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Many students who have grown up in the Aurora city schools district have had the pleasure of having Mr. Montello for eighth-grade English. I was lucky enough to have him and I truly thought he was one of the best teachers I ever had. He was one of the more passionate and empathetic teachers I had. So, when I found out he wrote and published his own novel over the summer, I knew I had to interview him for The Gambit.
In short, Mr. Montello’s first book is a fictional tale about the dangers of climate change catered to tweens and young teens. However, there is much more to the story. The book is titled “Grow” and the seed for the novel had been “growing” for quite some time. After being inspired by students almost twelve years ago, Mr. Monetllo began his first draft for “Grow” back in 2013. Montello states, “I was inspired by my students to write about this topic. Back in 2013, I worked with 5th graders in Rocky River, Ohio. They hated to read! They asked if I could write them a book that included all things they were interested in. They wanted a topic that impacted them: climate change.”
Rocky River wasn’t the only place where Montello met reluctant readers. As his career progressed, Montello took a job at Tallmadge before finally landing in Aurora. At Tallmadge, Montello got even more input from students. He says, “I again found reluctant readers, and I again asked them what would make them want to read. They told me romance, humor, and shorter chapters.”
After going through two districts in the span of 3 years, Montello finally landed in Aurora in 2017. To which Montello said he, “had the chance to confer with readers and learned the use of dialogue, along with a faster pace was preferred.” I think it is safe to say that this novel was well thought out and had been brewing for Mr. Montello and his students for quite some time.
Mr. Montello with his family at his first book signing at Fireside Books in Chargrin!
All in all, the inspiration for “Grow” came from Mr. Montello’s students. Montello states, “As a teacher, father, and human being I am fully aware that our actions have consequences for future generations. I love this planet and want to do the right thing in preserving it.”
Unfortunately, Mr. Montello was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2021 which altered his teaching career forever. Even though this diagnosis was life-altering for Montello, he chose to make fantastic use of his time to revisit his novel. Monetello says he “had more time and was able to sit with it, be more creative, and rearrange the point of view.” Even though Mr. Montello never had a “quiet cabin in the woods to disappear to and write;” he made use of the time during the pandemic to perfect “Grow.”
Mr. Montello also revealed that the title of the novel was almost “treas.” Montello says, “I felt the mispronunciation and misspelling highlighted the lack of attention to climate change in the future, but it proved to be more confusing than creative.”
Montello eventually landed on “Grow” for the title to emphasize the various way in which people, places, and things are growing. Montello says, “My underlying message was to challenge us to grow as human beings to be more innovative, empathetic, and take action. How can we grow as people? How can we lift someone today?”
As far as influences go for Montello, he revealed both Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games, and Paulo Coelho who wrote the critically acclaimed The Alchemist. Montello also says that “The ‘Hunger Games’ influenced me to pursue teaching ELA when I was in college, as it was the first book that made me want to read something. I loved the idea of a series centering around the youth and their desire to improve society.”
Mr. Montello alongside AHS teacher's Mrs Taylor & Mrs. Mackenzie
Official cover art for "Grow"
As a reader and overall consumer of media, I believe that the cover art for a book, movie, or album, is very important. While we all know not to “judge a book by the cover”, I think we can all admit we do. I was curious about how Montello landed on the cover art for “Grow.” Montello says, “I always wanted there to be a tree stump on the cover. When I began teaching eighth grade, Washington D.C. became a big part of my career. Since our characters get trapped in D.C., I wanted that to be on the cover as well.”
Consequently, as a reader, I enjoy a novel with shorter chapters. It seems that Montello agrees, he says, “I think it can be especially helpful for people who struggle with finding a book they like or for those with many things going on in life.”
A dream of mine is to put out music under my name. I think that holding a physical copy of something you created would feel so liberating. Mr. Montello told me what it was like when he held his novel for the first time, “It felt wild! It was a weird feeling because it was finalized; I couldn’t make any more changes even if I wanted to. I was a blend of excited, nervous, and proud.” He also shared that his wife and children had a similar reaction.
I was curious if the story in the “Grow” universe was over or if there was a sequel or prequel was in the works. Mr. Montello revealed that “Grow” is just the first part of a three-part series. Montello reveals, “Grow 2 (name in the works…maybe Growing?) has the plotline done, but I am waiting to hear what students want to happen in the next book regarding the characters.”
To conclude, I wondered if there was anything else Mr. Montello felt worth sharing. Montello’s final remarks, “Anyone who loves writing, keep doing it! Persistence is key.” He also politely stated that some positive reviews on “Grow” would be greatly appreciated.
I was so lucky to have Mr. Montello in the classroom, and I can’t wait to follow his writing career because I know “Grow” is just the first seed to be planted.
By: Harrison Mullin
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