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ENTRY TYPE: new
WORK TITLE: The Adventures of Invisible Boy
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WEBSITE: https://www.doogiehorner.com/
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COUNTRY: United States
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PERSONAL
Male.
EDUCATION:Studied at Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Author, illustrator, and comedian. Has designed book covers for Quirk Books and toy packaging for Mattel.
WRITINGS
Author’s humor writing has appeared in numerous periodicals, including McSweeney’s, Wired, Fast Company, London Times, and Boing Boing. Has also recorded the comedy albums A Delicate Man and Dad Max.
SIDELIGHTS
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Doogie Horner—yes, that is his real name—is an author, illustrator, and comedian who is probably best known for being a semifinalist on the reality television show America’s Got Talent. He has performed standup comedy routines at numerous venues and has recorded two comedy albums. He studied at the Tyler School of Art, and he has designed everything from book covers to toy packaging. His work as an illustrator and author has also gained him renown. This has included illustrating the works of other authors, including Jason Rekulak’s novel Hidden Pictures, and writing books for adult readers. In recent years, more of his work has been writing and illustrating children’s books.
Horner’s first prominent work as an illustrator was on the “Kids Legends” series written by David Stabler. The opening installment in the series was Kids Presidents: True Tales of Childhood from America’s Presidents, which provides facts and interesting details about the childhood lives of various U.S. presidents, including Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Barack Obama. The “true tales” include stories about various presidents along with motifs such as the jobs they had when they were young or what their teachers thought of them. Horner’s full-color introductions provide humor and set the tone for this book that is more about fun facts than deep history.
A reviewer in Publishers Weekly enjoyed this first installment. They called the text “straightforward” and “upbeat,” and they called the various sections “easy-to-digest.” They praised Horner’s illustrations for adding “funny metafictional moments.” Keith Klang, in School Library Journal, agreed, calling the book “fun and accessible” with a style that is “funny and lighthearted.”
Kid Athletes: True Tales of Childhood from Sports Legends was the second book in the series. It shifted the format away from facts and details to longer stories about famous sports stars. Stories about sixteen athletes are presented, including legends such as Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson to more contemporary stars such as Peyton Manning, Lionel Messi, and Gabby Douglas. Horner’s illustrations complement the text.
Reviewers were enthusiastic about this one. A writer in Children’s Bookwatch described it as “exceptionally well written” and “certain to be an enduringly popular addition” to library collections. They called Horner’s illustrations “whimsical” and praised them for how they “enhanced” the stories. Julia Smith, in Booklist, agreed. She wrote, “The book shines in its ability to make these legends relatable to young readers,” and she noted that non-sports fans would enjoy it, too. She also highlighted Horner’s illustrations and how they add to the book’s success.
Kid Artists: True Tales of Childhood from Creative Legends extends the series to visual artists and writers, including such luminaries as Claude Monet, Beatrix Potter, and Charles Schulz. The focus is on how these and other artists overcame challenges they faced in childhood. Horner’s full-color illustrations are present on almost every page.
Paula Guhin, in Arts & Activities, appreciated the emphasis on connecting with children who are struggling, and she particularly recommended the book for children who “dislike school, or are disabled, persecuted, or misunderstood.” In Booklist, Sarah Hunter wrote, “the impressively diverse selection of artists and inviting overall tone are redeeming.” She lauded Horner’s pictures as a “charming complement” to the text.
Horner turned to writing his own books for younger people with This Might Hurt a Bit, a young adult novel about a boy still mourning the loss of his sister. Kirby is a teenager who has mostly withdrawn from the world after his sister’s death, but he decides to meet up with his friends PJ and Jake one night to play a prank. That, however, turns disastrous with a chain reaction of mishaps at school and Kirby’s forced encounters with school administrators and parents. In the end, Kirby has to overcome his problems and come to grips with himself. The book was inspired by Horner’s own teenage years after the death of his sister.
“An irreverent journey through despondency” is how a writer in Kirkus Reviews described the book. They predicted that readers will empathize with Kirby, and they called the book an “engaging read” with “plenty of humor.” A contributor in Publishers Weekly echoed those thoughts, praising the book’s “witty observations” and Kirby’s “expressive first-person voice.”
Horner combines his talents in the graphic novel series “The Adventures of Invisible Boy,” which he both writes and illustrates. The Adventures of Invisible Boy introduced the main character of Stanley, who wishes he could disappear and then does, but then he has to confront Gene, the person who turned him invisible. The Adventures of Invisible Boy: Zeroes to Heroes continues the adventures of Stanley and Gene, who team up to find the people who robbed a local store. That take them from an abandoned carnival to a fight at a miniature golf course, and they are joined by a robot that Stanley made himself. “Hilarious, hectic, and gleefully unpredictable,” wrote a contributor in Kirkus Reviews. They also used “frenzied” and “fun” to describe the book’s story, and they particularly appreciated a “clever video game-inspired sequence.”
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BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Arts & Activities, January, 2017, Paula Guhin, review of Kid Artists: True Tales of Childhood from Creative Legends, p. 30.
Booklist, September 1, 2015, Julia Smith, review of Kid Athletes: True Tales of Childhood from Sports Legends, p. 98; June 1, 2016, Sarah Hunter, review of Kid Artists, p. 97.
Children’s Bookwatch, November, 2015, review of Kid Athletes.
Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2019, review of This Might Hurt a Bit; November 15, 2023, review of The Adventures of Invisible Boy; November 15, 2024, review of The Adventures of Invisible Boy: Zeroes to Heroes.
Publishers Weekly, September 15, 2014, review of Kid Presidents: True Tales of Childhood from America’s Presidents, p. 71; April 29, 2019, review of This Might Hurt a Bit, p. 87.
School Library Journal, September, 2014, Keith Klang, review of Kid Presidents, p. 175.
WebOnlyReviewsSLJ, January 10, 2025, Annamarie Carlson, review of The Adventures of Invisible Boy: Zeroes to Heroes, p. 1.
ONLINE
Children’s Book Review, https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/ (October 10, 2017), Bianca Schulze, author interview.
Doogie Horner website, https://www.doogiehorner.com/ (June 3, 2025).
Philadelphia, https://www.phillymag.com/ (June 5, 2019), Victor Fiorillo, “From America’s Got Talent to YA Novelist: Doogie Horner Has a New Book Out.”
Trainwreck’d Society, https://trainwreckdsociety.com/ (June 15, 2021), author interview.
Doogie Horner is a writer, illustrator, and comedian. Raised in Pennsylvania, he studied design at Tyler School of Art and Architecture in Philadelphia, intending to write and illustrate books. He spent his early career designing book covers, working at Quirk Books for about ten years.
While working at Quirk, Doogie entered the world of standup comedy. Where art requires long hours of isolation, Doogie found the immediate feedback of standup comedy exhilarating. After winning over a booing audience, he went on to become a semi-finalist on America’s Got Talent.
Despite his success in comedy, Doogie chose to stay with his job and continue performing on the side. In standup and art, he enjoys having an audience and sharing his work with people.
Doogie is the author and illustrator of The Adventures of Invisible Boy graphic novel series, and the author of This Might Hurt a Bit, A Die Hard Christmas, and many more books. He has two comedy albums, Dad Max and A Delicate Man, the latter of which was an AV Club staff pick. Doogie lives with his family in New York.
From America’s Got Talent to YA Novelist: Doogie Horner Has a New Book Out
The comedian explains how being bullied in high school (no, it wasn't because of his silly name) turned him into a great telemarketer and comedian.
By Victor Fiorillo· 6/5/2019, 8:00 a.m.
Every Thursday, get the latest dispatches from Philly’s business and innovation community delivered right to your inbox.
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Doogie Horner
Doogie Horner (photo by Mindy Tucker)
Almost a decade ago, Doogie Horner was a Quirk Books illustrator and Philly standup comedian who became Internet-famous thanks to a series of appearances on America’s Got Talent that went viral. These days, he’s got a brand new YA novel out from Simon & Schuster (the release party for This Might Hurt a Bit is June 12th at Fergie’s), so we got him on the phone to learn more.
My full name is… Doogie Ryland Horner. It’s just the name my parents picked. I was teased a lot growing up, but not about my name. I was the only kid in junior high who had sideburns, and so the other kids teased me and called me Elvis. And I was like, Oh, I like Elvis, and then they were just teasing me more because I was the only 14-year-old kid who liked Elvis.
I grew up in… Bethlehem, but when I was ten we moved way out into the country to Klecknersville at the base of Blue Mountain. My sister passed away from leukemia, and my parents couldn’t handle being in that house, and so we moved to the middle of nowhere. And my new book is really about that transition.
When I was a kid, I wanted to grow up to be… a cartoonist. I was always drawing pictures. And my parents say that when I was really young, I used to walk around and tell adults jokes, too.
I went to college for… graphic design. I went to Tyler School of Art and was really glad I went. Some people talk about art school like it’s a waste of time, but I found it really enriching. I got a job right out of Tyler at Mattel doing package design for toys — mostly for a toy line that never made it to stores. And I always wanted to work in publishing, so I went on to work for the only two publishing companies in Philly that published fiction: Running Press and then Quirk Books.
My rejection level count is… hard to estimate. Every time you pitch a book — and I’ve pitched twelve — you get rejections. You send it to ten publications and they all say no except one, hopefully. And then when you’re a comedian, you’re always trying to get into clubs or on late night shows or sending in scripts. There’s a lot of rejection, but I don’t really feel rejected, I guess. You just float stuff out there.
The secret to getting a book deal is… to write a good book. Having connections makes it quicker, but if it’s good, you can get a deal. It also helps if you understand the market. What genres are currently selling? It’s easier to get a deal for a book where you can say there are other books out there like this that are selling well.
The time of day when I get my most creative ideas is… right before I fall asleep. It’s unfortunate. I’m constantly popping up to write stuff down.
Being on America’s Got Talent was… fun, but it was also challenging in its aftermath. I was actually kinda famous there for a while, and people are telling you to quit your job and move to L.A. and get a sitcom and it’s like, no, everybody is famous these days.
My last vacation was to… Disney World. We just got back. It was great. People have been saying, Oh, I saw photos of you at Disney World. Why in the world would you go there? Uh, because it’s fun.
One TV show I would love to write for is… the new Twilight Zone. There’s a connection between horror and humor. Both are subversions of reality. Both are about surprise. I might pitch something for the next season.
My very first job in life was… as a telemarketer. I liked it. It’s a crazy job, just calling people out of the blue. They scream at you and you have to take it and then talk them into buying your thing. Well, I didn’t care what the kids in high school said to me when they teased me, so I was able to take it when I was calling people to sell them vinyl siding or psychic readings or trips to Las Vegas or long-distance service. And then that made it easier for me to do comedy. Most people who are good at standup don’t mind people shitting on us.
