Think big, author advises

Obert Skye, author of the award-winning "Leven Thumps" fantasy series, this fall stopped by Hayden Peak, Elk Meadows, Westland and Copper Canyon elementaries in West Jordan as part of a 30-city tour. There, he urged students to live by the "Three Secrets of Foo": Have courage, think big and be great.

The teacher-inspired author prefers to leave his personal information to kids' imagination. He will say, however, that he lives someplace green and wet and is possibly married — if he were, she'd be beautiful, he says.

A once "reluctant reader," Skye got hooked on books when a librarian suggested he read "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Roald Dahl. He also loved the "Oz" books — "anything that took imagination and everyday things and pushed them to the limit or opened new ideas."

These days, Skye enjoys a good mystery, comedy or Jane Austen's works but remains a fan of young-adult books. Louis Sachar's "Holes" is a favorite.

"The best way to think big ... is simply to read," Skye says. "Books either influence you to be a great writer, or you can see things you don't want to do in your own life ... (or books) prompt you to have these huge fantastic thoughts and introduce you to characters you never would have known and visit places you never would have visited."