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WORK TITLE: Every Monday Mabel
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WEBSITE: https://jasharawan.com/
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COUNTRY: United States
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PERSONAL
Married Emily; son: Maxwell.
EDUCATION:Graduated from Pratt Institute.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and illustrator. Has drawn illustrations for a variety of publications, including the New Yorker, New York Times, American Medical News, and Columbia Journalism Review.
AWARDS:Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, 2025, for Towed by Toad.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
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Jashar Awan was an illustrator for hire in New York City for almost two decades with numerous credits in the New Yorker, New York Times, and Columbia Journalism Review, along with many other publications and marketing campaigns. He and his wife became parents in 2013, and his experience of reading children’s books to his son reminded him of how much joy they can bring, and he started writing and illustrating his own. He has talked of how his style changed when he shifted to children’s books, moving away from the linear style of his New Yorker illustrations to an emphasis on “color, shape, and texture,” as he said in an interview with Bird Meets Worm.
Awan’s debut picture book, What a Lucky Day!, features four animals—a stork, cat, raccoon, and frog—all of whom are going fishing. Each one, however, assumes that the other one is going to ruin their day. When the stork sees the black cat, the stork assumes the cat is bad luck. The cat assumes the raccoon is going to steal its fish. The raccoon is worried about catching warts from the frog. Awan was inspired to write the book because immigrants and outsiders were being demonized in the country, and he wanted to show how awful those kinds of misconceptions and assumptions are.
A writer in Kirkus Reviews called the book a “clever way” to talk about assumptions, and they appreciated how Awan uses contrast, where the “bold, simply shaped animals stand out starkly against the light sky.” A reviewer in Publishers Weekly praised the illustrations for how they “combine the pop and verve of classic WPA posters with a contemporary expression and top-notch comic timing.”
After Only Ants for Andy, Awan published Strum and Drum: A Merry Little Quest. This picture book takes place on Christmas Eve as Strum and Drum, two tiny musicians, wake up and start to make music. They hope to reach the Great Star in the North, and along the way they meet all sorts of new friends, who turn out to be Christmas tree ornaments. But then a monstrous creature (actually a cat) knocks them out of the forest (the Christmas tree), but they are rescued by a young boy. The story and illustrations conceal that it takes place on a Christmas tree until the end, which is likely to encourage youngsters to re-read the book and catch what they missed the first time.
Jenny Andrus, in School Library Journal, noted that the illustrations use two different styles: “colorful drawings that look like paper cutouts” and “richly textured black-and-white sketches.” Andrus called the story “clever.” A contributor in Publishers Weekly also enjoyed this one, writing that the book’s first section “holds readers in suspense” before providing a “revelatory twist.” Both this reviewer and Andrus predicted that readers would eagerly re-read the story once the twist is understood.
Awan provided another winter tale in I’m Going to Build a Snowman. A young child wakes up and realizes it is snowing outside. They tell their mom that they are going to make the best snowman ever. That involves rolling the snow into a ball and then another, but the reality is that the slushy snow is not great for making a snowman, and the lopsided figure is far from perfect. The child is undaunted, however, and they use their creativity to make it into the best snowman they have made so far.
A writer in Publishers Weekly described the story as an “exploration of a maker who gleefully accepts their own work.” They praised the way Awan illustrates the “adorably compact” and “sunny” protagonist, and they appreciated the lesson readers will learn to be happy with something they have made even if it is not always what they anticipated. A contributor in Kirkus Reviews agreed, calling the book a “simple but beautiful story about how little perfection matters.” The reviewer highlighted the “spare, witty text” and the “vibrant, exuberant illustrations.” They called it a “fun and meaningful read for little ones.”
Awan’s next book, Towed by Toad, was about a tow-truck driver who learns that everybody can use some help sometimes. It was chosen to be part of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in 2025. Every Monday Mabel was inspired by Awan’s own son, who used to wait outside every week just so he could watch the garbage truck drive by. In the story, Mabel looks forward to Mondays (unlike everyone else in her family) because that is the day the garbage truck comes by, bursting with loud noises and things to see. Soon, everyone around her realizes what the attraction is.
“Mabel exudes the unshakable enthusiasm of a diehard fan,” wrote a contributor in Publishers Weekly. They called the truck’s arrival a “worthy object of communal adoration.” In Kirkus Reviews, a contributor wrote that the book “captures the excitement of anticipation, the thrill of yearning realized, and truck love among the young.” They agreed that Awan’s illustrations show why “the massive machine rumbling to the curb is so special.”
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BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2020, review of What a Lucky Day!; August 1, 2021, review of Only Ants for Andy; October 15, 2023, review of I’m Going to Build a Snowman; July 15, 2024, review of Towed by Toad; December 15, 2024, review of Every Monday Mabel.
Publishers Weekly, September 28, 2020, review of What a Lucky Day!, p. 62; September 12, 2022, review of Strum and Drum: A Merry Little Quest, pp. 68+; August 7, 2023, review of I’m Going to Build a Snowman, p. 55; November 4, 2024, review of Every Monday Mabel, p. 43.
School Library Journal, September, 2022, Jenny Andrus, review of Strum and Drum: A Merry Little Quest, p. 89.
ONLINE
Bird Meets Worm, https://birdmeetsworm.blogspot.com/ (October 5, 2021), author interview.
Jashar Awan website, https://jasharawan.com/ (July 11, 2025).
Max’s Boat, https://www.maxsboat.com/ (November 4, 2021), Ratha Tep, author interview; November 21, 2022, Ratha Tep, author interview; December 11, 2023, Ratha Tep, author interview; February 24, 2025, Ratha Tep, author interview; February 25, 2025, Ratha Tep, author interview.
Publishers Weekly, https://www.publishersweekly.com/ (December 18, 2020), Libby Morse, author profile.
Jashar Awan
About:
Growing up outside of Washington, DC, Jashar Awan loved drawing and reading. In fact, he still does.
Jashar debuted as an author-illustrator in 2020 and has published picture books with W.W. Norton, Simon & Schuster, and Tundra Books.
His works have been recognized with a Geisel Honor, ALA Notables, and Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections and have been included in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, Amazon Editors' Pick, Choose to Read Ohio's Booklist, Texas Library Association 2x2 Reading List, and Bank Street College's Best Books of the Year.
His books have also received numerous starred reviews from Kirkus, Publisher's Weekly, and School Library Journal.
A longtime New Yorker, Jashar moved to Ohio in 2017 with his wife and son, who love drawing and reading, too.
Email: jashar.awan[at]gmail.com
Newsletter: Long Story Short
Twitter: @jasharawan
Instagram: @jasharawan
YouTube: Jashar Awan
Linktree: @jasharawan
For children's book illustration inquiries, please contact Erica Rand Silverman at Stimola Literary Studio: erica[at]stimolaliterarystudio.com
If you would like a signed copy of any of Jashar's books, please order from The Learned Owl and specify "signed" in the comments at checkout.