Bosses are… good things. I always really liked having a boss. I’ve always liked hierarchy, knowing that there’s this person above me and that I have to do what this person says. That’s just how it works.
If I’m having trouble being creative… I do a quick meditation to clear my head. You’re always on the phone, constantly getting information from your phone. My brain gets fatigued. So I reboot my hard drive and then I am able to remember my own thoughts instead of thoughts put into my brain from my telephone.
This gig economy is… bad for giggers, great for companies. Otherwise, that wouldn’t be the setup.
Inside the Studio with Doogie Horner, Illustrator of Kid Authors
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The Children’s Book Review | October 13, 2017
Author David Stabler and illustrator Doogie Horner have created several books together, including Kid Presidents (Quirk, 2014), Kid Athletes (Quirk, 2015), Kid Artists (Quirk, 2016), and Kid Authors (Quirk, 2017). Here you will get to have a peek inside Doogie Horner’s studio and his artistic process for Kid Authors: True Tales of Childhood from Great Writers.
Inside Doogie Horner’s Studio
My studio is a room in my house, although since we had a baby I’ve done most of my work either in coffee shops or at the library. When we lived in NYC I loved working at the big library at Bryant Park, the one with the lions in front. I also worked a lot at Aubergine Cafe, a little coffee shop right under my apartment, and the Tibetan Cafe down the street. I also draw on the train sometimes or in the park, subway, or wherever.
Bryant Park
Bryant Park
NYC Public Library
My studio away from home the NYC public library
Regarding my home office, it is lined with books. I love books. I tape art up on the walls. My studio isn’t particularly fancy or unique. I worry that fetishizing my studio would turn it into more of a shrine than a workshop.
Knitted owl
Knitted owl that hangs on my wall
books on shelf
Books books books
Pictures on Desk
Pictures on my desk including an Exhumed Films print by HauntLove and a photo from my friend Dales wedding and of course Thanos
Doogie Horner Drawing with Son
Drawing with my son I keep my studio door open so he doesnt feel like Im ignoring him If he comes in I stop working and we draw together for a little while before he loses interest and goes back out to the living room to play with his cars It slows me down but it makes me feel better
Suff on Desk
More stuff on my desk including some of my sketches tacked up on the cork board
Artist Desk
I have two desks one for working and one for piling stuff on This is the one for piling stuff although its relatively clean at the moment
Doogie Horner desk
My working desk
Doogie Horner’s Creative Process
Because I draw in random places I’ve developed a drawing process that allows me to do it whenever and wherever I want. I sketch small in a sketchbook using colored pencil lead, red and blue. Then I do a tighter sketch over that line work with a rollerball pen (Uniball Vision Elite, Ultrafine, or sometimes a Micron). Then I scan the tight sketch and do the final ink on my laptop with a Wacom tablet.
Doogie Horner Sketch
A tight sketch for the book Kid Artists You can see the rough sketch underneath in red pencil
Inking on the computer
Inking on the computer
Doogie Horner Sketch2
Another tight sketch with pen above for scale
The foundation of my illustration is drawing—as opposed to color, form, texture or composition. I care first and foremost about the line. I also care about the actual content, what characters are doing, what’s in the picture. I try to make it kind of funny. My drawing process is pretty conventional: I try to work from reference or real life when possible. I create my forms using basic geometric shapes. Lately I’ve been trying to simplify the shapes, get rid of unnecessary details and make my line thicker. You can see that evolution if you compare Kid Authors to my first Kid Legends book, Kid Presidents.
A book shelf filled with books
More books and a close up of the cork board on my wall
Kid Authors Book CoverKid Authors: True Tales of Childhood from Great Writers
Written by David Stabler
Illustrated by Doogie Horner
Publisher’s Synopsis: Funny and totally true childhood biographies and full-color illustrations tell the tales from the challenging yet defining growing-up years of J. K. Rowling, Beverly Cleary, J. R. R. Tolkien, and 12 other great writers.
Every great author started out as a kid. Before the best sellers, fan clubs, and beloved stories we know today, the world’s most celebrated writers had regular-kid problems just like you. Sam Clemens (aka Mark Twain) loved to skip school and make mischief, with his best friend Tom, of course! A young J. R. R. Tolkien was bitten by a huge tarantula—or as he called it, “a spider as big as a dragon.” Toddler Zora Neale Hurston took her first steps when a wild hog entered her house and started chasing her! Kid Artists tells their stories and more—the diverse and inclusive cast that includes Roald Dahl, Beverly Cleary, J. K. Rowling, Sherman Alexie, Jules Verne, Lewis Carroll, Stan Lee—through kid-friendly texts and full-color cartoon illustrations on nearly every page.
Ages 9-12 | Publisher: Quirk Books | 2017 | ISBN-13: 978-1594749872
David Stabler, Author of Kid Authors | Speed Interview
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The Children’s Book Review | October 10, 2017
The Children’s Book Review: Which five words best describe Kid Authors: True Tales of Childhood from Great Writers?
David Stabler: Fun, funny illustrated true stories
Can you share one highlight from Kid Authors: True Tales of Childhood from Great Writers with our readers?
Roald Dahl, the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, worked as a chocolate tester for the Cadbury Candy Company when he was a kid. The company would send him chocolate bars in the mail and he would taste each one and write down what he liked and disliked about it. It not only sounds like an incredibly fun job, but it also provided some of the inspiration for his most memorable character, Willy Wonka.
