“Pants Optional” is PopCultHQ’s Zoom video interview feature where we connect with individuals within the comic book community. It’s a way to see/hear what creators have been doing during the pandemic, projects which may be in motion, and noteworthy events and happenings taking place in lieu of conventions, appearances, and the weekly NCBD grind.
For Episode XL, I spoke with Jarrett J. Krosoczka. Jarrett is the New York Times bestselling author/illustrator behind more than forty books for young readers, including his wildly popular Lunch Lady graphic novels, select volumes of the Star Wars™: Jedi Academy series, and Hey, Kiddo, which was a National Book Award Finalist. Krosoczka creates books with humor, heart, and deep respect for his young readers—qualities that have made his titles perennial favorites on the bookshelves of homes, libraries, and bookstores over the past twenty years.
Serving justice . . . and lunch!
Hector, Terrence, and Dee have always wondered about their school lunch lady. What does she do when she isn’t dishing out the daily special? Where does she live? Does she have a lot of cats at home? Little do they know, Lunch Lady doesn’t just serve sloppy joes—she serves justice! Whatever danger lies ahead, it’s no match for LUNCH LADY!Amongst the first wave of kids’ graphic novels published in the late 2000s, the Lunch Lady series went on to become wildly popular and is now BACK with full-color, hardcover editions, and new adventures to come!
PREVIEW PAGES
So sit back and hear Jarrett and I chat about the reissuing of THE LUNCH LADY graphic novels, the 10-year anniversary of School Lunch Hero Day coming this May, his massive social media and online presence, and how retro culture (including Batman ’66) influenced his cartooning.
Special thanks to Jarrett J. Krosoczka for taking the time to speak with us at PopCultHQ. Be sure to follow him online (links below). And be sure to snag a copy of THE LUNCH LADY from Random House Children’s Books as she returns in full color! Volumes One and Two in the Lunch Lady 2-for-1 Special collection will collect the first four Lunch Lady titles in glorious color. New trim size and more pages to fit some big Lunch Lady comics adventures! Available to order in bookstores, online retailers, Bookshop.org, and from High FIve Books, who even has books signed by Jarrett!
Author/Illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka:
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