By Anthony Stoeckert
A few years ago, Jarrett J. Krosoczka and his wife Gina took their daughter Zoe, then about 3, to a friend’s birthday party. Toward the party’s end, Zoe was given a balloon, then did something kids often do.
”Of course, she let it go and she was absolutely devastated at the sight of her balloon traveling up to the sky, and she realized she would never get it back,” Mr. Krosoczka says.
Many adults would brush off this minor bit of tragedy by saying something like “it’s just a balloon,” but Mr. and Mrs. Krosoczka knew just how horrible losing a balloon can be to a kid.
”It might seem fairly trivial to us as adults who have things like taxes and health care to worry about, and bills… all of those larger problems,” Mr. Krosoczka says. “A kid losing a balloon seems trivial to us, but for a kid, that’s a devastating moment in life. My wife quickly pointed out to Zoe that Zoe’s grandparents were on a trip and when they would see the balloon from their airplane, and they would know Zoe sent it, and it calmed Zoe’s spirits.”
That experience led to Mr. Krosoczka’s newest picture book, It’s Tough to Lose Your Balloon, which was published this week by Knopf Books for Young Readers. It opens with that first story, then shows other trials and tribulations of childhood (like getting sand in your sandwich at the beach), with an optimistic twist.
It is the 25th book Mr. Krosoczka has written and illustrated, and he will be meeting his fans and signing his books during the Princeton Children’s Book Festival, which is set to take place at Hinds Plaza and the Princeton Public Library, Sept. 19.
In addition to the 25 books he’s written and illustrated, Mr. Krosoczka has illustrated another four books he didn’t write, and co-edited a book. “‘It’s Tough to Lose Your Balloon’ will mark the 30th time that my last name will appear on the spine of a published book,” he says.
And seeing his name on a new book remains a thrill.
”It’s still exciting and it’s still as nerve-wracking,” he says. “You can’t help but wonder if anybody will like the book. It happens every single time; the anxiety comes with the publication of every book and the thrill of holding the printed bound book for the first time is just as exciting.”
Mr. Krosoczka started writing stories when he was in the third grade, and by high school knew he wanted to make his living by telling stories with words and pictures. He took classes in cartooning and animation, and when he was in high school, set his sights on telling stories for young children.
”I entered into art school knowing the exact kind of art I wanted to make,” he says. “I entered into the illustration department, knowing the exact kind of illustration I wanted to make. And when I was an undergrad, I submitted my work to publishers — books I had written — and they were rejected, which I knew would be part of it. After two years of getting my books rejected, I got my first book accepted, and that happened six months after I graduated. I knew exactly what I wanted to do, and I went after it with laser focus.”
That first book was titled Good Night, Monkey Boy. Some of his other books include Punk Farm, about farm animals who rock out after the farmer goes to bed; Peanut Butter and Jellyfish, about the friendship between a seahorse and a jelly fish, and My Buddy, Slug.
This year marks the 10th Princeton Children’s Book Festival. It is a dream day for young book lovers, as authors are available to sign books and talk with kids. Authors participating this year include Jen Bryant, author of The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus, a 2015 Sibert Award winner and 2015 Caldecott Honor winner.
Other Caldecott honorees appearing at the festival include Lauren Castillo, author of Nana in the City; Brian Floca (Locomotive) and Jerry Pinkney (Lion and the Mouse).
The event also will offer live entertainment by guitarist Kenn Dweder, singers Easha and Shravya Nandyala, Princeton Symphony Orchestra’s “Instrument Garage” and KidlitTV.com. New for this year is food for sale by vendors D’Angelo italian market, Rojo Roaster, the bent spoon and House of Cupcakes.
Mr. Krosoczka created the poster for this year’s festival. In the spirit of his new book, it shows kids holding balloons and reading, all with smiles on their face. But one boy, has a worried face because he’s let go of his balloon.
Mr. Krosoczka has never participated in the Princeton Book Festival before because it hasn’t fit into his schedule. But he has been involved with similar events and says he enjoys meeting kids who have read his books.
He says he does get feedback via social media, mostly from parents and teachers who tell him about kids who like his books. On Sept. 19, he’ll get to talk directly to the kids.
”To get to a book festival and get in front of the audience and to hear from the readers and just see their enthusiasm, it does give you the confidence to go home and make more books,” he says. “You realize you’re not toiling away for nothing.”
The Princeton Children’s Book Festival will take place on Hinds Plaza and at the Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon St., Princeton, Sept. 19, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, including a complete list of participating authors and illustrators, go to bookfestival.princetonlibrary.org.