What has been the best reaction from a reader, so far?
I like it when readers take the time to write letters or e-mail me. A number of them have made excellent suggestions for new books in the series. One of the authors in the book, Stan Lee of Marvel Comics, once wrote to a writer he admired and was excited when he got a letter back. Ever since then he’s always made sure to send a reply to anyone who writes to him. I try to follow Stan’s example.
Why do you think true tales should be an important part of a child’s home library?
I think there should always be a good balance between fiction and non-fiction in anyone’s home library. True stories can spark a kid’s curiosity about the world around them, make them ask questions, do their own research, and learn more about the people and subjects that interest them. If you’re interested in becoming a writer someday, one of the best things to do is to find out how the authors you like got their start: when did they start writing, who inspired them, how did they hone their skills? By learning about what real-life people went through, you begin to understand what’s possible for you.
For your writing energy: sugar or salt, tea or coffee?
That’s a hard question, because I like all of those things. I try to keep salt and sugar to a minimum, because they’re not so healthy, and I prefer tea to coffee, so I’ll go with that. But mostly the key to having good energy when I write is just getting a good night’s sleep.
Writing tools: computer, pen and paper, or all of the above?
Mostly a computer. I do most of the actual writing on an Apple desktop, and I use pen and paper to make lists of things I need, like library books.
What’s on your nightstand? Any books?
Well I do most of my reading on the living room couch, so what’s literally on my nightstand is just a dish full of cough drops in case I wake up with a sore throat. But I always have at least two or three books going at any one time. That’s not counting the ones I read to research whichever book I’m writing.
Can you tell us something that even your most loyal fans may not know about you?
I never learned how to swim. If anybody sees me in the water, please alert the lifeguard.
Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
Stay in school, keep reading and writing, and be kind to animals—including people.
Kid Authors Book CoverKid Authors: True Tales of Childhood from Great Writers
Written by David Stabler
Illustrated by Doogie Horner
Publisher’s Synopsis: Funny and totally true childhood biographies and full-color illustrations tell the tales from the challenging yet defining growing-up years of J. K. Rowling, Beverly Cleary, J. R. R. Tolkien, and 12 other great writers.
Every great author started out as a kid. Before the best sellers, fan clubs, and beloved stories we know today, the world’s most celebrated writers had regular-kid problems just like you. Sam Clemens (aka Mark Twain) loved to skip school and make mischief, with his best friend Tom, of course! A young J. R. R. Tolkien was bitten by a huge tarantula—or as he called it, “a spider as big as a dragon.” Toddler Zora Neale Hurston took her first steps when a wild hog entered her house and started chasing her! Kid Artists tells their stories and more—the diverse and inclusive cast that includes Roald Dahl, Beverly Cleary, J. K. Rowling, Sherman Alexie, Jules Verne, Lewis Carroll, Stan Lee—through kid-friendly texts and full-color cartoon illustrations on nearly every page.
Ages 9-12 | Publisher: Quirk Books | 2017 | ISBN-13: 978-1594749872
Doogie Horner [Interview]
June 15, 2021 by rontrembathiii Leave a comment
Hello Folks! I sincerely can’t explain how excited I am to share this interview with you all. Today’s guest is somebody that I have wanted to have on the site for quite a while. And we finally got ’em, Everyone! It’s the brilliant comedian, illustrator, and writer Doogie Horner!
I first discovered Doogie’s existence in a fashion that has been a pretty routine occurrence around here at TWS. It was Doug Loves Movies. Much like just about every comedian we have managed to wrangle onto this site, you could probably play that weird Kevin Bacon game to track them back to DLM. In the last few years, Doogie has been such a presence on the show, and it lead me to dig into some of his work, including the amazing book, Some Very Interesting Cats, Perhaps You Weren’t Aware Of, that I will routinely break out when I just need a little pick me up when I’m feeling a bit down. It’s absolutely delightful. And wouldn’t you know it, he has a plethora of other great works that everyone should check out. We talk about of a few of them in the interview below, but it behooves me to let you all know that he is also the creator if a Die Hard coloring book. Yes, you read that correctly. Along with all of his other works, you should definitely buy that.
So Folks, please enjoy some amazing words from the hilarious Doogie Horner. And after you read this interview and definitely say to yourself, “Hey, this guy seems like the cat’s pajamas with the bee’s knees all over them, I should buy stuff that he does!”, be sure to head on over to doogiehorner.com to do just that. Enjoy!
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What inspired you to get into the world of comedy? Was it something you have been inspired to do since your youth, or did you happen to find yourself in this world one day?
When I was a kid, I loved old comedians like the Marx Brothers, Bob Hope, and Danny Kaye. I liked comedy movies, not necessarily standup. I also read a lot of funny comics like Bloom County and Calvin and Hobbes. I was always a funny (a.k.a. weird) kid, but I never thought of doing standup. I tried it on a whim, simply because I heard Helium (in Philadelphia) had an open mic.
What was your first paid gig in the world of comedy? And were there any sort of lessons learned from this experience that still affect your work to date?
When I started doing standup in Philly, standup was not as popular as it is now. So there weren’t many real shows at comedy clubs, or alternative shows in the back of bars. Most of the shows were poorly planned train wrecks, in hoagie shops or VFW halls. Surprisingly, they were generally fun. Because they were so bad, right out of the gate, that you didn’t feel any pressure to succeed. Just surviving was a big enough accomplishment.
