Wednesday, September 30, 2015

A Great Visit


Last week I was lucky enough to meet this young author. I couldn't help but notice during my presentation that he was clutching a copy of Platypus Police Squad. And he was inquisitive, just beyond insightful. What was the motivation of this character? What about this plot point? And what kind of percentage does your agent take? 20%? (He agreed that the industry standard of 15% seemed more reasonable.)
And on top of all that? He dressed like Detective Zengo. 
I look forward to working for this young man someday...

Pumpkins

When playing host to your kid's sleepover, it's always a good idea to have pumpkins and paints on hand for those early-morning wake-ups. ‪#‎KrosoFamilyPumpkins

The guy on the right has not had his daily pumpkin latte....

Newtonville Books

Newtonville Books in Newton, MA has the raddest counter of any bookstore I've ever seen! At their old location they sold used books—so these volumes are a part of the store's history! 
Newtonville Books now also has a large collection of signed Lunch Lady and Platypus Police Squad books!
 

Tough Choices

From a coffee shop here in Northampton. Where would your tip money go?
This would be a cruel popularity game for living authors. But then again, Seuss and Silverstein never had to cope with online reviews...

I tipped in the Seuss jar because I have fond memories of my grandfather reading Sneetches to me at bedtime. But I do visit this coffee shop often and will throw in for Shel next time. I remember A Light in the Attic sitting on my 5th grade teacher's desk. Now the jars may very well be pumpkins vs squash or monkeys vs hippos next time I visit....this is a CLEVER way to elicit tip money!




Best Coworker!

Another day at the office... (Two seconds after this photo was taken, two children jumped in her lap.) She's a Super Mom, Super Woman and Super Author Wrangler.

Peanutized

Everybody is uploading pictures of themselves as Peanuts characters, so I had to try too. Man, this Peanutized app is spot-on!

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

October Issue of Family Fun


Look for my tutorial on painting pumpkins in the October issue of FamilyFun magazine! And yes, this is the debut of the Krosoczka family Pugkin™!

Pick up the issue for the photos of Ralph alone...(This is why I couldn't share any of my pumpkins with you last year...)


FamilyFun even stopped by the studio to film this video—a lesson on drawing emotions on a character...or a pumpkin!


Check out the banner photo on FamilyFun magazine's Facebook page. I had so much fun designing those guys!

Community School in St. Louis


And the award for Best Use of a Salad Bar at a Book Fair goes to....*drum roll*....Community School in St. Louis! Thank you so much for having me and for all of the creativity!



 I suggested we play a big game of Jenga, but they insisted I sign the books...





Sirius XM Kids Place Live


You know what has been really neat? Wherever I go in the country, I meet kids who listen to me every Tuesday morning on SiriusXM Kids Place Live
Thank you to the families for listening and for reading both my books and the books that I recommend! And of course for taking time out of your schedules to attend my book readings! 
And yes, Mindy really is that nutty in person! 
See you on the radios next Tuesday morning! (Channel 78, 8 and 10 AM)

Princeton Children's Book Festival

Every year, librarian Allison Santos transforms the area just outside of the Princeton Public Library into a madhouse of literacy with a hundred or so authors. There were thousands of readers there just devouring books. Perhaps Santos means "saint"? Either way, if you live within driving distance of the Princeton, NJ, make sure that you get to the Princeton Children's Book Festival. I was honored to be there—and beyond honored to have created the artwork for this year's poster. Thank you to the staff and volunteers for making it all happen! And thank you to all of the readers who made me feel so loved!



I had the best assistant, but it was difficult to spot her with how high the books were stacked up! My kiddo was a champion today, sitting patiently and helping during the five-hour long festivities.



My daughter was also asked to sign books that other authors had dedicated to her.







Let's Get Busy Podcast


In this podcast interview I have a snoring pug on my lap, and the audio was picked up as clearly as my voice. 
I now realize what happened. I plugged a microphone into my phone to record via a Skype call. The microphone on my phone remained on, and that phone was on my lap...next to a snoozing Frankie.

Family Fun and Pumpkins!


Look for my tutorial on painting pumpkins in the October issue of FamilyFun magazine! And yes, this is the debut of the Krosoczka family Pugkin™!

Pick up the issue for the photos of Ralph alone...(This is why I couldn't share any of my pumpkins with you last year...)


