Peabody Teacher Donating Royalties From New eBook to Peabody Ed Foundation

Today is Friday, Aug. 23. Here are five things to know today in Peabody.

1. Matthew Brennan has written a new book and has pledged to use part of the royalties to go back to supporting public education in Peabody. Brennan is a sixth grade science teacher at Higgins Middle School who justed published the eBook, “The Junkyard Odyssey,” which is available through Amazon.com for $3.99. Brennan is pledging 10 percent of his royalties from the first 10,000 books sold to the Peabody Education Foundation. “The Peabody Education Foundation is a marvelous program that has brought resources and technology to the classrooms of Peabody that quite simply were never possible before,” said Brennan in an announcement. “This is the best way I could think of to give back to the classrooms I am honored to serve in.” Brennan says "The Junkyard Odyssey" is about Kip Anderson, the smartest 12-year-old boy in Vermont, and his best friend Jason McCormack, "who is as daring as Kip is brilliant." The duo discover an underground warehouse and a machine that transports them to another world and time where they have to go up against pirates, governments and more while finding their way home. Brennan says he trained as an actor at Emerson College and spent five years toiling away at this story, which was inspired by an email exchange with a friend, before he was ready to publish it.
2. Sylvan Street now has a brand new coat of asphalt -- no more bone-jarring potholes to navigate. The new lines, however, have yet to be painted.
3. Nine Peabody residents are planning to walk in the 25th Annual Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk on Sept. 8.
4. Stop by the Buzz Sunday for a back to school haircut and contribute some supplies for Peabody teachers. The citywide PTO, Peabody PTC, is partnering with the Buzz Barber Shop to collect donations of classroom supplies on Aug. 25 and proceeds from haircuts between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. that day day will also help purchase additional supplies needed.
5. Need your car washed? The Peabody boys' soccer program and boosters will be holding a car wash Sunday morning at the RNA Gas Station on Lake Street.