SATA
ENTRY TYPE: new
WORK TITLE: Lost in the Library
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.joemcgeeauthor.com/
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
LAST VOLUME:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married Jessica Rinker (children’s book author); children: six.
EDUCATION:Rowan University, MA; Vermont College of Fine Arts, MFA.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and professor. Associate professor, Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College; teaches at Sierra Nevada University. Was a former army officer.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
[OPEN NEW]
Joe McGee is a children’s author based in West Virginia. He has always loved stories, especially about monsters and magic. When he was in fourth grade, he was chosen to attend a Young Author’s Day, which launched him as a storyteller. By sixth grade, he was writing stories and reading them to his friends during recess. After serving in the U.S. Army, he obtained an MA from Rowan University and an MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. He married another one of his classmates, Jessica Rinker, and the two have defied the assumption that two writers cannot live in the same house together. Along with writing numerous children’s books, McGee is also an associate professor at a college in West Virginia and teaches at Sierra Nevada University.
McGee’s first published book, Peanut Butter & Brains, was a picture book that was inspired by his son Logan when he was nine or ten years old. Some of the kids in his class were teasing Logan about the shoes he was wearing (they were not the cool shoes everyone else had), and Logan chose to defy the peer pressure and keep wearing the shoes. Joe McGee thought of a story about a zombie named Reginald who does not want to eat brains like all the other zombies but wants to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches instead. Illustrated by Charles Santoso, the book flips the zombie story on its head.
A reviewer in Publishers Weekly enjoyed McGee’s debut, writing that McGee “gets substantial comic mileage out of repeating the word ‘brains.'” They also enjoyed Santoso’s pictures that strike a “successful silly-scary balance.” The reviewer also appreciated how the illustrations convey the “zombies’ single-minded focus.” A writer in Kirkus Reviews agreed. They wrote, “Run, don’t shamble, to get this original zombie tale,” and they praised Santoso for how he “milks the faux horror for all it is worth.”
In McGee’s follow-up, Peanut Butter & Aliens, Reginald and the other residents of Quirkville are overrun by an alien invasion. The aliens are demanding something, but no one can understand them, and the aliens are getting frustrated. Reginald and his friend Abigail realize that the aliens’ cosmic grape jelly might go well with some peanut butter, leading to the universal peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
A reviewer in Children’s Bookwatch “highly recommended” this outing, praising it for being “full of lots of humor and heart” and describing it as an “entertaining sequel.” “Readers of the first book will be pleased with the continuing adventures of Abigail and Reginald,” wrote a contributor in Kirkus Reviews. They called Reginald and Abigail a “winning team.”
After one more book in the “Peanut Butter &” series, McGee started two different series. The “Creature Camper” series takes place at Camp Moonlight where different creatures such as a bigfoot, a jackalope, and a human boy have to avoid the monster who lives in the lake. That series wrapped up after three books, but the “Junior Monster Scouts” series has lasted much longer, with ten books and counting for middle grade readers, including The Monster Squad and It’s Raining Bats and Frogs!
The Haunted Mustache launched the “Night Frights” series, which features two fifth graders: Parker and Lucas. In the opening installment, they are out to debunk a century-old legend in their town. Supposedly, Bockius Beauregard was vaporized in an accident more than a hundred years ago, and only his mustache was left. Once a year, the mustache supposedly stalks the town looking for a lip, and all the townspeople have to wear a fake mustache that day to foil the haunted mustache. Parker and Lucas team up with their goth friend Samantha to see what they can uncover. Teo Skaffa provided the illustrations.
Elizabeth Pelayo, in School Library Journal, called the book a “hair-raising paranormal mystery for middle grade readers that won’t disappoint.” Pelayo noted that the clues in the book will make it easy for students to figure out the mystery, and she recommended it especially for fans of R. L. Stine. “Lighthearted spook with a heaping side of silliness” is how a writer in Kirkus Reviews described the book. They recommended it especially to “newly confident readers.”
The success of the “Junior Monster Scouts” series led to the related “Junior Monster Scouts Ready to Read” series, which is geared for a younger, early reader, audience. The third book in the series, Lost in the Library, features the junior monster scouts of Franky, Wolfy, and Vampyra (monster movie fans will recognize the variations on Frankenstein, the Wolfman, and Dracula). The trio are in the castle library looking for a book to read, but then Wolfy finds a secret passage that leads them to a strange room at the bottom of a staircase. There they meet a ghost-like girl named Bella who has lost her voice, and the trio need to help her.
“A monstrous good time for all,” wrote a contributor in Kirkus Reviews. They praised McGee’s story as “ideal for novice readers” and called Ethan Long’s monster illustrations as “anything but frightening.” In School Library Journal, Olivia Gorecke echoed the other reviewer, calling the book “monstrous fun” and the monsters as “friendly and nothing to fear.”
[CLOSE NEW]
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Children’s Bookwatch, October, 2017, review of Peanut Butter & Aliens.
Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2015, review of Peanut Butter & Brains; July 15, 2017, review of Peanut Butter & Aliens; June 1, 2019, review of The Monster Squad; September 1, 2019, review of Peanut Butter & Santa Claus; July 1, 2021, review of The Haunted Mustache; December 1, 2024, review of Lost in the Library.
Publishers Weekly, May 18, 2015, review of Peanut Butter & Brains, p. 84.
School Library Journal, July, 2021, Elizabeth Pelayo, review of The Haunted Mustache, pp. 63+; April, 2022, Kira Moody, review of The Not-So-Itsy-Bitsy Spider, pp. 137+; June, 2024, Amy Reimann, review of Hide-and-Seek Pup, pp. 73+; July, 2024, Maria Graybosch, review of Troll Trouble, p. 61; August, 2024, Olivia Gorecke, review of Lost in the Library, p. 85.
ONLINE
Joe McGee website, https://www.joemcgeeauthor.com/ (May 29, 2025).
KidLit411, https://www.kidlit411.com/ (August 7, 2015), J. M. Cooper, author interview.
Normal School website, https://www.thenormalschool.com/ (April 3, 2019), Rebecca Evans, author interview.
University of Nevada, Reno website, https://www.unr.edu/ (May 29, 2025), author bio.
A Little Bit About Me...
Joe McGee
I am a storyteller, always have been. I knew I wanted to be an author when I was 10-years-old and participated in a "Young Authors’ Day" workshop! I even wrote stories in my spiral-bound notebook and read them to my friends at recess. I love sharing my imagination and creativity with young readers!
Here are some fun facts about me:
I am also a cartoonist (although I do not, currently, do the art for my books)
I love playing board games and role-playing games, like Dungeons & Dragons. They have helped me become a better storyteller
My wife (Jess Rinker) is also a published children’s book author and together we have SIX children! We’re like the modern Brady Bunch!
I love dogs. We have an Australian shepherd named Pepper and acute little border collie mix named Odin. You can see lots of pictures of them on Instagram @Bluepepperpaws
I was a platoon leader in the Army and jumped out of airplanes. I lived in South Korea for almost two years. I’ve even driven a tank!
I once hiked an active volcano
When I was growing up, I was really, really into skateboarding
I love cheese and do NOT love mayonnaise
I am kind of (VERY) afraid of sharks
I moved a LOT before high school (like almost 14 times)!
