Life Lessons From Andy Wink

"Life Lessons from Andy Wink" is about a 6th grade Colorado student who is very mature for his age. Andy sees things differently than most other 6th graders. His philosophy is we're all put on this earth for a reason. He figures the reason he was put on earth is simple, to help people out. If you look closely, every day has a life lesson in it, for Andy and everyone else. We all face challenges every day. Some of the challenges are fun, some of them not so fun, but that doesn't matter. At the end of every challenge, there's always a life lesson. We learn from that life lesson and then we move on. "Life Lessons from Andy Wink" gives a realistic account of situations that children in the tween years deal with every day. Each chapter finds Andy Wink in a different situation and in the end he always learns a valuable lesson from each experience. Andy Wink is the voice for school children everywhere. Andy sees with the eyes of everyman and debates the universal questions facing students. Andy always arrives at the perfect solution for him, his family, and his friends. He relates his experiences with humor, insight, and a down-to-earth attitude that kids and adults of all ages can connect with. "Life Lessons from Andy Wink" is filled with bittersweet stories that will make the reader reflect on his or her own life experiences. It will make you laugh and cry and will help young readers realize they are not alone in the struggles of growing up. Some of the chapters include "Stinky Steve" (Andy helps a friend with a hygiene problem), "The Poem" (Andy finds a beautiful poem and tries to find its owner by going through the different cliques at school), "The School Play" (Andy auditions for the school play because he has a crush on a girl), "The Housesitter" (Andy learns the real meaning of the word responsibility), "My Grandpa" (Andy deals with the loss of his last living grandparent), "Spring Break" (the Wink family suffers through a series of catastrophes on two separate spring breaks), "My New School" (Andy transitions from elementary school to middle school and examines who he is and what he wants to become as he journeys down the road toward adulthood).

Steve Paulding has been a teacher in the Douglas County School District since 1998. When he's not teaching, you can find Steve directing and acting in theatrical productions throughout the Denver area. Steve grew up in Kirksville and Springfield, Missouri and he graduated from Truman State University in 1996. He lives in Parker, Colorado where he continues to be inspired by his many students, family and friends.