The first paid show I did was way out in Delco; it was some kind of fundraiser, I didn’t really know for what. Once I arrived, I found out that it was a fundraiser for a police dog who’d died in the line of duty. The cops gave a eulogy for him and then I went on. There was no stage, and I performed in the round—directly after a Powerpoint eulogy for a dead dog. It was a big crowd, maybe two hundred cops, standing in a circle around me while tears dried on their cheeks, angrily listening to my weird jokes about rowboats and muffins or whatever.
Performing at those early train wreck shows helped me get used to being booed, yelled at, bombing my face off. There’s no way I can bomb harder than I did back then. That’s why when I performed on America’s Got Talent, and everyone at the Hammerstein Ballroom booed me, I wasn’t fazed.
I absolutely adored your book Some Very Interesting Cats Perhaps You Weren’t Aware Of. For those poor unfortunate fools who may not have checked it out yet, could you tell us a bit about it? And what made you want to tell this tale?
It’s an illustrated book of one hundred short, funny stories about cats. Cats are mysterious. You can never tell what they’re thinking. Whenever I leave my house, I always wonder, “What does my cat do while I’m gone?” I imagined him having a rich, secret life, and the book explores stories like that. The secret lives of housecats.
A couple of your more recent writings, such as the YA novel This Might Hurt A Bit and the cute little comic David’s Dad’s Movies available on your website, have been geared toward a younger audience than your typical one. Obviously there will be differences, but I am more interested in what you feel is the same? Are there any core elements in storytelling that exist no matter what the genre or form may be, in your personal opinion?
This Might Hurt a Bit is a lightly fictionalized memoir about my teenage years, growing up in rural Pennsylvania. I didn’t intend it for a younger audience necessarily, but that book is appropriate for teenagers on up. There’s some heavy shit in there. Everybody who reads it cries.
David’s Dad’s Movie is for a much younger audience, five or six year-olds.
But to answer your question, yeah, telling a story to anyone, at any age, requires certain core elements if you want it to be interesting. Even stories with vastly different formats—a three-minute joke compared to a 300-page book—have similarities.
1. The story has to be coherent. The more the reader/listener understands, the more they’ll enjoy it. This rule sounds self-evident, but it’s amazing how often I forget to stop and ask myself, “Does the audience know what I mean? Are we on the same wavelength?” Kids especially value understanding, because they hear so many things they don’t understand every day.
2. The story has to be interesting, and the best way to do that is to make it relatable. There have to be some familiar elements in it, so the audience can relate to it. Add a few surprises too. But make one of them a surprise for the characters, but not the audience.
3. It’s helpful if things happen, if things change. In story-writing school they call this “character evolution,” but I hate that term. I hate how in movies (books do it less) the main character always learns and evolves. In real life, people rarely do that. Maybe that’s why we love to see it? It’s like believing in Santa Claus, this fairy tale that we can change who we are.
Anyhow, you can sidestep this rule somewhat if you really nail number 2. Movies like My Neighbor Totoro, or books like The Catcher in the Rye or Slaughterhouse Five don’t have a whole lot of character change, but they depict reality in such a clear, true way that that’s enough to keep the audience hooked.
Basically: Be interesting, connect with the audience, and, if you can, tell the truth.
The best book on writing I’ve read is Stephen King’s On Writing. And the best book about reading is How Fiction Works, by James Wood.
If you had free range, and an unlimited budget, to create the biopic of any legendary figure in American history, who would it be?
Well it wouldn’t require much budget, but I’d make a biopic of Bill Peet. Actually, maybe I wouldn’t. He already wrote and illustrated his own biography, and I don’t think I could top it. I’d only do a bio of him so that more people could know about his work. He’s one of my favorite illustrators, and he also worked on a lot of Disney movies. His biography is an interesting read, I highly recommend the book:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Peet
What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers?
I’m writing and illustrating a comic book right now. We’re moving back to NYC soon; we’ve been hiding in the woods of Massachusetts during the pandemic.
The main thing I’d like to plug is my novel This Might Hurt a Bit. It’s a funny coming of age story about a kid whose sister dies of cancer. I know that doesn’t sound funny, but the book is generally funny.
What was the last thing that made you smile?
My son yelled, “Come into the bathroom!” and I went in and found him suspended near the top of the shower, supporting himself with his hands and feet pushed against the walls. “Help, I’m stuck!” he yelled.
I feel like that anecdote shouldn’t count though, because my son makes me smile ten times a day, so here’s another one.
I was visiting my Dad for a couple days, just the two of us because my Mom was at the beach with my family. My Dad had a stroke, so often he can’t think of certain words. We were shopping at the grocery store, and he was looking for something he couldn’t name. He struggled to explain it to me. “It’s round,” he said, drawing a circle in the air. “Like . . . tortillas. And . . . in a bag.”
After a minute I guessed, “Pepperoni?”
My Dad was so amazed I’d guessed it right that he laughed with surprise. His clues had been pretty bad (although, at the same time, spot on. Pepperoni slices are like little tortillas). He laughed and laughed and said, “this should be a game show.”
That made me smile.
HORNER, Doogie. The Adventures of Invisible Boy: Zeroes to Heroes. illus. by Doogie Horner. 192p. (The Adventures of Invisible Boy: Bk. 2). Putnam. Jan. 2025. Tr $23.99. ISBN 9780593532690.
