Fun Facts I like a fried egg on top of my pancakes.
Joe Cepeda Author and Illustrator
Recent Titles Side By Side, Lado a Lado, The Story of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta (HarperCollins), From North to South, Del Norte al Sur (Childrens Book Press), Peeny Butter Fudge (Simon & Schuster), The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman (Harcourt).
Presentations Happy to speak to all grades, I offer a power-point presentation utilizing images from my books and my personal history, as well as including some art history to show how art-making skills are used in general story-telling. Of course, I also like to draw.
One of my goals is to infuse an assuredness in young people that their voices are singular and true, yet amazingly universal in appeal. A young person should feel whatever his or her circumstance, one’s story is worth sharing, the challenge lies in the art and poetry of it.
I'm as comfortable telling a story and talking about picture-making as I am talking about the craft of illustration academically. The more sophisticated the audience (I enjoy presenting to middle schools and high schools), the greater the potential for further discussions about the challenges and opportunities for artful personal expression.
Accolades “Joe Cepeda endows each of his illustrations with the sparkle that lurks in every child’s eye. His presentations to schools carry on his theme with wit and eloquence. Students are fascinated with his ability to transform a sheet of paper into a gateway for imagination. I would highly recommend Joe Cepeda for school visits. His preparation demonstrates the strong correlation for the process of writing and illustrating of a book.” Sandra Yoon, Kern Reading Association
“At our schools, Joe Cepeda’s visit was a real hit. His presentation is educational and entertaining. He talks about crafting a story in art and words, and varies his presentation for the age of the students. He draws while he presents which increases interest. Our students from grades K-6 were enthralled and--best of all--rushed to read his books after the visit. Joe is flexible and accommodating to school needs, easy to work with, and fun to have around. All in all, his school visits are fabulous!” George Pilling, District Library Media Supervisor Visalia Unified School District
For more information about Joe, his books, or presentations, visit www.joecepeda.com