Selected Clients:
Adelphi Edizioni, American Medical News, Columbia Journalism Review, Dark Horse Comics, Dawn Farms, Good Magazine, Harvard Business Review, L Magazine, National Geographic School Publishing, The New York Times, The New Yorker, PC World, The Progressive, The San Francisco Bay Guardian, The San Francisco Chronicle, SF Weekly, Storage, The Stranger, 2, Vibe, Wall Street Journal, Washington Way Recovery Center
Fall 2020 Flying Starts: Jashar Awan
By Libby Morse | Dec 18, 2020
Comments Click Here
photo credit: Emily Eibel
Jashar Awan
If you’re a New Yorker subscriber, you’ve probably encountered Jashar Awan’s work: the venerable magazine—and the “Goings on About Town” section in particular—was one of his best clients during his almost two decades as a freelance illustrator in the New York City. But you’re forgiven if you don’t make the connection between the graphic novel realism of those images and the strongly geometric pictures in his debut, What a Lucky Day! (Norton Young Readers), which are modeled on the look of cut paper.
The big departure in style resulted from a confluence of circumstances and influences. Awan and his wife became parents in 2013 and moved from New York to Ohio in 2017 to be closer to her family. The couple met at the Pratt Institute; she’s now a designer at Jo-Ann Stores. Fatherhood inspired Awan to think about the children’s books he had loved as a kid—he cites Crockett Johnson, Ezra Jack Keats, and Marc Simont as visual inspirations—and try his hand at creating one himself.
Awan made two full-fledged books and with advice from another Pratt classmate, Madeline Valentine (I Want That Nut!), shopped them around for representation but didn’t get any bites. He began working on What a Lucky Day! in 2018, when what he saw as “the demonization of large groups of people” seemed to have gripped America.
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“I was thinking about my own experience as well,” Awan says. “We were living in a much less diverse area, and I was constantly having to answer the question, ‘No, where are you really from?’ ”
Awan sketched a stork decked out in angling gear and realized he had more to say than, “This character is going fishing.” The result was a story in which a group of animals on a fishing expedition confront their stereotypes and misconceptions of each other.
Awan had a hunch that the book had the kind of substance that would garner interest, and he was right: What a Lucky Day! caught the eye of Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions, who then passed it on to Erica Rand Silverman at Stimola Literary Studio. After some minor revision, the book was snapped up at auction by Norton for its then year-old Young Readers imprint. Awan’s editor, Simon Boughton—also the imprint’s publishing director—had few changes.
“I think that was part of the appeal—how far along it was,” Awan says of the book. “It was something they could put out quickly.”
“At the time it felt like it took a while,” he adds. “But now I see it really didn’t take long at all.” Awan signed with Rand Silverman at the start of 2019, Norton bought the book that summer, and it hit stores this past October. Thanks to a deal with Brooklyn-based Winter Water Factory, kids’ T-shirts featuring the characters will be appearing soon.
Awan’s second book for Norton—which he describes as being about “an anteater who goes on a sleepover and has to try new things”—is due out in fall 2021. This time, the collaboration with Boughton has been far more extensive, which Awan welcomed. “After making books on my own for so long, it’s fun to work with him on it and have him take it as seriously as I do,” he says. “When the new book was at the thumbnail stage, he drew up a flowchart of the story, and I was so impressed.”
Norton is also working on a third book for which Awan is providing the manuscript only. The illustrator has yet to be chosen. He found the opportunity to focus on the words alone “exciting, sort of freeing,” he says. “The story is more metaphoric and poetic, and I thought someone with a lyrical style would do a better job of it.”
And Awan says he’s enjoying sharing his studio with his seven-year-old son, who is remote learning because of the pandemic. “I’m working and he’s on Zoom calls with his class,” he says with a laugh. “I didn’t think I was going to have a first-grade studio mate, but it’s fun.”
Tuesday, October 5, 2021
Super Star Interviews: Jashar Awan
Welcome to my monthly interview feature! I’m so excited to be interviewing all the fabulous artists, illustrators and designers I’ve meet over the years (both personally and virtually!) and sharing their artwork and experiences here on Bird Meets Worm. Look for a new interview on the first Tuesday of every month.
This month I'm pleased as apple cider punch to be catching up with the rockstar author-illustrator Jashar Awan! When I joined Stimola Literary Studio, who also represents Jashar, earlier this year, I discovered Jashar's bold, graphic artwork and totally fell for his fun characters. Jashar is a graduate of the Pratt Institute and has illustrated for many magazines and newspapers. Last year, he made his debut as a children's book author-illustrator with the picture book What a Lucky Day! from Norton Young Readers. He lives in Ohio with his wife, Emily and his son, Max. You can view more of his awesome artwork here.
Isn't this this most awesome author-illustrator photo?!
Q: Your NEW picture book, Only Ants for Andy, releases with Norton Young Readers, on October 26th! (Congratulations! SO exciting!) Give us the full scoop on your bright & heartfelt story about trying new things: your approach for writing & illustrating it, its path to publication & what you love best about it all!
A: Only Ants for Andy began when my family was playing an alphabet game and my wife said, “Anteater eating an apple.” Just the thought of an anteater eating something other than ants really got my imagination going! I had spent that weekend developing manuscripts for my editor so my writing muscles were all warmed up and Only Ants for Andy just sprung out of me.
I love how much of myself I was able to put into this book! I was a really picky eater growing up—I just liked what I liked and didn’t want to try anything else. You can imagine how stressful it was to eat over at a friend’s house! I remember having French toast for the first time at a sleepover. I’d always thought French toast was just toast with cinnamon so I was not prepared for what it actually was! Only Ants for Andy was inspired (in part) by childhood memories like this.
Kids can have a narrow focus when it comes to the things they love—just ask any parent who has had to listen to a favorite song on a loop—so I didn’t want to limit the book’s theme to food. I thought it’d be fun to include some of my son’s favorite things—trucks! His love of trucks is so contagious that I now get really excited when I see them, too.
The first draft of Only Ants for Andy came together quickly and I was able to get it (along with a character sketch) to my agent Erica right before her meeting with my editor Simon—she didn’t even have time to read it before sharing it! The project caught his eye and I began work on the book.
(Psst! You can pre-order your very own copy of Only Ants for Andy today:)
Barnes & Noble
Bird Meets Worm Bookshop
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Norton Young Readers
Perfect for story time fun!!!
Q: Your bold, graphic illustrations are delightful! Dish with us a bit about your creative process and tools of the trade: initial brainstorms, sketching and final color art.
A: Thanks! When I jotted down my first ideas for Only Ants for Andy, I did a little sketch of an anteater and quickly realized that I needed some reference. After doing a little research into anteaters, I worked out the character design and page layouts in my sketchbook. From there, those sketches were turned into flat color shapes in Adobe Illustrator. Once I’m happy with the look of a page, brush marks and other textures are added in Photoshop. It sounds like a fairly fast process but Only Ants for Andy took about 6 to 8 months to put together.
Sketchbook sneak peek!
Q: In addition to creating children’s books, you have had a long career as an editorial illustrator. How has your experiences creating editorial artwork for major publications like The New Yorker, NYT and the Columbia Journalism Review shaped your approach to creating children’s books?
