Reading Rockets

You can bring authors right into your classroom via the zillions of interviews available from Reading Rockets. They've recently posted an extensive interview with me. The interview is broken up into short clips, perfect for the young reader eager to learn more about how I wrote Lunch Lady and what I was like as a kid.


You can watch the videos on Reading Rockets' website here!

Or you can choose to peruse their YouTube channel here.

Enjoy!

Watch the 2011 Children's Choice Book Awards Gala

Voting for the 2012 Children's Choice Book Awards will soon go live! I'm delighted to be returning as host for the gala on May 7th. (Which YOU can attend! Tickets are available here. Check out the list of presenters: Marc Brown, Jack Gantos, Mary Pope Osborne, SE Hinton! And best part - tickets benefit Every Child a Reader.)

What kind of evening will be in store? Well there is a fancy cocktail reception, delicious food and a dessert spread that will make you drool. But the highlight of the evening comes when the awards are handed out. And now you can watch last year's awards ceremony here!

Watch the full playlist here.

Get excited!

Sketchbook Saturday

Sleeping passenger:

Friday - Of Wine and Words - a fundraiser for the Reading Connection

To all of my friends in the DC/Northern VA area who like supporting good causes and enjoy a swanky evening out: this Friday, I will serve as the Literacy Honoree at the Reading Connection's Of Wine and Words fundraiser. It will be a great way to sample fare from the area's top chefs, get a book signed and help a very worthy cause. Plus—there will be cocktail waitresses dressed as lunch ladies. I REPEAT: THERE WILL BE COCKTAIL WAITRESSES DRESSED AS LUNCH LADIES! 


What more do you need? See you there!


It all goes down at the Boeing Conference Center, 1200 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA. For more info and to purchase tickets, click here.


More info on The Reading Connection:

Since 1989, The Reading Connection has provided books and reading mentors to children of at-risk families in northern Virginia and Washington D.C. The need is great: Over 60% of low-income families have no children’s books in their homes. Experts say reading aloud is one of the best things we can do for kids' success; that children need to hear 1,000 stories read out loud before they can learn to read for themselves.
From the original Read-Aloud program providing books and reading mentors for kids in homeless shelters, The Reading Connection's programs have expanded to cover children in transitional and affordable housing.  We now address the literacy needs of parents and send books through the mail.  Our reach has grown to over 1,300 kids who receive 9,000 new books each year. 

Sketchbook Saturday

Go figure - two kids keeps you incredibly busy. Between the chaos of a toddler, a baby and a book deadline, I haven't been able to sketch much. But I recently had a rare occurrence. . . I found myself at a coffee shop by myself. Sketching ensued.

Re-Seussification Project

Some weeks ago, Betsy Bird issued a challenge: re-illustrate Seuss in the style of another artist. My deadlines were piled high, but I couldn't resist. So I give you, "Lyle, Lyle Croc in the Hatodile".

Check out all of the super-fun results at the Fuse #8 blog.

LL7 Virtual Book Talk - One month from today!

We are one month away from the release of Lunch Lady and the Mutant Matheletes! I hope that you will virtually join me in my studio as I give free book talks I will be giving all day via UStream.tv/StudioJJK! 

Live book talks happen every hour on the hour from 10 a.m. EST to 3 p.m. EST. There will even be a special evening edition at 7 p.m. for public libraries, book clubs and bookstores!

For specific details on this special virtual event, please click here.

Today at 4 PM, I'll be on Sirius XM's Kids Place Live

Later today, I'll be interviewed by a young cartoonist and I'll be making a big announcement to those who are tuned into channel 78 on their satellite radios. See you at 4! Well, er... hear me at 4!

Scholastic Book Club chat on Wednesday night at 8 P.M.

Get your keyboards fired up to ask me the hard-hitting questions you've always wanted to ask. While the chat will be text-based, I'll also be sharing some behind-the-scene images as well.

It all happens on the Scholastic Book Clubs' Facebook page here!

LL in Scholastic Book Clubs!

Starting this month, you'll be seeing Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute in the Scholastic Book Club! Needless to say, I am ecstatic. My work has never been featured in the Scholastic Book Club and I'm delighted that Lunch Lady will be my first book to make it to the club! Look for it in the "Lucky" edition, on the cover of the catalogue of all places!

And check it out, the lady in yellow is also featured in Scholastic's February book talk video:



I'm over the moon. On February 22nd, I'll be chatting live with readers on Scholastic Book Club's Facebook page from 8-8:30 pm. See you then!