Lisa Yee will be this week's guest on The Book Report with JJK

On Wednesday, June 6th, at 5:40 pm EST, tune into Sirius XM channel 78 and listen to author extraordinaire Lisa Yee give the inside scoop on her books. The Book Report with JJK airs during The Absolutely Mindy Show on Kids Place Live! See you then!

Where's Waldo meets Lunch Lady

At a recent visit to Motts Road Elementary outside of Syracuse, the librarians had a brilliant idea. They hid Lunch Lady throughout the library and kids had to find all 19 hidden ladies in yellow. It wasn't a competition, just a fun exercise to pump the kids up for my visit, and of course -- to get them exploring their school library! (They even put their own lunch ladies' faces on a few!)

Can you spot Lunch Lady?

Happy Memorial Day, JDK

Here is a photo of my grandfather, Joseph D. Krosoczka, who at 18 years of age served with the Navy during World War II. Thank you to all of the service members out there, past and present, who serve and have served our country. You have my family's deepest gratitude.

This week's Book Report will be on THURSDAY with the one and only Jeanne Birdsall!

Tune into Sirius XM's The Absolutely Mindy Show on THURSDAY at 5:30 p.m. EST for another episode of The Book Report with JJK! National Book Award winner Jeanne Birdsall chats about the future of the Penderwick sisters and I attempt to distract her, so I can read Penderwicks 4 which is on the laptop sitting on her kitchen table. She also confesses a secret crush on a certain Jonas Brother.

Darrin Johnson, parent volunteer, raises the bar

Sure, some of us make cupcakes. Some of us might collect book fair orders. Darrin Johnson takes out his table saw and makes wooden cutouts of picture book characters to inspire reading at Haggerty School in Cambridge, MA. He made an incredible display for Punk Farm. In fact, he made sure that each character was in proper scale to the others by studying the books.

I salute you, Mr. Johnson. I'm totally honored that you spent the time making these of my characters. I'm also hoping my daughter's school doesn't see this, because I will need to step up my game if they do...

The loss of an icon

Maurice Sendak has influenced my peers and I beyond measure. It's difficult to fully express the feeling of loss on his passing this past week. We live in a better world because of his imagination and his courage. There are countless works of literature for young readers that would never have existed without his pioneering spirit.
I never had the opportunity to meet Mr. Sendak in person. While I'm sorry that the opportunity never arose, I will be eternally thankful to have his work. As a boy who read his work, as an artist who admires it and now as a dad who is sharing it with his young kids--I am grateful for The Wild Rumpus and all it represents.
Here is a tribute piece I made a few years back.

There are many tributes floating around the media, but none are as poignant as this collection of interviews from Fresh Air. Thanks to Terry Gross's interviews, we can all feel as if we spent some time with the man.

An awesome comic from a young cartoonist

With the demands of deadlines and fatherhood upon me, I've been pretty terrible about keeping up with the letters and art that have come in from kids. But I'm catching up and I'm getting back on track to share some of the amazing work that comes in.
Today I wanted to share with you this incredible comic created by Riley in Texas!













This book does deserve two thumbs up, Riley! Keep up the great work!
If you have any drawings, I would love to see them. They can be
emailed to me via props@studiojjk.com or mailed to:
Jarrett J. Krosoczka
PO Box 60155
Florence, MA 01062

The Book Report with JJK in the news!

Thanks to Publihers Weekly and Shelf Awareness for the great coverage of my new radio show. You can read the PW article here and the Shelf Awareness article here.

Hop, Hop, Jump!

This week, a book that I illustrated was published. Hop, Hop, Jump! is a companion to last year's Chew, Chew, Gulp!. Both are written by the talented Lauren Thompson.



They are fun, jazzy little picture books and I hope that you enjoy sharing them with your little ones.

People often stop short of asking me to illustrate books that I didn't write because of my own busy authorial schedule. But when it's a fun manuscript that is so different from my own writing, I'm totally game! And especially when it's by an author whom I admire so greatly!

