BEVERLY — A children's book about farm animals who have a popular underground band could land former Montserrat College of Art professor Jarrett Krosoczka a movie deal.
At the very least, the writer and illustrator of "Punk Farm" has broken into the publishing world and, at eight books deep, has turned his love for drawing into a career.
"I basically get to do for a living what I always enjoyed doing, which is writing stories and drawing pictures," he said. "I look at some of the books I did when I was a kid, and now I'm making a living out of it."
The Worcester native started drawing in kindergarten and pursued it through middle and high school. After graduating, he got a job creating a comic strip for the Hampton Union in New Hampshire and became serious about creating children's books at the Rhode Island School of Design.
His first book, "Good Night, Monkey Boy," was published in 2001 — the same year he taught at Montserrat. Krosoczka was there for four years, until his life became consumed with book tours.
But he'll be back on Thursday to talk about his stories and illustrations — 21 of which are on display at the college. The talk, at 11:30 a.m. in Room 201 of the Hardie building, is free and open to the public.
The Salem News caught up with Krosoczka to get the scoop beforehand.
OK, so spill about the movie deal.
Initially, DreamWorks had an option, but they've gone in a different direction. Still, I took everything with a grain of salt, knowing it could go in a different direction at any moment.
That's too bad. But there still might be a movie?
Now I'm trying to go to another studio. Hopefully, there will be news I can speak of soon.
It sounds pretty exciting.
There are so many moments where I have to pinch myself and say, Is this real? But I keep my blinders on and continue to make good books.
What's your favorite book?
I don't have an answer. Kids ask me that all the time, and it's like being a good parent. Love all your children equally.
Any inspiring moments from your audience?
A kid sent me in the mail once a letter saying he had a "Monkey Boy" theme for his birthday. It really hit me with the power a book has for a young person.
What are you working on now?
I'm working on a graphic novel series and revisiting my comic book days. It's about a lunch lady that fights crime. The first one is called "Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute," and the second one is called "Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians." They're both being published this summer.
How do you come up with your ideas?
In 2001, I ran into my old elementary school lunch lady, and she was telling me about her life. One creative idea leads to another, but I had that idea for years and it's just being published now. I've learned over the years to be patient. You can't necessarily force these creative ideas out of you.
Why children's books?
I always loved to draw pictures with some sort of narrative element. I read "Peanuts," "Calvin and Hobbes," Dr. Seuss as a kid. Ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to be an artist who could also tell his own stories.
Biggest influences?
If I had to really break it down to the most rudimentary of sources, I'd say Charles Schulz, who wrote "Peanuts." And when I got to college and art school, we had to copy a master painting, and I painted a John Singer Sargent painting. It blew my mind. It changed the approach I took to painting.
Are all your illustrations paintings?
They're all acrylic paintings, except for the graphic novel stories, which are pen and ink.
Any advice for other people trying to become an author and illustrator?
The thought of sending your stuff out is so daunting to people. But you have to stick your neck out there and work on improving your skills at the same time. It took me two years of getting rejected, but eventually my work got better and my promotional postcard landed on the right desk.
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