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Jim

Cosgrove

Award-Winning Children’s Entertainer
Children’s Author
Travels from: Kansas City, MO
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“Jim Cosgrove and Hiccup Pickup have cooked up the perfect road trip. This book will leave your imagination hungry for laughter, served with a double helping of geography, and the cherry on top is Dan Regan’s illustrations.” — Grammy Award-Winning duo 123 Andrés

Award-winning children’s entertainer and author Jim Cosgrove was dubbed “Mr. Stinky Feet” by his young fans after the release of his second album Stinky Feet. For nearly three decades, he has delighted audiences throughout North America and Europe with his authentic brand of family-folk-rock. With over 5,250 high-energy, interactive performances in 31 U.S. states and six countries, he’s become a beloved audience favorite. Whether headlining at a performing arts center, festival, school, or library, Jim’s philosophy is that “kids are the stars of the show, not me.”

Mr. Stinky Feet’s ten family albums have earned eight Parents’ Choice Awards, two National Parenting Products Gold Awards, a Parent-to-Parent Adding Wisdom Award, and a Kids Radio Mania Award. His songs and videos have been streamed worldwide more than 11 million times.

He is the author of five picture books for children, based on his popular songs. Bop Bop Dinosaur (2020), Sullen Sally (2020), Hark! It’s Harold the Angel (2020), Hiccup Pickup’s Happy Halloween (2025), and Hiccup Pickup’s Totally Tasty Road Trip (2026) were published by Ascend Books.

Beyond the joyous realm of children’s entertainment, Jim channels his expertise into inspiring grown-up audiences. Through keynote speeches and workshops, he reminds adults that taking a childlike approach to life—with wonder, imagination, presence, curiosity, and joy—can transform the way we work, lead, and live.

From his origins as a journalist and corporate media spokesperson, Jim also has grown-up titles. His true-crime memoir Ripple: A Long Strange Search for a Killer was published in 2022 by Steerforth Press and distributed by Penguin-Random House, and Everybody Gets Stinky Feet, a collection of essays from his time as a parenting columnist for The Kansas City Star was published in 2017. In 2024, he was voted Kansas City’s “Best Local Author” and Johnson County’s “Best Band.”

Jim lives near Kansas City with his wife, Jeni, their two daughters, and a handsome rescued mutt.

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Jim's Featured Titles

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Hiccup Pickup’s Totally Tasty Road Trip (Tiny Tutors)

Ascend Books |
Children’s

It’s a Hiccup! Hiccup! Road Trip! Get ready for a scrumptious cross-country adventure that gobbles up some of the tastiest towns you’ve ever seen. In this second book in the Hiccup Pickup Series, Truck and his sidekick Pup ignite their imaginations to cook up a yummy road trip to real places across the USA that sound good enough to eat – including Oatmeal, Texas; Sandwich, Massachusetts; Pie Town, New Mexico and MORE! Along the way, readers discover a truckload of joyful messages about imagination, friendship, planning, expectations, and geography. This tasty tale is based on the popular song by beloved entertainer Jim “Mr. Stinky Feet” Cosgrove.

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The Hiccup Pickup’s Happy Halloween

Ascend Books |
Children’s

The happy Hiccup Pickup loves the way he sounds—he doesn’t honk or beep like the other cars and trucks. Instead, when he gets excited, he makes a uniquely joyful sound: “Hiccup! Hiccup! Hiccup!” And when his friends hear him coming with his furry sidekick, Pup, they know they’re in for fun. Truck and Pup travel everywhere together – visiting exciting places and meeting new friends while spreading messages about sharing, accepting differences, and trying new experiences. In this first book in the series of “Hiccup Pickup Adventures,” the two best friends visit the town of Pumpkin Hollow for the annual Trunk-or-Treat Festival. Truck brings treats for all of his friends, and Pup learns that Halloween isn’t scary after all. “It’s silly, sweet, and full of fun!”

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Ripple: A Long Strange Search for A Killer

Steerforth |
Mystery

“Riveting… a personal and highly original work of true-crime storytelling.” — John Douglas, former FBI criminal profiling pioneer and co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Mindhunter

A chilling investigation into the unsolved “boy in the woods” murder; journalist Jim Cosgrove chronicles his decades-long struggle to uncover the truth of a family friend’s disappearance and death — perfect for fans of I’ll be Gone in the Dark and Memorial Drive.

