Well, not really. But close!

CRANKEE DOODLE is on page 67 of this week’s People magazine! Holy smokes. We are listed under the heading Best New Kids’ Books, along with THE DARK, by Lemony Snicket and illustrated by my current favorite illustrator, Jon Klassen; OL’ MAMA SQUIRREL, by David Ezra Stein; JOURNEY, by Aaron Becker; RUMP, by Liesl Shurtliff; DOLL BONES by Holly Black; and ELEANOR & PARK, by Rainbow Rowell. Some really fine company.

So, Crankee and Pony heard the news, and assumed that they would get a cover like this:

But it wasn’t to be. Crankee was quite jealous to see the lovely Duchess Kate holding her new baby on the cover instead; everyone in the aisle (where we were buying a copy of the magazine) heard him shout, “WE WON THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION FOR THIS?” Pony, on the other…