All Hail Jon Sciezka

There aren't enough kind words in the English language to accurately describe Jon Sciezka. We have all been so lucky to have him serve as our inaugural National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. Today is his last day in office.

Last year around this time, I was piecing together a video to show at the SCBWI NY conference. About two weeks before it was to show, I had an idea on how I could include Jon. Wouldn't it be funny if there was a scene where I was calling Jon and he just avoided my phone call? But there was no way that I could make it down to New York to film in his home beforehand. But then I thought -- I bet he has a digital camera with a movie setting on it. But then I thought -- he won't have time for this. Doesn't he have hands to shake and Presidents to meet with? But I wrote him anyhow. It was a shot in the dark. But being that Sciezka is Sciezka, he did it. Because he wanted to help and because he couldn't resist a good gag. Not only did Jon film himself in his study, but he added bits like his polishing of the Ambassador medal and having the Ambassador fanfare be his ring-tone. (Jon even sent me an MP3 of the Ambassador fanfare, how's that for exclusive access?)

In honor of Jon's last day as Ambassador, here is his cameo from Book by Book. (The full movie, by the way, is back for a brief reprieve after Fuse #8 listed it in her best-of-2009 video wrap up. Look for the vid here.)

All hail Jon Scziezka!!! from Jarrett Krosoczka on Vimeo.