FamilyFun even stopped by the studio to film this video—a lesson on drawing emotions on a character...or a pumpkin!


Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Pumpkins!

And so it begins.... 

Let's Get Busy Podcast

It's always a good time when sitting down to chat with librarian/podcaster Matthew Winner. Listen to us talk about lost balloons, Comics Squad and fatherhood—all while a pug puppy snores audibly in my lap. 
(This podcast was recorded a few weeks back, before Frankie's stint at the vet ER.)

Let's Get Busy (Ep. 188). Jarrett J. Krosoczka (@StudioJJK), author illustrator most recently of It's Tough To Lose Your Balloon, which is published by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers (@AAKnopf @MacKidsBooks), stops by to talk about writing a self-help book for young readers, giving a positive twist to awful things, and how a beloved Peanuts character made his way into the new Comics Squad collection.
http://lgbpodcast.blogspot.com/…/jarrett-j-krosoczka-return…

Miracle Pup

Frankie is a miracle pup. After a forty-eight-hour stint in the veterinary ER, our little pug is home! On Saturday night, after the kids were asleep, I walked downstairs to find Frank in a state too horrific to describe here. I rushed him up to South Deerfield for treatment while Gina searched the house for clues. The staff there was amazing—and quick. We deduced that he had somehow, someway gotten a hold of a dietary supplement that contained Xylitol. And he had twice the lethal dosage for a dog his size. The prognosis wasn't great, and I feared the worst. Sunday morning brought promising news. Sunday afternoon brought better news. Tonight brought the best news—a clean bill of health and a new leash on life for Frank. (See what I did there? Leash on life...) We've only had this guy for three months and we want to have him around for many years ahead!


Mo's Show

These are the people in my neighborhood.

From L to R: Richard Michelson, Lisa Yee, Mo Willems, Grace Lin, John Lind, Norton Juster

If you find yourself in Northampton, go see Mo's show up at R. Michelson Galleries. Take in the art, and then run around town to spot the buildings that he drew. Great show!

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Early Morning Interview



This is what I sound like at 5 a.m. without coffee. Thankfully I was coherent—that was the only time that worked with Monte's and my conflicting schedules to record this radio interview!


I hope to see you at The Eric Carle Museum on Saturday—and please bring books to donate to Reader to Reader!


Krosoczka!

Quick! Say "Krosoczka" thirty times fast! 
(Bonus points if you know the book based on what you can see of the book spines...)

Charlie


This is Charlie. This is Charlie's first year at a new school. One of his biggest concerns coming into a new school? Will there be author visits? Seriously, it's the first thing he asked the headmaster about—it was a big concern for him. In Charlie's first month of the first year at his new school there was an author visit. I was lucky enough to be that author. And lucky too that Charlie has grown up reading every single one of my books. Charlie was selected to present me with a gift at the end of the presentation, and he was fanatical. He also came to my book signing this evening to get some books signed. I'm so happy to have met this guy, and I know that nothing but big things await him. (He has already been elected to school council.) I feel very grateful for Charlie and readers like him.

The Blue Bunny

Always a warm welcome at The Blue Bunny, Books and Toys! Thank you so much for having me!
And Happy Book Birthday to Peter H. Reynolds! I Am Yoga is also out today. Perhaps one could meditate after losing a balloon?


Back to School Books!

New Krosoczka family tradition! Kids take a photo with their favorite book to commemorate the first day of school.


Book Donations

Our daughters will be walking into their new classrooms with totes filled with books to donate to their teachers. We picked these up at indie bookshops during summer travels. (Except for that balloon one—that was a free author copy.)

Mark Lynch and I Talk Comics!


As a kid, I took many classes in comics and animation taught by Mark Lynch at the Worcester Art Museum. Those classes were CRITICAL to my development as an artist (and a person). In those comics classes we created comic book anthologies based around a theme. Mark shepherded us all along, taught us how to work under deadline—and how to work with other artists. He even placed the printed anthologies at the local comic book shop, That's Entertainment in Worcester. 
Mark has also had me on his radio show every single year since I was first published in 2001.
Imagine how excited I was to bring him the second Comics Squad anthology with SNOOPY!
Listen to two old friends talk comics, lost balloons and platypuses here: 
(And listen for my impossibly shy wife, Gina, who was in the room.)

