Jerry Craft is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the graphic novels New Kid, Class Act, and School Trip.  New Kid is the only book in history to win the John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature (2020); the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature (2019), and the Coretta Scott King Author Award for the most outstanding work by an African American writer (2020).

In his latest book, Jerry has teamed up with fellow Newbery winner Kwame Alexander to bring you J VS. K. The story of two fifth graders, one a talented artist, and the other an amazing writer, who become bitter rivals when they enter their school’s annual storytelling contest.

Jerry was born in Harlem and grew up in the Washington Heights section of New York City and now travels the world telling kids and their families about the importance of reading.

PRESENTATIONS 

Assembly Size – No audience limit

Journey From Reluctant Reader to Newbery-winning Author

Growing up in Harlem, Jerry shares tidbits from his life as a reluctant reader and how he found his voice as a kid interested in art. He’ll share his experiences as a professional cartoonist and illustrator and the many paths he took on the way to winning the John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature (2020); the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature (2019), and the Coretta Scott King Author Award for the most outstanding work by an African American writer (2020). He’ll end his presentation by drawing with students and answering their questions.

Workshops

Cartoon Workshop

Join award-winning syndicated cartoonist Jerry Craft as he shares his experiences as a professional cartoonist and illustrator. He’ll show you the secrets behind creating his Mama’s Boyz comic strip and teach you how he creates his children’s books from start to finish. Then it’s your turn to draw! Mr. Craft will give you step-by-step instruction to show you how you can use simple shapes to create your own cool comic book characters.

Sessions may be done as a workshop with kids (and their teachers or families) drawing along with step-by-step instruction, or lecture-style (without the kids drawing along). Workshops can also tailored to fit any class. Here are some examples:

English Class: Kids create a comic strip based or poster on their favorite book.
History Class: Draw a character who you are studying. Romans, Greeks, Civil War
Science Class: Design a poster on topics such as water or energy conservation.

In addition to drawing, there will also be emphasis placed on the following:

• Finding your passion and making a career of it
• The importance of trying and taking creative risks
• Learning from your mistakes
• Finding your creative voice
• Education, and how both English and Math are used to make Mama’s Boyz successful
• Choosing friends who will support you
• How the decisions you make now can have an impact on the rest of your life

For information on keynotes and adult presentations contact Carmen Oliver.

Website

Availability and Honorariums