I can fly small, fixed-wing aircraft
I have my MA in Writing (Rowan University) AND my MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults (Vermont College of Fine Arts)
I teach at Sierra Nevada University’s low-residency MFA program
One of my favorite books is The Hobbit
Sushi and Tacos are two of my favorite foods
My favorite color is black
My favorite number is 13
My AWESOME agent
I am represented by Jennifer Soloway at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency.
Soloway@andreabrownlit.com
My superstar event booking team
For event booking, please contact hownowbooking.com/
Joe McGee
USA flag
Joe McGee loves to write about monsters and magic and other strange, curious, and quirky things. He grew up with his nose in a book and his imagination exploring other worlds.
He knew when he was ten years old that one day he would grow up to be an author!
He has an MFA in writing for children and young adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts and an MFA in writing from Rowan University. Joe teaches at Sierra Nevada University’s low-residency MFA program and English at Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College. He is a former Army officer and lives in the mountains of West Virginia with his wife (also a children’s author), Jessica Rinker.
Genres: Children's Fiction
New and upcoming books
May 2025
thumb
Castle of Schemes and Dreams
(Junior Monster Scouts, book 10)
Series
Junior Monster Scouts
1. The Monster Squad (2019)
2. Crash! Bang! Boo! (2019)
3. It's Raining Bats and Frogs! (2020)
4. Monster of Disguise (2020)
5. Trash Heap of Terror (2022)
6. Curse of the Crummy Mummy! (2022)
7. Chiller Thriller! (2023)
8. The Rottenest Reunion (2024)
9. The Incredible Shrinking Grump (2024)
10. Castle of Schemes and Dreams (2025)
thumbthumbthumbthumb
thumbthumbthumbthumb
thumbthumb
Creature Campers
1. The Secret of Shadow Lake (2019)
2. Surprise Under the Stars (2020)
3. The Wall of Doom (2020)
thumbthumbthumb
Night Frights
1. The Haunted Mustache (2021)
2. The Lurking Lima Bean (2021)
3. The Not-So-Itsy-Bitsy Spider (2022)
4. The Squirrels Have Gone Nuts (2022)
thumbthumbthumbthumb
Picture Books hide
Peanut Butter & Brains (2015)
Peanut Butter & Aliens (2017)
Peanut Butter & Santa Claus (2019)
Joe McGee
Visiting Faculty
Website: Joe McGee's website
Summary
Joe is the author of several chapter books series, to include Night Frights, Junior Monster Scouts, and Creature Campers, as well as the Peanut Butter & Brains picture book series.
The School Library Journal gave The Haunted Mustache (book 1 in the Night Frights series) a starred review, calling it “a hair-raising paranormal mystery for middle grade readers that won’t disappoint. A must-have title for elementary or middle schools where supernatural and scary books circulate well.” Kirkus called it “a lighthearted spook with a heaping side of silliness- and hair.”
In addition to the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe, he is an associate professor of English at Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College.
Education
MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults, Vermont College of Fine Arts
M.A. in Writing, Rowan University
Author Spotlight: Joe McGee
© J.M. Cooper
August 7, 2015
Today we are pleased to feature author JOE McGEE and his debut picture book, PEANUT BUTTER AND BRAINS.
Be sure to enter the giveaway for a free copy of his book at the end of this interview!
Welcome, Joe!
©2015 Words by Joe McGee ©2015 Pictures by Charles Santoso
Tell us about your background and how you became a writer.
This is kind of a long story, but I’ll try and condense it as much as possible. So, I grew up as a voracious reader and with a natural affinity for storytelling. I was the kid reading the tabloids aloud as my mother held me on her hip in the grocery checkout line.
In 4th grade (and this is when I really feel it started) I was one of a few kids from the entire school to be selected to attend a regional “Young Authors’ Day.” A few children from each school were sent to a day-long series of creative writing workshops. I wrote superhero stories, puppet plays, short stories and mythological retellings. This triggered something in me and I knew that I wanted to grow up to tell stories and be a published author. By 6th grade, I was writing short stories in spiral-bound notebooks and holding readings at recess. Kids would gather in this brick alcove to hear me read my work aloud.
I kept writing, studying the craft, gathering some small press publications under my belt and winning some awards that really gave me the confidence to keep pushing forward. Life came along and took me on a detour: I went into the Army as a platoon leader; jumped out of planes, lived in Korea, played soldier. I fell into a decade of electrical construction. But I never lost the desire, the dream, and one day I woke up and realized that I had strayed too far from who I was and what I wanted.
I went back to school for my Master of Arts in Writing at Rowan University, where I graduated with the Outstanding Master of Arts in Writing Award, awards for my fiction and poetry and, more importantly, a realization that I had a voice, a knack, and a love for writing for children. I took several classes with Lisa Jahn-Clough, a children’s author with a ton of publications (picture book through YA) under her belt who really opened the door for me. She helped me realize my potential for the world of writing for children. Following her guidance, I applied to the Vermont College of Fine Arts’ Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults program. I was accepted into the program and was honored to receive a merit scholarship for my work.
Wanting to be a well-rounded writer, able to run the gamut of the children’s writing world, I took a picture book intensive semester right off the bat. Based off of the work I did in that semester, and immersing myself in the field and world of publishing (i.e. seizing intern/reader positions, reading agent blogs, and connecting/being active), I secured my agent, Linda Epstein of the Jennifer DeChiara literary agency. We were able to sell the book rather quickly and here I am.
©2015 Charles Santoso
Could you tell us a little bit about PEANUT BUTTER AND BRAINS?
Peanut Butter & Brains is about celebrating your identity and not being afraid to be yourself, to separate from the crowd, to go against the grain…in other words, to stop feeling forced to comply, to be a sheep. It’s about being true to yourself.
In the book, Reginald, a zombie, does not want to eat brains like all the other zombies. No, he wants a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He is not content to just shuffle along with the rest of the horde. He is not afraid to stand out (because, let’s face it, that’s difficult for children). I want kids to understand that it’s ok to be different than everyone else. They don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. This is a great time for diversity and celebrating individuality and that is exactly what this book is about: celebrating individuality.
How did you get the inspiration for this book?
My middle son, Logan, was going through a tough time where he was apparently not wearing the sneakers that all the "cool kids" were wearing (which were, incidentally, Lebron James sneakers) and so he was being teased and given a hard time by some of the kids in the neighborhood. It really bothered him and so, it bothered me. Up until this time, he had never seemed to care about doing what everyone else was doing and I have pretty much NEVER cared about doing what everyone else was doing, and so it really struck a chord.
Since we both love zombies, I started thinking about zombies, and about people who just shuffle along with what everyone else is doing, not thinking for themselves, and I was hungry for peanut butter (because I seriously crave peanut butter) and .... BAM! Story idea. WHAT IF (favorite words EVER) there was a zombie who did NOT want to eat brains like the rest of the crowd...but wanted peanut butter and jelly instead? And there you have it, story inspiration.
What is your typical process for writing?
