looking back

2005 is just about done! Looking back at the year, I realize that I toured more extensively that I have ever so far. I had about 45 book events, which means that I read Punk Farm approximately 125 times (that's roughly 500 “EEE-I-EEE-I-OH's”) to 7,000 or so kids (plus that one kid from the San Francisco Borders). And after all of that, I am still left wanting to do more with those animals from Punk Farm. I finished art for two books - Giddy Up, Cowgirl (which will be in stores before I will even realize) and My Buddy, Slug (which still seems surreal, as it is the book I had always wanted to make).

So before I get all ambitious and tell you what I want to do in 2006, I’m going to wax nostalgic and make a list of all things ’05 in studio jjk land...


Funniest thing a kid said to me this year –
Kid: Do you know when the author is coming?
Me: Hmmm…I’m not sure….
Kid: Oh, because I’m pretty sure I just saw her….
(Houston, TX)

Most Humbling Book Tour Moment-
Having one kid turn up at the San Francisco Borders


Most Rock Star Book Tour Moment-
When I overheard any kid exclaiming, “I love Punk Farm,” when I pulled the book out to read it.

Scariest Book Tour Moment-
Evacuating from Hurricane Rita. (I wrote about this here - http://www.livejournal.com/users/jkrozo/696.html )

Coolest Picture Sent in by a Reader (potentially ever)-
















Top 5 Favorite Books (with pictures)-
The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide by Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black
Flight of the Dodo by Peter Brown
Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth
Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Jen Corace


Top 5 Favorite Books (without so many pictures)
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by JK Rowling
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
Superstud by Paul Feig
Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan (OK, it doesn’t come out until 2006, but I had an advanced copy and it ROCKS!)
Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom by Leonard S. Marcus (OK, this came out a while ago, but I just now read it and loved it.)

Favorite Compilation Book –
Guys Write for Guys Read


Favorite New Inovation of’05-
Podcasting

Favorite New Podcasts –
NPR’s Most E-mailed Stories of the Day
The Sound of Young America
Book Voyages

Most Surreal Moment –
Leaving the Random House building and realizing that I just handed in art for Slug.

Top 5 Albums of 2005
Death Cab for Cutie – Plans
Gorillaz – Feel Good, Inc
Aqualung – Strange & Beautiful
Sujfan Stevens - Illinois
Bloc Party – Silent Alarm

Top 5 Concerts –
Green Day
Bloc Party
Mates of State
Hot Hot Heat
Journey