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<title>Mark Gunning | Updates</title>
<description>Mark Gunning | Updates</description>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:26:28 +0000</pubDate>
<lastBuildDate>Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:26:28 +0000</lastBuildDate>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com</link>
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<language>en</language>
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<title>The Killer Bees Are Coming to Forestview!</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/the-killer-bees-are-coming-to-forestview</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/the-killer-bees-are-coming-to-forestview</guid>
<category>Event</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Happening on 2026-11-03</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;On Tuesday, November 3rd, I’ll be visiting &lt;strong&gt;Forestview Public School&lt;/strong&gt; in Niagara Falls to meet the Grade 3 and 4 classes. Hello, Falcons!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We’ll dive into “The Killer Bees,” one of William and Thomas’s more questionable adventures. There’s an orange snowsuit, a helmet, and a plan that sounds much better in their heads than it does out loud.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I can’t wait to share some laughs with the Forestview Falcons and hear what story ideas they come up with. See you soon!&lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>The Killer Bees Are Heading to Port Colborne!</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/the-killer-bees-are-heading-to-port-colborne</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/the-killer-bees-are-heading-to-port-colborne</guid>
<category>Event</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Happening on 2026-11-17</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;On Tuesday, November 17th, I’ll be visiting &lt;strong&gt;McKay Public School&lt;/strong&gt; in Port Colborne to meet the Grade 3/4 classes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I’ll introduce them to “The Killer Bees” and a plan involving an orange snowsuit, a helmet, and two boys who really should have thought things through. I’m looking forward to sharing some laughs and seeing what ideas the students come up with.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;See you soon, McKay!&lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>Stories for the Wolves</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/stories-for-the-wolves</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/stories-for-the-wolves</guid>
<category>Event</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Happened on 2026-10-09</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;On Friday, October 9th, I’ll be visiting &lt;strong&gt;John Brant Public School&lt;/strong&gt; in Ridgeway, Ontario, to meet the Grade 3/4 students!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We’ll explore how a simple idea can grow into a funny story, with a little help from William and Thomas and their talent for making plans that go spectacularly wrong. I’m looking forward to hearing what the students dream up, too.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;See you soon, Wolves!&lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>A New School Year, More Stories to Share</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/a-new-school-year-more-stories-to-share</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/a-new-school-year-more-stories-to-share</guid>
<category>Event</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Happened on 2026-10-08</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;On Thursday, October 8th, I’ll be visiting &lt;strong&gt;Power Glen Public School&lt;/strong&gt; in beautiful St. Catharines!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I’m looking forward to meeting the 3/4 students, sharing a few of William and Thomas’s misadventures, and showing how an ordinary moment can turn into a story worth telling. Usually, all it takes is one question:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;“What could possibly go wrong?”&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;William and Thomas have supplied more answers than anyone asked for.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It’s wonderful to be heading back into schools this fall. I can’t wait to see what ideas the students at Power Glen come up with! Go Panthers!&lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>Something’s Brewing in Itchygooney…</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/updates/something-s-brewing-in-itchygooney</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/updates/something-s-brewing-in-itchygooney</guid>
<category>Update</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Update post.</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;I’ve been working on a few surprises for William, Thomas, and the gang. I can’t spill the beans just yet, but there’s plenty of mischief ahead.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Keep an eye on this page. You know what happens when those two have a plan.&lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>Now Booking Fall 2026 School Visits</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/now-booking-fall-2026-school-visits</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/now-booking-fall-2026-school-visits</guid>
<category>Event</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Happened on 2026-09-22</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;I am currently booking interactive author presentations for schools across Niagara and surrounding communities. Programs are available for students from Kindergarten to Grade 8, with presentations tailored to each grade level.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Select dates remain available in October and November 2026.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itchygooneybooks.com/contact&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;BOOK AN AUTHOR VISIT&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>The Dodgeball Incident</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/blog/the-dodgeball-incident</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/blog/the-dodgeball-incident</guid>
