Toad and Pop return to bookstores today in Toad on the Go from Tundra Books! It was so much fun to get a chance to revisit these characters, expand their world, and learn a little something along the way.

Here’s a peek inside of Toad on the Go—

Find out what happens next in Toad on the Go! Available wherever fine books are sold.

Order here

The book is out, the reviews are in!

Amazon Editors’ Pick: A Best Picture Book of the Month

★ “A hilarious yet sensitive look at a universal experience.”—Kirkus (starred review)

“This story about fallibility and responsibility is another winner for beginning readers as well as for storytime listeners.”—The Horn Book

"This story shares an important virtue in a way that has kid-appeal. Gentle, easy-to-grasp storytelling makes for both a great read-aloud and a useful tool for those working on their reading skills."—Booklist

See you in Chicago!

Here is my ALA 2026 signing schedule—stop by and say “hi!”

Saturday, June 27th

• 1:00-2:00pm—Every Monday Mabel and Loops (Author Autographing Station 1)

Sunday, June 28th

• 11:30am-12:30pm—Toad on the Go (Booth 2421, Tundra Books)

• 2:30-3:30pm—Where I Grew (Booth 3025, Norton Young Readers)

(If you won’t be at ALA and you’d like a signed copy of any of my books, please order from my local indie The Learned Owl and specify “signed” in the comments at checkout.)

TOWED BY TOAD in Cyrillic

Towed By Toad is now available in Cyrillic—my first translated edition! Thanks to Goodwin Books and the teams at Stimola Literary Studio and ILA for making this happen!

Recommendations

• Congrats to everyone on this year’s Bank Street Best Children’s Books list!

• Andy Warhol Visiting Roy Lichtenstein's Studio (1974)

• David Hockney on Vincent Van Gogh

• Sunset cocktails, anyone? Widow’s Bay is getting a second season!

Thanks for reading!

-JQA

Talks with Roger

Just a few days after Every Monday Mabel received the Caldecott Honor, I got a chance to speak to Roger Sutton at The Horn Book about Loops.

Read Jashar Awan talks with Roger

4 Questions with PW

Over at Publisher’s Weekly, I spoke to Patricia J. Murphy about the “bigness of small moments” and my hopes for my books.

Read PW's 4 Questions here

Picture Book Buzz interview

Maria Marshall asked me about my process, the most unusual place I’ve worked on a manuscript, what’s up next, and my favorite park.

Read Picture Book Buzz here

A 3rd star for LOOPS!

★ “This story turns a small, everyday struggle of learning to tie shoelaces into a grand, emotionally resonant adventure.”—School Library Journal (starred review)

Read SLJ's LOOPS review here

A 6th star for MABEL!

With all of the excitement in January, I missed this starred review of Every Monday Mabel from Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC).

“This book’s outstanding pacing, design, and tone are sure to delight truck lovers (and maybe even the truck-indifferent) alike.”

Read the full review here

MABEL Style

Over on Instagram, Kait Feldman styled some outfits based on picture books. I love this outfit she put together for Every Monday Mabel!

Check out other looks here

Speaking of style, Every Monday Mabel has been spotted in the window at Kith in NYC!

Speaking of style AND window displays, check out Smith & Sons’ brand-new Paris location!

Leave a comment

TOAD ON THE GO—out next month

Little ones. Big ones. Everyone makes mistakes . . . even Toad!

Toad and his tow truck are on the go, racing to the rescue of anyone who needs help on the road. But still, Toad always obeys the rules and NEVER makes mistakes. He waits patiently for the green light. Wait for it… wait for it… GO!… Uh oh.

What happens when Toad does make a mistake? After all, everyone makes mistakes — what really matters is how you fix them!

Toad on the Go is in stores June 16th.

Preorder here

Recommended Links

• Meet Esphyr Slobodkina, the Russian-Born Abstractionist Who Shook Mid-Century New York

• Teaching with Youth Media Award Winner

• Seth’s Dominion

• Pop Culture Detective—fun, informative video essays on popular media

Thanks for reading!

-JQA

This kid couldn’t keep their shoes tied and seemed to be in a time loop. Tying shoes requires making loops…

“Could this be a book?” I wondered.

It felt like the perfect storm of inspiration, theme, and narrative. A character, who had just learned to tie their shoes, would be in search of a lost shoe and would race from page to page and around the book—all the way back to the beginning where the shoe would be waiting.

But could it fill 48 pages?

As I thumbed out the story, a monologue1 started to form. It began with a handful of childhood memories—having ill-fitting shoes that I would someday grow into and sharing a new trick that didn’t go as smoothly as planned—and grew into a thought about the importance of repetition when learning.

Learning a new skill takes practice. Practice requires persevering through mistakes. Mistakes are a chance to learn.

“I love the positive self-talk!” my editor Celia said when she read the book dummy. This surprised me—I was so focused on the themes, it never occurred to me that this was what was being said. Positive self-talk is something I personally struggle to do, so I was glad it came so naturally to my character. The lessons in my books are usually things I'm working on myself. This is probably why accepting things not being perfect has become a bit of a theme for me. 2

Loops is about more than learning to tie your shoes. It’s about developing the skills that keep you getting back up again when you get knocked down.

Buy a copy of LOOPS

Art inspiration for LOOPS

One thing I really wanted to do in this book was inspired by something I’d seen in a vintage paperback of rock photography—a photo on the right side of a spread would wraparound onto the left side of the following spread.

Here are some other visual inspirations for Loops:

Leave a comment

If you enjoyed LOOPS…

Here are some other picture books that play with the format—

• The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone, illustrated by Michael Smollin

• Press Here by Hervé Tullet

• Don’t Cross the Line by Isabel Minhós Martins, illustrated by Bernardo P. Carvalho

• The Wall in the Middle of the Book by Jon Agee

Thanks for reading!

-JQA

Where I Grew hits bookstores today! It’s my 8th book and the first where I’m author-only. This book is illustrated by the talented !

Where I Grew is the second manuscript I ever sold—it was written in 2019. At the time, the Trump administration was terrorizing DACA recipients. My family had recently moved from New York City to the green suburbs of Ohio and I had been thinking about how families move from one place to another in hopes of providing a better life for themselves and their children. I thought about how my grandfather came to the United States for college and started a family here. I saw a parallel between our journeys and that of a seed as it travels to the ideal spot and flourishes there. Where we grow becomes our home. You build a life wherever you end up and enrich where you are by becoming a part of the community.

After our move, I was also beginning to get “Where are you from?” a lot. It was something I hadn’t been asked since the last time I lived in the suburbs (almost 20 years earlier). When I was a kid I’d say, “I’m from here,” not completely understanding what was being asked.

