The Great Hamster Mishap

Sometimes, a young reader responds to one of my books in a delightfully creative way.

Some have baked cakes, others have made a YouTube video and still others have made posters or T-shirts.

But only one person (that I know of) has ever sculpted characters from my novels out of clay.

Elyssa, my friend's daughter and an avid reader, sculpted Hammy the Hamster from How to Survive Middle School. And when I visiting Pennsylvania, she gave it to me.

This clay hamster was so detailed. It had a pink nose, puffy cheeks and a microphone.

But there was one problem.

Hammy had to travel on a plane all the way back to Florida. How to do that? Well, I stuck him in a days-of-the-week pill holder, of course. Hammy resided in the Thursday slot during the ride.

When I got home, I discovered, to my great horror, that something terrible happened to Hammy.

His. Arm. Fell. Off. THE ONE WITH THE MICROPHONE!

I screamed bloody murder. I dialed 1-1-9. (I'm dyslexic.) I ran for the Krazy Glue.

After countless minutes -- two -- Hammy was back together again.

In fact, he already made a new friend.

I should have known this would have happened. Elyssa knows there have been mishaps in the past when it comes to Sculpey clay. Seniorita Meltypants was our previous disaster.

But all is right in the world now. And little Hammy keeps me company next to Miss Vanessa Meltypants on my desk.

Thank goodness Hammy and his microphone are back in working order. I mean, how else could he possibly star in his very own video? Thanks, Elyssa!