<category>Blog</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 4 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Blog post.</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Dodgeball Incident&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Another moment that stands out from my teaching days didn’t involve the kids directly, but it still cracks me up to this day.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not so much for the other guy...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I was in the middle of phys. ed class, and the students were enjoying a game of Badger Ball. It was a fun version of dodgeball where students hid behind those big blue foam mats that grace school gyms everywhere.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As the game was being played, another teacher, who happened to be on his prep, popped into the gym to see what was going on.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Let’s call him Mr. X.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I’ve decided to keep his name secret as a sign of respect.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And possibly for my own protection.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mr. X put his papers down by the side of the gym wall, grabbed a dodgeball, ran across the gym and immediately started throwing balls in my direction.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Now, I wasn’t one to pass up a good game of dodgeball, so I left the sidelines and entered the game.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As I stepped onto the court, a ball sailed over my head.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I looked around to see where it had come from.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The kids all pointed toward Mr. X.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Now, I should probably mention something important.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I played baseball for most of my life. I had a pretty good throwing arm, and I was quite good with my aim.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Remember that for later.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mr. X danced around on the other side of the court, so naturally, I felt obliged to throw one back.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;After a few near misses, he made his way behind one of the mats. Every so often, he would pop his head up and make a silly face.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This was a Grade 5/6 class, so naturally the kids thought it was hilarious that another teacher had randomly joined their game and was now engaged in a full-scale dodgeball battle with their teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;After a few more taunts from Mr. X, I decided it was time to step things up.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That’s when I asked the kids to find me one of the heavier dodgeballs.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In hindsight, this may have been the moment when things started to go wrong.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I grabbed one of the balls, curled my arm around it and hurled it toward my target.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;THUD!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The ball slammed into the front of the mat.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mr. X popped out from behind it and gave me the moose taunt. You know the one. Hands beside your head, fingers spread wide, thumbs touching your ears.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He was enjoying this.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Perhaps a little too much.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I let another ball fly.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;THUD!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Once again, it slammed into the front of the mat.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;At this point, I was determined to at least scare him.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mr. X jumped out from behind the mat and fired about five balls at me in rapid succession. I danced to the left and then back to the right as they narrowly missed me.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;By now, the students were thoroughly enjoying the teacher shenanigans unfolding in front of them.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mr. X disappeared behind the mat again.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then he popped his head up and stuck out his tongue.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Big mistake.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;At that exact moment, one of the students handed me the heaviest dodgeball we had in the set.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I curled my arm around it, looked down at my teammate and said:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“Now watch this. Mr. X is going down!”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With all my might, I unloaded the dodgeball.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It sailed across the gym directly toward the mat Mr. X was hiding behind.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Some might say what happened next was pure luck.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Others might call it incredibly bad timing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Just as the ball reached the mat, Mr. X popped his head up.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;WHACK!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The ball, which I had likely thrown as hard as I possibly could, hit him smack dab in the face.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Everything stopped.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The kids froze.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I froze.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mr. X slowly emerged from behind the mat.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He walked across the gym without saying a word, glaring in my direction the entire way.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He bent down, picked up his papers from the floor, perhaps gathering up what was left of his dignity at the same time, and headed for the door.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One of the students turned to me.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“I think he’s mad at you.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I watched Mr. X disappear into the hallway.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“Yes. You’re probably right.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I hurried out after him to apologize.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, when I found him, his eyes were watering from taking a perfectly aimed dodgeball directly to the face.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And I started laughing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This did not improve the situation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Surprisingly, he wasn’t interested in shaking hands.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He didn’t want a fist bump either.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Eventually, Mr. X got over it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mostly.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Although he wasn’t particularly happy that for quite some time afterward, every time I saw him, I couldn’t help but laugh.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Even years later, whenever I think about that dodgeball sailing across the gym, I still laugh.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sorry, Mr. X.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For the record, I really was aiming for the mat.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Probably.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now, Over to You...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Have you ever had one of those moments at work where something went horribly wrong, but became absolutely hilarious later?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I&#39;d love to hear your story.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itchygooneybooks.com/contact&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Share your thoughts with me!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; I read every one, and who knows... your story might inspire a future edition of &lt;a href=&quot;https://itchygooneybooks.com/mailing-list&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mark&#39;s Notebook&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Until next Friday... keep laughing, keep reading, and if someone pops their head up from behind a gym mat at exactly the wrong moment, remember: timing is everything.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>A Sticky Situation</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/blog/a-sticky-situation</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/blog/a-sticky-situation</guid>