With all of these thoughts on my mind, I wrote the poem that became Where I Grew.

I felt like that this text needed an illustrator with a more painterly approach than I was using at the time.1 I have always admired author-illustrators who were able to hand the illustration reins off to someone else.2 This approach is freeing in the sense that I don’t have to worry about my own strengths or shortcomings as an illustrator when I write—I can just write.

My editor suggested Rahele, but noted that she is so in-demand as an illustrator, it would be years until she could start work on the book. As you can see by the beautiful preview pages, she was worth the wait, but it’s sad that Where I Grew—with its themes of immigration, nature, and community—feels more timely than ever after all these years.

Buy WHERE I GREW

WHERE I GREW reviews

“A lovely, meditative reflection.” – Kirkus

“…an expansively imagined portrait of building community and putting down roots.” – Publishers Weekly

“…with intertwining themes of protecting natural landscapes and honoring those who came before us, [Where I Grew] will resonate with readers from all walks of life.” – The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Rahele wins the GOLD

Rahele’s illustration of the grandfather and granddaughter watching seeds float in the creek (above) has received the Gold Award in the Children’s Market category by the SILA Illustration West 64 competition. On top of that, her art for Where I Grew has been selected for the Society of Illustrators 68th Annual Exhibition!

Congrats, Rahele!

If you like WHERE I GREW

Here are some recent releases that pair well with Where I Grew!

• Goldfinches by Mary Oliver, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

• Where They Gather by Teresa Rodrigues, illustrated by Jamiel Law

Signed books

If you’d like a signed copy of any of my books, please order from my local indie The Learned Owl and specify “signed” in the comments at checkout.

Thanks for reading!

-JQA

Loops is in stores today! This book isn’t just about shoe tying—it’s about the importance of practice and allowing yourself to make mistakes and try again. There will be setbacks as you learn anything, but it’s all part of the process. As our protagonist says, “It’s okay—I’m still learning!”

I hope you enjoy it.

Subscribe now

Kids’ Indie Next

Loops is on the Kids’ Indie Next list for March/April ‘26! The American Booksellers Association has (as always) put together a incredible list. Also included are new books from Kevin Henkes, Esmé Shapiro, (2x!! One book with and one with ), and more!

Here’s what booksellers are saying about Loops:

• “Adorable! I love a bright, can-do book that addresses the reader directly, and this also has a delightfully clever time-loop twist! A shoe-tying how-to, a primer on perseverance, and a celebration of growth and change.” – Tegan Tigani, Queen Anne Book Company (Seattle, WA)

• “Jashar has done it again! He’s truly an expert at capturing those particular childhood snapshots in a way that’s equally endearing to the adult and empowering the child’s sense of self. The callback at the end of the story and incorporation of the endpapers is brilliant!” – Kristina Rivero, Books Are Magic (Brooklyn, NY)

• “Being a Big Kid is a Big Deal, and tying shoes is one of the biggest Big Kid milestones. Cleverly illustrated and told from the kiddo’s point of view, there are plenty of treats throughout the pages for discovery and delight.”
  – Carrie Koepke, Skylark Bookshop, Columbia, MO

How to dress like a kid learning to tie his shoes

I talked to about LOOPS, WHERE I GREW, and some formative picture books from my childhood. Check out her “Through the Looking Glass” buyer’s guide round-up!

Read the interview here

More praise for LOOPS

★“Awan has again offered a warm little pocket of the world where a child is loved, respected, protected, and confident.” – The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)

“Cleverly draws connections between ‘learning to be a big kid’ and never giving up—life lessons worth learning.” – Kirkus (read full review here)

“I’m obsessed with LOOPS! It is so much fun. I’m going to be a guest reader in some early elementary classrooms during reading month, and I can’t wait to share LOOPS with them.” –

“Move over tired ‘congratulations’ books; Jashar Awan has given us the next best book to give anyone trying something new or facing a transition…I can’t wait for you to read this one.” –

“While [Loops] serves as an excellent primer on shoe tying (complete with a step-by-step diagram), it’s also a book about perseverance and positive self-talk. And the ending? I loved it.”–

One of BookPage's Most Anticipated Books of 2026
One of Literary Hub's Most Anticipated Books of 2026

Recommended Links

• Documentary Podcast goes to Jim Henson’s Creature Shop: Back to Fraggle Rock

• Mac Barnett and Jennifer Garner: Consider the Picture Book

• RiYL interviews cartoonist Tom Gauld

• Winter Water Factory’s Spring ‘26 line is out (featuring designs by Emily Eibel!)

• Rian Johnson in conversation with Bridget Everett at the 92nd St. Y

Thanks for reading!

-JQA

Leave a comment

After months of knocking on wood and crossing my fingers whenever anyone suggested Every Monday Mabel might up for a Caldecott, this happened:

Thank you to the ALA, the ALSC, and the Caldecott committee for honoring Every Monday Mabel!

I am overwhelmed by all the messages I have received since yesterday! The fact that so many readers of all ages have connected to this little kid who just wants to see the garbage truck means so much to me.

Thank you to Erica Rand Silverman, Celia Lee, Lucy Ruth Cummins, and whole the team at Simon & Schuster for helping Mabel find her people.

And thanks as always to Emily and Max for their love and support.

And congrats to , Matthew, Angie, Drew, and Zeke! I’m so proud to be a part of this group!

More for Mabel!

But wait—there’s more! Every Monday Mabel has also received:

• Charlotte Zolotow Highly Commended Title

• Bulletin Blue Ribbon Award

• Floyd’s Pick Award

Thank you so much to all of these committees for recognizing Every Monday Mabel!

Award season buzz

This was the first time I had a book out that had award season buzz.1 It was an honor that so many people considered Mabel a contender in the first place. I tried my best to temper my own expectations, but these articles speculating about Mabel’s Caldecott chances made it difficult:

• Travis Jonker’s Caldecott Critique: EVERY MONDAY MABEL

• The Horn Book’s Calling Caldecott by Erika Marks

• Betsy Bird’s Newbery/Caldecott Predictions 2026

• Fuse8 n’ Kate’s Caldecott Contenders

Publishing for MN

A group of authors, illustrators, agents, and editors have organized an auction2 to raise funds for those Minnesotans most impacted by an out-of-control administration.

The auction begins Thursday, 1/29. Please consider bidding.

Publishing for MN

And be sure to call your senator before January 30th and tell them to vote NO on funding ICE.

Recommended Links

• Erin Entrada Kelly is on substack!