A: The nature of editorial work is fast paced so the art directors have to be very direct when asking for changes to an illustration. This taught me how to look at my work critically and learn to appreciate feedback. Moving from editorial work to children’s books gave me a chance to reinvent myself stylistically. My editorial approach for ten plus years was very linear and reference based, while my current work is all about color, shape, and texture. It’s also been nice to have the opportunity to create my own projects, rather than working solely on assignment.
What's your playground favorite? Geodome? Swings? Slide?
Q: Tell us a bit about your typical workday as a creative professional—routines, rituals & practical practices. Set the scene for us, too—what does your creative workspace look & feel like?
A: When I’m writing, I need silence and a stack of books—picture books, comic books, art books—anything that will inspire me. Whenever I think of a fun title or character or situation, I’ll add it to an ongoing list of ideas. This way when I finish working on a book, I’m not starting from scratch when I’m sitting down to write the next project. When I’m illustrating, I’ll listen to podcasts or audiobooks. I love podcasts that discuss the creative process, whether it’s about books, movies, comics, or comedy.
Only Ants of Andy was illustrated during the COVID-19 lockdown, so everyone was at home—either working or going to the virtual classroom. I let my wife have my studio space and I briefly ended up working in the playroom—surrounded by toy trucks, which ended up being quite inspiring. I’m back in my studio now. It’s a large space with wooden floors and a bay window that has a nice view of a tree that turns a bright yellow in the fall.
Playtime with friends is THE best!
Q: What advice would you give fellow author-illustrators about: 1) writing as an illustrator, 2) promoting children’s books, and 3) working with an agent?
A: 1) My advice for writing as an illustrator is to write something you want to draw because you will be drawing it for the next 6 to 8 months! Also—make the books that you want to see on bookshelves!
2) As far as promoting children’s books goes, I’m still figuring it out! My debut book was released in the midst of the pandemic when all the traditional methods of book promotion had to be reinvented. I do what I can from my home! I'll post about an upcoming project on social media (starting 3 months before the release date). I'll make a book trailer. I'll make signed book plates available. I'll do virtual readings and draw alongs. I'll email indie bookstores. I do what I can and hopefully some of it helps get the book into kids’ hands!
3) Trust your agent to give you a perspective on things you wouldn’t have otherwise. I feel very lucky to have Erica Rand Silverman (and the rest of the Stimola Studio team) in my corner.
Q: Describe your most perfect Sunday.
A: Watch some cartoons all cuddled up with the family. Spend some time in nature. Visit a used bookstore. Read the new purchases. Have some takeout. Fall asleep to a movie. That sounds like a perfect Sunday to me—very chill, very relaxed.
Thank you so much, Jashar, for chatting it up with us here at Bird Meets Worm! Congratulations on Only Ants for Andy! Yay!
Ratha Tep
Nov 4, 2021
5 min read
Andy is a very particular anteater. He has his favorite toys, his favorite song, his favorite food... Ants! They’re the best! But when Andy goes for a sleepover with his favorite friend, Sam Sloth, he’s faced with unfamiliar things to play with―and strange new foods for dinner.
Max's Boat Pick:
ONLY ANTS FOR ANDY
By Jashar Awan
Publisher: Norton Young Readers (October 26, 2021)
Buy now
Can you tell me the origin story behind Only Ants for Andy?
"Only Ants for Andy began when my family was playing an alphabet game and my wife said, 'Anteater eating an apple.' Just the thought of an anteater eating something other than ants really got my imagination going! Anteaters have pickiness built into their name and I was a picky eater growing up so I had lots of experience to draw from."
Do you have a picky eater at home? I can certainly attest to the particular pain of having two. Are there any books you admire that cover the topic well? "My son has to be a careful eater because he has a few severe food allergies, but he’s usually very excited to try new foods once he gets the ‘all clear.’ This inspired Sam Sloth’s ant allergy in Only Ants for Andy. Learning about his best friend’s allergy helps push Andy to eat some new grub.
Another book that does a great job with the topic of trying new foods is No Kimchi for Me! by Aram Kim. It tells the story of Yoomi as she overcomes her dislike of the titular food. There’s even a kimchi pancake recipe included in the back, so readers can try the dish for themselves!"
You've spent years illustrating for the New Yorker. I'm curious whether any picture book illustrators inspired your work there? "I’ve always been a big fan of William Steig! When I was little, I was inspired by Gorky Rises to make potions in the kitchen sink. Steig was a New Yorker illustrator, too. Like Steig, my editorial work was very linear (although I reinvented myself stylistically when I switched to picture books).
Can you tell me how you got started with picture books? Were there any books that made you think 'I really want to do this’? "After my son was born, I rediscovered my love of picture books. It was so much fun to start visiting Books of Wonder in Manhattan with the goal of building a little library for him.
Gaston by Kelly DiPucchio and Christian Robinson was a real reminder of how fun kids books could be—fun to look at and fun to read aloud. I will always remember hearing my son’s little voice reciting the names of the puppies as they are introduced in the book. If that doesn’t make someone want to start making picture books, I don’t know what will!"
You have such a distinctive visual style. Who are some other illustrators you admire? "Ezra Jack Keats’s use of textures and bold shapes really inspires me. The Snowy Day and Whistle for Willie made me want to make picture books, too.
I love the looseness of Beatrice Allemagna’s art in On a Magical Do-Nothing Day and the precision of Júlia Sardà’s work in Duckworth the Difficult Child.
Greg Pizzoli is another favorite of mine. The way he included real album covers in Good Night Owl inspired me to be specific with details and not be afraid of pop culture references while making Only Ants for Andy."
What books did you love as a child? "My dad read the Chronicles of Narnia to me as a bedtime
story while my brother would play toys with Mom. The next day, I’d wake up and draw an illustration for him of what had happened in last night’s chapter. My love of storytelling has always been tied to illustration!
Growing up, I loved the Nate the Great series by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat and Marc Simont. Simont’s artwork really brought all the different kids' personalities to life.
I read everything by Chris van Allsburg—even if his books did occasionally spook me (The Wretched Stone reads like a horror story!).
I got the biggest kick out of James Stevenson’s Mary Ann and Louie books. They would hear their grandpa’s childhood tales and imagine him as a little kid with a mustache. That image was so funny to me! What’s Under My Bed? was my favorite from that series. It’s one of my son’s favorites now, too."
What did you love reading to your son at age three? At age five? "At the age of three, we read a lot of Early Readers—Minarik and Sendak’s Little Bear books and anything by Arnold Lobel.
I’d remembered the Frog and Toad series and Mouse Soup from when I was young, so it was fun to dig a little deeper into Lobel's bibliography and discover books like Owl at Home, Grasshopper on the Road, and Small Pig. We also read quite a few Beatrix Potter books. When I was deciding what animals should be fishing at the pier in What a Lucky Day!, I had to include a frog as a nod to The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher.
At age five, we loved reading Oh No, George! by Chris Haughton. The illustrations are so bold and graphic and colorful! 'What will George do?' I love stories that ask the reader a question. Towards the end of Brave Irene, Steig asks something like, 'Would you like to hear the rest?' It makes for a fun read aloud.
Right now, my son’s been enjoying the Mr. Wolf’s Class graphic novels by Aron Nels Steinke."