For nine years, South Carolina officials struggled to identify “the boy in the woods,” a young man whose body had been discovered just south of Myrtle Beach in a fishing village called Murrells Inlet.

Meanwhile, 1,200 miles away in Kansas City, Missouri, Frank McGonigle’s family searched for him at Grateful Dead concerts and in the face of every long-haired hitchhiker they passed. Consumed by guilt for how they’d treated him, Frank’s eight siblings slowly came to understand that — like Jerry Garcia sang — he’s gone and nothin’s gonna bring him back.

Frank McGonigle was finally found — and identified as “the boy in the woods.”

Four years later, the case still unsolved, Jim Cosgrove, a McGonigle family friend and investigative journalist, picked up the trail of Frank’s cold case and began uncovering connections to a ruthless local crime boss and blunders by the threadbare sheriff’s department.

When his research began to stall, a chance meeting with the soft-hearted, straight-talking “energy reader” Carol Williams provided a metaphysical spark that reignited Jim’s resolve. Although his work as a journalist trained him to be skeptical, Cosgrove found himself starting to become a believer when Carol provided details about Frank’s murder that turned out to be freakishly accurate.

In 2019, Cosgrove returned to Murrells Inlet with one of Frank’s brothers to dredge up some old leads and settle Frank’s case once and for all…

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Hark! It’s Harold the Angel

Ascend Books |
Children’s

Harold is an angel one of heaven’s brightest stars. But when the other angels gather for choir practice, he hides because he doesn’t think he can sing very well. With God’s help and the support of his fellow cherubs, Harold discovers his singing voice and starts practicing every chance he gets. Soon, God offers him the greatest honor imaginable.

Hark! It’s Harold the Angel peeks behind the curtain at an overlooked aspect of the Christmas story. It s a lyrical tale of discovering talents, and how sometimes, when we lack confidence, all we need is a little practice and polish to shine. Read along and sing along with the whole family!

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Sullen Sally

Ascend Books |
Children’s

Sally woke up feeling blah, so she swallowed her smile, but her best friend Josie was there to help Sally through the day and help turn that frown upside down. The story reminds readers that nobody is expected to feel happy all the time. It provides an opportunity for adults and children to talk about feelings and the meaning of true friendship.

Sullen Sally is a celebration of friendship and uses a mix of lyrical rhymes and colorful illustrations, folds, flaps, wheels to turn, and amazing play value. The book is based on the award-winning song by kid-rocker Jim “Mr. Stinky Feet” Cosgrove.

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Bop Bop Dinosaur

Ascend Books |
Children’s

It’s a read-along companion to the first children’s song written by Jim “Mr. Stinky Feet” Cosgrove. The rhythm and rhymes encourage a read-along and sing-along with adults, and the repetitive “B” sound is good practice for early readers and helpful with linguistic development for those learning to talk.

Every night after Jimmy goes to sleep, the three toy animals on his nightstand start singing and dancing – in their underwear! When Jimmy tells his parents, they don’t believe him. So, he finds a way to help them understand. After a little mishap, Jimmy’s dad helps put things back together.

Bop Bop Dinosaur is the brilliantly illustrated companion to the first song written for children by acclaimed kid-rocker Jim “Mr. Stinky Feet” Cosgrove. Read along and sing along with the whole family!

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Everybody Gets Stinky Feet: Uplifting Essays About the Sweet and Smelly Bits of Life

Mighty MO Productions |
Essays

Lace up your sneakers for a delightful romp through the most beloved essays from popular parenting columnist Jim Cosgrove. Tag along as he cuts the grass of a major league All-Star, bakes bread with nuns, shares a beer with a Muslim cab driver, and interacts with real-life angels.Everybody Gets Stinky Feet takes a peek into Cosgrove’s life as the father of daughters who are much more clever than he is and digs deep into his experience as the youngest of eight children in a loud and loving Irish-Catholic family.

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For Students: Share Your Story! (For small groups up to 100)

Award-winning children’s entertainer and author Jim “Mr. Stinky Feet” Cosgrove guides students on an interactive journey into the world of imagination and writing. In this lively 45-minute presentation designed for grades 2–5, students discover that everyone is a storyteller and that writing begins with a simple question: “What if…?”
Jim shares the joy of writing and the power of imagination by incorporating one of his books, songs, and a fun story-creating exercise. There is time for a Q&A. Students will:

• learn how authors turn small ideas into big stories.
• learn about the different ways we tell stories (singing, dancing, writing, speaking, acting).
• explore the building blocks of a good story.
• experience the writing process by creating a story together.

