LeVar Burton!!!

Oh my gosh O my gosh O my gosh! I met LeVar Burton last weekend! He is one of my heroes! He is the host of Reading Rainbow.  He starred on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Roots.  He has kickstarted a new Reading Rainbow program, and written a new book.  This man is the bomb.

 THAT'S HIM! I'M SO CLOSE!

 This is his new book that he read to all of us librarians! AND it's about a RHINO! This is my favorite animal!

 LeVar is reading his new book!  It deals with depression, but for kids.  It's appropriate and on level.  His rationale: "The rhino is the most fearsome and strongest animal in the animal kingdom.  If something can take down a rhino (depression), then it's (depression) strong enough to take down anyone.  No one is completely immune to depression."

A lot of inspiration for this book came from Fred Rogers (Mr. Roger's Neighborhood).  Rogers was an Army veteran who fought in WWII and suffered PTSD and depression that lasted his whole life.  Rogers died in 2003 due to stomach cancer.  Why did he always wear cardigans on the show?--Not only does it look cool, but he had tattoos all over his arms that he didn't want to show children on TV.

   Yep, he signed my book. I look like a little girl all giggly! Poor guy in the back had to be in all of the pictures :(