What contemporary picture books do you think will be the new classics of the future? "The Bear and the Moon by Matthew Burgess and Cátia Chien was an instant classic in my opinion. It covers big emotions in such a gentle and empathetic way. It’s the type of book that feels like it always existed.
There’s also something so classic about A Normal Pig by K-Fai Steele. It feels like one of the books I read as a kid. It has such a great message about who gets to decide what is normal. I wish I’d grown up with it!"
What would be on your list of 100 best picture books of all time? "Most of the books I’ve already mentioned would probably find their way onto my list! They’d be joining books like—
Madeline’s Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans
I am a Bunny by Ole Risom and Richard Scarry
Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion and Margaret Bloy Graham
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
Corduroy by Don Freeman
Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola
Doctor De Soto by William Steig
Nutshell Library by Maurice Sendak
Anatole by Eve Titus and Paul Galdone
The Lion and The Stoat by Paul O. Zelinsky
Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson
The Way Home in the Night by Akiko Miyakoshi
The Bad Mood and the Stick by Lemony Snicket
and Matthew Forsythe
Mary Wears What She Wants by Keith Negley
Mile End Kids Stories by Isabelle Arsenault
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak would take the top spot for sure. I love the way he's able to transport us to another world and back again before supper even starts to get cold."
Interview with Jashar Awan, STRUM & DRUM
Ratha Tep
Nov 21, 2022
5 min read
All is quiet in the forest as the Great Star rises in the distance, and two little musicians, Strum and Drum, wake up from a deep slumber and set out to make the most joyous music they can! But as Strum strums his guitar and Drum drums her drum on their way to the North, some mysterious obstacles fill their paths...
Pick by Eric Fan, Night Lunch:
STRUM & DRUM: A MERRY LITTLE QUEST
By Jashar Awan
Published by Tundra Books (October 4, 2022)
Buy now
Thanks for stopping by again, Jashar! Let's start out in the way these interviews always start: Can you tell me the origin story behind Strum & Drum?
JA: "Sure! I was hanging ornaments on the Christmas tree a few years ago and I noticed how each branch looked like it could be its own little tree. I thought, 'This could be a forest.' As the tree filled with ornaments, it quickly became an enchanted forest in my mind. I already had the names Strum and Drum from a project that I had set aside and decided to attach them to this idea.
Early sketches of Strum & Drum:
Around that time, I found a copy of The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau by Jon Agee at a book sale. It’s all about a painter whose paintings are so lifelike, they actually come to life! The story had a sense of surrealism that I hadn’t seen outside of Chris Van Allsburg’s books, but it was drawn in a linear cartoony style that was nothing like the realism of Van Allsburg’s work. It got me thinking about style and how it’s used. I thought, 'Wouldn’t it be fun for a children’s book to change styles at a pivotal moment in the story?'"
Early sketches and an interior spread from Strum & Drum:
I had all of these thoughts and influences brewing in my head for a few years before I finally started writing the story. Recently, I was looking back through my sketchbook and I couldn’t get over how much development went into the book. There was a moment when Strum and Drum were anthropomorphic instruments and another when Strum was an angel with a harp and Drum was the Little Drummer Boy. It was a good reminder that it takes time for creative work to get to where it’s going. It’s always tempting to look at the final book and say, 'Of course—that’s how that story goes and that's how the characters look.' But that’s not true at all—there are so many decisions made and roads not taken along the way."
Interior spreads from Strum & Drum:
Strum & Drum has a very modern fairy tale quality to it, and reminds me of Tom Gauld's The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess. For those who love Strum & Drum, can you recommend a few other titles that you think they might also enjoy?
"Chirri & Chirra: The Snowy Day by Kaya Doi was a big influence on Strum & Drum (so much so that I used the same book dimensions!). There’s a whole series of Chirri & Chirra books. They usually involve the characters going on a bike ride and ending up in a whimsical fantasy world filled with beautifully illustrated details. Chirri & Chirra: The Snowy Day was the first one I read and it's my favorite of the series—it’s just so cozy and inviting!
Phoebe Wahl’s Little Witch Hazel is another book that I’d describe as cozy and inviting! Wahl builds a fantasy world where chores and colds still exist but so do toads who want to take you rafting with them. (Also, I’m kinda a sucker for tiny doors on the sides of trees.)
I’ve mentioned to you before that I’m a big fan of the illustrator Júlia Sardà. She just made her authorial debut with The Queen in the Cave. This book is overwhelmingly gorgeous! It tells the story of a girl who leads her younger sisters on a journey where they see many fantastic and strange things.
And, finally, if you enjoyed Strum & Drum, you might also like The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen. It is a retelling of a classic fairy tale that feels modern due to the sensibilities of its creators—Barnett’s way with words, Klassen’s visual pacing, and their shared sense of humor. They make it look easy!"
What are some of your favorite holiday books?
"It almost goes without saying The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg is a favorite holiday book of mine. Its imagery is so memorable and I love the bittersweet note at the end about how the sound of the sleigh bell gets fainter every year. It’s a book with nostalgia built into it.
My family's favorite nostalgic Christmas read is Clement Moore’s Twas the Night Before Christmas. We have an old paperback copy illustrated by the great Golden Age illustrator Jessie Willcox Smith. My wife and I read and reread this our son so many times, he could recite large portions of it by the age of 2! (I included a nod to the opening line of Moore’s text in Strum & Drum—a sleepy mouse can be seen marching in Strum and Drum’s merry band!)
The Sweet Smell of Christmas is another favorite in my household. It’s written by Patricia Scarry and illustrated by J.P. Miller. It’s a scratch-and-sniff book so you really get to experience the smells of the holiday along with Little Bear and his family as they prepare for and celebrate Christmas.
My studio mate Lala Watkins just released an adorable board book called Little Santa’s Workshop! It’s a rhyming behind-the-scenes look at the North Pole as preparations are made for Christmas Eve. Lala’s art always makes me smile—it is so joyful and bold!
One non-book recommendation—I realize that The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats isn’t a holiday book but check out its animated adaptation on Prime Video. This cartoon sets the story at Christmastime and is wonderfully inclusive in a way that I imagine Keats would have liked. It really captures the feeling of Brooklyn in winter."
You've spent years illustrating for the New Yorker. I'm curious whether any picture book illustrators inspired your work there? "I’ve always been a big fan of William Steig! When I was little, I was inspired by Gorky Rises to make potions in the kitchen sink. Steig was a New Yorker illustrator, too. Like Steig, my editorial work was very linear (although I reinvented myself stylistically when I switched to picture books)."
What would be on your list of 100 best picture books of all time? "Most of the books I’ve already mentioned would probably find their way onto my list! They’d be joining books like—
"Madeline’s Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans
I am a Bunny by Ole Risom and Richard Scarry
Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion and Margaret Bloy Graham
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
Corduroy by Don Freeman
Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola
Doctor De Soto by William Steig
Nutshell Library by Maurice Sendak
Anatole by Eve Titus and Paul Galdone
The Lion and The Stoat by Paul O. Zelinsky
Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson
The Way Home in the Night by Akiko Miyakoshi
The Bad Mood and the Stick by Lemony Snicket and Matthew Forsythe
Mary Wears What She Wants by Keith Negley
Mile End Kids Stories by Isabelle Arsenault
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak would take the top spot for sure. I love the way he's able to transport us to another world and back again before supper even starts to get cold."