<category>Blog</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Blog post.</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;Most elementary teachers know that a bottle of white glue has two settings:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Nothing.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Way too much.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I learned this lesson firsthand during an art class with 34 Grade 4/5 students packed into a rather small classroom.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Over the years, I had developed a pretty good system for keeping our classroom supplies organized. Each week, I assigned a few students to be part of the &lt;strong&gt;Art Crew&lt;/strong&gt;. Their job was simple: make sure everything was where it belonged.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Lids on markers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Scissors put away.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Glue sticks capped.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Supplies returned to the right bins.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;They were even responsible for testing the bottles of white glue and pulling out any that were clogged. Later, I would unclog them and put them back into circulation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;At least, that was the plan.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, I hadn&#39;t gotten around to fixing a few of the clogged bottles, and somehow they found their way back into circulation. My bad.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What could possibly go wrong?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It was the middle of art class, and things were going surprisingly well. With 34 students in a small room, classroom management was always on high alert, especially when scissors, glue, and creativity were all happening at the same time.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Before we started, I gave my usual instructions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you have a problem with something, ask me for help.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And most importantly:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If a glue bottle is clogged, don&#39;t keep squeezing it. Try another one.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Simple enough.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As I made my way around the classroom, I noticed one of my dear students struggling with a bottle of glue.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He squeezed it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nothing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He squeezed harder.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Still nothing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The look on his face told me everything I needed to know.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He was not giving up.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;After a brief conversation, I convinced him to put the bottle down and try another one. Preferably one that posed less of a threat to everyone in the immediate area.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Problem solved.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Or so I thought.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; My only mistake... I didn&#39;t take the bottle. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I turned my attention to the other students and continued making my way around the room.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Apparently, my daring young student decided this was the perfect opportunity to return to the clogged glue bottle.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With my back turned, I suddenly heard a wave of chaos roll through the classroom.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Something had happened.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I spun around.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There stood my student, still holding the bottle of glue.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And what I can only assume was most of its contents was now spread from the top of his head all the way down to his waist.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He was wearing a black T-shirt.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The white glue made quite the contrast.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For a second, everyone just stared.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then the room erupted.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Even I couldn&#39;t help laughing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He looked like a skunk, with one long white stripe running down the front of him.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, there had also been an innocent bystander within range of the projectile glue. He had taken a direct hit to the back of his shirt.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Collateral damage.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Eventually, the laughter died down, and everyone got back to work.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Since I suddenly had everyone&#39;s attention, I figured it was the perfect time to sneak in a little science.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I never thought I&#39;d turn an art lesson into a science lesson quite like that.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As for my glue-covered student?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Once he and his classmate finished cleaning themselves up, I gave him a new job.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Check the remaining glue bottles to see if any of them were clogged.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes, students learn the hard way.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And sometimes, teachers really do get to say...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I told you so!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Enjoyed this story?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If this made you smile, why not share it with a teacher, parent, grandparent, or librarian who could use a laugh today?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And if you&#39;d like a new true classroom story delivered to your inbox every Friday, &lt;strong&gt;join my free email list&lt;/strong&gt; and become part of &lt;a href=&quot;https://itchygooneybooks.com/mailing-list&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mark&#39;s Notebook&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Every Friday you&#39;ll receive one of these:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;A true classroom story&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;The inspiration behind my books&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;A few laughs to start your weekend&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now, Over to You...