All About Me

I was born a long time ago in Taylor Pennsylvania where early photographs of me were taken when the world had no color or, because it was a mining town, everything was covered with a fine layer of gray coal dust or soot.

My mom’s name was Nell and my father’s name was Wallace. Up until a short time ago, my older brother had me convinced I was adopted from a family of wandering coyotes.

Having both grandparents of Polish decent, I grew up with all the traditional Polish customs and food. Both of my parents understood or spoke the Polish language, but they kept it as a secret way to communicate when my brother, sister or I were in the same room.

Growing up like most kids, I played baseball in summer, football in the fall and basketball in the winter. Never excelling at any of them, but I was a master at balance. My mom told me I learned how to ride a bike without training wheels when I was 4 years old. I don’t think I knew how to tie my shoes when I was 4, but I could ride a bike. I used to ride it everywhere. In college I learned how to ride a unicycle. However, not being able to juggle precluded me from a career in the circus.

I also loved to go on hikes and pick mushrooms and blueberries with my dad. The first day of trout fishing season we would wake up early, pack a lunch and go fishing all day. Nevertheless, to this day I will not take a fish off the hook. They are far too slimy and picky. When I’d catch a fish I’d run to my dad and have him take it off the hook. These days, when I fish, my son Alec takes it off the hook for me .

For as long as I could remember I always loved to draw. I think I have my older brother Bob to thank. Using simple shapes and letters, like a big letter “C” and putting a little “c” in it to make an ear, he showed me how to draw a face. The first face I drew looked like an alien from outer space but I kept practicing and practicing. After what seemed to be my 100th attempt I drew a face that looked pretty good. The next day when his friends were over my house, Bob showed them the face his little 4 year old brother drew. They couldn’t believe I did it and they told me I was an awesome artist. I was so proud that I remember it to this day.

I had great parents. They worked very hard to raise my brother, my sister and me, but they rarely read to us. Early on I struggled with reading, but I used to draw all the time. Sometimes it got me in trouble with my teachers. One day, during a lesson, my second grade teacher, Mrs. Powell saw that I was drawing in my notebook. It wasn’t the first time she had caught me not paying attention, but that day she asked me to stay in at recess and come and see her. I thought I was in big trouble. Instead, she sat me down and she read to me Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. She showed me that the pictures went with the words. I was hooked!

Everyday for a couple of weeks I would come in early from recess and Mrs. Powell would read to me. She managed to do this while she ate her lunch. I still remember the food flying out of her mouth as she read to me. She was the one who instilled the love of reading in me. Although she passed many years ago, and never saw me become an author, I tell this story to students and teachers everywhere. Teachers are the ones who provide the spark easily distracted, creative students need.

I always wanted to be the best artist that I could be. I went to Kutztown State University and majored in painting, but after touring artist’s studios with my Professor in Philadelphia I was downhearted. Their work was so beautiful, but many of them lived, worked, and slept on mattresses in old warehouses. They all had other jobs too, such as night custodians or janitors. I did not want to lead that life as an artist.

A couple of weeks later the same Professor took our class to an art show of the best American Illustrators in New York City. Their work was just as beautiful as the artists I saw in Philadelphia. The difference was that the illustrators happened to be making pretty good money. I met a couple of them. They owned homes and cars. It was then I knew what I wanted to do with my life.

After graduating from college I moved to Boston and started taking my portfolio around to any place that bought illustration. I met a lot of wonderful people who gave me my first illustration jobs. I started doing work for newspapers, magazine, ad agencies and design firms. It was so much fun.

I married my best friend Kathy in 1981 and we have three wonderful kids: Justin, Alec and Julia. They all like to draw but I’m not sure if any one of them want to be an artist or author yet.

I met author Jerry Pallotta in the early 90’s and began illustrating some of his books in between other illustration jobs. Jerry also took me along with him to his school visits. I was amazed by his presentations. I started to understand my audience. Around 2000 I decided to go full time into writing and illustrating my own books and doing school visits. I have been given the opportunity to visit schools all over the United States, and countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

The chance to visit so many schools is like being a musician and trying out a song on your audience before you record it. I get valuable feedback by showing students my process and in the end I understand my story and the process even better. The students also see and learn from it. It’s a symbiotic relationship I’m so honored and appreciative to have. My presentations are energetic, humorous, and give insights to the creative process that students don’t get from just reading the stories.

I get to meet teachers and librarians from all over the world. They are my heroes and the conduits of my books.