Children's Book World in Haverford, PA and the Loudon, VA Public Library System

Last night's Children's Choice Book Awards Gala was spectacular, but Children's Book Week marches on!
On Thursday, May, 10 I'll be at Children's Book World, in Haverford, PA, for a reading at 4 pm.
I'll be visiting the Loudon, VA Public Library System on Saturday, May, 12:
10:30 AM - Rust Library
1 PM - Cascades Library
3 PM - Ashburn Library
See you around!

Jeff Kinney to be debut guest on The Book Report with JJK

Mega Best-selling author/illustrator Jeff Kinney will be my debut guest! I stopped by Jeff's studio and disrupted his impending Wimpy-Kid deadline to chat about his books.

Want to know what Jeff would name his rock band, if he had one? Tune into channel 78 on your Sirius XM dials! During The Absolutely Mindy Show at 5:30 pm EST, The Book Report with JJK will hit the airwaves!


And check out the awesome theme song put together by my pals in Recess Monkey! (In fact, they made loads of different versions of the song with different gags!)

New school visit programs and Gina is back to coordinating my visits

I'm excited to have designed a program on chapter books and programs specifically for educators and parents. Platypus Police Squad: The Frog who Croaked won't be published until summer 2013, but I am already putting something together on the creative process behind writing for this format. (Note, this presentation won't be ready until the fall.) And for grown-ups, I now have "Reaching the Reluctant Reader" and "Fostering the Young, Creative Mind". I'm very excited to formally offer something for educators, as I love speaking to the people who make such a difference in the lives of young readers. These programs can be offered for professional development after school, in the evening or at conferences.

I'm also very excited to formally announce that my incredible wife, Gina, is back to coordinating my visits. Now that our littlest one is settled into the world, she's back to providing the top-notch customer service we pride ourselves on. Gina has a long history of working in the business world and she loves that she can use this part of her skill set while being a full-time mom. Before we had children, Gina managed customer relations offices for Liberty Mutual and before that, managed retail. Plus, she has her masters in psychology, so that helps her deal with me.

You can view my new programs by visiting the school visits page of my website or by downloading the nifty PDF brochure we have here.

Also, when you sign up for a visit now, you get a welcome packet that will help make the entire visit an easy, smooth experience. A checklist of tech needed, sample schedules, information on book ordering and helpful tips are all included. We want my visit to your school to be an awesome experience from the first email you send to the applause for the last presentation of the day.

New Recess Monkey CD!

Check out the latest offering from the Seattle trio! In Tents ups the awesome-factor that Recess Monkey brings with every album. I happily provided the artwork for the cover and hand-lettering for the interior. Super cool photographs in this one.

Pick up their latest and check out their newest video:



And like 'em on Facebook!

Announcing The Book Report with JJK on Sirius XM's Kids Place Live!

I am thrilled to report that you will soon be able to hear me on a regular basis on your satellite airwaves. I'm launching my own book segment within The Absolutely Mindy Show! You'll be able to hear me interview my author pals every-other Wednesday at 5:30 pm EST.

My debut episode will be this next Wednesday during Children's Book Week!

Read all about it in our press release here!

You can also check into the dedicated page on my website for news of upcoming guests!

reliving the 1980's

Tropes of my childhood have crept back into my life.

I recently dominated a game of Pac-Man. High score = totally gnarly and rad.




Unlike my childhood, I played while wearing my four-month-old daughter in a baby carrier.

I also recently met Mr. T at Boston Comic Con. Well, I should be clear--a Mr. T impersonator. I posted this pic on Facebook and folks got a bit confused.





A fitting pair of events, as I once began every day by eating my Mr. T cereal and loading up on Pac-Man vitamins.

Around-the-world Pug

Ralph has been very busy as of late.
He Skyped with kids at the American School of Bangkok.
Here he is waiting for the video conference to start.