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Teachers, what&#39;s something you warned a student not to do... only to watch them do it anyway?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I&#39;d love to hear your story.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itchygooneybooks.com/contact&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Share your thoughts with me!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; I read every one, and who knows... your story might inspire a future edition of &lt;a href=&quot;https://itchygooneybooks.com/mailing-list&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mark&#39;s Notebook&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Until next Friday... keep laughing, keep reading, and if a bottle of glue won&#39;t cooperate, put it down. Otherwise, you might just discover that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction... all over your shirt. &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;— Mark Gunning&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Children&#39;s Author | Retired Teacher | Collector of Kid Logic&lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>The Mystery Water Bottle</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/blog/the-mystery-water-bottle</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/blog/the-mystery-water-bottle</guid>
<category>Blog</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Blog post.</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;Sometimes, things happen in the classroom that you just let go. You shake your head, move on, and don&#39;t spend another minute thinking about them.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But then there are the other ones.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The things that happen that, for whatever reason, stick with you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There was one day in my classroom when something happened that I probably should have forgotten about years ago.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But I haven&#39;t.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In fact, I still think about it to this day.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It all started with a water bottle.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It was a normal day in the classroom. I was talking to the class and we were having a discussion about a topic that, quite frankly, I don&#39;t remember.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I do, however, remember what happened next.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It was a hot day, and the air was rather dry. I had just opened a new bottle of water and taken only a few sips before I started making my way around the classroom.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The students were eager to join the discussion, so I wandered up and down the rows of desks, stopping here and there as different students shared their thoughts.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Every once in a while, I&#39;d pause and take a drink.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And another.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And another.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As the discussion intensified, so did my thirst.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That water bottle was disappearing at an alarming rate.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Eventually, I made one final stop at a student&#39;s desk and sat on the corner of it as we wrapped things up before the bell.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That&#39;s when I noticed something strange.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There was a water bottle sitting on my desk.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Right where I&#39;d left it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I looked at the bottle.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then I looked at the bottle in my hand.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then back at the bottle on my desk.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are moments in life when your brain needs a few extra seconds to process the information it has just received.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This was one of those moments.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If MY water bottle was sitting on MY desk...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Whose water bottle had I been drinking from?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I slowly raised the mystery bottle and took a closer look.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That was a mistake.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Floating around inside was a disgustingly large amount of what can only be described as...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;backwash.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And it wasn&#39;t mine.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I froze.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I stared at the bottle in my hand.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I stared at my actual bottle sitting safely on my desk.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And I immediately began replaying my journey around the classroom.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Where had I picked it up?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whose desk had I been standing beside?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Most importantly...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;WHOSE WATER BOTTLE WAS THIS?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I had absolutely no idea.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And I wasn&#39;t about to ask.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Without drawing attention to what had just happened, I casually made my way back to my desk and placed the mystery bottle beside mine.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The bell rang.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I dismissed the class for break.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And I waited.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One by one, the students left the room.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nobody grabbed the bottle.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nobody came back looking for it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The mystery remained unsolved.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As soon as the final student disappeared through the door, I grabbed the mystery bottle - dumped the remaining water, and whatever else was floating around in there - down the sink and tossed the bottle into the recycling bin.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then I grabbed MY water bottle.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I took a huge gulp.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I gargled.