Illinois Libraries Present: A Conversation with Jerry Craft: From Mama’s Boyz to New Kid and Beyond (Virtual)

Virtual Program — It will be offered via Zoom.

Learn about life, art, and telling your story with bestselling author, illustrator and syndicated cartoonist, Jerry Craft. Join us for a conversation about his works and journey to success, including a drawing demo that will be fun for the whole family!

Register for this program at bit.ly/ILP_JerryCraft

Jerry Craft is the author-illustrator of #1 New York Times bestselling graphic novels New Kid, and its companion book, Class Act. New Kid was the first book in history to win the Newbery Medal (2020), The Coretta Scott King Author Award (2020), and the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature (2019). In his latest book, School Trip, Jerry hopes to share his love of travel in order to inspire kids and their families to see the world and embrace new cultures. Craft is also the creator of Mama’s Boyz, an award-winning comic strip which won the African American Literary Award five times. He is a co-founder of the Schomburg Center’s Annual Black Comic Book Festival.

Despite not always being an avid reader, Craft has gained a unique ability to weave captivating narratives and bring them to life through his stunning artwork. He has used his experience to create the works he wishes he’d had as a kid, with characters that represent his community. He frequently visits schools and libraries, hoping to give kids and families a new perspective on books and reading that he didn’t always have when he was young. He loves working with children and hopes to inspire anyone he meets to keep trying, always.

Craft will be joined in conversation by Ronnell Whitaker, a founding member of the Lit-X Teacher Cohort. Whitaker is the English Curriculum Director for Community High School District 218 in Oak Lawn, Illinois. He has over 15 years of education experience and is a champion for comics in the classroom. He has presented across the country at conferences and conventions on the virtues of comics in the classroom. Whitaker also sits on the Board of Directors for Reading With Pictures. He believes in comics, and he likes to think that comics believe in him. Learn more about Ronnell Whitaker at https://thecomicbookteacher.com/author/rqwhitaker/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronell-whitaker-2648326/.

This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present (ILP), a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering premier events. ILP is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). ILP is committed to inclusion and accessibility. To request accommodations, please email illinoislibrariespresent@gmail.com.