Gr 3–6—This graphic novel sequel begins with a quick recap to catch readers up on former enemies, now friends, Stan and Gene. After an accident with Gene's enhanced stain remover, both boys have the power to tun invisible whenever they burp or sneeze. While their powers aren't new, their ability to control those powers is unique to the sequel, leading to Stan wanting to use his now-controllable invisibility to save their town from crime and become a superhero. However, a few problems delay his quest: Gene isn't interested in being a superhero, and he makes fun of Stan's dreams. While Stan tries to brush this aside, the lack of real crime in their town makes it difficult to save the day. Just as Stan is about to give up, a new villain joins the adventure. While the side plot exploring Gene and Stan's friendship provides a bit of depth, this sequel doesn't stand on its own. Plot holes abound that might have been answered in the first book but won't make sense to new readers, such as how they manage to follow each other through town when they can't see each other. The villains' journey to evil is less impactful when readers don't have a full understanding of their back story. Fans of series like "Hilo" or "The Last Kids on Earth" might try their luck with Invisible Boy's first volume, instead.
VERDICT: While this graphic novel will appeal to fans of the first book, it doesn't quite hold its own.—Annamarie Carlson
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 Library Journals, LLC
http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/xpress/884170-289/xpress_reviews-first_look_at_new.html.csp
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Carlson, Annamarie. "The Adventures of Invisible Boy: Zeroes to Heroes." WebOnlyReviewsSLJ, vol. 71, no. 1, 10 Jan. 2025, p. 1. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A824395512/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4a3c95b0. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Horner, Doogie THE ADVENTURES OF INVISIBLE BOY Putnam (Children's None) $23.99 1, 28 ISBN: 9780593532690
When a strange foe comes to town, two youngsters put their newly discovered superpowers to the test.
Erstwhile rivals Stanley and Gene, having become friends in the first installment of this graphic novel series, have finally figured out how to control their powers of invisibility--sort of. And how better to use those skills than by fighting crime in their community? Unfortunately, even with Stanley's robot scanning the streets for bad guys, there's not much action brewing; accidentally purloined pens and fashion crimes are the best they can do. Suspiciously soon, a towering, shadowy nemesis appears, assisted by a goofy pair of carnival workers turned henchmen. Next, Stanley's dad's hardware store, the family's livelihood, is ransacked. Stanley opens a pancake smoothie stand to raise funds for the shop; later, he and Gene engage in high-energy battles against the henchmen. The cartoon action is frenzied and fun, right till the last absurd, clever turn; the choice to set the fights at a minigolf venue is particularly inspired, with the combatants looking like giants towering over a trembling town. A clever video game-inspired sequence sees the boys going up against the henchmen in the abandoned carnival grounds. Stanley and Gene are light-skinned; there's some diversity in their community.
Hilarious, hectic, and gleefully unpredictable.(Graphic fantasy. 7-10)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Horner, Doogie: THE ADVENTURES OF INVISIBLE BOY." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Nov. 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A815560459/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=718a3c06. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Horner, Doogie THE ADVENTURES OF INVISIBLE BOY Putnam (Children's None) $20.99 1, 30 ISBN: 9780593532645
Two dramatically different boys acquire the power of invisibility, with raucous results.
Stanley is anxious about starting a new school--it's the middle of the year, and everyone else already knows each other. He's also poorly prepared for the Science Fair, for which he creates a wonky robot cobbled together from recyclable materials. Gene, an aspiring scientist with a collection of crackpot inventions, has a far more ambitious entry: a powerful stain remover. Both Stanley and Gene become drenched in the mixture and are rendered invisible. Stanley, in stealth mode, explores his new town and enjoys relief from social pressures. Meanwhile, Gene, incensed that Stanley's robot has won first prize, takes revenge, secretly wreaking havoc by vandalizing bikes and destroying Stanley's treehouse. Though Stanley's search for justice and an invisibility antidote drives the plot, the book's buzzy energy relies on Gene's zany creations. The conflict between aspiring hero and eager villain reaches its apex in Gene's basement laboratory, where the two battle each other using Gene's collection of contraptions in a broadly comical, captivating denouement. In the wake of this destruction, the boys' final reconciliation opens the door for more creative adventures. Action-packed artwork feels reminiscent of comic strips or animated shows; Stanley recalls a particularly earnest Calvin (of Calvin and Hobbes), while Gene is reminiscent of the titular character on Dexter's Lab. Both Stanley and Gene are white.
A fun-filled adventure that celebrates the true superpowers of the middle-grade imagination: chaos and creativity. (Graphic fantasy. 7-10)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Horner, Doogie: THE ADVENTURES OF INVISIBLE BOY." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Nov. 2023. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A772515460/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1ce322d9. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Horner, Doogie THIS MIGHT HURT A BIT Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster (Young Adult Fiction) $18.99 6, 4 ISBN: 978-1-5344-2717-4
An angry teen works out his issues.
