Dillon Helbig from Idaho is just eight years old – and already attracting a lot of interest. After all, it is somewhat surprising for a boy of his age that he has already published a book that he not only wrote and illustrated himself, but also courageously circulated.
The second grader hid his 81-page Christmas story in the local library without further ado, as reported by the New York Times. Dillon had been working on his book for four days and then wanted other readers to enjoy reading it too. The story of The Adventures of Dillon Helbigs Crismis, written by Dillon His Self, is told quite quickly: In the book, the protagonist travels back in time after a star on his Christmas tree explodes.
“His imagination is just incredible,” says Dillon’s mother, Susan Helbig. He’s been writing comic-style books since he was five – but his Christmas story has now made him famous. The staff at the Ada Community Library in Boise were so taken with Dillon’s book that they unhidden his work in the library and placed it prominently. They also gave him the Whoini Award for Best Young Novelist.
Susan Helbig
Has already received an award for his book: Dillon Helbig.
The Adventures of Dillon Helbig’s Crismis quickly became one of the library’s most sought-after titles, with 56 people on the waiting list at the end of January. The readers are not bothered by the quite numerous spelling and grammatical errors in the book, on the contrary. Sentences like “One day in wintr it wus Crismis!” only contribute to the authenticity and the author’s very own charm.
Dillon has long been a sought-after media star after the Idaho Press and KTVB, a television station in Boise, reported on his literary triumph in January. He also inspired his classmates to write their own books. Meanwhile, a local writer has offered to work with Dillon and run writing workshops for children.
Publishers have already contacted the library to officially release the book. The librarians, in turn, want to make additional copies of the work. The young author wants to continue writing, but he also has other plans – he wants to develop games in the future. The eight-year-old is not lacking in inventiveness and the necessary imagination.