#TenThingsYouMayNotKnowAbout – Children’s Author #MikeAllegra

/ Marcia Meara

It’s time for another #TenThings guest, folks, and I’m very happy to say that today’s guest is a truly funny guy who loves some of the same things in life that I do, most notably, capybaras! I’ve been a fan of them for many years, and am looking forward to the release of Mike’s new book, Sleepy Happy Capy Cuddles. I know you are going to get a kick out of his hilarious #TenThings list, so let’s get to it. Mike, the floor is all yours!

Thanks, Marcia!

I Once Owned A Gerbil Escape Artist:
Over my lifetime I have owned seven gerbils. All of them were awesome, but Little Alcatraz was easily the awesomest. He was smart, fast, and personable. He also escaped his cage on multiple occasions—not to get away, really, but to show off. As soon as he broke out, he would search the house for me so we could play. Seriously, how awesome is that?

I Got Sidetracked On My Way To Buy My First Car:
At 17 I had earned enough money through my many retail jobs to purchase an automobile. But when it came time to buy, I decided to get a rolltop desk instead. All of my friends found this purchase bewildering and stupid, but, 30 years later, all of their crappy Chrysler K-Cars have eroded to dust while my gorgeous oak desk—still polished and pristine—holds a place of honor in my living room.

My Car Should Be Dead By Now:
My current transportation, a 2004 Kia Spectra, is probably the smartest purchase I have ever made. Eighteen years and 180,000 miles later she’s still running strong. Sure, she might be a little pokey climbing hills. Yes, the air conditioner is a bit finicky. And I admit it’s getting a little hard to ignore the growing rust patches. She also kind of farts when I push the gas pedal too quickly. The radio is shot. And the Check Engine light glows in perpetuity. But as long as she runs, I’m keeping her. Here’s to 18 more years!

I Consider Harrisburg, PA, To Be The Perfect Vacation Spot:
I feel this way primarily because of the Midtown Scholars Bookstore. I love that store most than most people. I love the coffee and the book selection and the architecture and the chairs and the smell of the baked goods and I wish I could live there and all I need is a little apartment in the basement and can somebody please make this happen?

I Hate The Giving Tree:
I hate that selfish kid. I hate how the tree doesn’t know how to say no. I hate how unconditional love is paired with self-destruction. And I really hate how the kid never reflects on or regrets his unforgivable behavior. The Giving Tree a terrible book that advocates toxic codependence.

Could someone please write a sequel? Suggested title: The Giving Tree 2: Stumpy’s Revenge.

I Watch Carpet Cleaning Videos On YouTube:
I can’t even begin to understand how I fell down this rabbit hole. All I know is, once upon a time I watched this elfin Ukranian guy tackle a filthy antique area rug that was once used to line a chicken coop. I watched in awe as each pass of his power washer lifted away a new layer of dirt and grime. When he was finished, the carpet looked almost new. I was gobsmacked. From that moment to this, I’ve been hooked.

I Like To Yell At The New York Times Crossword Puzzle:
Once you get past Wednesday’s puzzle, Will Shorts at the New York Times shows off his devilish side. It’s maddening and exhausting and cuss-worthy and I kind of love it.

I Am Accident Prone:
I wouldn’t mind being accident prone if my injuries were the result of me doing something manly, but they aren’t. I once broke my toe descending a single stair. One. Single. Stair. On another occasion, I fell up the stairs onto the vacuum cleaner I was carrying, crushing it to pieces and turning myself into a human-sized dust bunny. My most notable injury, however, was when I tore the ligaments in my finger while tucking in bedsheets. I had to wear a splint on my hand for six weeks because I like hospital corners.

I Am Probably The Only Person On Earth Who Thinks Rabbit Is The Best Character In Winnie the Pooh:
Poor, put-upon Rabbit is the smartest and least-appreciated resident of 100-Acre Wood. Sure, he’s crabby, but I think he has every right to be; Tigger keeps jumping on him and Pooh’s fat butt is blocking his front door. Cut the bunny some slack, okay?