My process? I’m not even sure I have a process. But, with picture books especially, I think visually. What this means is that I get an idea for a book, and I kind of see it big picture…literally, in pictures. Then, I draw out a map of the book in little squares that represent the pages. I do this on a big piece of newsprint paper, this way I can see where the page turns are, and the spreads, and where I am with pacing. Then, I begin to write the book. I will literally put “Page 1-3: Front Matter” and then “Page 4: [whatever is going on here, or dialogue or whatever].” When I write the manuscript for submission, both for my agent AND for editors, this is what I do, because this is how I envision it. Yes, I am very careful to not take the illustrator’s job. I rarely put illustrator’s notes, but I am pretty good at hitting the pacing and flow of the story this way.
I try to make sure that my words are illustratively evocative. That’s a term that should be coined, I think: “Illustratively evocative.” I want to conjure images in the illustrator’s mind and have them salivating to hit the pages with the ideas they have. I’m an amateur cartoonist and an illustrative dabbler, so I understand the connect between spark and art.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Advice? Well, I will say this: Do not be afraid to take risks, to take a chance. What’s the worst that can happen? You’ll fail? You’ll get rejected? That’s more than you’ll get than if you do nothing. You learn from your failures, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try again. Fear of failure stops most people from trying.
Also, this: Don’t be afraid to add another ball to the mix. Already juggling four? Yeah, you’re comfortable. The fifth is scary, what if you drop them? Don’t know until you try. I was going through VCFA grad school, teaching university classes, father to three boys, writing, blogging for Project Mayhem and an opportunity came along to intern for JDLit as a reader. I said “yes.” That led me to finding the opportunity with Linda and having the connection to get an inside track on having my work read. Had I said, “no, I have too much going on,” I might still be unagented and/or unpublished.
Now, this being said, my last piece of advice is learn when to say “No.” This is a “no” to anything that is not writing related. Stop watching TV, don’t feel obligated to attend every social/family event, hang up the video game controller, give up sports, etc, etc…time is finite. What are your priorities?
People can keep up with what is going on, events, news, etc, on my website www.joemcgeeauthor.com
What is something that people don't know about you?
One thing people don’t know about me….I’ll give you two:
a. When my mother was pregnant with me, she was bitten by a spider monkey. That makes me part spider monkey. Ok, I don’t know if that last part is true, but the first part is. My parents had a pet monkey. Why? I don’t know, it was the 70s. The monkey was jealous of my mom and so when my dad went to work (he was in the Air Force at the time), the monkey would chase and attack my mom. It bit her and now, I am super human-monkey boy. Seriously, I can climb very well.
b. I cannot blow bubbles. This is primarily why I do NOT chew gum, that and I find it an incredible waste of jaw power and physical energy usage. I do not, however, hold this against the majority of the population who choose to chew gum and no doubt have much stronger jaw muscles than I do.
Thanks, Joe!
Joe McGee is the author of PEANUT BUTTER & BRAINS (Abrams). He is a graduate of the Rowan University Master of Arts in Writing program, where he received the Medallion Award Scholarship for excellence as the outstanding graduate writer, and The Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program, with an additional VCFA certification in picture book writing.
Joe’s fiction and poetry have won many awards, to include 2nd place in the Writer’s Digest national short story contest, two VCFA merit scholarships, a VCFA scholarship award for short fiction, 1st place honors in the Rowan University Denise Gess Literary Awards for his poetry collection “Have You Seen Me?,” 1st place honors for his poetry at the Philadelphia Writers’ Conference, 1st place honors for writing for children and young adults at the Philadelphia Writers’ Conference, and 3rd place honors in the Writers’ Journal ghost story contest.
Joe is a former airborne Army platoon leader, the father of three boys, and a writing professor at Rowan University with six years collegiate teaching experience. Joe is represented by Linda Epstein of the Jennifer DeChiara Literary agency. He is currently revising a middle-grade novel and has another picture book under consideration.
2019
Children’s Literature
Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 978-15344436794
A Normal School Interview with Joe McGee and Jess Rinker
April 3, 2019
GloriaTakesAStand.jpg
2019
Children’s Literature
Bloomsbury Children’s Books
ISBN: 978-16811967663
By Rebecca Evans
Gloria Steinem and Aliens. Brenda Berkman and Peanut Butter. These are unlikely pairings, until you meet Jess Rinker and Joe McGee, a power-author couple who, despite their different approaches to craft and writing life, have found a way to thrive together, creating art that matters for our next generation.
Jess pursues contemporary trailblazing women, like Steinem and Berkman, for her picture book biographies. Joe captures a monster-approach through aliens, zombies, werewolves, and vampires for his picture books and his Junior Monster Scouts chapter book series.
Their passions, born from differing life experiences, have spilled over into support for one another. Last summer, I had the opportunity to attend their wedding, which included traditional Celtic-Nordic handfasting. The two of them wound an intricate rope, hand-made by Jess, signifying their bond. Interestingly, the term “tying the knot” sprouted from this tradition. More recently, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing them, both with new books launching onto the children’s literature scene.
Their own weave, navigating art and life, is as intricate and beautiful as the symbolic bond that holds them.
Rebecca Evans: In the world of writing, rarely do two writers find success at love, so my first question is one of general curiosity; How did the two of you meet and were you initially concerned about becoming a couple, as creative artists?
Jess Rinker: Unironically, we met in our MFA program and once we decided to pursue a relationship, I told him straight out that two writers could never live together.
Joe McGee: She really did.
Jess: I knew how crazy I was, how much space I required to create and think, and how every day varied for me. I couldn’t fathom how two people could make my standards for art and creativity achievable.
Joe: It sounds daunting when she says it like that.
Jess: Truth is, I fell in love with Joe and, as we got closer, I knew there was no way in hell I wouldn’t give it a try. It became apparent that the amazing part of two writers living together outweighed my personal crazy.
Joe: A mentor of mine had told me that it is difficult for two writers to live together and that it most often does not work. But I’m an optimist. I decided, yes. Yes it can. Yes it will.
And it does. We experienced a learning curve, especially early in our relationship, before marriage. But we’ve learned how to share a healthy, productive, artistic life that is abundant with love and laughter and truly living.
Jess: We have. We share our trade, our struggles, and our victories in a way that only two authors can. Non-writers wouldn’t grasp this. They couldn’t comprehend how staring at a blank page is considered productive.
Joe: (laugh)
Jess: Or that reading a book is also studying, developing, creating. They wouldn’t perceive how bad the crush of a rejection feels or the incredulous high of a sale. Joe and I have shared it all. We’ve had some bumps in the road as a couple, but we’re at a place now that’s pretty easy-going.
Joe: We appreciate each other more all the time. We started off as instant friends with a rare and genuine and deep connection. We got to know each other on a level that was not influenced by romantic pursuits or any attempt to woo one another (but what we didn’t realize was that all the while we were falling deeply, deeply in love).
RE: How different are your writing processes? What works for each of you? What does not?
Jess: Night and day. I like to get out of bed, stay in PJs and a robe and move straight from dream-land into writing-land.
Joe: Man, I don’t even know if I have a process. I am a slow starter.
Jess: I prefer to sit on the couch. Coffee must be present and ever-flowing, as should silence. It’s best if I see no one and hear no one and interact with nothing but words for a couple hours. This is clearly impossible. I’ve had to modify and now, I focus on keeping my ass in the chair, toiling away. It also depends on the stage of the project. If I’m drafting a novel, I really need early morning quiet alone time. If I’m revising or doing edits, I’m much more flexible.
