Saturday, May 4, 2013 | 12 PM - 4:30 PM
Central Library | 500 McKinney, 77002
Children of all ages are invited to enjoy all the fun and exciting activities scheduled for the Houston Public Library’s Books Alive! 4th Annual Children’s Book Celebration. Everyone who attends will receive a goody bag while supplies last.
The Children’s Book Celebration kicks off with a full day of exciting performances, hands-on arts and crafts activities, and special appearances. The highlight of the celebration is the appearance of Jarrett Krosoczka, the author and illustrator of the Lunch Lady graphic novel series and many picture books, including Punk Farm and Punk Farm on Tour. Jarrett’s appearance will be followed by a live musical performance by the “King of Kid-Hop”, Secret Agent 23 Skidoo! These events are free and open to the public.
12:15 - 1:45 PM (Program Place - 4th Floor)
Headlining Act! Appearance & book signing with Jarrett Krosoczka.
2 - 3 PM (Program Place - 4th Floor)
Closing Act! Musical performance by Secret Agent 23 Skidoo - find out why he's called the King of Kid-Hop!
12:30 - 4:30 PM (Concourse Meeting Room)
Mad Science of Houston, Anchor Entertainment Mobile Flipbook Studio, Chocolate Fountain, Arts & Crafts
12:30 - 4:30 PM (Library Plaza)
Petting Zoo, Velcro Wall, Trackless Train
Where did the Lunch Lady idea come from?
Back in the fall of 2001, I was visiting my childhood elementary school in celebration of my first published book. While there, I ran into Jeannie, the beloved lunch lady of my youth--she was still serving lunch every day! I struck up a conversation with her and she told me all about her grandkids. It blew my mind! My lunch lady had a life outside of school? She didn't live in the kitchen with the spatulas? I set off to write a book about the secret lives of lunch ladies . . .
Did the decision to do a graphic novel series come before or after the idea for Lunch Lady formed?
I played with different variations of my Lunch Lady story for about three years before I came to the conclusion that the graphic novel format would be the best way to tell this story. Lunch Lady had false starts a a picture book, a chapter book, even an animated television show at one point. But when I reillustrated a comic that I had drawn in the 5th grade for Guys Write for Guys Read, I knew this idea I had knocking around about a crime-fighting lunch lady needed to be a graphic novel.
How long does it take to write one Lunch Lady book from beginning to end?
Every book takes roughly a year, with the majority of that time spent on revising the story.
What is your favorite Lunch Lady gadget?
I don't have many favorites amongst my work. Like a good father, I love all of my kids the same. But my most favorite gadget is the Fish Stick Nunchucks!
How was the experience of writing Platypus Police Squad different than writing Lunch Lady?
I compare writing picture books and graphic novels to comparing green apples and red apples. Both are telling stories with words and pictures, but with different lengths and depths of story. A chapter book is like a pineapple. Even though there is a lot of artwork, it all starts with the text. Prose is king in the realm of chapter books, regardless of how many pictures you may have. So for this visual thinker, it was a much greater challenge to write my first chapter book!