Popular Novel Written by Eight Year Old Has Years-Long Library Waitlist

Second-grader Dillon Helbig from Boise, Idaho, crafted a captivating Christmas and time-travel story that’s become a hit at a local library, inspiring fellow young authors.

A Young Creative

From the words of Shakespeare, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” In the state of Idaho, a young author has gone to large lengths to achieve greatness and is making waves with his debut graphic novel. Dillon Helbig, of Boise, took his writing career into his own hands by sneaking his graphic novel onto the shelves of the Ada Community Library.

Once discovered, the library staff decided to promote the book and celebrate Dillon’s creativity and entrepreneurship. Now his book boasts a ‘years-long’ waitlist and received high praise from readers across Idaho. His family and community have gathered around him to celebrate a job well done.

‘The Adventures of Dillon Helbig’s Crismis’

During the holiday season, Dillon Helbig was inspired to write his own Christmas Adventure. He sat down with a hard-covered journal,  a set of colored pencils, and a dream. Over only a few days, Dillon churned out an 88-page story, complete with color illustrations. He even took steps to complete the authenticity of his publishing, with labels on the binding and a publication page with author “Dillon Himself” at the center.

His story is an adventurous holiday graphic novel of epic proportions – complete with a man-eating turkey, a visit from the Grinch, and cameos of his mother and even the author himself, Dillon.

Getting His Graphic Novel Out There

Just days after completing his work, Dillon took a trip to the Ada Community Library with his grandmother, his graphic novel tucked under his jacket. He slipped the book past the circulation desk and tucked it into the shelves of the children’s picture book section of the library, unbeknownst to his grandma. Dillon admits that the act was “naughty-ish,” but is happy that he took the risk.

A Literary Hit

Dillon’s adventure was a point of pride. He loved telling his family about planting the book and they all got a good laugh out of it. Dillon’s mother, Susan Helbig, called the library to make them aware and to make sure the book was not lost or discarded. When the team at Ada Community Library became aware of their new addition, they knew they had something special on their hands.

The library’s branch manager, Alex Hartman, recalls his experience with The Washington Post, saying the book was “far too obviously special an item for us to consider getting rid of it.” Hartman even shared the story with his own son, who thought it was a hit. 

After the library’s social media shared the book had officially been added to the circulation, the waitlist for checking it out took off. Upwards of 55 people at a time have been on the waitlist. It’s currently only available for locals. After receiving requests from readers as far as Texas, the library is working on creating a digital version to share with more people.

Life Long Story Teller

In an interview with Good Morning America, Dillon shared that writing a book has been a dream of his since he was 5 years old. Since he was a baby, his family encouraged his love of reading and they are all regular visitors of the Ada Community Library. “I’ve been going to libraries a lot since I was a baby,” Dillon shared. “I always had a love for books and libraries.”  

Dillon’s mother takes pride in her son’s creativity and love for writing. She says Dillon is the entertainer of the family, “His imagination is just constantly going, and he is a very creative little boy. He just comes up with these amazing stories and adventures, and we just kind of follow along.” Dillon has several new books in the works, including a holiday sequel to his famed “Crismis” story. Dillon hopes to grow up and be a professional writer – he seems well on his way.

Award Winner at Eight Years Old

Dillon, who is only in second grade, is already seeing payoff from his hard work. After the unprecedented community response, the Ada Community Library granted Dillon an award, created especially in his honor.

Dillon was the first official recipient of the Whoodini Award for Best Young Novelist. Dillon officially donated his first-edition copy to the library for circulation.

Dillon’s Legacy

Dillon has even hosted his own writing workshops at the library. Alongside local children’s author, Cristianne Lane, Dillon shares his 6-step plan for successfully writing a book. He’s a hands-on workshop leader, offering support and expertise to his peers who hope to write their own stories. 

With new books in the works, word about Dillon’s writing has spread throughout the community and at his school. According to Dillon, faculty, staff and students alike are looking forward to what he has to write next. Some students are even following in his footsteps and looking to pen their own stories. Dillon’s mother is proud of how he is impacting his community. “It’s pretty neat to see how he’s inspiring little minds,” she shares. The Ada Community Library now houses several books written and self-published by children in the community, with Dillon’s innovation leading the way.