Joe: I like to fiddle with my planner, check emails, scroll through the news or social media, before I start. Once I begin, I’m pretty fluid. I can write anywhere, any time. I can write with a fox, I can write in a box. I can write on a train, I can write in the rain. I prefer to write at the desk we have in the upstairs office. I often sit there and write while Jess plugs away downstairs, on the couch.
I do have a constant flow of words in my head as I sort out story or ideas. I also keep a notebook in my pocket all the time. I drive in silence, affording myself quiet space to think about writing without distraction.
I also use an iPad with a separate keyboard to write, whereas Jess uses a laptop (but we’re both Mac people). Honestly, I could write in the middle of a mosh pit during a Metallica concert while sitting on a carousel (which would be a weird thing in the middle of any concert). I can write in the morning, afternoon, or night. I write whenever I need to, or have to, or can, mainly because of deadlines. Stories wait for no one.
RE: How do you support each other through the creative process? How do you bug each other?
Jess: I’ll admit, I’m very easily bugged.
Joe: She’s also very self-aware.
Jess: I’ve spent a lifetime alone and, now, living and working so closely with another adult is a change for me. I married young the first time. I was only 22 when I had children, so when I reference alone, I don’t mean without other people, but that I’ve maintained a lone-wolf existence; highly independent, fairly unsocial, and rarely seeking input. When I became serious about writing, I didn’t tell anyone. It was MY thing, something sacred and not to be shared. Over the last several years, this has shifted drastically, but my desire for silence still often supersedes my desire for closeness. Joe knows this. He understands this and disappears into the office when I’m cranky--which is one of the many ways he supports me. We’ve learned to trust this vulnerability and to allow a graceful generosity with each other. This goes a long way, for all couples, not just those who are writers. If you can master where a person is coming from and why they do the things they do, you’ll get a grasp of the things that make them tick. Or explode. These are attributes couples should figure out and develop patience with, much like creating a character.
Joe: The parallels to writing and life are endless.
Jess: One of my mentors once told me if I couldn’t access my own emotions, I’d struggle accessing my character’s. Best piece of writing advice and therapy I think I’ve ever had. It’s a solid approach for couples as well.
Joe: A big step towards support of one another is to understand each other. Writers realize the struggle, we speak the same language. Plus, Jess and I write very different content and topics, which avoids any level of “competition” between us. We both know the kid-lit world and can offer fresh perspective.
When two people recognize the pain of rejection, the crunch of deadlines, the need to get something down on paper or screen before it mentally evaporates, the opportunity for deeper connection is cultivated. We get it when dinner consists of pickles and cheese at 7:30. Or when one of us needs to retreat. We celebrate each other, inspire and challenge one another, and push each other, bringing out the best in each of us.
One other great thing is this beautiful tendency for accountability between us because we both want to see the other soar. We carry tremendous respect for one another.
RE: Both of you have a culture idea in mind – Jess with badass women trailblazers and Joe with monster-human identity theme – can you each speak to your universal hopes for your art?
Jess: When I first started, I didn’t have a specific intention in mind. Now, ten years later, my writing contains a clear point of being for girls. I do hope my books are read by boys, by everyone. But my stories focus on a young girl finding her way, finding her path. I hope that my readers will learn about my characters, these women who stood up for themselves, who listened to an inner voice. Honestly, these stories inspire and encourage, and I want to evoke that sense of hope.
I grew up in a violent home with an alcoholic family. I raised myself. Which has contributed to my desired quiet-approach to life. My stories are about people who “made it out.” It was these types of survivalist stories that had helped me through my own darkness – though I wasn’t aware of it as a kid. Those books offered a lens – a lens of hope. Island of the Blue Dolphin, Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, My Side of the Mountain. They all held major situations and obstacles to overcome. Sad stories that turned hopeful.
Joe: I grew up with monsters and magic. Initially, Peanut Butter and Brains, was inspired by a situation when my son, Logan, was nine or ten and enduring bullying at school about wearing “non-cool” shoes. Regardless of the peer pressure, Logan wanted to keep the shoes he had and faced the ridicule. Not only was I proud of him, but I thought it was a great message to share: Be comfortable being YOU. Zombies are a great metaphor for people who don’t think for themselves. Peanut Butter and Brains grew into a book about identity, thinking for yourself, standing up for yourself. I didn’t intend to create teachable messages for kids (or adults). My first intention as a writer is to entertain. I want to excite and feed the imagination of young readers. I want to encourage them to write their own stories, invent their own games, explore their creativity. Kids are fascinated with monsters. I, personally, love monsters. Monsters are a great vehicle for me to tell a fun story with fantastical creatures. In a way, we are all monsters. No one is perfect.
Through my stories, I can feed children’s creativity and help them redefine labels. An alien is not a culture, or color, or gender. This type of “being” is universal. In my Junior Monster Scout series, the monsters are friendly, harmless, kind, and funny. Which demonstrates that identity tags, such as “monster,” is not so monstrous. In the end, the monsters teach kids something, like in Scouts, they are awarded badges for kindness, teamwork, etc.
The side effect leaves kids with lessons, covertly woven into the narrative. The last thing I want to do is be didactic, but it is important to allow our stories to help children navigate the world and themselves.
RE: How do each of you relate to your own topics?
Jess: My intention in my writing has become more of my mission to instill hope. It is now personal. Three years ago, with Gloria Takes a Stand, it was only an idea. Now, I’m seeking specific subjects for stories like this. I’m also writing fiction about girls figuring out their world or going on adventures of their own.
In some ways, I have risen out of a mess. If I’m honest, I’ve pulled myself up more than once. This is why these stories are relatable to me personally and passing that same inspiration along, especially during school visits, affords me an opportunity. This subject matter opens doors for communication, helps kids not feel alone and isolated in their struggles. It is a much bigger responsibility than I imagined. It is overwhelming and incredible at once.
Joe: I’m fascinated with monsters and the supernatural. I always have been. I write for the younger me, the stories and books that I would’ve wanted to read as a kid. In fourth grade, I was chosen to attend a Young Author’s day. It was a one-day series of workshops for budding creative writers. I wrote mythology, folktales and super hero stories. In sixth grade, I wrote short stories and read them to classmates at recess. I remember one story in particular, about a WWII pilot who was shot down and crashes on a remote island…filled with zombies. Weirdness has always inspired me.
(Pause)
I should add that I don’t live in this world. At least not completely. I always have one foot in the fantastical realms.
Jess: I’m submerged in reality.
Joe: ...and I’m not.
RE: Can you talk about your writing process?
Joe: it depends on what I’m working on. I’m a visual writer, so I use an iPad. I open a story-board style program and plot out my efforts on the screen. This helps me with pacing and a three-to-four act story structure. I use my Apple Pen and draw notes and doodles and scene cards. I consider this my story foundation, and I write from that. I’ll often write in a linear fashion, but I’m good if I skip ahead. I know I’ll return.
A visual approach is definitely my writing method, which is why picture books are easy for me. I gain a sense of the story through imagery. I see the entire draft in my head in pictures, much like a movie. If I can see it happening, I can write it. This is true even for chapter books and novels.
