Illustrator John Clarke joined Chaucer the Dog at the New Ipswich Library yesterday for a tail-wagging good time with local kids to mark the official launch of Learning Is Cool… It’s the First Day of School! The first book in the Chaucer in the Classroom series rolled off the presses earlier this month.
After Chaucer “read” from the book and handled the Q&A portion of the presentation (with a little assistance from the rest of The Armarium Press staff), he turned the floor over to his illustrator and settled in for a rest. (Well, more of a nap really. Fame can be so exhausting.)
John Clarke took suggestions from the eager audience (“Do Chaucer with an octopus!” “Draw Chaucer flying a plane!”) and thrilled the crowd with his rapid execution of illustration after delightful illustration–each in just a matter of minutes. Almost a dozen lucky fans took home a “John Clarke original”!
The festive event included balloons, Chaucer t-shirt giveaways, and plenty of time for the fox terrier’s young fans to meet him and get “paw-tographed” copies of his book.
Review copies of Learning Is Cool… It’s the First Day of School! are available for media members as well as booksellers, teachers, and librarians interested in hosting an event with Chaucer.
