Jazz, Pizzazz, and the Silver Threads - Brossura

"I grew up with three brothers and three sisters and many, many pets and I often draw on childhood adventures (and misadventures) in creating stories and poems. My current everyday life also provides lots of inspiration for my writing. For example, my first book, Jackson Jones and the Puddle of Thorns blossomed (pun intended!) from my small plot in a city community garden where, like Jackson, the main character, I seem to grow more weeds than flowers.
"The hamster in Jazz, Pizzazz, and the Silver Threads is based on several real-life, mischievous hamsters. The ideas for Jenny's magic `mess-ups' in Jazz, Pizzazz and its forthcoming sequel, The Magic Squad and the Dog of Great Potential, come from my husband's experiences as a kid magician. And the

year-old Calvin Hastings wishes for a pet. But somehow his parents have gotten the idea that he's irresponsible. So what if Calvin has a hard time concentrating on homework and remembering things? He certainly would have no trouble paying attention to a puppy or a kitten or a rabbit!
Just when Calvin starts to lose hope, things suddenly pick up. His neighbor, Jenny Teitletot, buys a hamster for her magic act, and Calvin discovers jazz. Soon, they're all ready for show biz--the razzmatazz has just begun!