I know I haven’t posted an entry in a long, long, long,… well you get the picture. It’s not that I haven’t been writing, I’ve just been writing other stuff, stuff being a technical word for books coming out soon.

So I asked Alejandro if I might post his newly authored and illustrated book on my blog, as a guest post. And he was delighted. When Alejandro first shared this story with me, which he brought home after a back to school night, he excitedly read it. He then elaborated on just how long it took: 11 days. “First I had to write it all in pencil, then I had to color and draw, and trace the pencil in black pen, and then I had to erase all the pencil lines. It was a long time,” he told me in our informal kitchen interview.

I am also very pleased to share this because I am overcome with pride for my son at the pride he feels for his work. He could not wait to show it to me. I had to miss the open house because of my university teaching schedule, so it was at approximately 6:45 the next day that he bound into my room with his folded story in hand, and insist on reading it to me. “Isn’t it the greatest story I have ever written?” It sure is, kiddo.

“First I had to write it all in pencil, then I had to color and draw, and trace the pencil in black pen, and then I had to erase all the pencil lines. It was a long time,” he told me in our informal kitchen interview.

I present, in it’s internet debut, Alejandro’s story, How the Snake Learned to Hiss.

[1: How the Snake Learned to Hiss. By Alejandro. Illustrated by Alejandro]

[2: A long, long time ago… there lived a snake who can’t hiss. But he could fit in. He just wanted to hiss. “I am sad,” said the snake.]

[3: So, he decided he is going to learn to hiss…so… he talks to a bear. The bear didn’t know how to hiss…. he talks to a wood pecker. The woodpecker said, ” I know how to peck, not hiss.” Said the woodpecker.]

[4: Then he practices and practices. “Sshhhh, sshhhh” said the snake. He kept training to do it. And then…. he did it! And this is his favorite spot to practice. “I did it! I konw how to hiss!”]

[5: AND…]

[6: Snakes hiss to show off their practiced. “Hiss.” “Hiss.”

[7: And that snake taught other snakes how to hiss… “Now this is how to hiss.”]

[8: The End…. and the lesson here is practicing and practicing make you succeed.]