Flat Stanley

Over the past week many people have given me strange looks as I walk the streets of downtown Portland. No, I haven't changed my looks and I am not just being paranoid. It is because I have had a special visitor, a tourist, per se, one who has traversed with me the crowded streets, stopping at each attraction to pose before my camera. Who is it? Some may know him by the name of Stanley Lambchops, others Flat Stanley.

In Jeff Brown's own words, here's how Flat Stanley came about:
"More than thirty years ago, I was saying goodnight to my now grown-up sons, J.C. and Tony (Flat Stanley is dedicated to them), and JC stalling for my chat time, asked me not to leave the bedroom. He was scared, he claimed, and when I asked him what he was afraid of he couldn't think of anything. As I started out again, he had an inspiration. 'I'm afraid my big bulletin board will fall on me,' he said. I told him that that was ridiculous; the big board on the wall above his bed had been securely mounted by me, and even if it got loose it would do so so slowly that he wouldn't even notice it, just go off to sleep, and by the time it rested fully upon him he'd be sound asleep and wouldn't wake, so the board would just lie there all night. Then I thought of a small joke and said: 'Of course, when you wake up in the morning, you'll probably be flat.' Both boys thought that was a hoot and many evenings after that one, we'd make up stories about adventures you could have if you were flat. Best idea I ever had, and I didn't even know I'd had it. Not for many months, until a friend in the kid-book business, who knew about the flat stories, suggested I make them into a book."

The Flat Stanley Project, inspired by Jeff Brown's books, began with a group of teachers who wanted to provide students with a meaningful reason to write. One of the many advantages of being flat is that Flat Stanley can visit his friends by travelling in an envelope. Flat Stanley was mailed to me by my five-year old niece, Alaina. Here are some photos from his visit:

Flat Stanley was put into a large envelope in Fort Scott, Kansas and arrived on my doorstep in Portland, Oregon just five days later.


It didn't take long for Stanley to blend right in... he made friends with Hailee and Emilee right away!




Some favorite Portland sites...



Stanley couldn't believe these fountains run all day...


With practically a Starbucks on every corner, how could we not stop for coffee?


And of course, dinner with a friend at the Heathman Hotel...


We were all sad to say goodbye, we hated to see Flat Stanley go! But after a few short days, we knew it was time to pack him up and send him back to Kansas where he could share his adventure with all of his classmates and friends.


You can find more picture galleries, students' stories, and all about Stanley's travels here.