June 24, 2019 IF A PICTURE PAINTS A THOUSAND WORDS

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My oldest son was destined to be an artist. It was in his genes. Pretty sure he came out of the womb holding a pencil. HA--He started illustrating books when he was three. NOT KIDDING. By the time he finished grammar school he'd created several comic books series and hundreds of mythical characters and universes.  My house is literally a fire hazard because I've saved every book he's ever written.  He was the kid who couldn't wait for the Young Author's Competition at school BECAUSE HE WAS GOING TO WIN--and he did--EVERY YEAR.  Although he fooled around a lot in high school--he was always serious about his ART. It was--FRUSTRATINGLY ENOUGH-- the only thing that mattered. So when it came time for college it was a NO BRAINER to me. When I told people-- that we were sending him to school to be an ILLUSTRATOR --they looked at me like I had THREE heads. OKAY--I get it. It wasn't practical enough BUT I'd have been wasting my money  sending him to school to be..say.... an......accountant. We are all different for a reason and it's these differences that make the world go round. Can't image what would have happened to Jarrett J. Krosoczka if his grandparents hadn't encouraged his artistic endeavors when he was young. 

Jarrett J. Krosoczka is the author and illustrator of several books including the very famous Lunch Lady series for young people. His new book, Hey Kiddo, although a graphic novel too, is actually a memoir. This book deals with some heavy topics including losing his mother to addiction, being raised by his grandparents in Worcester, Massachusetts, and finally finding his father when he was a teenager. Although Krosoczka couldn't count on his mother, his grandparents were a force in his life. They encouraged him with his art, sent him to summer art programs, and stood proud as he graduated  from RISD in 2000. This book is important because it is written for young people. It is not only about growing up and coming to terms with addiction, but how art saved  and shaped his life. The illustrations, letters, cards and other artwork  are incredible--coming from different points in his life and inserted throughout the novel. They add a whole other dimension to this 320 page--2.5 mile run. Krosoczka said, "Creating the art for this book has been the most profound artistic endeavor I have yet to undertake and it has truly been a lifetime in the making." Enough said.