[Brandy]

Hi there!

I hope this email finds you well. I am a member of the Indiana Read Aloud Committee and I wanted to reach out to let you know that the fantastic book, Slugfest has been chosen for our 2025 Middle Read Aloud list. Each year, our committee reads any book that sounds like it would make a great read aloud. We have five different lists: Ageless, Primary, Upper Elementary, Middle Grade, and High School. This book was one of my favorite Middle Grade books that I read this year and I am so thrilled to have it on our list along with 9 other read alouds too good to miss. I enjoy recommending Slugfest to anyone who asks for book recs in that area!

You can check out more about our work here: https://www.ilfonline.org/read-aloud-program Our list does not get published until November 18, 2024 at our annual conference, so please don't publicize this award until after that date.

As a side note, my son is now a sophomore in high school. He went through a “reluctant reader” phase when he was in 5^th – 7^th grade. Your books are what kept him reading and he still loves them to this day. He gets excited when he finds out you have a new one on the horizon. So as a mom, a librarian, a former teacher… thank you for writing. For continuing to open those doors for all who may enter.

Sincerely,
Brandy Graves
Shelby County Public Library
Shelbyville, IN
bgraves@sscpl.lib.in.us

Dear Ms. Graves,

Thanks for writing me with this excellent news about SLUGFEST. I'm happy to hear that it made your Middle Read Aloud list. It pleases me even more than the fact that flag football is about to become an Olympic sport! And almost as much as hearing that your reluctant reader was helped through the phase by some of my books.

Thank you again. I'll be discreet until after Nov. 18th.                                                  -----Gordon Korman-----