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I rinsed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I may have reconsidered every decision that had led me to becoming a teacher.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;From that day forward, I brought my water to school in a thermos.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A very identifiable thermos.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There would be no more mystery water bottles for me.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;To this day, I still don&#39;t know whose bottle I drank from.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And I don&#39;t want to know.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But every once in a while, I think about that day.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The bottle.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The backwash.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The mystery student somewhere out there who probably went home wondering...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Hey, what happened to my water bottle?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And yes, even after all these years, I still get the heebie-jeebies thinking about it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Enjoyed this story?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If this made you smile, why not share it with a teacher, parent, grandparent, or librarian who could use a laugh today?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And if you&#39;d like a new true classroom story delivered to your inbox every Friday, &lt;strong&gt;join my free email list&lt;/strong&gt; and become part of &lt;a href=&quot;https://itchygooneybooks.com/mailing-list&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mark&#39;s Notebook&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Every Friday you&#39;ll receive one of these:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;A true classroom story&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;The inspiration behind my books&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;A few laughs to start your weekend&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now, Over to You...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What&#39;s something that happened in your classroom that still makes you cringe when you think about it?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itchygooneybooks.com/contact&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Share your thoughts with me!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; I read every one, and who knows... your story might inspire a future edition of &lt;a href=&quot;https://itchygooneybooks.com/mailing-list&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mark&#39;s Notebook&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Until next Friday... keep laughing, keep reading, and keep an eye on your water bottle... because you never know...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;— Mark Gunning&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Children&#39;s Author | Retired Teacher | Collector of Kid Logic&lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>Are We Allowed to Climb on the Roof... If We&#39;re Wearing a Helmet?</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/blog/are-we-allowed-to-climb-on-the-roof-if-we-re-wearing-a-helmet</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/blog/are-we-allowed-to-climb-on-the-roof-if-we-re-wearing-a-helmet</guid>
<category>Blog</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 7 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Blog post.</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;One of the things I loved most about teaching was that kids were always listening... just not always to the part you expected.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A few days earlier, we&#39;d been talking about bike safety. We discussed why it&#39;s important to wear a helmet and how it can help protect your head if you fall.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Lesson taught. Mission accomplished.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Or so I thought.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A few days later, I was outside on yard duty (every teacher&#39;s favourite part of the day) when a student noticed our custodian walking around on the school roof.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;About once a month, usually on a nice day, the custodian would head up there to retrieve utility balls and other missing treasures that somehow found their way onto the roof.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(Don&#39;t ask about the underwear.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That&#39;s when one of my students looked at me and asked,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&quot;Mr. Gunning... are we allowed to climb onto the school roof if we&#39;re wearing a helmet?&quot;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;I stared at him for a second.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then, with the straightest face I could manage, I replied,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&quot;No.&quot;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;He looked genuinely puzzled.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&quot;But wouldn&#39;t the helmet save me if I fell off?&quot;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;For the briefest moment, I caught myself thinking...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Well... that&#39;s actually a fair question.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then reality kicked in.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;That&#39;s not really the point,&quot; I said. &quot;Why would you be up on the roof in the first place?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Without missing a beat, he answered,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&quot;To get my ball... the one &lt;strong&gt;you&lt;/strong&gt; kicked up there the other day.&quot;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;Touché.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;At that point, I decided it was probably best to end the conversation before I accidentally encouraged any more creative problem-solving.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Moments like these reminded me that kids don&#39;t see the world the way adults do. Their logic isn&#39;t always wrong... it&#39;s just aimed in a completely different direction.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It&#39;s also one of the reasons William and Thomas, the stars of my &lt;strong&gt;I Told You So!&lt;/strong&gt; series, always seem so confident in their plans. To them, the idea makes perfect sense.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Until it doesn&#39;t.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Enjoyed this story?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If this made you smile, why not share it with a teacher, parent, grandparent, or librarian who could use a laugh today?