The presentation emphasizes creative confidence and the joy of expression, while aligning with curriculum goals in literacy, vocabulary, and storytelling. Students leave inspired, knowing that their own ideas and voices matter — and that they already have the tools to be writers.

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For Students: The Rhythm of Respect (For small or large groups up to 350)

During this high-energy, interactive, musical, and literary program, students learn about rhythm and how it relates to respecting ourselves and others. Jim encourages students to express personal rhythm in everyday activities such as interaction with family and friends, schoolwork, and sports while emphasizing respect for others. Dozens of students are selected from the audience to perform on stage in several “jam” sessions while learning how to demonstrate self-expression and positive audience participation skills.

Throughout the program, Jim shares details about his journey as an author and musician. Teachers even get a chance to express their rhythm during a show-stopping grand finale.

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For Adults: Live Like A Child! Succeed Like A Child! (60- minute keynote)

What if the secret to greater success and joy is living more like a child? In this high-energy, interactive keynote, Jim “Mr. Stinky Feet” Cosgrove draws on his work with children to show adults how childlike qualities—wonder, imagination, presence, and joy—can transform the way we work, lead, and live. With music, humor, and heartfelt stories, Jim shares six simple practices for embracing a childlike spirit and reminds us that joy is not a circumstance but a choice. Audiences leave inspired to approach life with fresh eyes and a lighter heart—ready to spread joy and make a difference.

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For Adults: You Are Enough! A Human’s Guide to Being Cool with Yourself (45-60 minute keynote or workshop)

Pause and get introspective with veteran performer and author Jim Cosgrove for a dynamic discussion about self-worth and how language, stories, and self-talk can ignite (or sabotage) success. Through a guided writing exercise, take stock of what’s working well and develop a fresh, confidence-boosting mission statement. This session always sparks a lively discussion with lots of laughs.

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For Adults: Storytelling That Sings: Writing for Children with Mr. Stinky Feet (60- minute workshop)

Step into the joyful world of writing for children with award-winning kid rocker and author Jim “Mr. Stinky Feet” Cosgrove. With his signature blend of heart, humor, and music-fueled energy, Jim will share behind-the-scenes stories and practical tips from his journey as a children’s book author and performer. Discover how to connect authentically with kids by crafting stories that spark imagination and help little readers laugh, think, process emotions and feel seen. Whether you’re just starting out or polishing your next picture book, you’ll walk away with fresh inspiration, helpful tools and a whole lot of encouragement to let your playful side shine through in your writing. After all, writing for kids is serious fun!

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For Adults: Have fun with grammar! Seriously. (60-minute workshop)

Embarrassed by dangling participles? Struggling to control pesky split infinitives? You’re in luck. Author and song writer Jim Cosgrove is a self-proclaimed grammar geek who was schooled by the best – the ironically named Sisters of Mercy. You and your writing will benefit from his years of diagramming sentences on dusty chalkboards. Oh, and his years as a journalist and as an editor for Hallmark Cards are a plus. Jim is the author of more than 130 published songs, five children’s books, a true-crime memoir, and a collection of essays from his time as a parenting columnist for the Kansas City Star. Come ready to review some grammar rules you may have forgotten, and be prepared to turn many of those rules upside down. There may be some singing and laughter.

Mr. Stinky Feet & The Hi-Tops

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Podcast Interview with Mr. Stinky Feet

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Honors, Awards & Recognition

Best Local Author 2024 – Kansas City Magazine
Best Band 2024 – Johnson County Post
Eight-time Parents’ Choice Award Winner
Two-time Gold Award Winner – National Parenting Publication Awards
Parent-to-Parent Adding Wisdom Award

Media clips

The Pitch | Kid-rocker Jim ‘Mr. Stinky Feet’ Cosgrove and the Hiccups to play first-ever show for nothing but grown-ups

Johnson County | Mr. Stinky Feet, beloved by generations of JoCo kids, is back with a milestone album

Kansas Public Radio | #2610: Jim Cosgrove “Mr Stinky Feet” LG Desk Concert

Johnson County | Jim Cosgrove, better known as kids’ musician ‘Mr. Stinky Feet,’ has written a true crime memoir

KCUR | For Kansas City Musician Jim Cosgrove, Being Known As ‘Mr. Stinky Feet’ Is High Praise

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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