Tomorrow will be the 1-year anniversary of Kirby's worst day: the day his sister Melanie died. Since then Kirby has withdrawn from the world, letting his sorrow fester as he watches Die Hard over and over again. The only personal connections Kirby still maintains are his friendships with Jake and PJ. PJ is popular and likable; Jake, on the other hand, is "a real asshole." The three boys get together for an evening of mischief, and things quickly go south. The next day at school Kirby struggles to avoid not just his own feelings about what happened, but also the school jocks looking for payback. The ensuing novel effectively externalizes Kirby's emotional arc as he twists and turns to push himself forward. Kirby's sullen anger could easily become repetitive, but the author cuts it with plenty of humor and a few moments of clarity, creating an engaging read. Less artfully drawn are the tertiary characters: Kirby's parents and the school administrators are one-note obstacles for Kirby and his friends to move around but never truly engage with. In the end, Kirby achieves his presumed catharsis and readers will feel for him, but the story isn't as rich as it could have been. PJ is the only character whose ethnicity is mentioned (he's Puerto Rican); all others can be assumed white.
An irreverent journey through despondency with some minor flaws. (Fiction. 12-17)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Horner, Doogie: THIS MIGHT HURT A BIT." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A580520836/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=0e617be6. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
This Might Hurt a Bit
Doogie Horner. Simon Pulse, $18.99 (336p) ISBN 978-1-5344-2717-4
The worst day of 16-year-old Kirby's life was when his sister, Melanie, died. A year later, he's worried about getting beaten up at school for pulling a prank that ended badly the night before--and he's not looking forward to facing his parents about the secret journal his mother found in his room, either. In his observant and expressive first-person voice, Kirby describes his experiences with bullies, his grief after losing Melanie, and his family's recent move from suburbia to the rural town of Upper Shuckburgh, a quiet place that sometimes "feels like the moon." Horner's YA debut lacks fully developed characters and emotional depth (laughs come at the expense of local people, who are typecast as crass rednecks). But humor diffuses the tension built from Kirby's various attempts to escape his fate, and witty observations, such as Kirby's appraisal of his mother and father ("Trying to figure out my parents is like trying to put a tuxedo on a squirrel: difficult, dangerous, and not worth the photo") feel fresh. Ages 14--up. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House. (June)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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"This Might Hurt a Bit." Publishers Weekly, vol. 266, no. 17, 29 Apr. 2019, p. 87. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A584497929/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=bfab9af7. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
KID ARTISTS: True Tales of Childhood from Creative Legends, by David Stabler, illustrated by Doogie Horner. Quirk Books, $13.95.
How many kids' biographical art books include such disparate artists as Yoko Ono, Charles Schulz, Dr. Seuss, and eccentric Emily Carr?
The world of art is eclectic indeed, providing author Stabler with 17 well-known subjects who experienced a diversity of childhoods. They were I underprivileged, I bullied, or emotionally troubled. Orphaned or injured. Transients or ill. Despite or perhaps because of their difficulties, they grew up to have an effect, to become significant.
A few of Stabler's choices strain credibility regarding their hardships. Beatrix Potter enjoyed prosperity; Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso were merely undisciplined. Still, they are models for today's children. For example, Georgia O'Keeffe was "different."
Part One tells of artists motivated by the universal theme of nature. In the second portion are those who faced "hard knocks." The luminaries in Part Three were mentored.
The 8" x 6" hardcover is best for kids in grades three through six, especially youngsters who dislike school, or are disabled, persecuted, or misunderstood. And who doesn't feel lonely sometimes?-P.G.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Publishers' Development Corporation
http://www.artsandactivities.com/
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Guhin, Paula. "Kid Artists: True Tales of Childhood from Creative Legends." Arts & Activities, vol. 160, no. 5, Jan. 2017, p. 30. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A474722614/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1cb75fad. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Kid Artists: True Tales of Childhood from Creative Legends. By David Stabler. Illus. by Doogie Horner. Aug. 2016. 208p. Quirk, $13.95 (9781594748967): e-book, $13.95 (9781594748998). 709. Gr. 3-6.
In the same light tone as Kid Presidents (2014) and Kid Athletes (2015), Stabler and Horner present the childhoods of 16 famous artists. Divided into thematic sections, the chapters recount the early lives of creative kids who faced major obstacles (Jackson Pollock, Yoko Ono, Jean-Michel Basquiat), persevered with the encouragement of a mentor (Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Jacob Lawrence), or were inspired by nature (Vincent van Gogh, Beatrix Potter, Emily Carr). Stabler sidesteps many of the serious problems some of the artists faced to focus instead on the elements of their childhoods that inspired their later work, such as Andy Warhol's relationship with his mother, or Van Gogh's adolescent bug-collecting hobby. Since the focus of this collective biography is visual artists, it's disappointing that none of their works are pictured, though Horner's comical cartoon illustrations are a charming complement to Stabler's sometimes irreverent text. Though a factual error (to be corrected in reprint editions) is unfortunate, the impressively diverse selection of artists and inviting overall tone are redeeming.--Sarah Hunter
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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Hunter, Sarah. "Kid Artists: True Tales of Childhood from Creative Legends." Booklist, vol. 112, no. 19-20, 1 June 2016, p. 97. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A456094283/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=9fff477a. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Kid Athletes: True Tales of Childhood from Sports Legends
David Stabler, author
Doogie Horner, illustrator
Quirk Books
215 Church Street, Philadelphia PA 19106
www.quirkbooks.com
9781594748028, $13.95, www.amazon.com
"Kid Athletes: True Tales of Childhood from Sports Legends" is a 208 page compendium comprising twenty true stories taken from the childhood experiences of famous athletes. From Babe Ruth (so incorrigible that his parents put him in reform school at age 7) to Muhammad Ali (who learned to fight at age 12 after a thief stole his bicycle), "Kid Athletes" is packed from cover to cover with inspirational stories from the world of sports. Billie Jean King rose from modest circumstances to win 39 Grand Slam championships; race car champion Danica Patrick fended of bullies who told her "girls can't drive"; and martial arts legend Bruce Lee credited his success, in part, to childhood dance lessons. Every goal, touchdown, and championship comes to life in these kid-friendly and relatable stories. Exceptionally well written by David Stabler and enhanced with Doogie Horner's whimsical full-color illustrations, "Kid Athletes" is especially recommended for young readers ages 9 to 12 and students in grades 4 to 7. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to school and community library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Kid Athletes" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.44).
