15 August 2006
Skateboard Mom? Not me!
A few weeks ago, Z-boy turned to me in the kitchen one night and said: “Tell me the truth. Do you put on heelys and skate around the house after I go to bed?” Where this came from, I have no idea, but after assuring him I did not, he proceeded to ask “Do you have any other secrets you’re hiding from me?”
Z-boy has been obsessed with skateboarding for months now, so Jonski Papa read him the biography of a current skateboard phenom, Andy Mac. Although they’ve been visiting various skateboard parks in this part of the state this summer (Z-boy on his skateboard, C-boy on inline skates), T-boy usually stays home. He’s too little for skate parks, plus he still needs someone to hold him up while skating. So I was surprised while planning a trip to the library the other day when T-boy insisted he get a book about Andy Mac. I dutifully found the book, and let him carry it on the way home. He showed it to his dad and proudly announced “We got a book about Andy Mac!” “Oh. What does Andy Mac do?” his dad asked (expecting to hear something along the lines of “ride a skateboard”. “He drops in!” T-boy replied. The title of the book, in case you didn’t follow the link, is Dropping In With Andy Mac (‘dropping in’ is the name of a particular skateboard trick).
We also got 2 picture books about skateboarding on that same trip: Cosmo Zooms and Skateboard Mom. You can probably guess the plot of the latter book from the title (if you can’t, here it is: boy gets skateboard for his birthday, mom grabs it away and rushes out the door to show her stuff). But what got me was when we finished the book and I turned to the back cover and saw: “You better ask your mom what surprises she has up her sleeve…” Deja vu! Wasn’t Z-boy doing that just the week before? Eerie.
As it turns out, the author of this book used to be on an amateur skateboard team as a kid, and has founded The International Society of Skateboarding Moms which is “about making time for play, no matter your age.” I really wish I were better about making time for play, or had a more playful spirit, but I just don’t see myself stepping on a skateboard any time soon. A scooter is okay, but that’s about as extreme as I’m willing to go for the time being!
(And no, I’m not going to tell you what surprises I have up my sleeve – at least not today!)
Jonski Blogski 
Barb Odanaka (aka Skateboard Mom) said,
22 August 2006 at 10:20 pm
Hi there
Thanks for mentioning my book–no one’s ever mentioned the back cover before (my editor wrote that cat’s quote). And remember, you don’t have to be a “mom” to roll with us (all women invited). Just in case you have any friends–or grandmas–who are interested in joining us.
Please wear full safety gear if you ever decide to jump on a board!
Barb Odanaka
http://www.skateboardmom.com
Skateboard Mom (Putnam, 2004)
Smash! Mash! Crash! There Goes the Trash! (Simon & Schuster, Oct. 2006)
Critter Cafe (Simon & Schuster, pub. date TBA)
jonskifarms said,
22 August 2006 at 10:34 pm
Hey Barb, how exciting to hear from you! My two youngest sons who adore your book will be so impressed. :^) Tell your editor that my oldest son loves how the cat is sitting on top of the ISBN box.
Barb said,
8 September 2007 at 12:50 pm
Hi
Just got a much-belated Google alert that brought me to your blog again. I hope your son still enjoys Skateboard Mom (the book). My next book, Critter Cafe, due out Summer 2008, features a skateboarding cow.
All best,
Barb Odanaka
http://www.skateboardmom.com