Saturday, May 6 is Free Comic Book Day at the Rock Island Public Library’s Watts-Midtown Branch. To celebrate, the library is offering a free in-library watch party with a renowned graphic artist and author and a comic book giveaway for all ages.
New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka will present an online drawing workshop through Illinois Libraries Present (ILP) from 10 am to 11am on Saturday, May 6. Participants may watch and draw at home via the ILP Zoom meeting, or join the in-person “watch party” and draw-along at the Watts-Midtown Branch Community Room, 2715 30th Street. The library will show the online webinar on the large screen in the Community Room, and provide clipboards. Participants should bring a sharpened pencil. The online drawing workshop with Krosoczka is free and suitable for families and all ages.
Jarrett Krosoczka is the author and illustrator of more than forty books for young readers, including his wildly popular Lunch Lady graphic novels (Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute,) select volumes of the Star Wars™: Jedi Academy series (Star Wars Jedi Academy: A New Class, 2016, Scholastic) and Hey, Kiddo, which was a National Book Award Finalist. Other works include his first book, Good Night, Monkey Boy, 2001, Max for President, 2004, Random House, Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked, 2013, HarperCollins Publishers. For more than 20 years, his books have been favorites due to their humor, heart, and deep respect for young readers.
To join the event at home, register at the library website to watch the Zoom webinar via an internet browser. The Zoom link will be sent by email. Registration for the in-person watch party is appreciated, but optional. To sign up see the separate event on the library website.
Immediately following the in-person watch party, library guests can pick up a free comic from 11 am to 1 pm, also at the Watts-Midtown Branch, and enter the library’s free Comic Book Day art contest. Entry forms will be available at the event. This event is open to all ages, and a variety of comics for all ages will be available. Comics are marked by age level.
Free Comic Book Day is an annual promotional effort by the North American comic book industry. Free Comic Book Day was created to attract new readers to the format and preserve the art of comic books and graphic novels. Usually, the free comic books are the first issues of a new storyline or promote future comic events. Rock Island comic book shops are also participating.
The events are made possible through Rock Island Public Library’s membership in the statewide collaboration. Nearly 160 Illinois libraries participate to bring high-profile author events to their communities via the Zoom webinar platform.
To register, visit the Rock Island Public Library online calendar or call 309-732-7341 and choose either the virtual or in-person watch party event.
The Jarrett J. Krosoczka events are made possible by Illinois Libraries Present (ILP), a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering premier events. ILP is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
For more news about events and services at the Rock Island Public Library, visit the library website, follow library social media, or call 309-732-READ.