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And if you&#39;d like a new true classroom story delivered to your inbox every Friday, &lt;strong&gt;join my free email list&lt;/strong&gt; and become part of &lt;a href=&quot;https://itchygooneybooks.com/mailing-list&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mark&#39;s Notebook&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Every Friday you&#39;ll receive:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;A true classroom story&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;The inspiration behind my books&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;A few laughs to start your weekend&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now, Over to You...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What&#39;s the funniest question a child has ever asked you?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itchygooneybooks.com/contact&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Share your thoughts with me!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; I read every one, and who knows... your story might inspire a future edition of &lt;a href=&quot;https://itchygooneybooks.com/mailing-list&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mark&#39;s Notebook&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Until next Friday... keep laughing, keep reading, and if someone suggests climbing onto a roof wearing a helmet... maybe just say no.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;— Mark Gunning&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Children&#39;s Author | Retired Teacher | Collector of Kid Logic&lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>The Hiking Boots Debate</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/blog/the-hiking-boots-debate</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/blog/the-hiking-boots-debate</guid>
<category>Blog</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Blog post.</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;One of the &lt;strong&gt;best&lt;/strong&gt; parts of being a teacher was that you never knew what question was coming next. Kids will say or ask the darndest things.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Before one of our school hiking trips to the Walker Living Campus, at the Woodend Conservation Area, we were getting psyched up to head out onto the trails when a student raised a hand.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Mr. Gunning... do we &lt;em&gt;have&lt;/em&gt; to wear boots? Can&#39;t we just wear shoes?&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Now, if you&#39;ve ever walked a muddy trail after a good rain, you already know the answer.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Boots,&quot; I replied. &quot;You&#39;ll be glad you wore them.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The student wasn&#39;t convinced.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Apparently, shoes looked way cooler.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Fast forward a little while...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The trail had become a muddy obstacle course. There were puddles everywhere, slippery hills, and plenty of places where one wrong step could send you sliding.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When suddenly...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One carefully chosen step turned into one spectacular splash.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Let&#39;s just say someone&#39;s clothes looked a &lt;em&gt;lot&lt;/em&gt; different after that hike.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The boots? They would have helped.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Moments like that reminded me why I loved teaching. Kids see the world differently than adults do. They genuinely believe &lt;em&gt;their&lt;/em&gt; idea is going to work, even when every grown-up in sight knows exactly how it&#39;s going to end.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That&#39;s the spirit behind William and Thomas in my &lt;strong&gt;I Told You So!&lt;/strong&gt; series.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Their plans usually begin with complete confidence.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The ending?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Well... that&#39;s another story.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As a teacher, I was lucky enough to witness hundreds of moments that made me laugh, shake my head, and think, &lt;em&gt;One day, that belongs in a book.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Some of them have already. Some are just waiting to be told.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Enjoyed this story?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If this made you smile, why not share it with a teacher, parent, grandparent, or librarian who could use a laugh today?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And if you&#39;d like a new true classroom story delivered to your inbox every Friday, &lt;strong&gt;join my free email list&lt;/strong&gt; and become part of &lt;a href=&quot;https://itchygooneybooks.com/mailing-list&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mark&#39;s Notebook&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Every Friday you&#39;ll receive:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;A true classroom story&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;The inspiration behind my books&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;A few laughs to start your weekend&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Now, Over to You...&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Have your kids ever ignored good advice and learned a lesson the messy way? I&#39;d love to hear your funniest family story in the comments! &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://itchygooneybooks.com/contact&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Share your thoughts with me!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; I read every one, and who knows... your story might inspire a future edition of &lt;a href=&quot;https://itchygooneybooks.com/mailing-list&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mark&#39;s Notebook&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Until next Friday... keep laughing, keep reading, and if someone tells you shoes are just as good as hiking boots... just smile and say, &quot;We&#39;ll see.&quot; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;— Mark Gunning&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Children&#39;s Author | Retired Teacher | Collector of Kid Logic&lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>One More School, One More Story</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/one-more-school-one-more-story</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/one-more-school-one-more-story</guid>
<category>Event</category>