Once I feel I’ve mapped out my journey, I turn off my inner editor and finish the story. I’ll return later, clean it up, tighten it, edit.
Jess: I’m totally not that.
(Laughter).
Jess: Describing a picture book biography is challenging, so I’ll talk about my process for fiction. I don’t lay out structure immediately. I begin with character. The character comes to me through a voice, a problem, a paragraph. I develop the character from that spark and once I’ve captured the character, I can sort through her story.
My process is a messy process. I look for the character’s problem. I seek out what she wants and then what prevents her from getting what she wants. I question my character and look for illuminated places in her design. I feel much like a paleontologist, dusting dirt from dinosaur bones.
Once I figure out the character, I can move onto story structure, the inciting incident, the arc, etc.
RE: Both of you teach writing, Jess at Sierra Nevada College’s MFA program and Highlights Foundation, and Joe, at Rowan University and, also at Sierra Nevada College’s MFA program. How do you balance your creative process with academic instruction?
Joe: Short answer: I just do. My approach is much like shifting gears in a car. When I move from teaching to writing or from creating to revision or from a picture book to a chapter book, I simply change gears. I don’t feel a strong “shift,” because I’m still driving, doing what I need to do. I just keep my foot on the gas and “go.”
I tend to stay project-oriented, task-driven, and deadline focused. I use a planner, but it has art, sketches, and color-coded doodles that mean something to me.
An important part of my writing process is that I continuously write, always engaging with my art. I drive in silence and shape story in my mind as I navigate traffic.
Jess and I don’t watch a lot of TV, maybe a movie occasionally, or a show with dinner. But we don’t even have cable. I quit watching pro sports years ago because it was a huge waste of time. Time is a valuable commodity, and with more work, more deadlines, it’s hard enough to carve out time in the day.
Jess: Up until now, I had to balance my job with writing, but now I write full time. I’m more creative in the morning, always have. I know when packets from my students are due. I’ve organized my writing enough that I always have one novel “ready” to send out. Unlike Joe, I’m not a daily task planner. I’m more of a big picture planner. For example, when one novel is in the editing phase, I hand my next novel over to the editor, and my third novel rises from the conception stage into shaping the story. I always have an idea of where projects are at, but I don’t keep a detailed plan.
RE: For someone interested in writing for children or teens, what book would you recommend they study and why? What are your thoughts on cross-genre writing – and studying other forms/genres?
Jess: For anyone writing anything – study other authors that you admire. I’d highly recommend everyone read, Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose
Joe: I’m not big on craft books, but three books that prove universal to all writers, regardless of genre or style are Wonderbook by Jeff Vandermeer, Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury, and On Writing by Stephen King. These three, especially Bradbury and King, help writers take themselves and their work seriously. Wonderbook is not only full of essays from writers about writing, but also offers a fantastic lens to look at craft, fiction especially. It is an amazing, quirky, visual book full of inspiration for all levels of writers.
Jess: There are numerous rules attached to younger reads like picture books. For example, word count and page count based on the age of the reader is critical. Middle grade and Young Adult carries more freedom. What mostly separates YA from adult fiction is the voice and age of the protagonist, capturing tone appropriate to the character.
Joe: Every writer should study as widely as possible. At SNC, we live in residency with multiple genres. All writers use poetic language, description, characterization, dialogue, etc. A non-fiction and fiction writer develop setting and scene details similarly. All writers employ the same tools, just in unique ways. It’s important to learn everything. A writer might decide two years after graduation that he or she want to write fiction or a memoir or poetry. Writers require wide skillsets and, to effectively achieve that, we need to study in all forms.
Jess: I’m writing nonfiction picture books, and fiction chapter books and middle grade novels.
Joe: I started off writing adult fiction. I’m sure I’ll write an adult novel. I may do a memoir eventually. I’m a writer. I write.
Jess: I’ve been writing a memoir my whole life.
Joe: If you’re a writer, learn to write. Learn to write everything. You never know what opportunity may come your way.
RE: Can you each talk about who has influenced your writing the most?
Joe: I’m going to go first.
Jess: No you’re not.
Jess: Okay, kidding.
Joe: Dungeons and Dragons and role-playing games have influenced me since I was ten years old. They offer incredible use of the imagination alongside collaborative storytelling. They encourage world-building and character development. Any time you play games like these, you create entire stories with the people you play with. This type of “play” keeps the creative gears of my imagination well-tuned.
Comic books, Roald Dahl, and Stephen King are at the top of my list of influences as well. When I was about 12, I met George Romero, the godfather of zombie cinema. I was best friends with his son, Cam, and when George came back to the east coast to visit him, he took us both to dinner and to see The Empire Strikes back. He gave me the graphic novel of Creepshow and props from the set, plus the screenplay and cast notes, pictures, etc. I was enthralled. That moment had a tremendous impact on me.
Jess: My childhood influences are different than my adult influences. As a kid, I grew up on a farm in the middle of the woods with a dysfunctional home-life. I relied on my own imagination, reading, writing, and singing. Despite my family’s brokenness, they were big on reading and music.
Once I decided to become an author, my influencers shifted to other writers, including movies and shows. Music is also a major source of creativity for me. In fact, music moves me even more than books. I’m not sure I could ever give up music.
After our house fire in August 2018, my books were destroyed, but I still had music. It felt like music pulled me through that.
My first few years of writing, I was creative ADD. Now I’ve learned to channel my energy into one thread. I’ve found my niche.
RE: What has been surprising in your writing so far?
Jess: I never thought I’d write picture books, especially nonfiction picture books. I set out to write novels. I’ll back up Joe’s philosophy, learn it all because you never know where you might land.
Joe: I agree. My biggest surprise was that my first few books were picture books. In 2010 to 2012, when I went for my MA (before my MFA), I entered into the program writing adult horror and sci-fi, much like Koontz or King. Discovering my strongest voice in children’s books surprised me.
I never set out to only write about monsters, but it felt a natural fit for me. Today, all of my books have monsters, which is both surprising and makes sense. I love sci-fi, fantasy, and horror.
RE: Advice for literary artists?
Joe: Carry a notebook everywhere. Pay attention to the world, ask questions, and take great notes. Or doodles/sketches. Be artistic in what you do, whatever that means to you.
Jess: Don’t get a puppy.
(Laughter)
Jess: No. We love our new baby. Often the advice is to write every day, which is wonderful if you need the self-discipline and have the schedule to back it. But reality forces us into lives with obligations. Think of what is possible. What you need to do to keep going. Finish projects. Find an agent. Find an editor. If you want to get published, finish your book and put it into the world. For me, I had a book that didn’t sell. Great. I wrote the next novel. Be persistent.
Joe: Let me add to that persistence. Expect that writing will be difficult. There will be rejections. Writers get rejected. Editors get rejected. Agents get rejected. Let the rejections fuel you to strive harder for the next thing. Writing makes us vulnerable. We put ourselves out there. Allow this vulnerability to fuel your desire.
Jess: I’ve not always been great at this. I’ve asked, “was this a waste a time?” Get a grip. Rejection makes you a better writer for your next project.