• Andy J. Pizza talks to Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen on Creative Pep Talk

• Kelly Yang and Kate DiCamillo have a podcast!

• Who will win the Cowdecott? Follow The Cows of Kid Lit to find out!

Thanks for reading!

-JQA

End-of-the-year lists are rolling in and my library holds shelf is starting to buckle! I can’t get over how many great books flew under my radar, but I’m looking forward to catching up.

Speaking of 2025 lists, Every Monday Mabel has popped up on quite a few! It is a dream come true to have a book featured on these lists.

• Chicago Public Library

• The Children’s Book Review- 40 Best Picture Books of 2025

• Common Sense Media Best Books of 2025

• Good Housekeeping Kids Book Awards 2025

• Kirkus Best Books of 2025

• Kirkus Best Picture Book Read-Alouds 2025

• New York Public Library Best Books for Kids 2025

• NPR Books We Love 2025

• Publishers Weekly Best Books 2025

• School Library Journal Best Picture Books 2025

• The Strategist—145 Carefully Selected, Unusually Special Gifts Under $50

Every Monday Mabel is, in part, about how community is out there, even if you’ve yet to find it. I’m honored that Mabel has so connected with people that they want to share it with others.

LOOPS starred review!

Publishers Weekly calls Loops a “confidence-boosting work about the monumental nature of early accomplishments”!!

Read the full starred review here.

Pre-order LOOPS

WHERE I GREW preview

recently shared a preview of the 2026 lineup from Norton Young Readers. Where I Grew (written by me and illustrated by Rahele Jompour Bell).

Betsy writes:

This book caught my eyes because it sports a subtle migration/immigration feel , though the text is exceedingly simple. Essentially, the story follows a girl from childhood and then later as she’s an adult. The text discusses all the different places where you grow and where you establish yourself. And yes. If you’re looking at this and thinking it could potentially be a graduation picture book (which is to say, a picture book you give to a graduating senior) I doubt very much that Norton would disagree with you. It appears to be doing several things all at once.

Check out the rest of the Norton ‘26 Spring preview here.

Pre-order WHERE I GREW

TOAD ON THE GO interview

Over at 100 Scope Notes, I spoke to Travis Jonker about Toad on the Go, the second book in the Towed by Toad series. Here’s an excerpt:

Travis: What was the inspiration for Toad on the Go?

Jashar Awan: This is the first time I’ve returned to characters—it was so nice to have the opportunity to spend some more time with Toad and Pop after Towed by Toad.

I started off by figuring out what adventures Toad will get up to and then honed in on what I’m saying with the story and, boy, have these books been revealing! It’s a funny aspect of writing—you share things about yourself whether or not you mean to.

I’m very hard on myself when I make mistakes and, in Toad on the Go, Toad makes a very big mistake. This book is about allowing yourself the grace to be imperfect, forgiving yourself when you do make a mistake, and taking responsibility for the mistakes you make along the way.

Read the rest of the interview here.

Pre-order TOAD ON THE GO

Strum & Drum season

My wife’s family had a tradition—they would unwrap a single present on Christmas Eve. The present was always a book and they’d read it aloud, all cozied-up together. I think that would be the perfect way to read Strum & Drum: A Merry Little Quest—the story even takes place on that specific day!1

(Bonus points for snacking along with the characters on all the treats in the story—peppermints, pickles, milk, and cookies!)

Plus, if you’re looking for a stocking stuffer, this book is the perfect size!

Order STRUM & DRUM

Recommended Links

• 31 Days, 31 Lists—book recommendations updated daily from Betsy Bird

• A reading of James Thurber’s A Visit from Saint Nicholas (In the Ernest Hemingway Manner)

• The first ever winter collection from Winter Water Factory (featuring designs by Emily Eibel)

• Guillermo Del Toro Finally Makes His Own “Frankenstein”

Happy holidays to you and your loved ones!

Thanks for reading,

JQA

Loops is about practice, perseverance, and learning to tie your shoes. Here’s a preview:

Loops is out March 3, 2026.

Pre-order LOOPS

Early buzz for LOOPS

Over on her newsletter, librarian included Loops in a list of books she can’t wait to share with her students!

I’m calling it — Jashar Awan is the poet laureate of preschool. Every Monday Mabel is one of my favorite picture books of the year, so I was thrilled to get the chance to read an early copy of Jashar Awan’s forthcoming book. Here, we have what first reads like an earnest pep talk for learning to tie your shoes (including a how-to spread that parents and teachers can legit use to help kids learn), but when you hit the ending, you realize it is also something infinitely more fantastic. I won’t spoil the surprise, but know that if you teach preschool, K, or 1st, you’re going to need this one. (And though it’s not out til 2026, I highly recommend you pick up Every Monday Mabel and Towed by Toad in the meantime.)

Thanks, Chrissie! Read the rest of her list here.

Building a Home Library

The Children’s Book Council has put together “an up-to-date list of recommended new and classic books for every home by age group.” Both Towed by Toad and Every Monday Mabel are on this list! How cool is that?1

Thanks, CBC and the Ingram Content Group!

View the complete list

I ♥ Olivia

Speaking of lists, Slate recently put together a package about “this century’s revolution in children’s literature.” I was one of the many people asked to submit suggestions to their best picture books from the past 25 years list and was even asked for a follow-up quote about one of my picks, Olivia by Ian Falconer. Here’s what I said:

“Despite Ian Falconer’s warning that Olivia is very good at wearing people out, Olivia is a book that never feels worn out, no matter how many times you’ve read it. Kids can relate to Olivia’s adventures, opinions, and daily routine, while there’s a good chance that their adult can laugh and sigh along with the challenges Olivia’s mom faces.”

As I was making my top 5 list, I reread Olivia and was surprised to realize what an influence Falconer has had on my work (the Simon & Schuster books, especially). I guess when you read a book aloud a few times a day for a few years it inevitably becomes a part of you.

Slate even has an interview with the real-life Olivia Falconer!

Read Slate's coverage here

Upcoming Events

• Buckeye Book Fair, 11/1 from 9:30am-4:00pm

• Mark Hoffmann’s Gab ‘N Doodle on Instagram Live, 11/20 at 6pm EST

Recommended Links

• Winter Water Factory unveils Autumn ‘25 (designs by my wife Emily Eibel—be sure to check out the Bookworm print! )

• Mika Song discusses her new graphic novel Night Chef

• 1990 Sendak interview part 1, part 2 (link courtesy of )

• Huck Scarry speaks to The Illustration Department

• The Couch in The Yard on NPR

• Tundra’s Tara Walker Takes Risks And Reaps Rewards

Thanks for reading!