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
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"Kid Athletes: True Tales of Childhood from Sports Legends." Children's Bookwatch, Nov. 2015. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A435637771/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=0c84a678. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
* Kid Athletes: True Tales of Childhood from Sports Legends. By David Stabler. Illus. by Doogie Horner. Nov. 2015. 208p. Quirk, $13.95 (9781594748028). 796. Gr. 3-6.
In this outstanding collection of sports stories, Stabler examines the childhoods of 16 athletes who grew up to leave indelible marks on their fields. While there may be a few unfamiliar names in the list--sumo sensation Jesse Kuhaulua and sports Renaissance woman Babe Didrikson Zaharias, for example--most kids will feel right at home among the likes of Babe Ruth, Gabby Douglas, Michael Jordan, and Muhammad Ali. In engaging prose, Stabler describes each sports legend as a youth, citing social obstacles (bullying, discrimination), unruly behavior, and physical challenges, such as being too tall (see basketball's seven-foot-six Yao Ming) or too small (soccer's five-foot-seven Lionel Messi), that were eventually overcome. A positive attitude and humor abound in all the stories, which receive a further assist from the color cartoon illustrations on every page. Kids will love reading about Peyton Manning dancing the tango in middle school or two-year-old Tiger Woods putting for a live TV audience. Though only 5 of the 16 people featured are women, there is a good show of diversity--both racial and economic--among those profiled. The book shines in its ability to make these legends relatable to young readers, and to place dreams of being a star athlete within the realm of possibility. Inspiring and entertaining, this isn't just for sports fans.--Julia Smith
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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Smith, Julia. "Kid Athletes: True Tales of Childhood from Sports Legends." Booklist, vol. 112, no. 1, 1 Sept. 2015, p. 98. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A430716925/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=6a28e8bd. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Kid Presidents: True Tales of Childhood from America's Presidents
David Stabler, illus. by Doogie Horner. Quirk, $13.95 (224p) ISBN 978-1-59474-731-1
"Every president in United States history started out like you and me," writes Stabler (a pseudonym for author Robert Schnakenberg), before going on to prove it. The stories he's assembled show how the young lives of the men who became president encompassed nearly everything that kids go through today, including blended families (Lincoln), helicopter parenting (F.D.R.), crushes (Nixon), bullies (Eisenhower, Kennedy), being the new kid (Obama), and odd obsessions that drive parents crazy ("Herbert Hoover once ate nothing but pears for two whole days"). The text is straightforward, upbeat, and resolutely apolitical, organized into easy-to-digest sections that alternate between stories of individual presidents and roundups on themes like chores, jobs, and what teachers thought of the presidents as students. "When you grow up, you're either going to be governor or get in a lot of trouble," said Bill Clinton's sixth-grade teacher (though no citation for this or any other quotation is provided). Horner's spot cartoons ensure readers won't mistake this for a history textbook and contribute some funny metafictional moments: "We need strawberries!" says Theodore Roosevelt's mother in one drawing. "Stop waving to the readers and go!" Ages 8-12. (Oct.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 PWxyz, LLC
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"Kid Presidents: True Tales of Childhood from America's Presidents." Publishers Weekly, vol. 261, no. 37, 15 Sept. 2014, p. 71. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A382805497/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=ad971785. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
TABLER, David. Kid Presidents: True Tales of Childhood from America's Presidents, illus. by Doogie Horner. 216p. ebook available. further reading, index. Quirk. Oct. 2014. Tr $13.95. ISBN 9781594747311.
Gr 4-6--With cartoonish illustrations that will attract fans of Jeff Kinney's "The Diary of a Wimpy Kid" and Rachel Renee Russel's "The Dork Diaries," this informative offering leaves no presidential childhood rock unturned. Children will enjoy the parallels of these presidential lives and their own, from Franklin Roosevelt's helicopter mother to Hebert Hoover's friendships with Native Americans to Barack Obama's tumultuous years in Indonesia. Disorganized kids will be happy to read that John F. Kennedy was given a scathing report card that once stated that he "can seldom locate his possessions." Kids will especially enjoy the section on pranks pulled by previous presidents. Oddly, this book is not organized chronologically, nor is each segment broken down into any rational sequence. Overall, the style is funny and lighthearted. Being a kid isn't always easy, even for those on the path for greatness, like many of these men. The further reading at the end of book provides a nice resource for those who want to learn more about their favorite resident of the Oval Office. Give this fun and accessible title to "Who Was ..." series (Penguin) fans or reluctant readers who enjoys history.--Keith Klang, Port Washington Public Library, NY
Klang, Keith
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Klang, Keith. "Stabler, David. Kid Presidents: True Tales of Childhood from America's Presidents." School Library Journal, vol. 60, no. 9, Sept. 2014, p. 175. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A381406863/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1880c20b. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.