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I Don’t Know Who George Jackson Is, But He Has An Awesome Academy

Yesterday I did a school visit at George Jackson Academy, a school for boys on the lower East Side of Manhattan. It’s an amazing place; everything there is completely donated, and everyone there is completely dedicated. the kids are fantastic – and thrilled to be in school, even though they have to wear ties every day.

At the end of the visit, two students interviewed me for the school newspaper. Mike Wallace had nothing on these kids. Here’s the interview, as posted on their school internet paper.

Mr.Tom Greenwald Interview

Jaiden Feliciano & David Onabanjo, Editor & Editor

January 25, 2012

Q:What kind of books do you write
A:I write funny books about kids in Middle School. 

Q:What inspired you?
A:Charlie Joe Jackson was invented because of my 3 sons, all didn’t like to read.  So I wanted to write about that.

Q:What did you think about the writing process
A:Hard but very rewarding, you need to make sure the story makes sense.  There has to be a beg, mid, and end. Sometimes you have to write it and rewrite it.  You need to me patient.  You want a kid laugh,

Q:What do you like most about your job?
A:Write whenever I want to, where whatever I want to.  I do wear a tie sometimes.  It’s a very solitary pursuit, you have to be willing to spend alot of time by yourself, you have to make sure that you don’t get too bored, or away from people.  I happen to like it because you can concentrate, it’s relaxing.  I like writing in a public place – hearing activity around me.

Q:What are some of your favorite books?
A:Wimpy kid books, because they’re very very funny.  When he first was writing them, he thought that he was writing them for adults.  Jeff showed them
The Bully of Barkhum Street, it’s about a bully who’s mean in his neighborhood and then learns that his ways need to be different then they are.  So he does change.  Then there are adult authors, Toni Morrison, Phillip Roth

Q:Were there any books that inspired you?
A:No, not really.  Before I started this, I hadn’t read many children’s books.  I really wrote this for my kids.

Q:Do you ever write books with other people?
A:The editor is the one who you work most closely with.

Interviewed by:
Jaiden Feliciano
David Onabanjo

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