Going all out for something you believe in can be scary for some. For writers, sometimes the risk of criticism can be too much to take.
But for one budding author, it was a risk he wanted to take. So, instead of waiting for someone to put his book on library shelves, he took a drastic step.
He put it there himself.
Eight-year-old Dillon Helbig wrote an 81-page graphic novel. Titled, “The Adventures of Dillon Helbig’s Crismis”, it was written on the pages of a hard-backed journal, full of brightly-colored drawings. Helbig labeled it, “Made in Idho” [sic].
Then he visited a Boise, Idaho, library and slipped the book on the shelves, not telling anyone at the time. Later, the young author told his mom, who called the library.
However, instead of being upset, the library posted that the book was now an official part of the library’s collection, available to be checked out by patrons.
Imagine our surprise yesterday when Dillon’s mom called to tell us that her son had authored an entire book, shelved it at the Lake Hazel Branch, then announced to his family later that he had written a book and it could be checked out at the library.”
Helbig told KTVB that the book was about him, his mom, Santa, as well as a portal and a giant ‘carnivorous turkey’.
“I’ve been wanting to put a book in the library since I was five,” Dillon told the station.
When asked how he managed to get his book on the shelves, he said he had to sneak past a bunch of librarians.
I’ll always be sneaky, like how I get chocolate,” he explained. Classic.
The amazing part of all of this is how the library responded when his mom called.
“His parents were worried we would find his book and we would get rid of it,” Lake Hazel Branch Library manager Alex Hartman told KTVB. “Which was an unfounded fear because if there’s ever a place a book would be safe, it would be here.”
“It deserves a spot on our library shelves,” Hartman said. “It’s a good story.”
Since his story went viral, Helbig’s book has a waiting list that will take nearly 4 years for all 58 people to get a chance to check his book out.
Helbig already has big plans for his future.
“I’m going to stop writing when I’m 40,” Dillon said. After that, he will switch to game creation. In the meantime, he has a sequel to his first novel in the works.
“My next book is going to be called ‘The Jacket-Eating Closet,’” he said, “based on actual events.”
For more on Helbig’s adventures in being an author, watch below!
