist, I would still know it would be one of the only books to ever accomplish that feat.

I am providing a link to the ArtWrite Productions website. Once there you can hit the button for the iBooks connection to Sammy’s Day at the Fair, then once at that site, hit a button to see a sample of the book. You’ll then get an idea why so many Milken National Educator Award winners and other award-winning teachers endorsed the book. They never use the term classic to describe it, but then these outstanding teachers know their vocabulary well. Otherwise they might have. Just sayin’.

Since I am bold enough to call the book a classic, I am considering featuring the book on this website too, rather than leaving it only so lonely just on its own. That decision will be coming soon. Stay tuned.