National Book Fest!

Maria Simon runs the public library in Bowling Green, OH. This past summer, she kicked off her summer reading program with me and ended it with Kate DiCamillo. At the ‪#‎NatBookFest15‬ we all ended up in the same place for a brief moment!

Kwame. 💥🏆💥 ‪#‎natbookfest15‬

National Book Festival

I don't know how or why, but this big ol' room filled with people who wanted to hear me talk. THANK YOU ‪#‎NatBookFest15‬ for a fantastic time!

I am simply flabbergasted by all the love and enthusiasm at ‪#‎NatBookFest15‬. Thank you for letting me scribble in your books!

Library of Congress

Gina and I had an amazing time at the Library of Congress!


The Library of Congress is very, very pretty. But all the marble interior aside, this building is such a big part of what makes our country great—the freedom to have access to materials to stimulate intellectual curiosity.


Library of Congress Shenanigans

Dan Santat, Michael Buckley, Cale Atkinson and I got kicked out of the Reading Room in the Library of Congress. (But that's only because we got there at 9:56 and they closed at 10.)



Dan Santat and I eat breakfast and we watch author/illustrator husband/wife duo Cale Atkinson and Jessika Von order breakfast. 


Dan Santat and I eat breakfast and Dan Santat and I watch author/illustrator husband/wife duo Cale Atkinson and Jessika Von order breakfast. 
Posted by Jarrett J. Krosoczka on Saturday, September 5, 2015



Dan Santat and I watch author/illustrator husband/wife duo Cale Atkinson and Jessika Von order breakfast.
Posted by Jarrett J. Krosoczka on Saturday, September 5, 2015

Old Friends


Here's MY back-to-school photo. I had my first school visit of the new school year today, and it was with an old friend, Ms. Caroline Goddard. I knew I was visiting her new school, but I didn't know her new role. 
"Are you the reading specialist? The librarian?" I asked. 
"No, I'm the principal!"
How amazing is that?! 
And this former reading teacher worked it out that every single student received a free book! (And yes, I signed all 650+ books!)
I pointed out to Caroline that we have known each other for longer than any of her students have existed.
Also—how appropriate that the mascot at Ms. Goddard's school is a rocket?!
(When you grow up in Worcester, MA like I did, you learn a lot about Robert Goddard, the father of modern rocketry. His childhood home was five house up from the house I grew up in.)

Good Company!

Spotted by a friend in VA on their kid's first day of school. I'm honored beyond measure to be a part of that wall!

Thursday, September 03, 2015

Fall Schedule!

Poster art for the Princeton Children's Book Festival.  



While I shudder at the thought of summer being over, I wanted to share dates for some exciting events I have coming up this fall. 


(OK, take a look below and forget that I just made a reference to anything about summer ending!)


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
5 PM
Knoxville, TN
Union Avenue Books

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

September 15
4 PM
Shelburne, VT
Flying Pig Bookstore

September 17
6:30 PM
Ellicott, MD
Barnes & Noble

September 18
Haverforfd, PA
Children's Book World

September 19
Princeton, NJ

September 20
1 PM
St. Paul, MN

October 28
6:30 PM
Medford, MA
Medford Public Library

November 21
3:00 PM
Leominster, MA
Leominster Public Library

December 13
New York, NY
First Book NYC Fundraiser at Symphony Space


And looking ahead to the beginning of 2016...


January 26
Comic Squad: Lunch! hits bookshelves!

January 30
Plainsville, MA
An Unlikely Story Bookstore




Autumn Next List


Thank you indie bookstores for including It's Tough to Lose Your Balloon in the Autumn Next List! 🎈

It's Tough to Lose Your Balloon

I hope that you will enjoy reading It's Tough to Lose Your Balloon with a friend. It hits bookshelves on Tuesday! 🎈



If anybody would like a signed and personalized copy, Ralph and Frankie's local indie bookshop accepts orders via their website. http://www.broadsidebooks.com/book/9780385754798



National Book Festival


See you in Washington, D.C. on Saturday! 

#natbookfest15

P.S. I love this interactive schedule for the National Book Festival!

Renegades

Sign said, "No Dogs Allowed," but the sunrise said otherwise.

Drawings for my Daughters

I updated drawingsformydaughters.tumblr.com for summer.