Joe: unfortunately, there’s a tendency with many writers to feel like they are competing with one another. Instead of supporting each other, there resides unkindness. During the opening of a writing conference, best-selling author, Jonathan Maberry, reminded everyone that a rising tide helps all ships. We are not competing. If there is an abundance of good books, the industry will hire more editors. The stores will build more shelves. If you write a solid book, it will find its way into the world. We should celebrate each other. Lift each other up. More books equals more readers who want the next book. That book could be yours.
There is so much more to living life as an author, to being a professional writer. Anyone can sit down and write something. A professional offers more than just their words on the page. We are writing, giving something of ourselves to the world. So be available. Share yourself with your readers, with other writers trying to learn the craft. You should lift up the art. Lift up other writers. It is selfish to stay in your clique.
Artists go to the gallery and share their vision with their audience and other artists. Writers should too. As writers, we have much more to do. Our passion, our knowledge, our support of each other. If you want someone to celebrate and share your words, you need to do the same. Be a champion of the craft. Respect each other and the work we do.
JessRinker.jpg
Jess Rinker's debut picture book, Gloria Takes a Stand, a biography of Gloria Steinem, is available now. Her second picture book biography, Send a Girl: The Brenda Berkman Story is forthcoming in 2021. Both are being published by Bloomsbury. Jessica’s middle grade novel debut duology, The Dare Sisters, will be published in Fall 2020 and 2021 by Imprint/Macmillan. Jess has a BA in Social Welfare and received her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She has won many awards for her work including short story, creative nonfiction, and most recently an honorable mention for the Katherine Paterson Prize from Hunger Mountain for her middle grade manuscript, The Young Traveler’s Club.
Joe.jpg
Joe is the author of the picture books Peanut Butter & Brains, Peanut Butter & Aliens, and the forthcoming Peanut Butter & Santa Claus (Abrams, Fall 2019) as well as the Junior Monster Scouts chapter book series, starting with book #1, The Monster Squad (Aladdin, September 2019). He is a former airborne Army officer and an amateur cartoonist. Joe teaches creative writing at Rowan University, in New Jersey, and at Sierra Nevada College’s low-residency MFA program, in Nevada. He is allergic to mayonnaise and sharks.
RebeccaEvans.jpg
Rebecca Evans served eight years in the United States Air Force and is a decorated Gulf War veteran. She’s hosted and co-produced Our Voice and Idaho Living television shows, advocating personal stories, and now mentors teens in the juvenile system. She held the title of Mrs. Idaho International and earned a B.A. in Creative Writing from Boise State University, minoring in Psychology, and was honored with the BSU “Women Making History in Idaho.” Winner of the 2018 Cunningham short fiction story award, she was also a finalist for december Magazine’s 2018 Curt Johnson Prose Award and has made the short list as semi-finalist for American Short Fiction’s Short Story Contest. Her work has appeared in Tiferet Journal, Fiction Southeast, Gravel Literary Magazine, Scribes Valley Publishing’s Take a Mind Trip (Anthology), Willow Down Books’ Our World, Your Place (Anthology), and is forthcoming in The Rumpus, War, Literature & the Arts, among others. She’s currently pursuing an MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing at Sierra Nevada College and serves on the editorial staff of the Sierra Nevada Review. She lives in Idaho with her three sons.
Peanut Butter & Brains: A Zombie Culinary Tale
Joe McGee, illus. by Charles Santoso. Abrams, $16.95 (32p) ISBN 978-1-4197-1247-0
The Walking Dead they ain't--why, they're barely decayed--but the blue-skinned zombies in this tipped-from-cable spoof are still intent on eating brains. Except, that is, for one zombie kid named Reginald, who craves peanut butter and jelly. Getting what he wants isn't easy: when Reginald's quest takes him to the school cafeteria, a lunch lady "slapped a hunk of meat loaf on his tray instead. It looked an awful lot like brains." But the discovery that some things are even "better than brains" leads to a happily-ever-after ending for the living and the undead alike. Santoso's (7 Don't Like Koala) ink-and-watercolor drawings sometimes lack a strong compositional punch, but they strike a successful silly-scary balance; in his best visual gag, Santoso uses speech bubbles filled with images of brains to convey the zombies' single-minded focus. Striking a reportorial tone, newcomer McGee gets substantial comic mileage out of repeating the word "brains"--or "brainsssss," as it's evocatively spelled at several points. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Linda Epstein, Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency. Illustrator's agent: Justin Rucker, Shannon Associates, (Aug.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Peanut Butter & Brains: A Zombie Culinary Tale." Publishers Weekly, vol. 262, no. 20, 18 May 2015, p. 84. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A415324454/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2753aaa7. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
McGee, Joe PEANUT BUTTER & BRAINS Abrams (Children's Picture Books) $16.95 8, 11 ISBN: 978-1-4197-1247-0
Everyone knows zombies love to eat brains. What happens when one has a taste for something else, instead? "Reginald was not like the other zombies," preferring peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches to brains. Reginald tries the corner cafe, but no zombies are allowed there. He goes to the school cafeteria only to be served "a hunk of meat loaf" that "looked an awful lot like brains." Oscar's Grocery has the ingredients he needs, but all he has in his pockets are worms. When all hope seems lost, he spots a girl with a telltale jelly stain seeping through her paper bag. As Reginald shambles toward her, the rest of the zombies follow. They want brains, Reginald wants the sandwich, and the townspeople want them all to go away. In a bold move, Reginald seizes the bag--then throws the sandwich "into the crowd of drooling zombies." As he suspected, the zombies love the peanut butter and jelly, much more than brains. With their bodies no longer in danger, the townspeople decide to welcome the zombies and keep them supplied with their new favorite food. Santoso milks the faux horror for all it is worth with his child-friendly illustrations in pen and ink and watercolor--imagine heads thrown back in terrified screams. Readers will chuckle as Reginald is grossed out in the cafeteria and cheer once all the creatures in Quirkville figure out a way to get along. Run, don't shamble, to get this original zombie tale. (Picture book. 4-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"McGee, Joe: PEANUT BUTTER & BRAINS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Aug. 2015. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A423540537/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d3a77a1f. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Peanut Butter & Aliens
Joe McGee, author
Charles Santoso, illustrator
Abrams
c/o Henry R. Abrams
115 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011
www.abramsyoungreaders.com
9781419725302, $16.95, HC, 32pp, www.amazon.com
All is peaceful between the zombies and the humans of Quirkville until an unexpected alien invasion causes widespread panic and chaos! As the aliens run rampant, demanding something mysterious in their alien language and coating the town in cosmic grape jelly when they're not understood, the mayor declares a state of emergency. Once again, Reginald the zombie comes to the rescue, bravely suggesting that the seemingly evil aliens try pairing their jelly with some of his favorite peanut butter. Despite their differences, the residents of Quirkville, the zombies, and the aliens work together to create the greatest sandwich in the universe! Full of lots of humor and heart, "Peanut Butter & Aliens" is entertaining sequel to author Joe McGee and illustrator Charles Santoso's "Peanut Butter & Brains" will satisfy young readers ages 3 to 7 who are craving more of their Zombie picture book stories. While highly recommended, especially for family, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections, it should be noted that "Peanut Butter & Aliens" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Please Note: Illustration(s) are not available due to copyright restrictions.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Peanut Butter & Aliens." Children's Bookwatch, Oct. 2017. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A513852888/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=6a6d0af2. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
McGee, Joe PEANUT BUTTER & ALIENS Abrams (Children's Fiction) $16.95 8, 29 ISBN: 978-1-4197-2530-2
The follow-up to Peanut Butter & Brains (2015) adds an interstellar element but shows that sandwich snacks can be universal. In the town of Quirkville, living people and the undead enjoy a peaceful cohabitation. But when one-eyed green aliens demanding, "SPLOINK!?" arrive and begin shooting up the town with "cosmic grape jelly," heroes Abigail Zink and zombie Reginald save the day with the only complementary sandwich spread (hint: it's in the title) that will please them. As with the first book, Abigail and Reginald make a winning team, and the zombies are illustrated as cute, if a little stitched-up and gray-blue in skin tone. (Abigail is white, but the other living inhabitants of Quirkville show pleasing diversity.) But what was fizzy and fun in the first book may seem like a loose mishmash (zombies and aliens and food culture) to readers new to the concept. And the aliens themselves lack the charm of the zombies; they're tentacled and Popsicle-shaped with sprouting antennae and potato-shaped blasters, a not-particularly-original imagining. If the aliens seem gimmicky, especially for a story set in Quirkville, the story at least has a feel-good ending free of peanut allergies, which apparently aren't a thing in outer space. Readers of the first book will be pleased with the continuing adventures of Abigail and Reginald, but others may want to pick that volume first or bypass this alien sighting entirely. (Picture book. 3-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"McGee, Joe: PEANUT BUTTER & ALIENS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2017. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A498345157/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=6207feb8. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
McGee, Joe THE MONSTER SQUAD Aladdin (Children's Fiction) $16.99 9, 3 ISBN: 978-1-5344-3677-0
Junior Monster Scouts to the rescue!