Interview with Jashar Awan, I'M GOING TO BUILD A SNOWMAN
Ratha Tep
Dec 11, 2023
4 min read
When a little boy wakes up to see a blanket of snow covering the world outside, there’s only one thing to do: make a snowman, and not just any snowman—he wants the best snowman ever.
Max's Boat Pick:
I'M GOING TO BUILD A SNOWMAN
By Jashar Awan
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (September 19, 2023)
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Thanks for stopping by again, Jashar! I'm always in awe of your books. You strike that perfect balance between super simple and super smart. Can I ask what inspired I'm Going to Build a Snowman?
JA: "I'm Going to Build a Snowman was inspired by the first snowfall after we moved into our new house. We got quite a bit of snow—school was cancelled. It was my son's first snow day. When he woke up and peeked through the curtains, he yelled, 'MOM! It snowed!' (a moment I had to include in the book). That afternoon, we built a snowman together. In my head, I imagined that we would end up with this picture perfect snowman but what we built was lop-sided and filled with bits of grass, leaves, and acorns. The snowman was such a character I could see there was story potential there but it took me a while to figure out what I wanted to say with a snowman that did not live up to expectations.
An early sketch from I'm Going to Build a Snowman by Jashar Awan (above)
I eventually realized that it provided a way to discuss perfectionism and developing a growth mindset. The main character might not have made the best snowman ever, but he's made his best snowman yet. It's better to try and fail, than not try at all. Find joy in the process, in the efforts, rather than be solely focused on the end result. I've always struggled with perfectionism—these are lessons I'm still working on myself."
An early sketch and interior spreads from I'm Going to Build a Snowman by Jashar Awan (below)
You're a big fan of Ezra Jack Keats, and The Snowy Day is very much the paragon of the snow day book. How did The Snowy Day influence (or not influence) I'm Going to Build a Snowman? "Because it is such a paragon of the snowy day book, I tried not to look at The Snowy Day while working on I'm Going to Build a Snowman. Instead, I drew inspiration from other sources. For instance, I looked at Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson. I love the movement in that book—how Harold moves across each page, each spread, creating as he goes. I had Harold in mind, especially during the step-by-step planning scene. Of course, I end that scene with a reference to The Snowman by Raymond Briggs. That book is the best case scenario as far as building a snowman goes!"
What are some other favorite picture books about winter (or snow)?
"Here's a handful of favorites—
Brave Irene by William Steig
Chirri & Chirra: The Snowy Day by Kaya Doi
Small in the City by Sydney Smith
Little Boy Brown by Isobel Harris and André François
So Much Snow by Hyunmin Park
Little Penguins by Cynthia Rylant and Christian Robinson
Just One Flake by Travis Jonker"
What are some of your favorite holiday books?
"It almost goes without saying The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg is a favorite holiday book of mine. Its imagery is so memorable and I love the bittersweet note at the end about how the sound of the sleigh bell gets fainter every year. It’s a book with nostalgia built into it.
My family's favorite nostalgic Christmas read is Clement Moore’s Twas the Night Before Christmas. We have an old paperback copy illustrated by the great Golden Age illustrator Jessie Willcox Smith. My wife and I read and reread this our son so many times, he could recite large portions of it by the age of 2! (I included a nod to the opening line of Moore’s text in Strum & Drum—a sleepy mouse can be seen marching in Strum and Drum’s merry band!)
The Sweet Smell of Christmas is another favorite in my household. It’s written by Patricia Scarry and illustrated by J.P. Miller. It’s a scratch-and-sniff book so you really get to experience the smells of the holiday along with Little Bear and his family as they prepare for and celebrate Christmas.
My studio mate Lala Watkins just released an adorable board book called Little Santa’s Workshop! It’s a rhyming behind-the-scenes look at the North Pole as preparations are made for Christmas Eve. Lala’s art always makes me smile—it is so joyful and bold!"
What forthcoming picture books are you most excited about?
"I'm looking forward to Breanna Carzoo's next book—it is called The Squish and it features a sandcastle as the main character. It's all about deciding to rebuild after being squished. The initial idea came to her during the pandemic. I'm interested in seeing how storytellers use metaphor to process that period of time. Heavy stuff, for sure, but Breanna handles big ideas with a light, humorous touch.
Looking for Peppermint by Maxwell Eaton III looks like a lot of fun! It is about a girl searching the woods for her lost dog and she teaches the reader all about the forest while she's at it. Maxwell has a knack for making informative books very entertaining.
I also can't wait for The Book That Can Read Your Mind by Marianna Coppo! The art looks adorable. I might be wrong, but I believe this is the first book where she's drawing (rather than painting) her illustrations. It's always exciting to see an artist try new things!
Interview with Jashar Awan, TOWED BY TOAD
Ratha Tep
Feb 24
2 min read
Toad and his tow truck are always on the move to lend a hand to anyone who needs help. Pop does his best to try to get Toad to slow down and take care of himself, but there always seems to be someone else who needs to be towed by Toad. How can he say no?
Max's Boat Pick:
TOWED BY TOAD
By Jashar Awan
Publisher: Tundra Books (September 3, 2024)
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Welcome back, Jashar! It's always a pleasure to have you on Max's Boat. Let's start the way these interviews always start. What inspired Towed by Toad?
Jashar Awan: "My son loves trucks! One day while we were talking about vehicles, the title popped into my head—”Towed by Toad.” The words together made me laugh and suggested a jumping off point for a story—a toad drives a tow truck.
Jashar Awan's early sketches and final title page for Towed by Toad (above)
"I made a list of vehicular trouble that would require a tow but Toad driving around and helping other animal motorists—while cute—isn’t much of a story.
He would need some help along the way, too. I added scenes where Toad skips meals in his eagerness to help others. He doesn’t stop until he breaks down.
A funny thing about writing is how revealing it ends up being. What you write is informed by where you are or what you’re going through or what you’ve been through. I thought I was writing a funny animal / truck book and ended up making a book about burnout and self-care."
Jashar Awan's early sketches and final pages for the breakfast scene in Towed by Toad (above)
Jashar Awan's early sketches and final pages for the lunch scene in Towed by Toad (above)
I love the homophonic wordplay. What's next for Toad? If I remember correctly, it's going to be a series? Any news you can share about the forthcoming Toad books?
"I’m working on the next Toad book right now! I'm continuing to explore the themes of helping others and being kind to yourself. It should be out next year!"
Jashar Awan's early sketches for Towed by Toad (above)
Are there any books that directly or indirectly influenced Towed by Toad?"
"Towed by Toad starts off with a series of comparisons that were definitely inspired by Big Dog…Little Dog: A Bedtime Story by P.D. Eastman. That was a favorite of mine growing up. I love the rhythm of that book."
"Of course, it’s hard to write a picture book about an animal driving a vehicle and not think about Richard Scarry! When our son was born, we got him “The Biggest, Busiest Storybook Ever”—a collection that included Busy, Busy Town, Cars And Trucks And Things That Go, and The Best Word Book Ever. We read that book into oblivion. All that’s left of it now is the cover! I think that’s the fate of most childhood copies of those classic Busytown books."
