Hard to believe, but Jalapeño Bagels is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Thanks to teachers, SRA, and school anthologies, this book is now in its 23rd printing.

What better way to celebrate than with the bakery that inspired the story - Los Bagels - at the school where I used to be a reading tutor - Pine Hill Elementary! I visited last Friday and spoke to the kids about how I came up with the idea, how I researched the details by going to the bakery and watching bagels being made, and how the illustrator incorporated my photos into his paintings.

Pine Hill kids decorated their doors with book themes. Here's the one for Jalapeño Bagels.

After my presentation kids sampled bagels provided by Los Bagels. The jalapeño bagel ones are as spicy as I remember!

Thank you Los Bagels and Pine Hill for a fabulous visit.