Monster pals Franky Stein, Vampyra, and Wolfy are out practicing howling--well, Wolfy is practicing for his merit badge as the others coach him--when they hear someone crying. It's Peter the piper, a human child who has lost his kitten, Shadow. After the monsters convince Peter that they are nice, helpful monsters and not scary ones, the four head into the Gloomy Woods and work together to find and rescue Shadow. Meanwhile, the mean, rotten Baron Von Grump and his crow, Edgar, have hatched a plan to clear the nearby village of noisy, happy, gum-chewing villagers and put a stop to their cheese festival. (It involves rats.) Can the Junior Monster Scouts and their new friend foil Baron Von Grump's dastardly plan and convince all the villagers that the calumny that monsters are bad and scary is just propaganda? With this title, McGee kicks off a new series of monster-positive early chapter books, releasing it simultaneously with Book 2, Crash! Bang! Boo! both amiably illustrated by Long with his signature cartoons in black and white. Repetitive language and short chapters married with a positive can-do attitude make this a good choice for little monsters just jumping the gap from easy readers to chapters. Excerpts from the Junior Monster Scout manual and an extensive author's acknowledgments appear at the close. Characters (other than monsters) appear white.
Readers who like to cuddle up to their monsters will respond to this one. (Fantasy. 7-10)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"McGee, Joe: THE MONSTER SQUAD." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A587054340/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b053a8b4. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
McGee, Joe PEANUT BUTTER & SANTA CLAUS Abrams (Children's Fiction) $16.99 10, 15 ISBN: 978-1-4197-3634-6
The third picture-book collaboration by McGee and Santoso (Peanut Butter & Aliens, 2017, etc.) takes a stab at holiday festivities.
Reginald the zombie, Zarfon the alien, and Abigail Zink, "the smartest girl in Quirkville," are "eager and excited for Santa's visit." But then a terrible storm prompts the mayor to announce that "CHRISTMAS IS CANCELED." The trio of friends is determined to "help Santa out of that storm." They head out in Zarfon's spaceship, loaded with (what else?) peanut butter. When they see the North Pole they quickly discover that the storm isn't blowing snow all around but rather marshmallow. Santa explains that "the marshmallow cream factory has gone bonkers!" and Zarfon has the bright idea to stuff the factory's chimneys with peanut butter. This stops the storm for a bit, but then there's a marshmallow-and-peanut-butter explosion. The combination is nothing short of delicious, so they make sandwiches and then Santa hitches his reindeer to the spaceship (because its engines were clogged), and they sail off to deliver the goodies for Christmas. While fans of prior books may enjoy this one's familiarity, the story is…a bit of a mess, and the art mostly replicates the action of the text without doing much to help things stick together.
Hold the peanut butter and stick to milk and cookies for Santa. (Picture book. 4-6)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"McGee, Joe: PEANUT BUTTER & SANTA CLAUS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Sept. 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A597739268/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4f2e85fb. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
McGee, Joe THE HAUNTED MUSTACHE Aladdin (Children's None) $17.99 8, 31 ISBN: 978-1-5344-8089-6
Fifth graders get into a hairy situation.
After an unnamed narrator’s full-page warning, readers dive right into a Wolver Hollow classroom. Mr. Noffler recounts the town legend about how, every Oct. 19, residents don fake mustaches and lock their doors. As the story goes, the late Bockius Beauregard was vaporized in an “unfortunate black powder incident,” but, somehow, his “magnificent mustache” survived to haunt the town. Once a year, the spectral ’stache searches for an exposed upper lip to rest upon. Is it real or superstition? Students Parker and Lucas—sole members of the Midnight Owl Detective Agency—decide to take the case and solve the mustache mystery. When they find that the book of legends they need for their research has been checked out from the library, they recruit the borrower: goth classmate Samantha von Oppelstein. Will the three of them be enough to take on the mustache and resolve its ghostly, unfinished business? Whether through ridiculous plot points or over-the-top descriptions, the comedy keeps coming in this first title in McGee’s new Night Frights series. A generous font and spacing make this quick-paced, 13-chapter story appealing to newly confident readers. Skaffa’s grayscale cartoon spot (and occasional full-page) illustrations help set the tone and accentuate the action. Though neither race or skin color is described in the text, images show Lucas and Samantha as light-skinned and Parker as dark-skinned.
Lighthearted spook with a heaping side of silliness—and hair. (maps) (Fiction. 7-10)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"McGee, Joe: THE HAUNTED MUSTACHE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2021. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A667042140/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=72721377. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
MCGEE, Joe. The Haunted Mustache, illus. by Teo Skaffa. 160p. (Night Frights: Bk. 1). S. &S./Aladdin. Aug. 2021. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781534480896; pap. $6.99. ISBN 9781534480889.
