Candice Kim

September 24, 2012

Dear Mr. Pinkwater,
I just wanted to thank you for writing The Big Orange Splot! As a child of immigrants, it helped me to feel better about being different and encouraged me to share my dreams in a joyful way. I received a copy of your book in kindergarten and that same copy sits on my bookshelf almost 27 years later. I have always had an interest in improving my community–whether it is working with a tenant's union, community organization or the environmental non-profit I currently work for. Maybe I owe it all to Mr. Plumbean–the first community organizer I ever read about!

Thank you again and I am glad to see you're backing our president!

I wish I could take credit for intentionally putting all those vitamins in things I write.  The fact is, I'm totally concerned with making a story, getting the words right, in some cases the illustrations.  I have to admit that I wasn't thinking about someone feeling better about being different, or becoming a public-spirited citizen when I wrote The Big Orange Splot.  I don't really understand how it works, but I've experienced it myself--good art helps make good things happen in the lives of people who enjoy it.  Or possibly it stimulates the good things already within them. So, thank you for reading in a creative and constructive way.