-JQA

This was my portfolio as my career began. I dropped copies off all around the city, eventually getting work from publications such as The New Yorker and The New York Times.1 I even managed to get a copy to the novel’s Pulitzer Prize-winning author himself.2

I have not shared it online in its entirety. . .

Until now!

At the request of , here is THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER & CLAY, illustrated by a young Jashar Awan—

The Escapists and Citizen Conn

The project did lead to some Chabon-related work—I did a series of faux-covers for the back matter in “The Escapists” (2007) from Dark Horse Comics, as well as an illustration for his New Yorker short story “Citizen Conn.”3

Previously on Long Story Short. . .

If you’re new to this newsletter, this is what I’ve been up to since my college and editorial days:

My Geisel Honor book TOWED BY TOAD is on sale right now as part of Amazon Prime’s Big Deal Days!4

Next Long Story Short, I’ll be sharing a preview of my upcoming picture book, Loops.

Thanks for reading!

-JQA

To mark this anniversary, I wanted to share some share some reference photos I took around town while working on the book.

Strangely enough, the day I turned in the final art for Towed by Toad, I actually saw a tow truck on a flat bed truck! I was driving at the time so I wasn’t able to get a photo, but seeing it felt like a nice coda to the project.2

Here’s some more behind-the-scenes:

See more process art at Max's Boat

There are plenty more adventures in store for Toad and Pop, but you’re going to have to. . .

Listen to this!

Towed by Toad is now available as an AUDIOBOOK, narrated by Dakota Ray Herbert! Available to wherever you get your audiobooks.

Recommended links

• Fantastic Funnies (1980 CBS Special about newspaper comic strips)3

• Every Wes Anderson Movie, Explained by Wes Anderson

• Lynn Pauley chronicling the American landscape

• Matthew Forsythe talks to Besty Bird about Aggie and the Ghost

• Live action Every Monday Mabel!

• Debbie Millman revisits her conversations with celebrated graphic novelists

Thanks for reading!

-JQA

Subscribe now

During the school year, Read Across America features three titles a month that explore a topic related to diversity and inclusion. Every Monday Mabel will be the August 2025 Read Across America Elementary title!

The National Education Association put together a Mabel page filled with questions and activities to help educators share the book with their students.

View NEA's MABEL teaching guide here

Check out all the other titles that will be featured over the 2025-26 school year here.

SLJ’s 2025 Stars So Far

Last month, the School Library Journal gave us a peek at the halfway point of their Best Books of the year list. Every Monday Mabel was among the 65 picture book titles featured—thanks, SLJ!

SLJ's 2025 Stars So Far

SLJ interview

In the same issue, I got a chance to talk to Kimberly Olson Fakih about my love of libraries and what inspires me. Here’s an excerpt:

“After my son was born, I rediscovered my love of picture books. It was so much fun to start building a little library for him. Gaston by Kelly DiPucchio and was a real reminder of how fun kids books could be—fun to look at and fun to read aloud. I will always remember hearing my son’s little voice reciting the names of the puppies as they are introduced in the book. If that doesn’t make someone want to start making picture books, I don’t know what will!"

Read full SLJ interview here

THE GARBAGE TRUCK IS HERE!

While visiting my folks this summer, I surprised to discover that their garbage truck looks A LOT like the truck that visits Mabel every Monday! I looked at so many different truck designs when working on Mabel, I can’t believe the one I ended going with looks just like the one that visits my parents’ neighborhood.

I didn’t get into the truck design when I spoke with Ratha Tep at Max’s Boat a few months ago. Check out our conversation, along with a peek at the process of illustrating Mabel.

Read Max's Boat interview

Quick Links

• Dana Jeri Maier Doesn’t Trust Anyone With a Neat Desk

• The Miami Review of Comics interviews Sammy Harkham

• Scottish band Yama Rama beautifully covers Matthew Teardrop

• Drawing Your World with Raúl the Third

• Umami reading and draw along with Jacob Grant

• Comedy writing masterclass with Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong

Thanks for reading!

-JQA

I write and illustrate my books and send them out. About a year later, a box of author copies will appear. Occasionally, I’ll get emails with good news—when I’m lucky, a phone call with great news. But years passed and I’d never met the people I worked with in person. . .

Until. . .

I attended this year’s American Library Association convention! Suddenly, over the course of a weekend, I met everyone!

I was hanging out with my agent Erica Rand Silverman! I was catching a cab with my Simon & Schuster editor Celia Lee! I was having dinner with Tara Walker (my editor / publisher at Tundra)! I even got to wave a quick hello to Simon Boughton from Norton Young Readers, who gave me my first break in the picture book world.

Not only did I get to meet them in person for the first time, I got to meet hundreds of librarians and readers, not to mention other picture book makers!1 Thank you to everyone who stopped by my signings for Towed by Toad and Every Monday Mabel—it was so great to connect, even if it was a passing moment in a crowded convention.

One of things I wanted to say with Every Monday Mabel is that your people are out there. Even if you haven’t met them yet—they are out there! Being at ALA felt like being surrounded by my people—people who love books; people who are excited about writing and art; people who want to share their discoveries with others; and people who find socializing a just little exhausting and need to take a moment to recoup by sitting along the edge of the wall so they can read that new book they just picked up.

It was an overwhelming weekend in the best way possible.

Towed by Toad receives a Geisel Honor

I can’t forget the reason I was at ALA in the first place—Towed by Toad was one of the two books this year to receive the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor!2

Thank you to the Geisel committee! I’m honored that they recognized my book, which began as a play on words and grew into a rather personal story about self-care and learning to ask for help. I’m so happy that this book has resonated with so many people.

Also at the ALSC awards breakfast, my Pratt illustration professor Rudy Gutierrez received the Robert F. Sibert honor for his illustrations for Call me Roberto.3 It was so great to be able to share that moment with him.

And the night before, at the Caldecott / Newbery Awards, I got a chance to congratulate Yuko Shimizu on her Caldecott Honor for her illustrations for Up, Up, Ever Up.4 Back in my editorial illustration days in New York, I’d always run into Yuko at different magazine events. She always took the time to talk to me and offer advice and encouragement.

It was wonderful to see some familiar faces in the sea of new friends!

7 Picture Books to Beat Summer Boredom

Every Monday Mabel is one of the books featured in San Francisco Chronicle’s wonderful article, “Picture your child beating boredom, fostering creativity this summer,” written by !

Even if summer is mostly boring, for a certain type of kid, there is at least one exciting event guaranteed to happen every week: garbage day!