Gr 5 Up--A creepy new series sure to crawl into the hearts of your young scary story fans. The town of Wolver Hollow has a haunting mystery. Each year on October 19th, every man, woman, and child must wear a mustache from dusk till dawn. After a quarry explosion, a man is never seen again, and only his mustache was found. Two fifth grade friends, Parker and Lucas, want to get to the bottom of what happened. They want to know if his mustache still really haunts the town, and how to get it to its final resting place. Parker and Lucas team up with a classmate to confront the mystery of the haunted mustache head-on. This series will be a great recommendation for those readers who enjoy R.L. Stine or any of the "Scary Stories" collections. The mystery aspect is easy to follow and lets students put the clues together alongside the main characters. VERDICT A hair-raising paranormal mystery for middle grade readers that won't disappoint. A must-have title for elementary or middle schools where supernatural and scary books circulate well. --Elizabeth Pelayo, St. Charles East H.S., IL
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Pelayo, Elizabeth. "MCGEE, Joe. The Haunted Mustache." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 7, July 2021, pp. 63+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A667846346/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=9f8903f2. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
MCGEE, Joe. The Not-So-ltsy-Bitsy Spider. illus. by Teo Skaffa. 144p. (Night Frights: Bk. 3). S. & S./Aladdin. May 2022. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781534480957; pap. $6.99. ISBN 9781534480940.
Gr 3-7--A Goosebumps-esque tale of scary proportions that will delight and engage readers. Wolver Hollow is not what it seems, but the adults seem too busy to care. One night while watching a spooky movie, Parker and Lucas get interrupted by a spider the size of a dog. Soon, the babysitter and the pizza delivery guy are being held hostage, and the kids must figure out how to stop it. Is it really true that spiders are more afraid of you than you are of them? Parker and Lucas are about to find out. The characters in this story are likable, and the detailed illustrations enhance the action. The plot is simple but maintains a quick pace. With a few intense cliff-hangers in the mix, readers will have a hard time putting this one down. Although this book is in a series, it can be read out of order. No race is mentioned. VERDICT Fans of horror, paranormal, mystery, and things that go creep in the night will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collections.--Kira Moody
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Moody, Kira. "MCGEE, Joe. The Not-So-ltsy-Bitsy Spider." School Library Journal, vol. 68, no. 4, Apr. 2022, pp. 137+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A699585743/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=51ac897c. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
MCGEE, Joe. Hide-and-Seek Pup: Ready-to-Read Level 2. illus. by Ethan Long. 32p. (Junior Monster Scouts). S. & S./Simon Spotlight. Jul. 2024. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781665952729; pap. $4.99. ISBN 9781665952712.
K-Gr 2--The Junior Monster Scouts from McGee and Long's chapter book series make their early reader debut in this title. The titular character is Franky Stein's mechanical puppy, Sprocket, who learns that she has an appointment with Dr. Frankenstein to "oil your gears and wind your springs and make sure all of your parts are working." When Sprocket hides to avoid her check-up, the Junior Monster Scouts help Franky search the castle for her. Repeated phrases will help emerging readers decode the text, and Long's whimsical cartoon illustrations add additional context clues. Young pet owners may relate to the experience of seeing their furry friends hide from the vet, and there is a bit of humor when Sprocket's hiding place is eventually revealed. Like other early reader spin-offs from popular chapter book series, there is nothing groundbreaking here, but it will likely appeal to a wide audience. VERDICT A serviceable addition to early reader collections, and an obvious choice for libraries where the chapter book series is popular.--Amy Reimann
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Reimann, Amy. "MCGEE, Joe. Hide-and-Seek Pup: Ready-to-Read Level 2." School Library Journal, vol. 70, no. 6, June 2024, pp. 73+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A798594627/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b3652604. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
MCGEE, Joe. Troll Trouble: Ready-to-Read Level 2. illus. by Ethan Long. 32p. (Junior Monster Scouts). S. & S./Simon Spotlight. Jul. 2024. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781665952750; pap. $4.99. ISBN 9781665952743.
Gr 1-3--In this newest offering from the "Junior Monster Scouts" series, Vampyra, daughter of Count Dracula, smells something delicious while in her room. She spots her aunts making soup, which excites her until it almost goes to ruin when they run out of the key ingredient: Troll Root. Plucky Vampyra offers to get them some from the mean trolls in the forest. With her friends Wolfy and Franky, the rest of the Junior Monster Scouts crew, she goes courageously forward. The trolls ask the team to do three challenges before giving up the Troll Root, and each member of the team is able to showcase their abilities to help. This story will engage young readers who are looking for lengthier early reader books--children will feel triumphant at being able to read through the story. The characters are endearing, and the text is large. Long's art style is well used here, with bright colors and exaggerated features that make the story soar. VERDICT Purchase for early readers who have graduated from "Frog and Toad."--Maria Graybosch
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Graybosch, Maria. "MCGEE, Joe. Troll Trouble: Ready-to-Read Level 2." School Library Journal, vol. 70, no. 7, July 2024, p. 61. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A806586502/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=3185173f. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
McGee, Joe LOST IN THE LIBRARY Simon Spotlight (Children's None) $17.99 8, 27 ISBN: 9781665959148
Strange music in the library? The Junior Monster Scouts are on the case!
Franky, Wolfy, and Vampyra--offspring of classic monsters such as Frankenstein and the Wolfman--are searching for new reading material when Wolfy hears something behind one of the shelves. Wolfy sniffs the books and finds one that's slightly different from the others. When he removes it from the shelf, a secret passage opens. The group suddenly hears music. Down a dark staircase, they find a beautifully appointed room with a melancholy-looking ghostly girl playing the piano. When they ask her name, they find that she can't speak. She writes her name--Bella--and informs them that she's a Banshee whose voice abandoned her because she wasn't "talking, singing, or reading aloud enough." Can the scouts help her get it back? And could a read-aloud session help? With this easy reader mystery, McGee and Long continue their Junior Monster Scout series for the younger set (they started with a series of beginning chapter books for slightly older readers using the same characters). Long's cartoon monsters are anything but frightening, and McGee's text is ideal for novice readers. Youngsters will identify with Bella's difficulty reading (although maybe not for the same reason). Fans of the series and newbies alike will enjoy this one; when newcomers finish the early readers, they can transition into the chapter-book series.
A monstrous good time for all.(Early reader. 5-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"McGee, Joe: LOST IN THE LIBRARY." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Dec. 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A817945694/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=22a6ea50. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
MCGEE, Joe. Lost in the Library: Ready-to-Read Level 2. illus. by Ethan Long. 32p. (Junior Monster Scouts). S. & S./Simon Spotlight. Aug. 2024. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781665959148; pap. $4.99. ISBN 9781665959131.
K-Gr 2--The Junior Monster Scouts--Franky, Wolfy, and Vampyra--love to read. They are in the library of Castle Dracula when Wolfy hears what sounds like a piano. The group follows the noise, revealing a hidden passageway. Behind a secret door, the trio discover the source of the music: a ghostly girl, unable to speak, playing the piano. She passes them a note, which explains that her name is Bella and that she is a Banshee, but she lost her voice as it became lonely from lack of use and ran away. The Scouts are determined to reunite their new friend with her voice, and they devise a clever solution. Through the use of story time, and with support and patience, Bella's voice returns. Each page contains three to five sentences that include approximately five to 12 words apiece. Long's signature cartoonlike illustrations portray the monster pals as friendly and nothing to fear. VERDICT This series is monstrous fun for emerging reader collections. --Olivia Gorecke
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Gorecke, Olivia. "MCGEE, Joe. Lost in the Library: Ready-to-Read Level 2." School Library Journal, vol. 70, no. 8, Aug. 2024, p. 85. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A806586298/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=06538819. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.