And here he is leading a talk about the creative process.

He was amazed that kids on the other side of the globe were reading Lunch Lady. And that they, too, adored Beverly Cleary's The Mouse and the Motorcycle just as I did as a kid.
Ralph also helped me test out the projector at the Texas Rangers' auditorium in Dallas.

And he's hoping to get hired as a lifeguard at the beach.

Ralph has also been doing quite a bit of hiking as of late.

(Insert Circle of Life here.)
Ralph even made a new friend in Peepy.

But really, mostly he's just been napping.

IRA schedule and bookstore events in Chicago #IRA12

Next week, I'll be boarding a plane for the Windy City to yuck it up with reading teachers and authors from across the country. For those who won't be at the International Reading Association, I'll also have a few public events.





Monday, April 30:

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Program: Children's Choices: Visual Literacy Through Graphic Novels & Picture Books Equals Winners
Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, Regency Ballroom D
This will be a wicked exciting panel. I'll be joined by Michael Buckley, Sara Varon, Dave Roman, and Ben Hatke.

2:00 – 3:00 PM
Autographing in the Random House booth #1420, McCormick Place West

4:00 PM
Magic Tree Bookshop Event
141 N Oak Park Ave
(between Lake St & North Blvd)
Oak Park, IL 60301
(708) 848-0770
www.magictreebooks.com
(Can't make it, but want a signed book? Give the store a call!)



Tuesday, May 1, 2012

7:00 – 8:30 AM
Perfection Learning Breakfast
Hotel 71
71 East Wacker Drive
Penthouse Ballroom

I'll be talking about Lunch (Lady) while a bunch of people eat breakfast. And whoa - the Penthouse Ballroom?! Swanky!


10:00 – 11:00 AM Autographing in the Perma-Bound Booth #1142
McCormick Place West

In the afternoon, I'll be visiting the library of the amazing Mr. Schu (@MrSchuReads) via Anderson's Bookshop. Do you live near Naperville, IL and want to pick up a signed copy? Just call the store, they shall make it happen! (630) 355-2665

Find me at the Albany Children's Book Festival this Saturday

I'll be helping kick off the festivities in Albany by participating in a panel entitled “Pencil to Paper: Inspiring our Kids to Become Wicked Good Writers”. It will be a day filled with a gazillion authors at the Albany Children's Book Festival on Saturday, April 28th. The panel will run from 9:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

The whole shebang is hosted by the Albany Academies and will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Silipigno Athletic Facility at the Albany Academy for Girls campus, located at 140 Academy Road in Albany. (Please note that I won't be in attendance for the entire duration.)

I understand that the Tulip Queen will be in attendance. She'll be leading a storybook parade, so come dressed as your favorite book character! For those who follow me on this blog, you'll know that the Tulip Queen and I go way back. (Except for the fact that the guard changes annually...)

Sketchbook Saturday

Flashes of LL yellow in New Hampshire

I had a great week of school visits in Merrimack, NH visiting with the students at Reeds Ferry, Mastricola and Thorntons Ferry Schools. Everyone went all out! Check out the Bagheads that arrived at my presentations:





The lunch ladies at all of the schools were gifted yellow aprons from the reading teachers. They certainly had fun playing with the kids' perceptions of them. They fastened Spork Phones to their visors, and even provided dinner theater, chasing teachers and librarians through the cafeteria at lunchtime!











Kids invented their own super-creative gadgets. Their brilliant ideas were posted at each school for all to see!

















Every detail of the trip was so well-considered!





Thank you to everyone who made these school visits a reality!

Weekend events in Manchester, CT and Boston, MA

I have a busy weekend ahead of me!

This Saturday at noon, I'll be at the Manchester, CT Barnes and Noble to read books & help raise money for First Book.


On Sunday, I'll be hanging out at the Friendly Neighborhood Comics booth from 10am-1pm at Boston ComicCon.

Hope to see you around town!