The Keyes To Excellence
February 3, 2023
Austen had her Pride & Prejudice, Fitzgerald had his The Great Gatsby, and Shakespeare had his Macbeth. Now it’s time to turn over a new leaf in literature, starting with senior Mikey Keyes’s new book The Particular Penguin.
This touching story follows a penguin and his journey to self-acceptance. Keyes’s book essentially asks the question, “Why try to fit in when you were born to stand out?”
It all started after a typical soccer practice on December 19. Keyes grabbed his snack of choice, a cup of mac & cheese, and started a bath.
“It takes a little while to fill up a bath, so I quickly scribbled out a script. Afterward, I pulled up Canva and got every free design you can use, allowing me to make the book in around 45 minutes,” Keyes said.
This afternoon project was inspired by several aspects of Keyes’s academic and personal life. One is Jennifer Dragavon’s AP English Literature and Composition class.
“I wanted to make a poetry book so I could show Mrs. Dragavon after ending our poetry unit,” Keyes said. “Then I could demonstrate how I am at such a high level intellectually.”
“I wanted to transcend the thoughts and minds of every single human so we can become a stronger community,” Keyes said.
— Mikey Keyes
However, Keyes described the main inspiration for The Particular Penguin in a single word: power.
“I wanted to have one over my older sister. She is working to be a published author right now, so I thought it would be cool to beat her to it,” Keyes said.
Nonetheless, this sibling rivalry has become a huge success, selling 40 copies in the first hour. His sales also serve as a reminder of the power of friendship.
“My friends were very supportive. I texted and called up a bunch of people telling them I wanted to be a bestseller. I also made it as cheap as possible so that way I could make them buy it,” Keyes said.
Keyes achieved his goal by reaching number 10 on Amazon’s best new releases chart and number 120 on the best new children’s books chart. However, Keyes has not reached the peak of his success just yet.
“We’re going to have a bunch of different alliteration animals. In the end, there will be an Avengers crossover,” Keyes said.
There is no doubt big things are coming for his series, bringing an even brighter future for Keyes. With finals ending, the school library’s copy of The Particular Penguin is just the pick-me-up Liberty students need. Through his book, Keyes reminds his peers that rather than hiding our differences, they should be celebrated.