Every Monday, Mabel wakes up with giddy anticipation, eager to see “The best thing in the world!” She drags a chair down the hallway; past her older sister, mother and father — all of whom have varying opinions about Mabel’s interest — out the door, and waits patiently for the trash-tastic spectacle to begin.

It turns out, Mabel’s transportation admiration isn’t so strange after all. All around town, there are other kids, like her, watching with glee. With punchy text and vibrant art, it’s an enthusiastic tribute to a child’s passion.

Read full article

Upcoming Events

• Columbus Book Fair, July 12, 11am (book signing at Cover to Cover’s booth)

• Cuyahoga Falls Public Library, July 14, 6pm

Quick Links

• Get a sneak peek at what I have coming up and grab it for 25% off (offer ends 7/11).

• Check out Travis Jonker’s ALA photo album (part 1 and part 2)

• Newbery / Caldecott summer predictions from Betsy Bird

• Paul Pope on RIYL podcast

• Sally Rooney Thinks Career Growth Is Overrated

Thanks for reading!

-JQA

For me, cover concepts either come immediately or I’ll have no idea and have to come up with something at the last minute. With Every Monday Mabel, a few of the final elements were already in place with the first piece of art I made for the project.

I was eager to share my cover concept (above right) with my editor Celia Lee and art director Lucy Ruth Cummins. They suggested we wait until the interiors were finished before discussing the cover, which made sense—the book’s palette and character designs had yet to be fully figured out.

But once the interiors were finished. . .

ROUND 1

I didn’t want to give away the reveal of Mabel’s interest (on the front cover, at least), but Celia and Lucy wanted to see “some trash truck action” in the next round. They suggested it could appear through a window or as a cast shadow.

ROUND 2

This last one caught their attention and they suggested that “removing the floor might increase specialness.” This never would have occurred to me!

Final cover

The final cover design for Every Monday Mabel was the result of this back-and-forth conversation / collaboration between me, Celia, and Lucy, who always pleasantly surprises me with her type design (wait ‘til you see Loops—out Spring ‘26!!).

Buy book here

2025 Baker’s Dozen Booklist

I’m pleased to announce that Towed by Toad is one of 13 books named to this year’s Baker’s Dozen Booklist, courtesy of Pennsylvania Center for the Book. They put together a great list—thank you, PCFTB!

Ohio Book Awards Finalist

Speaking of great lists—Towed by Toad is a 2025 Ohio Book Award finalist in the Juvenile Literature category! It is an honor to be included in among these excellent picture books. See the full list of nominees here.

Vote TOAD!

The Ohio Book Awards also have a Reader’s Choice Award where you can vote for your favorite book from the list of finalists!1

Vote here!

But wait! Towed by Toad is nominated for another award that you can vote in! The Delaware Library Association’s Blue Hen Award encourages literacy and library use by children and teens.2

Vote here!

Upcoming Events

• ALA signings—June 28, 2pm (Tundra booth); June 29, 9:30am (Tundra booth); June 29, 3pm (Simon & Schuster booth)

• Columbus Book Fair, July 12, 11am (book signing at Cover to Cover’s booth)

• Cuyahoga Falls Public Library, July 14, 6pm

Quick Links

• Join Jacob Grant for a virtual workshop at Society of Illustrators

• Creator Spotlight: Matthew Burgess

• Picture books so good they make Betsy Bird mad

• Two New Books Honor Legendary Illustrators James Marshall and Arnold Lobel

• Alice Neel: They Are Their Own Gifts, 1978

• Brian Eno Knows “What Art Does”

Thanks for reading!

-JQA

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Every Monday, Max would set up his chair at the end of the driveway and wait for the garbage truck to arrive. Afterwards, he’d come back into the house and announce, “Every Monday, I do the most boring thing!”1

That statement got me writing.

In January 2021, I finished my first draft of “Every Monday Melvin.”

This version of the story was all about waiting for the garbage truck to appear in all its glory, despite a sibling who thinks that’s a boring way to spend a Monday.

And that was about it.

I wrote the draft, but wasn’t really sure what I was trying to say. I put it away and let the story stew in the back of my mind.

I thought about Max’s interests and how I might not always get it. Being a fan of something that others don’t get—I can understand that. For instance, growing up, I was a huge fan of comics and superheroes, which, in those days, felt very niche.2

I dusted off “Every Monday Melvin” a few years (and three books) later. It felt like the right project to follow up I’m Going to Build a Snowman. The new draft checked in with the parents, the neighbors, and even a walked dog3—not only to find out what they thought of this weekly ritual, but also hint at what their obsessions are.

I really enjoy books that show different characters’ POVs (A Song of Fire and Ice series by George R.R. Martin, anything by David Mitchell4, and, more recently, The Book of Love by Kelly Link) so I’m sure that influenced the shifting perspectives. I did something similar in What A Lucky Day!, too, now that I think about it.

My wife suggested making the main character a girl since I hadn't done a book with a female lead yet. I loved this suggestion—trucks are so often gendered as “for boys,” but trucks are for everyone. Having the truck enthusiast be a little girl added the theme of having a passion that others might not understand.

When you’re a kid, the world can feel small—it’s only as big as your school or your church or your family—and it might be hard to find people with similar interests, but they’re out there! You just haven’t met them yet.5

It took me a while to figure out how I was going to include Mabel’s kindred spirits. Fortunately, garbage trucks don’t just stop at one house and, after some thumbnailing, the solution presented itself.

And, I’m happy to say, now that Every Monday Mabel is out in the world, she’s finding her people.

See more behind the scenes images from Every Monday Mabel over at Max’s Boat.

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Fuse 8 Reviews MABEL

Betsy Bird wrote an incredible in-depth review of Mabel—

Succinct and smart as a whip, it actually shows a kid pursuing their passion, even as their family members patronize their choices. And if that passion is watching the garbage truck arrive every Monday? Even better.

Read the review in full here

Mabels, Mabels everywhere

Once a name for the main character was settled on and the book was off to the printers, I began noticing Mabels everywhere!

Here are a few of my favorites:

• Mabel Wants a Friend by Ariel Bernstein and Marc Rosenthal

• “Maddie and Mabel” series by Kari Allen and Tatjana Mai-Wyss

• The Ship in the Window by Travis Jonker and Matthew Cordell (the main character is Mabel the mouse)

• “Only Murders in the Building,” costarring Selena Gomez as amateur sleuth / true crime podcaster Mabel Mora

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Ohioana Festival, May 3rd

Ohioana Festival will be taking place at the State Library of Ohio on May 3 from 10am-5pm. I’ll be on the picture book writing panel “Every Picture Tells a Story,” alongside Jacob Grant, Lindsay Bonilla, and Valerie Reynolds and moderated by J.P. Mitchell.