Interview with Jashar Awan, EVERY MONDAY MABEL
Ratha Tep
Feb 25
3 min read
Every Monday, Mabel wakes up early and peeks out her window to make sure she didn’t miss the one thing she’s been looking forward to the whole week. She drags her chair down the hallway, past her big sister and Mom and Dad, out the door, and waits. What is Mabel waiting for every Monday?
Max's Boat Pick:
EVERY MONDAY MABEL
By Jashar Awan
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (Feb. 25 2025)
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Thanks for stopping by again, Jashar! There are so many different ways to get into Every Monday Mabel, which is what makes it so smart. I'm curious how it came about.
Jashar Awan: "Again, my son was the initial inspiration for Every Monday Mabel. On Mondays, he always made sure to set up his chair at the end of the driveway and wait for the garbage truck to arrive. Afterwards, he’d come back into the house and announce, 'Every Monday, I do the most boring thing!' He loved the garbage truck, but hated the waiting!
My son’s love of trucks got me thinking about childhood interests. Growing up, I wasn’t a truck kid—I liked comics and superheroes, which, in those days, felt very niche. When you’re a kid, the world can feel small—it’s only as big as your family or your school or your church. It might be hard to find people with common interests, but they’re out there! You just haven’t met them yet. (When I was sharing the dummy with the book’s designer, Lucy Ruth Cummins said, 'Oh! This is about art school!')"
Jashar Awan's early sketches and final spreads for Every Monday Mabel (above)
"The first draft was written in 2021 and titled 'Every Monday Melvin.' When I dusted the draft off a few years later, my wife suggested making the main character a girl since I hadn't done a book with a female lead yet. We came up with so many 'M' names for the character before landing on Mabel. (Max took notes on a post-it while we were brainstorming.)"
Jashar Awan's early sketches for Every Monday Mabel (above)
I love how Mabel has this very self-confident/assured viewpoint that never wavers, despite everyone else's differing perspectives. Was that a strong through line that you wanted to get across (that she marches to the beat of her own drum, and doesn't care what other people think)? Yet, there isn't a whiff of didacticism. Any tips for how to avoid that? (Asking for a friend, of course.)
"Thank you! I’m glad that Mabel comes off so self-assured and that the story doesn’t feel didactic. When I’m writing, I tell the story I want to tell and then I figure out what is being said by that story. When I revise the text, I can nod to the themes without spelling it out for the readers. I don't start with a message and then work backward to build a story around it. The story has to come first. There has to be something that engages me beyond a message."
Jashar Awan's early sketches and final spreads for Every Monday Mabel (above)
What's a book that you think does this particularly well?
"A book that does this beautifully is We Are Definitely Human by X. Fang. She tells such a thoroughly entertaining story about aliens who crash land on earth that when you get to the end of the book, the message of the story almost feels like a surprise. When you reread the book, you realize that it is right there on every page. It’s like a magic trick—you’re so focused on what the magician is doing with one hand, you miss what is being done with the other."
What forthcoming picture books are you most excited about?
"I can't wait to read Papilio by Ben Clanton, Corey R. Tabor, and Andy Chou Musser. Each author-illustrator tells a different part of a caterpillar’s life cycle. I love the idea of an anthology picture book."
"I’m really looking forward to Jerrold Connor’s Big Rhinoceros, Little Rhinoceros, in which a pair of rhinos go for a walk and learn together. You know how much I love those 'Big Animal, Little Animal' books! Jerrold is making his picture book debut earlier this year with Jim!, a biography of James Marshall."
"And speaking of picture book biographies about picture book makers, I can’t wait for Outside In and the Inside Out: A Story About Arnold Lobel by Emmy Kastner. It looks so cute! I love Lobel so much and I can’t wait to see how Emmy tells his story in her own way."
Awan, Jashar WHAT A LUCKY DAY! Norton Young Readers (Children's None) $17.95 10, 13 ISBN: 978-1-324-01552-9
A picture-book debut that looks at common superstitions and misconceptions.
A stork is going fishing. “If I’m lucky, I’ll have fish for dinner,” the long-legged bird says hopefully. But suddenly, a black cat crosses the path. “OH NO! BAD LUCK!… / I won’t catch anything today!” The black cat is also going fishing. “If I’m lucky, I’ll have fish for dinner,” the feline purrs. But: “OH NO! A RACCOON! That masked bandit will steal my fish!” Coincidentally, the raccoon is also going fishing. The refrain repeats. Four animals, all hoping for a fish dinner, suddenly crowd the dock, each looking warily at the others, afraid of all the mistaken beliefs they’ve previously heard. The raccoon fears catching warts from the frog; the frog hopes the stork doesn’t deliver any inconvenient babies. Each eyes the others suspiciously. But what luck! They each catch a fish! Each superstition or myth is unraveled as the animals apologize to one another. Stork is particularly perplexed: “Wait. What? Why would I deliver babies?” Awan’s illustrations use contrast effectively; the bold, simply shaped animals stand out starkly against the light sky. The text also pops in dark, blocky typeface. Appended backmatter further explains the origins of the misconceptions associated with each animal. The question of the fishes’ luck goes unaddressed, however.
A clever way to approach a conversation on assumptions. (Picture book. 4-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Awan, Jashar: WHAT A LUCKY DAY!" Kirkus Reviews, 1 Sept. 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A634467237/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=19b59824. Accessed 6 June 2025.
What a Lucky Day!
Jashar Awan. Norton, $17.95 (48p) ISBN 978-1-324-01552-9
Four animal anglers head individually to a waterside dock, each hoping to catch some dinner. Based solely on superstition or misinformation, each is certain that other animals they run into will stymie their efforts at fishing. A stork, seeing a black cat, worries that bad luck will follow; the cat, running into a raccoon, is sure that the "masked bandit" will steal the fish. The raccoon believes that a frog will give him warts, and the frog hopes that the stork won't crowd the pier with infants. When fortune favors everyone with a fish--"WHAT A LUCKY DAY!"--the misconceptions are aired and corrected ("Warts are caused by a virus. Not by me," says the frog testily), prompting sheepish apologies and a communal fish feast. Cartoonist Awan makes an A + picture book debut that warns against assumptions--his boldly graphic pictures combine the pop and verve of classic WPA posters with a contemporary expression and top-notch comic timing. Ages 3-5. Agent: Erica Rand Silverman, Stimola Literary Studio. (Oct.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 PWxyz, LLC
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"Picture Books." Publishers Weekly, vol. 267, no. 39, 28 Sept. 2020, p. 62. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A638637521/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4fcebd5a. Accessed 6 June 2025.
If you're a New Yorker subscriber, you've probably encountered Jashar Awan's work: the venerable magazine--and the "Goings on About Town" section in particular--was one of his best clients during his almost two decades as a freelance illustrator in the New York City. But you're forgiven if you don't make the connection between the graphic novel realism of those images and the strongly geometric pictures in his debut, What a Lucky Day! (Norton Young Readers), which are modeled on the look of cut paper.