<pubDate>Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Happened on 2026-06-17</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;On Wednesday, June 17th, I&#39;ll be heading to &lt;strong&gt;Quaker Road Public School&lt;/strong&gt; for my &lt;strong&gt;final author visit of the 2025–26 school year&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It&#39;s hard to believe how quickly this year has flown by. Since stepping back into schools as a visiting author, I&#39;ve had the opportunity to meet hundreds of students from Kindergarten to Grade 8, sharing stories, laughter, and hopefully a little inspiration along the way.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;At Quaker Road, I&#39;ll be working with two groups of students:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Grades 3/4&lt;/strong&gt; will dive into the world of &lt;strong&gt;humorous short story writing&lt;/strong&gt;, exploring how everyday moments can become unforgettable adventures. Through examples from William and Thomas&#39;s many misadventures, students will discover that some of the best story ideas begin with a simple question:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&quot;What could possibly go wrong?&quot;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(As it turns out... quite a lot.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Grades 5/6&lt;/strong&gt; will put on their detective hats as we investigate the ingredients of a great mystery. Together, we&#39;ll examine clues, red herrings, suspicious suspects, and surprising twists before students begin crafting mysteries of their own.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One of my favourite parts of these visits is watching students realize that authors don&#39;t simply sit down and magically produce perfect books. Stories grow from imagination, persistence, revision, and a willingness to embrace wild ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whether it&#39;s a disastrous bee-catching plan, a missing muffin mystery, or a spooky adventure involving the Itchygooney Witch, every story starts with someone asking, &lt;strong&gt;&quot;What if?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As this school year comes to a close, I&#39;m incredibly grateful to the teachers, librarians, administrators, and students who have welcomed me into their schools. Thank you for your enthusiasm, your creativity, and for reminding me why stories matter.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here&#39;s to one final visit, a few more laughs, and perhaps the beginning of some future authors&#39; writing journeys.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wish me luck... and let&#39;s hope no one brings a real swarm of bees.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mark Gunning&lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>Author Visit — Garrison Road Public School (Fort Erie, Ontario)</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/author-visit-garrison-road-public-school-fort-erie-ontario-6907769d19</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/author-visit-garrison-road-public-school-fort-erie-ontario-6907769d19</guid>
<category>Event</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Happened on 2026-05-14</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;I’m excited to be visiting &lt;strong&gt;Garrison Road Public School&lt;/strong&gt; over the next two days for a full school-wide author visit! I’ll be meeting with students from Kindergarten all the way up to Grade 8, sharing interactive presentations, storytelling sessions, mystery-writing activities, and plenty of laughs along the way. I’m looking forward to connecting with young readers and writers, answering questions, and helping students discover how fun and creative writing can be. It’s going to be an amazing two days of books, imagination, and storytelling adventures! &lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>Author Visit — Garrison Road Public School (Fort Erie, Ontario)</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/author-visit-garrison-road-public-school-fort-erie-ontario</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/author-visit-garrison-road-public-school-fort-erie-ontario</guid>
<category>Event</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Happened on 2026-05-13</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt; I’m excited to be visiting Garrison Road Public School over the next two days for a full school-wide author visit! I’ll be meeting with students from Kindergarten all the way up to Grade 8, sharing interactive presentations, storytelling sessions, mystery-writing activities, and plenty of laughs along the way. I’m looking forward to connecting with young readers and writers, answering questions, and helping students discover how fun and creative writing can be. It’s going to be an amazing two days of books, imagination, and storytelling adventures! &lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>Author Visit — Heximer Public School (Niagara Falls, Ontario)</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/author-visit-heximer-public-school-niagara-falls-ontario-i-m-excited</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/author-visit-heximer-public-school-niagara-falls-ontario-i-m-excited</guid>
<category>Event</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 3 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Happened on 2026-04-20</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;I’m excited to be visiting &lt;strong&gt;Heximer Avenue Elementary School in Niagara Falls, Ontario,&lt;/strong&gt; for a special in-person author visit!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;During our time together, we’ll be chatting about my &lt;strong&gt;I Told You So&lt;/strong&gt; series, where humour, friendship, and mischief are always just around the corner. I can’t wait to meet some &lt;strong&gt;very young authors&lt;/strong&gt;, talk about how stories come to life, and share what it’s really like to create characters like William and Thomas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Get ready for laughs, imagination, and maybe even a few &lt;em&gt;“I told you so!”&lt;/em&gt; moments along the way!&lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>Author Visit — Princess Margaret Public School (Niagara Falls, Ontario)</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/author-visit-princess-margaret-public-school-niagara-falls-ontario-i-m</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/author-visit-princess-margaret-public-school-niagara-falls-ontario-i-m</guid>
<category>Event</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 3 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Happened on 2026-04-13</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;I’m excited to be heading to &lt;strong&gt;Princess Margaret Public School in Niagara Falls, Ontario,&lt;/strong&gt; for a fun-filled author visit featuring my first book, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Adventures of William and Thomas&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;During the visit, I’ll be meeting with some of the &lt;strong&gt;Grade 3 classes&lt;/strong&gt;, where we’ll talk about how story ideas are born (sometimes in the most unexpected places!). We’ll also dive into &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Killer Bees &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;story&lt;/em&gt;, followed by a student &lt;strong&gt;Q &amp;amp; A&lt;/strong&gt;—so I hope they come ready with their best questions!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It’s going to be a fantastic day of creativity, curiosity, and storytelling… and who knows - maybe we’ll even uncover a few Itchygooney worthy ideas along the way!&lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>Local Author Fair — Thorold Public Library (Thorold, Ontario)</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/local-author-fair-thorold-public-library-thorold-ontario-saturday</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/local-author-fair-thorold-public-library-thorold-ontario-saturday</guid>
