Sneaky eight-year-old becomes 'award winning' author
By Nikolina Koevska Kharoufeh |
Lots of kids have dreams about what they would like to be when they grow up - a police officer, an astronaut or maybe a builder. However, not too many kids achieve their dreams at the age of eight.
Little Dillon Helbig from Idaho in the US however has done just that, becoming a successful author - all thanks to a sneaky move at his local library.
Dillon's first book, 'The Adventures of Dillon Helbig's Crismis' by Dillon Helbig 'His Self', is in high demand at Ada Community Library after the cheeky boy snuck the handwritten and drawn title onto the shelves. There is now a waitlist of over 50 people wanting to get their hands on the popular hit.
READ MORE: Nutritionist Susie Burrell's top five quick and healthy breakfasts for kids
Dillon has always been a massive fan of books and loves visiting the local library with his mum Susan on a regular basis. So when his grandmother gifted him a red notebook late last year, Dillon got to writing his own book, with the aim to get it to kids around the world.
He wrote about a Christmas adventure Dillon goes on where he is decorating a tree that explodes and leads him to be sucked into a portal and go back in time to Thanksgiving.
The book took three days to finish, complete with vibrant drawings of the adventures.
It was then that Dillon hatched his plan to get the book into his local library and out to all the kids in the world to read. A task Dillon knew wouldn't be easy.
"There was a lot of librarians that I had to sneak past. I always be sneaky, like how I get chocolate," he told KTVB in an interview.
Dillon didn't want the librarians to notice the book wasn't like the others in the library so he drew up little label stickers and stuck them on the side of the journal so the book fit in.
He then stuck the book next to others on the shelf during a visit to the library with his mum who had no idea what her little boy was up to.
READ MORE: 80s parenting styles that would get you in trouble today
Once the two got home, Dillon came clean to his mum about what he did and his mum was shocked.
"I didn't know that was his ultimate plan," Susan said.
So she called the library to let them know what her son did, and to make sure they set the book aside so they could pick it up next time they were in.
Though the brand manager at Ada Community Library had different plans.
"Dillon's book definitely fit all the criteria that we would look for to include a book in our collection," he explained. So with Dillon's permission they processed the book into the library system and it is now officially available for borrowing.
READ MORE: See the genius work station that combines a cot with a desk
"He just genuinely wanted other people to be able to enjoy his story. กญ He's been a lifelong library user, so he knows how books are shared," the brand manager said.
The book sits in the graphic-novels section for kids, teens and adults and the library has since awarded Dillon the Whoodini Award for Best Young Novelist, an award they created for him.
The book is now in high demand at the local library with over 55 people on a waitlist eager to check it out.
Usually with a waitlist that long the library purchases addition copies of books, but in this case there is only one original 'The Adventures of Dillon Helbig's Crismis' by Dillon Helbig 'His Self'.
Lucky for Dillon's fans he's confirmed he is already working on a sequel and a different book about a closet that eats jackets.
For a daily dose of 9Honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.
