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Jason
Children’s/Middle Grade Author & Illustrator
Actor & Puppeteer
Travels from: Moline, IL

“Kids were REALLY excited to see your computer drawing!” — Rachel McCoy, Moline Schools

Like most artists out there in the world, Jason Platt was known as that kid in the class who could draw. He was the one who could draw Charles M. Schulz or Jim Davis’ characters on a dime and make the other kids smile. (This did get him in trouble during recess once. Apparently selling your sketches on the playground is frowned upon? Who knew?)

As Jason grew older, his tastes expanded. He became enthralled with Mad Magazine’s Mort Drucker and famed movie poster artist Drew Struzan. He would always pick up his copy of Mad at the grocery store and study Drucker’s amazing line work before he even read a word of copy. He would find himself admiring Struzan’s work for what seemed like ages, wondering what adventure the movie was going to be about. He realized how much art affected him.

Also being a kid who loved to write, Jason would often find himself imagining what would happen in the book he was holding after his eyes feasted on its cover art. You could say he was that person who would buy a book for its cover. That, and a natural born storyteller.

Later working as both a professional actor and puppeteer, Jason focused on the art of illustration and graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design (or SCAD, for those in the know). While trained in several styles, he’s particularly drawn to the art of humorous and children’s illustration (no pun intended).

Jason tells people he’s in the business of making people happy. He can’t think of a better way to spend his days, can you?

Jason grew up in Durham, NC and he and his family live in Davenport, IA with their cat (who insists on being his co-worker).

Jason's Featured Titles

Middle School Misadventures: Dance Disaster

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers |
Middle Grade

Newell’s perfectly comfortable life is turned upside down when Mrs. Hendricks announces the upcoming school dance (Fart.) and he discovers his dad is dating his math teacher (Double Fart!), forcing Newell to embrace change and grow.

At first, Newell is excited when Mrs. Hendricks announces a school dance! The seventh grade dance last year was awesome, and Newell used it to invent his signature move: The Shake and Slide. But when Newell realizes this dance is for the entire school, not just the eighth grade, he starts to stress about his friends coupling up and the dance ultimately breaking up the gang. Things go from bad to worse when Skyler jinxes Newell: he stubs his toe, breaks his arm, and even misses Mr. Todd slip across the cafeteria on a banana peel! And if that wasn’t enough, Newell’s dad has started dating again…and specifically starts dating Newell’s math teacher, Miss Tanner!

Newell is on a desperate mission to keep his life from changing too much, will he succeed or embrace the dance of life?

Don’t miss the rest of the Middle School Misadventures series:
Middle School Misadventures
Middle School Misadventures: Operation Hat Heist

Middle School Misadventures: Operation: Hat Heist!

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers |
Graphic Novel

In Jason Platt’s second Middle School Misadventures graphic novel, Newell’s favorite hat gets taken away! With the help of his most talented friends, he concocts the perfect plan to get it back. Operation: Hat Heist is a go!
Newell’s favorite show of all time is The Captain! Newell is beyond excited when he learns that the Captain himself, Patrick O’Shaughnessy, will be at Monster Comic Con. He can’t wait to meet The Captain wearing his once-worn-by-The-Captain WWII crusher hat that his dad gave him. But when Newell brings the hat to school, it gets stolen from his backpack! Fart.
When Newell finally spots the culprit wearing his hat in the hall, Mr. Todd confiscates it and reminds the students, “There are no hats to be worn in school!” Double fart. What will Newell do?! He wants his hat back so he doesn’t let his dad down and so he can impress his hero, but Mr. Todd refuses to return it! Just when Newell is about to give up, he receives a note from 8th grader Ethan: “I have an idea. Also, bring your friends. They can help too.” Can Newell, Ethan, and this ragtag group of friends pull off the perfect hat heist?
In this fun and imaginative full-color graphic novel, Jason Platt sends fast-talking, daydreaming, Newell on another desperate quest to save his favorite hat before he meets his all-time hero.
This title will be simultaneously available in paperback.

Middle School Misadventures

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers |
Graphic Novel

In Jason Platt’s debut graphic novel, Ferris Bueller meets Calvin and Hobbes in this hilarious and embarrassing middle school caper that asks the important questions–like how long can one kid vamp before he embarrasses himself in front of his whole school?
Newell is always getting into trouble–whether it’s showing up tardy for most of the year, or mocking his teachers while authoritarian Mr. Todd is standing right behind him. When disaster strikes and Newell finds himself on track to summer school, he’s given one last minute option to get out of it–participating in the upcoming Talent Show. The only problem is that he doesn’t technically have a talent to show. Yikes.
In this fun and imaginative full-color graphic novel, Jason Platt sends a fast-talking, daydreaming, middle school kid on a desperate quest to pull off a great show and save his summer.
This title will be simultaneously available in hardcover.

Mister & Me Dream: A comic collection Vol. 1 Years 2009-2011

Createspace Independent Publishing Platform, |
Graphic Novel

Follow spunky five year old, Newell and his father as they navigate their adventures through this little thing called: Life. Whether you are new to Mister & Me, or are a long time follower, this first collection of comics will certainly warm your heart, as it celebrates parenthood and reflects on how quickly childhood actually goes by. In this first collection of Mister & Me comics, we go back to its first two years and see how the comic got to be where it is today. This collection also includes bonus comics, not found anywhere else; an introduction by Christopher Jean Soucy; and a reflection on how the comic all started.

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Constructing a Simple Story

Jason will help children find confidence in their own storytelling techniques. He will hellp them construct a simple story and create simple art. He incorporates drawings he did in elementary school, which bridges the gap and helps inspire young artists.

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Intro to Cartooning & Storytelling

Jason delves deeper to show children different techniques that both fun and entertaining, ranging from how to simplify a still life drawing to a cartoon; how to handle a pencil when sketching a rough sketch; and on to the finished drawing. With the techniques shared, Jason encourages kids to come up with their own character, and after showing them how to successfully add text to their work, have them come up with their own comic strip that they write and draw themselves.

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A Drawing Demo with Jason

Jason’s Characters

Jason’s Blog

Jason’s Portfolio

Downloads for Readers

Honors, Awards & Recognition

Graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design

Media Kit

By clicking the link below you will be directed to a Google Docs Folder
where you can download author photos and cover images.

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