Join 5 authors who create unique books for young readers, as they explore the process of writing and/or illustrating a picture book. They will discuss their books, inspirations, and the importance of storytelling in the lives of young children.

It’s a free event, so if you’re in Columbus, stop by and say “hi!”

More info here

Quick Links

• Marianna Coppo has a newsletter!

• Travis Jonker discusses the process of making Just One Wave, the sequel to Just One Flake.

• How to turn the creative process into “Good Trouble”

• Mike White on the phases of creativity

Thanks for reading!

-JQA

I’m proud to announce that Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has selected Towed by Toad to be part of its 2025 program!

For 30 years, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has been changing lives—one book, one child, one dream at a time. What started as a small-town promise in Tennessee has grown into a worldwide gift of literacy, inspiring a love of reading in over 270 million children in 5 countries.

Dolly’s vision was simple but powerful: every child deserves the joy of books, no matter where they come from. Today, because of her heart and generosity, and with the help of local program partners across the globe, millions of children have turned their first pages, discovered new worlds, and built brighter futures—one book at a time.

Towed by Toad is about being a helper and Dolly Parton is a helper, for sure—she does so much good in this world!

Thank you, Dolly!

Learn more about DPIL here

Another starred review for MABEL

Book List gave Mabel a starred review!

This makes 5 starred reviews for Every Monday Mabel—thank you, Book List, School Library Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, Book Page, and The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books!

Read Book List review

Amazon Editors Pick MABEL

Every Monday Mabel is one of this month’s Amazon Editors Picks for picture books. Check out this line-up they put together! I can’t wait to read all of these books.

MABEL on TV and Radio

Big thanks to Kit Ballenger and Melissa LaSalle for shouting out Every Monday Mabel in the media!

A week before the book hit the shelves, Kit shared Mabel on The Absolutely Mindy Show on Sirius XM’s Kids Place Channel!

Melissa was on WUSA Channel 9’s Great Day Washington1 sharing book recommendations for Read Across America Week. Mabel was one of her three picks!

Watch the segment here

Thank you both so much!!

MABEL Events

I bookended Read Across America Week with readings of Every Monday Mabel at Cover to Cover in Columbus and Barnes & Noble in Akron.

At the B&N reading, a young audience member got so into the spirit of things that when the garbage truck appeared in the story, he yelled, “YAY!” and leapt onto the stage.

Upcoming events include:

• Ohioana Festival, May 3, 10am-5pm

• Columbus Book Fair, July 12, 11am (book signing at Cover to Cover’s booth)

• Cuyahoga Falls Public Library, July 14, 6pm

Meet the Author

From BookPage (March 2025 issue):

You can pick up BookPage every month from your local library or bookseller.

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Bonus answer

I wanted to include Madeleine L’Engle’s Time Quintet among the books I enjoyed as a child, but this cherubim seraph I didn’t sit well next to Gorky and Mr. Tumnus.

Quick Links

• My favorite Groucho quote is getting the tote bag treatment, courtesy of NYPL!

• Mac Barnett writes about Gianni Rodari for NYT

• Susan Sontag on the importance of reading fiction

• 4 ways authors can super charge their school visits

• New album from The Men

WHEW! What a month.

Thanks for reading!

-JQA

Every Monday Mabel is in stores today! This book is about having a passion and knowing your people are out there (even if you haven’t met them yet). I’m so happy Every Monday Mabel is finally in the world—I hope you enjoy it.

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Kids’ Indie Next

Every Monday Mabel is a Kid's’ Indie Next pick for March/April ‘25! The American Booksellers Association has put together a killer list that also includes new books from , David Shannon, ,1 and more.

Here’s what booksellers are saying about Every Monday Mabel:

• “Young children — and their parents — will surely relate to the absolute joy Mabel feels when it’s the day the garbage truck comes to her house. A delightful story beautifully illustrated.”
  —Vicky Titcomb, Titcomb’s Bookshop (East Sandwich, MA)

• "Every Monday Mabel is a wonderful picture book about our little rituals that maybe no one else understands. Fantastic story with bright and colorful illustrations. You may just take a moment to stop and enjoy the small things after reading this.”

  —Jen Steele, Boswell Books (Milwaukee, WI)

• “Full of bright colors and illustrations that move right off the page, Every Monday Mabel is what I'd call an 'everyday picture book'—something that is good for reading at any time. What I loved the most about this book is that the reader is held in a bit of suspense—what is Mabel doing that everyone is commenting on? When you find out, it turns a stereotype on its head in a pleasantly unexpected way. I love the connection the author creates on the last spreads as we see Mabel as a part of a much larger community.”

  —Jamie Southern, Bookmarks (Winston-Salem, NC)

4th Starred Review for MABEL!!!!

Every Monday Mabel got its fourth starred review, courtesy of BookPage! Here’s an excerpt:

Sure to be a favorite reread for kids and grown-ups alike, Every Monday Mabel is an enthusiastic, delightful tribute to public services and the many, many people who value and appreciate them.

Pick up BookPage at your local indie bookstore or library today!

MABEL events

To celebrate Every Monday Mabel’s release, I’ll be reading, drawing, and signing books! I’ll be at Cover to Cover in Columbus, OH on Sunday, March 3rd at 1pm and at Barnes & Noble in Akron, OH on Saturday, March 8th at 11am.

TOAD in Texas

The Texas Library Association has put together another great group of books recommended for children age two to grade two to encourage voluntary reading—I'm so honored to have TOWED BY TOAD included in this year's 2x2 Reading List!!

View the whole list, along with downloadable activities, here.

Quick links

• Bob Shea talks Bearsuit Turtle Makes a Friend on The Children’s Book Podcast

• Are picture books undervalued? This new ambassador of children's literature thinks so

• How Emmy Kastner made a picture book biography of Arnold Lobel

• Ivan Brunetti on “The Deceptive Simplicity of Peanuts”

Thanks for reading!

-JQA

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Well, this book keeps surprising me.

When the phone rang on Sunday night, this was the last thing I expected.1

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Thank you to the ALA, the ALSC, and the Geisel committee for honoring Towed by Toad! Thank you to my agent Erica and the team at Tundra Books—Tara, Ashley, Sophie, Katelyn, and Sam—for guiding Toad on the road to publication and beyond. Thank you to Emily and Max for their love and support.

Thanks to all the friends, family, colleagues, booksellers, and librarians who’ve reached out—I really appreciate it.

A big thanks to readers of all ages out there! And congrats to all the other winners and honorees!