<category>Event</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Happened on 2026-03-14</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Saturday, March 14&lt;/strong&gt; |  &lt;strong&gt;1:00 PM – 3:00 PM&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Thorold Public Library&lt;/strong&gt; |  &lt;strong&gt;March Break Event&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I’m excited to be taking part in a &lt;strong&gt;Local Author’s Fair&lt;/strong&gt; at the &lt;strong&gt;Thorold Public Library&lt;/strong&gt; during March Break!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Come on out and say hello, meet &lt;strong&gt;Mark Gunning&lt;/strong&gt;, and check out my books—including the laugh-filled &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;I Told You So&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt; series&lt;/strong&gt; and more. I’ll be there chatting with readers, talking about my stories, and signing copies for anyone brave enough to take one of my slightly ridiculous books home. 😉&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whether you’re a student, parent, teacher, or just someone who loves a good story (with a little mischief mixed in), I’d love to see you there!&lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>Author Visit — Riverview Public School (Chippawa, Ontario)</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/author-visit-riverview-public-school-chippawa-ontario-march-6</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/author-visit-riverview-public-school-chippawa-ontario-march-6</guid>
<category>Event</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Happened on 2026-03-06</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;March 6&lt;/strong&gt; | &lt;strong&gt;In-Person Visit&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I’m excited to be heading to &lt;strong&gt;Riverview Public School in Chippawa, Ontario,&lt;/strong&gt; for a fun-filled author visit featuring my newest book, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Itchygooney Witch&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;During the first half of the visit, I’ll be meeting with several &lt;strong&gt;Grade 2/3 classes&lt;/strong&gt;, where we’ll talk about how story ideas are born (sometimes in the most unexpected places!). We’ll also dive into &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Itchygooney Witch&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, followed by a student &lt;strong&gt;Q &amp;amp; A&lt;/strong&gt;—so I hope they come ready with their best questions!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the second half of the visit, I’ll be sitting down with older students from the &lt;strong&gt;DSBN Writes crew&lt;/strong&gt; for a behind-the-scenes look at the D&lt;strong&gt;ay in the Life of an Author&lt;/strong&gt;—from brainstorming and writing to editing, publishing, and everything in between.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It’s going to be a fantastic day of creativity, curiosity, and storytelling… and who knows—maybe we’ll even uncover a few Itchygooney-worthy ideas along the way!&lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>Virtual Author Visit — Walker Park Elementary School (Monroe, GA)</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/virtual-author-visit-walker-park-elementary-school-monroe-ga</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/events/virtual-author-visit-walker-park-elementary-school-monroe-ga</guid>
<category>Event</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Happened on 2026-02-17</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;📅 &lt;strong&gt;February 17&lt;/strong&gt; |  &lt;strong&gt;Virtual Event&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I’m excited to be visiting &lt;strong&gt;Walker Park Elementary School in Monroe, Georgia,&lt;/strong&gt; for a special &lt;strong&gt;virtual author visit&lt;/strong&gt;!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;During our time together, we’ll be chatting about my &lt;strong&gt;I Told You So&lt;/strong&gt; series, where humour, friendship, and mischief are always just around the corner. I can’t wait to meet some &lt;strong&gt;very young authors&lt;/strong&gt;, talk about how stories come to life, and share what it’s really like to create characters like William and Thomas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Get ready for laughs, imagination, and maybe even a few &lt;em&gt;“I told you so!”&lt;/em&gt; moments along the way!&lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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<title>A Fresh Website, New Adventures, and Big Plans Ahead</title>
<link>https://itchygooneybooks.com/blog/a-fresh-website-new-adventures-and-big-plans-ahead</link>
<dc:creator>Mark Gunning</dc:creator>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://itchygooneybooks.com/blog/a-fresh-website-new-adventures-and-big-plans-ahead</guid>
<category>Blog</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<description>Blog post.</description>
<content:encoded>&lt;![CDATA[ &lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Today feels a bit like the first day of school, minus the lost lunchboxes and awkward gym shorts. I’m excited (and only mildly nervous) to officially welcome you to my &lt;strong&gt;brand-new website&lt;/strong&gt;! It’s been rebuilt from the ground up to be cleaner, easier to use, and much friendlier on phones—because let’s face it, most of us are scrolling while waiting for something else to finish.&lt;br&gt;But this launch isn’t just about a new look.&lt;br&gt;This website marks the start of a new chapter for me as an author. Along with sharing my books, stories, and upcoming projects, I’m officially stepping into the world of &lt;a href=&quot;https://itchygooneybooks.com/pages/school-visits&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;school visits&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and beginning my journey as a &lt;strong&gt;travelling children’s author&lt;/strong&gt;. I’ll be starting close to home by connecting with schools in the Niagara area as I roll out my programs, presentations, and classroom-friendly fun.&lt;br&gt;You’ll now find:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Information about my books&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Updates and announcements&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Resources for teachers and schools&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;A growing collection of interviews, reviews, and behind-the-scenes extras&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;And this is just the beginning. The site will continue to grow—kind of like my to-be-read pile, but with slightly better organization.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I’d love for you to take a look around and let me know what you think. Is there something you’d like to see added? Something you enjoy most? Something that made you smile (intentionally or otherwise)?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for being here, thanks for supporting my stories, and thanks for sticking with me as this adventure continues. More news, more books, and more slightly ridiculous ideas coming soon.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stay tuned—and welcome!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mark&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt; ]]&gt;</content:encoded>
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