[Hazel Joo]

Hello,

I am a 6th grader who loves reading your books. I\'ve read your books Restart and Ungifted, and they are two of my favorite books ever. I also love beavers (it\'s better to say I\'m obsessed with them) and was thrilled when I heard about the books Slacker and Level 13. I\'ve never actually read those, but I\'m planning to read them soon. And also, the book I Want to Go Home has a beaver on the front cover. I was wondering if there was a special reason you chose to feature beavers in some of your books.

P.S. The beaver eating nachos and \"slacking off\" in the book cover Slacker is so cute!

[Gordon]

Hi, Hazel,

Thanks for posting. I'm pleased to hear that you've started reading my books. I hope you're enjoying them.

Re: beavers. I think it's the Canadian in me. There's no special reason I chose them for my stories, except that they suited the setting -- I WANT TO GO HOME took place at a camp. As for the SLACKER and LEVEL 13 books, the beaver was the best animal for a creature who lived in the woods, by a stream, and close to the town where my characters lived.

Having said that, I'm with you -- I like beavers!                                                  -----Gordon Korman-----