View full 2025 YMA winners list here

Stars for Mabel

Every Monday Mabel received two more starred reviews!

From The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books:

Confidently illustrated and presented without didacticism, Mabel’s story is an arm-pumping, truck-horn toot to each person reveling in their own “garbage.”

From School Library Journal:

VERDICT Children will be empowered to declare their own special events each week, while educators and parents will see that even small moments are worthy of celebration.

Every Monday Mabel is out February 25th.

Preorder here

New Year, New TBR pile

Back in December, 2 asked me to contribute to Lit Hub’s “Most Anticipated Children’s Books of 2025” list. Every day, I read exciting new book announcements or see beautiful cover reveals—there are so many great picture books coming out this year! The books I highlighted were the first to come to mind.3

Little Freddie Two Pants (The Dog with Too Many Pants) by Drew Daywalt, Illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins
As soon as I saw its bright, bold cover, Little Freddie Two Pants went right to the top of my list of most anticipated books of 2025! From the creators of The Day the Crayons Quit (Daywalt) and Stumpkin (Cummins), this one is bound to be a big hit at any storytime as it dares to ask the question, “How many pants should a dog wear?” (Philomel, February 25)

Aggie and the Ghost by Matthew Forsythe

If you’ve read Pokko and The Drum or Mina, you know that any new picture book by Matthew Forsythe is something to look forward to! Aggie and The Ghost tells the story of a girl who moves into a new house only to discover that it is haunted. Her solution to the problem? Challenge the ghost to an epic game of tic-tac-toe, of course. (Paula Wiseman Books, August 19)

Speechless by Aron Nels Steinke

Aron Nels Steinke’s series Mr. Wolf’s Class is a favorite in my household, so we’re all eagerly awaiting his new graphic novel. Speechless is about Mira, who struggles to speak in public and has to deal with a best friend turned enemy turned roommate. While the story still takes place in a school, this time it’s filled with kids rather than anthropomorphic animals. (Graphix, March 4)

Read the full list here

Quick Links

• A Towed by Toad appreciation by Jerrold Connors!4

• Great episode of This Is Love podcast all about Margaret Wise Brown and Goodnight Moon. (via )

• Jbrary’s 2024 Favorite Storytime Picture Books, featuring Towed by Toad!

• I’m on bluesky!

• Missed the 2025 YMA awards press conference? Watch it here.

Thanks for reading!

-JQA

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How cool is this?! Krayzie Bone from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony read I’m Going to Build a Snowman to students at a Cleveland elementary school!

Christmas traditions

Traditions can sneak up on you as a parent. You do something fun without really thinking about it for two or three years in a row and, suddenly, it’s a tradition. After all, by the time a kid is 5 years old, you’ve been doing that tradition for as long as they can remember!

I have no idea how many times my dad read The Father Christmas Letters by J.R.R. Tolkien1 to my brother and me as kids, but, in my memory, it was a childhood-long tradition.

While I was trying to break into publishing, I was inspired by Tolkien’s annual letter to his children to challenge myself to write a new winter or holiday story in time for Christmas every year. (Deadlines can be helpful, even when self-imposed.)

I did this for six years and produced six stories. Two of those stories have been published.

I hope Strum & Drum or I’m Going to Build a Snowman become a part of your family’s holiday traditions!

Author at large

My debut picture book came out during the 2020 lockdown and this year I finally decided to leave my house and participate in some book events. Thank you to everyone who invited me to be a part of your conferences, festivals, and celebrations this year! It was great to get out and meet book lovers face-to-face!

Favorite Holiday books

[Excerpted from my Max’s Boat interview from last year]

It almost goes without saying The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg is a favorite holiday book of mine. Its imagery is so memorable and I love the bittersweet note at the end about how the sound of the sleigh bell gets fainter every year. It’s a book with nostalgia built into it.

My family's favorite nostalgic Christmas read is Clement Moore’s Twas the Night Before Christmas. We have an old paperback copy illustrated by the great Golden Age illustrator Jessie Willcox Smith. My wife and I read and reread this our son so many times, he could recite large portions of it by the age of 2! (I included a nod to the opening line of Moore’s text in Strum & Drum—a sleepy mouse can be seen marching in Strum and Drum’s merry band!)

The Sweet Smell of Christmas is another favorite in my household. It’s written by Patricia Scarry and illustrated by J.P. Miller. It’s a scratch-and-sniff book so you really get to experience the smells of the holiday along with Little Bear and his family as they prepare for and celebrate Christmas.

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Christmas Nutshell

Did you know there is more than one Nutshell Library?

I had never heard of the others until I read Dear Genius, a collection of letters by legendary editor Ursula Nordstrom to writers and artists.

One of her letters was responding to Maurice Sendak,2 who was very upset about her plans on turning The Nutshell Library into a publishing banner, similar to her “I Can Read” book series.

He argued that it would be seen as a cash grab.

She didn’t think kids would see it that way.

Two more Nutshell Library collections were published—Christmas Nutshell Library by Hilary Knight and The Bunny’s Nutshell Library by Robert Kraus.

Today, the Harper Collins website describes Sendak’s Nutshell Library as “a wonderful stocking stuffer,” while the other two are no longer in print.

Quick Links

• "A Visit from St. Nick (in the Ernest Hemingway Manner)” by James Thurber

• Mac Barnett and Sydney Smith talk Santa’s First Christmas on The Yarn

• Chrissie Wright’s Favorite Books of 2024 (featuring Towed by Toad!)

• Chris Ware on Richard Scarry

• New music from Matthew Teardrop!

Thanks for reading! Happy Holidays!

-JQA

Before I begin, I wanted share some words that inspired me after the way this month started:

I’m heart-broken, but I want to work. I want to scream, but then I want to get back to work. I want to keep creating books that help the smallest among us (and hopefully their grown-ups) make sense of the world and feel a little less lonely in it.

A good reminder of why we do what we do.

That’s from picture book and YA author Marcy Campbell. I highly recommend her new substack, The Closet Creative.

A Star for Mabel

The reviews for Every Monday Mabel are beginning to roll in!

• A starred review from Publishers Weekly!!

• A glowing review for Mabel, courtesy of Kirkus

Every Monday Mabel is out February 25th from Simon & Schuster.

Pre-order MABEL

Winter Water Factory / TOAD giveaway

Tundra Books is doing a Towed by Toad giveaway with my friends at Winter Water Factory! The giveaway runs until December 3rd.

Details here

If you’re unfamiliar with Winter Water Factory, they are Brooklyn-based kids’ clothing company. Every item is crafted from 100% organic cotton and is made in the USA. If you’re looking for cute outfits to gift loved ones this holiday, Winter Water Factory has you covered!