The big departure in style resulted from a confluence of circumstances and influences. Awan and his wife became parents in 2013 and moved from New York to Ohio in 2017 to be closer to her family. The couple met at the Pratt Institute; she's now a designer at Jo-Ann Stores. Fatherhood inspired Awan to think about the children's books he had loved as a kid--he cites Crockett Johnson, Ezra Jack Keats, and Marc Simont as visual inspirations--and try his hand at creating one himself.
Awan made two full-fledged books and with advice from another Pratt classmate, Madeline Valentine (I Want That Nut!), shopped them around for representation but didn't get any bites. He began working on What a Lucky Day! in 2018, when what he saw as "the demonization of large groups of people" seemed to have gripped America.
"I was thinking about my own experience as well," Awan says. "We were living in a much less diverse area, and I was constantly having to answer the question, 'No, where are you really from?'"
Awan sketched a stork decked out in angling gear and realized he had more to say than, "This character is going fishing." The result was a story in which a group of animals on a fishing expedition confront their stereotypes and misconceptions of each other.
What a Lucky Day! caught the eye of Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions, who then passed it on to Erica Rand Silverman at Stimola Literary Studio. After some minor revision, the book was snapped up at auction by Norton for its then year-old Young Readers imprint. Awan's editor, Simon Boughton--also the imprint's publishing director--had few changes.
"I think that was part of the appeal--how far along it was," Awan says of the book. "It was something they could put out quickly."
Awan signed with Rand Silverman at the start of 2019, Norton bought the book that summer, and it hit stores this past October. Thanks to a deal with Brooklyn-based Winter Water Factory, kids' T-shirts featuring the characters will be appearing soon.
Awan's second book for Norton--which he describes as being about "an anteater who goes on a sleepover and has to try new things"--is due out in fall 2021. This time, the collaboration with Boughton has been far more extensive, which Awan welcomed. "After making books on my own for so long, it's fun to work with him on it and have him take it as seriously as I do," he says.
Norton is also working on a third book for which Awan is providing the manuscript only. The illustrator has yet to be chosen.
And Awan says he's enjoying sharing his studio with his seven-year-old son, who is remote learning because of the pandemic. "I didn't think I was going to have a first-grade studio mate, but it's fun."
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Morse, Libby. "JASHAR AWAN." Publishers Weekly, vol. 267, no. 52, 21 Dec. 2020, p. 44. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A650072545/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=68eabda0. Accessed 6 June 2025.
Awan, Jashar ONLY ANTS FOR ANDY Norton Young Readers (Children's None) $17.95 10, 12 ISBN: 978-1-324-01659-5
A finicky anteater learns that tastes sometimes change.
With a long, stretchy tongue, Andy loves to slurp ants—but never any other food. Ants taste amazing. Why would Andy eat anything else? Andy also likes trucks: tow trucks, cement trucks, dump trucks…only trucks. When pal Sam invites Andy over for a sleepover at the Sloths’ house, Andy can’t wait. But shockingly, Sam’s room is filled with spaceships. There is not a single truck to be found. Andy soon realizes that spaceships are similar to trucks—but in space! Even better. At the dinner table, Andy is in for another surprise. The Sloths don’t eat ants (in fact, Sam is allergic); instead they eat grubs. With eyes squeezed tight in determination (and fear), Andy sticks out his long tongue and slurps. Grubs aren’t bad! He has learned that he can try new things. Awan builds Andy’s personal discoveries one atop the other, with a steady pace, culminating in a triumphant victory dance—until the furry algae dessert. “Wait. What?” Humorous details in the art will add to the guffaws. Mrs. Sloth of course drives incredibly slowly, happily oblivious to the traffic piling up behind her and the tortoise jogger that passes her; both ants and grubs sport tiny eyes as they crawl or squirm about the plates. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Trying new things can be hard, but it’s worth it (except maybe not furry algae). (Picture book. 3-6)
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"Awan, Jashar: ONLY ANTS FOR ANDY." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Aug. 2021. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A669986552/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b50a9ad5. Accessed 6 June 2025.
AWAN, Jashar. Strum and Drum: A Merry Little Quest. illus. by Jashar Awan. 56p. Tundra. Oct. 2022. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780735272392.
K-Gr 2--Strum strums his guitar and Drum drums her drum on their journey to the Great Star in the north. Marching along a path illuminated by flickering lights, they leap through a silver waterfall, feast on peppermints and a pickle, and attract followers, including a dancer, an angel, and a polar bear. A soldier with a toothy grin warns of a beast with green eyes, a creature whose sudden appearance curtails their trip. Colorful drawings that look like paper cutouts give way to richly textured black-and-white sketches, including one of a dreaded beast that turns out to be a cat! A young boy scolds his pet before gently placing the two ornaments, Strum and Drum, higher up on the Christmas tree. This plot twist will have readers eagerly flipping back pages to figure out what just happened: Who are these characters? Why is the waterfall silver? What is the source of flickering lights? Most questions are answered, but a small, muted illustration showcasing the entire Christmas free misses an opportunity to fully wrap up. The book includes some traditional ornaments like a pickle that may be less familiar to children; there is no endnote explaining the symbolism. VERDICT This clever Christmas tale uses two distinct drawing styles to shift perspective. The surprising ending will have readers returning for a second, or even third, look.--Jenny Andrus
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Andrus, Jenny. "AWAN, Jashar. Strum and Drum: A Merry Little Quest." School Library Journal, vol. 68, no. 9, Sept. 2022, p. 89. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A715572325/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=23a574d1. Accessed 6 June 2025.
Strum and Drum: A Merry Little Quest
JasharAwan.Tundra, $18.99 (56p) ISBN 978-0-7352-7239-2
What do Christmas tree ornaments get up to when no one's looking? In mixedmedia artwork resembling cut-paper collage, Awan imagines just that, portraying a dreamy, candy-colored world in which adventure and danger lurk. One silent night, Strum and Drum wake from a deep sleep and, on guitar and drum, begin jamming as they travel "all the way to the Great Star in the north!" Their walk leads them past flickering lanterns, a silver waterfall that doesn't get them wet, and glass bubbles that don't pop. Not even a dire warning from a menacing Nutcracker can veer them off the jolly course as their band, portrayed with various skin tones, begins to grow. But when the warned-of beast makes a quick strike, Strum and Drum are flung away from the woods and into a new world--depicted in naturalistic black-and-white art--that will have readers quickly flipping back to the book's beginning to launch the journey with fresh eyes. Brief text holds readers in suspense until the book delivers its revelatory twist in this festive nested story reminiscent of Pokko and the Drum. Ages 3-7. (Oct.)
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"Strum and Drum: A Merry Little Quest." Publishers Weekly, vol. 269, no. 38, 12 Sept. 2022, pp. 68+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A719644861/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=89907ab0. Accessed 6 June 2025.
