Thursday, June 25, 2015

Free eBook — Thank You Wisconsin: The Punk Farm Sketchbooks

A free eBook in honor of Punk Farm's 10th anniversary and next month's paperback release of Punk Farm on Tour!

It will be a trip down memory lane as you dig through my archives.

Best viewed on a tablet.

Download Thank You, Wisconsin: The Punk Farm Sketchbooks here:
http://studiojjk.com/makingof.html

Durham, CT

See you in Durham, CT on Tuesday evening!
Jarrett Krosoczka, the author of the very popular LUNCH LADY series, is coming to the Durham Public Library! Tuesday, June 30th:
6:00—6:45 pm: Grades K-2
6:45 pm: Book Signing
7:30—8:15 pm: Grades 3-5.
To register, stop by the library or call 860-349-9544, ext. 1. Copies of Krosoczka’s books will be available for purchase. This program is sponsored by the Wanda Jacques-Gill Memorial Fund and the Durham Lions Club.http://www.durhamlibrary.org/jarrett-krosoczka-author-illu…/ Hope to see you at this exciting event!


Summer Reading Kick Off!

See you in Watertown, MA on Monday!
Where: Watertown Free Public Library
When: 3:30 PM
Children's Summer Reading Kick Off (with Jarrett J. Krosoczka!)

Totally Tardy Marty

Totally Tardy Marty, written by the talented Erica S. Perl and illustrated by me, will be on bookshelves July 7th! Abrams has a nifty preview of the book on their website: http://www.abramsbooks.com/…/Totally_Tardy_Marty-9781419716…
When I visit schools, I'm more Never Late Kate. But based on my track record in getting my OWN kid to school, I'm so Totally Tardy Marty.


Daughter's Drawing

Morning mermaid by my kiddo. Happy Summer!

New Author Photos

New author photos by the very talented Derek Fowles Photography!





Congratulations Dan!

Dan Santat is one of my very best friends in this kids' book biz, and I'm so very bummed about not getting to travel to ALA to watch him accept the Caldecott Medal for Beekle. To celebrate his big win, I painted this for him.
GO SANTAT!!!


New Addition!

Here is a photo of our pug puppy, Frankie, in our kids' diner playset.

He takes his coffee black.

Hope you have a great week!





Fathers Day

My kid is awesome. She traded in her tickets at the arcade to surprise me with these gifts for Father's Day.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Happy Father's Day, JDK!


Every day shortly after 5 pm, the front door would open, and I knew that meant my grandfather was returning home from work. Joe's voice would bellow and fill the house, and I'd run with excitement to greet him in the front hallway. His hands were always stained with the grease from the machines he worked on in his shop, and he'd always lift my bangs to kiss me on the forehead. By example he taught me about the importance of hard work AND sitting together as a family for dinner — not to mention the importance of a good sense of humor. 

Happy Father's Day to JDK and all of the men out there fathering children!

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Summer Schedule!

Summer reading is upon us! I am honored and delighted to have created the art for the Collaborative Summer Library Program. Perhaps you may see one of these posters hanging at your local library? If you do, please give your librarians a high-five for me!

I'll be stopping by a few libraries in New England this summer for book readings. Perhaps we can high-five the librarians together?










June 29 
3:30 pm
Watertown, MA
Watertown Public Library

June 30
6:00 pm Grades K-2
6:45 pm Book Signing
7:30 pm Grades 3 +
Durham, CT
July 7
Always Tardy Marty hits bookshelves! Written by the talented Erica S. Perl and illustrated by yours truly! Ironically, 
this book is hitting bookshelves early. (It was originally slated for September.)



July 21
6:30 pm
Walpole, MA
Walpole Public Library

August 6
Chicopee, MA




I know you don't want to think of back-to-school season just yet, but... Looking ahead to fall, here is a look at some
of the events that are getting cooked up. There will be more events added for It's Tough to Lose Your Balloon, so stay
tuned for more info!

September 5
Washington, D.C.
The National Book Festival

September 8
It's Tough to Loose Your Balloon hits bookshelves! When this book publishes, it will be the 30th book with the name Krosoczka on the spine!


September 8
4 pm
Dedham, MA
Blue Bunny Bookshop

September 9
Knoxville, TN
Union Avenue Books

September 12
Amherst, MA
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

September 19
Princeton, NJ




A Fond Farewell

Our favorite bookseller from our local bookshop is taking a new job on the other coast. Hannah, you are just wonderful! You hosted great in-store events, and you schlepped books to Meltdown, to school book fairs—to our house even! You were like a magical book fairy/auntie to our kids, and Zoe hopes you won't take too long to return to the Pioneer Valley. In the meantime, see you at all of the BEA and ALAs!
And by the way, who wants to run the children's department at The Odyssey Bookshop? They're hiring...

Hole in the Wall Gang Camp

So much of who I am is because of my time at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, and I'm so glad to have been able to spend the day there today. Made some cartoons with some wonderful campers!

Sidewalk-chalk

It's sidewalk-chalk season!

Kids' Comics Revolution Awards

Have your kids vote for their favorite comics in the Kids' Comics Revolution Awards!
http://comicsaregreat.com/kcrawards15


Saturday, June 13, 2015

Drawings for my daughters

Every day, I draw a picture on my kid's lunch napkin and then archive it for her on Tumblr. Can't believe today is her last day of Kindergarten!