TOAD on TV!

Earlier this month, bookstagrammer Emilee Meeks highlighted Towed by Toad on national television! She also plugged one of my recent favorites, What Can a Mess Make? by Bee Johnson, as well as The World is Awaiting You by Marianne R. Richmond, which is now on top of my “To Read List.”

Check out the clip below:

Thanks, Emilee!

SNOWMAN in Public Square

A StoryWalk of I’m Going to Build a Snowman is in Cleveland’s Public Square! There was a well-timed dusting of snow on the day of the installation.

Merry Maker Fest

I’ll be kicking off the Christmas season this Saturday at Cleveland Public Library’s Merry Maker Fest. I’ll be reading I’m Going to Build a Snowman and leading attendees in a snowman themed craft, as well as signing free copies of the book. Hope to see you there! (November 30, 4-5pm)

Register here

Miracle on Erie Street

On December 7th, I’ll be doing a story time and craft at Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library as part of their Miracle on Erie Street holiday festivities!

Oh, and I’ve heard I won’t be the only jolly bearded man at the library that day. . .

Register here

That’s it from me for this month! For those that celebrate, I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving with your loved ones.

Thanks for reading!

-JQA

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BIG NEWS!! Every Monday Mabel is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection! I’m so proud of this book and it is so nice to have it recognized before its publication.1

But wait—there’s more!

I’m Going to Build a Snowman is also a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection! I’d been waiting to share this news once it was a little more seasonally appropriate and the leaves have started to change color. Close enough!

Dear Genius

I just started reading Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom. The book, which collects the legendary editor’s letters, can feel like a behind-the-scenes commentary track of classic children’s books as works in-progress. I’m about a third of the way through.

I often look at books as if they were handed down from on high (particularly ones that were already considered classics before I was born). Dear Genius is a helpful reminder that even classics went through birthing pains.

For instance, there’s a letter to Margaret Wise Brown that mentions problems with the art for Goodnight, Moon. What problems could there be with Clement Hurd’s dreamy illustrations? The following letter contains a possible answer with the suggestion to “. . . make both creatures bunnies, instead of humans.”

Humans? In the great green room? Mind blown.

In a letter to Crockett Johnson, Nordstrom gently asks for art edits to The Carrot Seed. She points out that the main character loses his sense of determined certainty that was apparent in Johnson’s dummy. The cause for this change? Too many expressions on the little boy (including dubious and surprised) in the final art. The simplicity of The Carrot Seed has always appealed to me and it’s so interesting to find out how Nordstrom shepherded that feeling from dummy to publication.

Nordstrom’s response to the Harold and the Purple Crayon dummy, on the other hand, completely surprised me. “I don’t know what to say about it,” she wrote. “It doesn’t seem to be a good children’s book to me. . .”

However, she softened her review by adding “I’d probably pass up Tom Sawyer today.”

When suggesting artists for Stuart Little, Nordstrom puts forward illustrators Robert Lawson, Don Freedman, and Garth Williams to author E.B. White2 . Spoiler warning—Williams gets the gig in the end. I always forget that he illustrated Stuart Little—perhaps because he was channeling Ernest Shepard, whose Wind in the Willows illustrations both he and White both had a shared love of.

Garth Williams was a favorite of Nordstrom’s. She paired him with many of her authors and her descriptions of his sketches make me wish this book included reproductions of them. The book does, at least, have photos of Nordstrom’s correspondents.

Another “sliding doors” scenario occurs when Nordstrom writes to Ruth Krauss in hopes that the manuscript for A Hole is Dig is finished so she can assign it to Marc Simont in order to keep him from working for a rival publisher. He would have been a good fit for that text, but I’m so happy that we got young Maurice Sendak instead.

Dear Genius shows that the creative process is just that—a process. Every book is made up of thousands of little decisions along the way.

Cover to Cover Storytime, 10/19

In celebration of my latest picture book, Towed by Toad, I'll be reading, drawing, and signing books at Cover to Cover Children’s Books on Saturday, October 19 from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. If you're in the area, please join us!

Cover to Cover Children's Books
2116 Arlington Ave, Upper Arlington, OH 43221

More info here

TOAD reviews

Towed by Toad is out now! Toad received a glowing review from Kirkus and a starred review from School Library Journal. . . but, more importantly, what did YOU think? Please leave a review on Amazon—it really helps people find the book!

Leave a review here

Recommendations

interviewed me for her Super Reader’s Club newsletter last month! I wanted to re-share my recommendations:

Q: Dish about what you've been reading/watching/listening to these days!

JASHAR: Reading—I just finished Caldecott & Co.: Notes on Books & Pictures by Maurice Sendak. It was interesting to read about his thoughts on the picture book makers who came before him. It inspired me to dig into my own book collection and reread some classics by Beatrix Potter and Jean de Brunhoff.

I’m always reading new picture books as well! We Are Definitely Human by X. Fang is such a fun read and beautifully illustrated. Her debut book Dim Sum Palace was a big hit in our house so it was so interesting to see how she followed it up.  I also really enjoyed the wind-down vibes of Mama in the Moon by Doreen Cronin and Brian Cronin.

Watching—I recently rewatched “We Are Lady Parts”! It’s about a fictional all-girl, Muslim punk band in England. The music is so good and (aside from some language) the story feels like it could have been adapted from a great YA graphic novel. Highly recommended!

Also, if you haven’t seen “Steven Universe” yet, do yourself a favor and check it out! Episodes are short (about 8 minutes each). It might take seeing a few to really get into it, but it’s so worth it. The storytelling in this series is incredible.

Listening—A) Music: When I’m working, I usually end up really getting into one album and just listening to it on a loop. This way I don’t have the distraction of trying to DJ while I draw. Most recently, it was “the record” by boygenius.

B) Audiobooks: For the past several roadtrips, my family has been listening to Terry Prachett’s Tiffany Aching books. I love the world of witches he created in this series! We’re in the middle of Wintersmith right now. Don’t tell me how it ends!

C) Podcasts: The podcast I always recommend to friends is “Blank Check with Griffin and David.” If you like movies and love hearing about the creative processes that go into making them, this podcast will be right up your alley. The hosts are an actor and a critic for The Atlantic, respectively. They do different series discussing the works of filmmakers who are given a blank check to make their passion projects— “sometimes those checks clear, sometimes they bounce, baby.”

I like to think that being an author-illustrator is like being an auteur. You follow your passions and create your projects from idea to text to visuals!

Read the whole interview here

Thanks for reading!

-JQA

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