Saturday, February 27, 2010

Sketchbook Saturday


Lunch Lady studies - 2003
(1st instance of the phrase "sweet peas and carrots")

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Penderwicks BATTLE!!!!


The Penderwicks ROOOOOAR!!!!!!

On a recent school visit, I couldn't help but smile at this juxtaposition. While the Battle of the Books isn't a collection of books that are battling each other, it is a superb list of books that students in a district read and then compete in a spelling-bee-type trivia contest.

Perhaps this can give my buddy and neighbor, Jeanne, some inspiration for a sequel?

PENDERWICKS: a summer tale of four sisters, two rabbits and a cage match of DOOM!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

honored by the CCBC


The Cooperative Children's Book Center has gone and bestowed quite the honor on me and I am blushing. They've listed not one, but all three current Lunch Lady titles on their best-of-the-year list.

From the CCBC:

CCBC Choices is the annual best-of-the-year list of the Cooperative Children’s Book Center. The Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) is a unique examination, study and research library of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For more information and the complete list of choices, please visit: http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/default.asp

Thank you, CCBC! And thank you for all that you do for literacy!

Check out the full list here.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Team Lunch Lady at Stone Oak Elementary in San Antonio

Almost everyone was decked out in yellow on a recent school visit, but this crew was the cream of the crop!

Monday, February 22, 2010

Bulletin Board Props

Check out the love given via bulletin boards at recent school visits in San Antonio's North East district!

Hardy Oak Elementary

Stone Oak Elementary

Give these librarians their own design show on HGTV! Seriously. America's Top Design Librarian.


Color me flattered.

San Antonio event THIS Thursday

Come on out to Barnes & Noble at The Shops at La Cantera at 7PM for some LL fun.

Archie chose Betty. Just not the Betty you're thinking of.

Perhaps Lunch Lady could work a brief stint in the Riverdale cafeteria? Lunch Lady ads are currently running on the new Archiecomics.com. What would Veronica think?



Wednesday, February 17, 2010

exhibits & events on the North Shore

To all my friends on the nohth shoa' -- I'll be heading your way soon!

My work will be on display in two great exhibits. In Wenham, I'll be exhibiting alongside old friend and über talented illustrator Kelly Murphy at the Gallery Della-Piana. That show will go up on February 27th and be up through April 24th. I will be on hand to read from and sign my books on March 5th from 4:30-6. (152 Main St Wenham, MA 01984)

My work will also be on display at Wavepaint Gallery in Ipswich, MA. This is a group exhibit and will feature many talented published illustrators. Unfortunately, my schedule prohibits me from attending the events surrounding this exhibit. This show goes up on March 1st and comes down on April 17th. (4 Market Street, Ipswich MA 01938)

I will also be the speaker at the winter meeting of the PSA North Shore Council on Wednesday March 10th. Click here for information on registering and attending.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Friday, February 12, 2010

Happy Valentine's Day


I am honored to be providing the artwork for the Target House carnivals held at St. Jude hospital. Target House is a breathtaking facility where patients of St. Jude hospital can stay free of charge. In addition to the wonderful (and very creative) housing Target provides, they also host five carnival parties per year for the patients. The centerpiece of each event is a giant 14 ft tall banner.

This piece that I created for the event was blown up to be that 14 foot tall banner and was also used as other signage and memorabilia for the event.

The Target House mascot is an elephant, so every piece that I create will have an elephant. This has been such a creatively fun and open project to work on. And I can't even begin to describe the immense feeling of purpose I have when creating this artwork.

I hope that you enjoy this painting and have a very Happy Valentine's Day!

To learn more about Target House and St. Jude hospital, click here.

Guess who was in town

Here's a hint: Her name rhymes with Yisa Lee... and she hangs out with one of the bunnies pictured here:



Find the answer here...

Thursday, February 11, 2010

LL4 - 3 months to go

Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown will hit book shelves on May 11th!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

LL in DC comics


If you are browsing the comics rack at your local bookstore, check out some of the titles DC puts out for kids. You may just come across a Lunch Lady ad. This is a complete thrill for me, because I grew up devouring comic books, heading to my local comic shop on a weekly basis. Many of those ads bring back such fond memories of Atari and Kool-Aid.


I couldn't help but look up some of those old ads... Thank you, Internet.


Wednesday, February 03, 2010

NEW TOUR DATE - Los Angeles Times Festival of Books

Hey gang -- I have just added a new tour date to my calendar. I'll be bringing some Lunch Lady tomfoolery to the Target stage at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. Look for me on the west coast on April 24th. I don't have the exact time yet, but I'll be sure to post it when I do. Rumor has it, I'll be going on just before "The Fonz".

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Twittering


Realizing that twittering for a fictional character is a lot of work, (not to mention wanting to save LL's quips for the printed page) I am now on Twitter. I can be followed at Twitter.com/studiojjk.


Monday, February 01, 2010

Cameo on Recess Monkey DVD


If you have kids who love music and you haven't picked up one of Recess Monkey's DVDs, I encourage you to do so. They're kind of like an indie-rock Mr. Rodgers...with a monkey puppet. Last summer, Mayor Monkey interviewed me in my studio. That explosive tell-all is featured in the band's latest DVD, which can be found here.