I'm Going to Build a Snowman
Jashar Awan. Simon & Schuster, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-66593-817-4
When an adorably compact child shown with brown skin awakens to find snow falling outside, they react excitedly. "MOM!" the child yells, nose in the curtains next to a wall decorated with the hand-drawn image of a smiling snowperson. Now they can build "THE BEST SNOWMAN EVER!" Starting with what seems like a quiet hat tip to the simple forms of Ezra Jack Keats, Awan (Strum and Drum) renders comic strip--like action as the child bundles up ("ziiiip... fwump") and heads outside. In fanciful monochromes, an instructional interlude ("Start by rolling a snowball until it becomes a perfect circle") leads to a dreamy sequence in which a picture-perfect snowperson becomes a song-and-dance partner before the two "fly off into the clear night sky." Back on the ground, the real building starts, resulting in a lopsided figure before it's "time to decorate!" A page turn reveals a snowperson that's significantly different from the ideal, but after making a single adjustment, the child is satisfied with "MY BEST SNOWMAN YET." The sunny protagonist accepts their creation in all its reality, and readers can, too, in this exploration of a maker who gleefully accepts their own work. Ages 4--8. (Sept.)
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"I'm Going to Build a Snowman." Publishers Weekly, vol. 270, no. 32, 7 Aug. 2023, p. 55. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A762480803/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=03b36a38. Accessed 6 June 2025.
Awan, Jashar I'M GOING TO BUILD A SNOWMAN Simon & Schuster (Children's None) $18.99 9, 19 ISBN: 9781665938174
A child decides to build "THE BEST SNOWMAN EVER!"
One cozy morning, the brown-skinned, dark-haired youngster wakes up to discover that it's snowing outside. After donning a sweater, boots, coat, and hat (with a little help from Mom), the child rushes outside, bursting with visions of greatness. This snowman, the protagonist believes, will not only be easy to make, but it will also come to life and carry the child away, through the sky, into a magical adventure: "It will be a dream come true!" But after the child finishes rolling balls of snow and adding stick arms, the results are not quite as expected. Luckily, with a little imagination and a lot of heart, the child puts the finishing touches on this less-than-perfect creation that, despite its flaws, is still the best snowman ever. The book's spare, witty text pairs perfectly with the vibrant, exuberant illustrations. Awan makes great use of just a few words, layering in onomatopoeia that lends the lines a sense of momentum. Overall, this is a fun and meaningful read for little ones, though its message about the potential joy that can be found in imperfection is one that will resonate with readers of all ages.
A simple but beautiful story about how little perfection matters. (Picture book. 3-8)
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"Awan, Jashar: I'M GOING TO BUILD A SNOWMAN." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2023. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A768633802/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=56c665a1. Accessed 6 June 2025.
Awan, Jashar TOWED BY TOAD Tundra Books (Children's None) $18.99 9, 3 ISBN: 9781774883488
Even helpers need help sometimes.
Toad's job as a tow truck driver is so hectic that he doesn't have time to eat the breakfast his dad's prepared. "No time, Pop! Can't stop!" Toad calls, racing out the door. Toad gets caught in heavy traffic as other animals race to their destinations. When one of them breaks down, "that's where Toad comes in," giving the beleaguered driver and the car a lift and tow, respectively. "I'm happy to help!" he announces. Caring Dad's on the scene again, bringing Toad lunch. Toad's response? "No time, Pop! Can't stop!" As the day wears on, vehicular mishaps continue. Toad "answers the call" and "tows them all." Then--uh-oh--his own truck goes kaput! Worse yet, he can't fix it. What's a tow truck driver to do whenhe needs a tow truck driver? Who's Toad gonna call? Would you believe a great helper--Dad, a tow truck driver himself--comes to the rescue? Back at the family business's garage, Toad finally finds time to eat. This rollicking story "tows" kids along with its fast-paced humor; its message that everyone occasionally needs assistance will resonate. The clipped text, heightening the sense of on-the-go movement, is comprised of brief sentences and phrases that use basic phonemic elements, making this funny, sweet tale a fine choice for emergent readers. The comical digital illustrations, featuring an all-animal cast, incorporate onomatopoeic sound effects.
Young readers will be pulled in by this humorous charmer.(Picture book. 4-7)
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"Awan, Jashar: TOWED BY TOAD." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A801499701/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=230451c6. Accessed 6 June 2025.
* Every Monday Mabel
Jashar Awan. Simon & Schuster, $19.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-66593-815-0
Mondays don't get a lot of love--unless you're the eponymous protagonist of this picture book, in which case, "Monday is the best day of the week." To the amusement of her parents, Mabel wakes up early, dresses, grabs a bowl of dry cereal, and drags a chair to the driveway to await the garbage truck's arrival. "And it's huge!" writes Awan (I'm Going to Build a Snowman). "The engine roars! The lights flash! The hubcaps shine! The brakes squeak!" The vehicle lifts a garbage can into the air, and Mabel hoists her cereal bowl to the sky in solidarity. Mabel is convinced that everyone she knows has missed it, this "best thing in the world," but the following pages reveal that the child belongs to a bigger community: as the truck makes its rounds, it draws beaming faces to various windows, suggesting that trash-pickup Monday is the "best day" for a lot of people. Digital art, a blend of watercolor and cut-paper looks, employs soft shapes and strong geometric lines. Throughout, Mabel exudes the unshakable enthusiasm of a diehard fan, and the truck, bright green with stylized details, proves a worthy object of communal adoration. Characters are portrayed with various abilities and skin tones. Ages 4-8. Agent: Erica Rand Silverman, Stimola Literary Studio. (Feb.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 PWxyz, LLC
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"Every Monday Mabel." Publishers Weekly, vol. 271, no. 42, 4 Nov. 2024, p. 43. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A815444320/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=0247bf4c. Accessed 6 June 2025.
Awan, Jashar EVERY MONDAY MABEL Simon & Schuster (Children's None) $19.99 2, 25 ISBN: 9781665938150
Each Monday, Mabel prepares for "the best thing in the world."
Why is Mabel dragging her chair outside to the top of the driveway, where she sits and waits with a bowl of cereal? Older sister Mira thinks Mabel's Monday morning routine is "the most boring thing." Mom thinks it's the "cutest," Dad the "funniest." Awan builds suspense and drama as brown-skinned Mabel moves through the house. At last, the garbage truck pulls up to the curb, and Mabel's filled with excitement as she watches the sanitation workers do their thing. Neon colors pop in the illustrations; in one scene, Mabel's double puffs and off-kilter chair loom larger than life in the shadows they cast behind her. Diagonal lines add interest, as when Dad's massive arm reaches up across the gutter to open the door for his daughter, coffee splashing from the cup in his other hand. Action lines, alliteration, capital letters, and sound effects help readers understand why the massive machine rumbling to the curb is so special: "Liiiiift." "Wheeeeeeeee." "Gah-dump." "TRASH TUMBLES INTO THE TRUCK!" The spectacle is a young child's delight, and it's refreshing to see a vehicle-related book starring a girl of color. Unbeknownst to Mabel, she isn't the only one who waits for the garbage truck. Turning to the final page, viewers see several neighbors of various skin tones at their windows.
Captures the excitement of anticipation, the thrill of yearning realized, and truck love among the young.(Picture book. 2-5)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Awan, Jashar: EVERY MONDAY MABEL." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Dec. 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A819570296/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1eb67a4e. Accessed 6 June 2025.