I Was Into Capybaras Before It Was Cool:
I first read about these ginormous rodents when I was six; I was enchanted. I always loved rodents, but the idea that there was a rodent in South America the size of a dog was just too wonderful for me to contemplate. Someday, I told myself at the time, I shall tell the world about these amazing critters.

Mike’s new picture book, Sleepy Happy Capy Cuddles (Page Street Kids) will hit store shelves in October 2022. You can preorder it HERE  now!

Author Mike Allegra

Mike Allegra is the author of 17 books for children including the picture books Scampers Thinks like a Scientist (Dawn, 2019), Everybody’s Favorite Book (Macmillan, 2018), and Sarah Gives Thanks (Albert Whitman and Company, 2012). He also wrote the chapter book series Kimmie Tuttle (Abdo Books, 2021) and Prince Not-So Charming (Macmillan, 2018-19; pen name: Roy L. Hinuss). Scampers was the winner of Learning Magazine’s 2020 Teacher’s Choice Award and was selected for inclusion in the Literati Kids subscription box. His story, “Harold’s Hat,” was the winner of the 2014 Highlights fiction contest and was published in the July 2015 issue.


A Few More of Mike’s Books to be Found on His Author Page

You can reach Mike on Social Media here:

Website
Facebook
Amazon Author Page

39 thoughts on “#TenThingsYouMayNotKnowAbout – Children’s Author #MikeAllegra”

  1. Great list, Mike! I agree about Rabbit needing more respect. And I used to have some gerbils when I was younger. I remember I had gotten two the store, and they ended up being a male and a female, and they eventually had some babies. The female would get out of the cage sometimes. One time, she’d gotten out and was running around, and my brother tried to help catch her by blocking her with his foot, and ended up stepping on her instead 😥

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    • Oh, no! When my gerbil would get out, it was common practice for the family to foot-shuffle around the house. But as I mentioned, my gerbil wasn’t interested in being on the lam, the little fella just wanted to be where the action was.

      And I’m glad to see I’m not the only one with love for Rabbit. Jeez, he was smarter that everyone (especially Owl).

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  5. What a riot, Marcia and Mike. I knew this one was going to be a hoot, and it delivered. I’ve known about Mike’s affection for rodents for a few years now but never made the connection to Capy’s. Of course! So many fun facts, some of which I can relate to – like old rusty cars – and so that had me laughing out loud – acts of clumsiness. And now I want to find that bookstore in Harrisburg. Great post, you two. What a way to start my day. 😀

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  7. Pingback: 10 Things About Me! (Yay!) – Hey, Look! A Writer Fellow!

  10. I’m another familiar with Houdini gerbils! Your mishaps made me laugh – sorry! – and I hope you get another 18 years out of your trusty motor. Many thanks to both of you for another great addition to this series. (Hope you’ve battened down the hatches against Hurricane Ian, Marcia.) ❤

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  11. Was the car dealership next to Desks R Us? Did you pass a tag sale? Inquiring minds want to know!

    Excited for Sleepy Happy Capy Cuddles to arrive in October! Woo!

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  12. The Giving Tree has always bothered me; thanks for putting it right out there (and please write the sequel). I have a conversation-starter little trio of scars on my hand from tripping up boardwalk steps a few weeks ago. And I may need to loop Harrisburg into my son’s PA college tour trip in November. Thanks for this and congrats on the new book! Stay safe, Marcia!

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  13. Thanks for running this, Marcia. Always a fan of Mike’s posts. In fact I saw an Instagram post of a capy in a bike basket and wanted to share it with him. Drat. Email not deliverable? What!?!

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  18. This made me laugh so much, it was almost painful. Mike, you’re amazing! “One. Single. Stair.” Bwahaha. And even before this, I LOLed at the caption to the pic of the carpet on your blog . Ahhhh, good stuff all around. Thanks for that M & M team!

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