Jon Scieszka

Find out how Jon Scieszka's childhood prepared him for telling jokes and wrestling in the faculty lounge.

Although his class was never the quietest or most orderly, this teacher did know how to motivate his students.

Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith weren't having much luck until they met.

On some deep level, Jon Scieszka knows that kids are going to understand his jokes.

To keep life interesting, Jon Scieszka enjoys throwing the occasional challenge at illustrator Lane Smith.

As a teacher, Jon Scieszka learned to motivate kids by getting them interested rather than lecturing.

As an author, father, and former teacher, Jon Scieszka suggests a number of ways to motivate boys to read.

In this colorful example, Scieszka points out how boys and girls really do see some things differently.

Scieszka shares some of the sillier pronunciations he’s heard for Scieszka and he sets the record straight with the correct pronunciation, which rhymes with Fresca.

Scieszka talks about what publishers first thought of his work – too sophisticated and weird – and how his first book finally got published. He explains that because he doesn't talk down to kids, his humor appeals to adults as well.

Scieszka describes how his brothers, his favorite books, and his experiences as a teacher helped him write his stories. He tells the story of The Stinky Cheese Man, born from having to read his daughter's favorite book over and over.

Scieszka explains how the voice in his books helps kids connect to his characters and other worlds. He talks about why some books considered "classics" in school aren’t always favorites of boys, and why stories like his Time Warp Trio appeal to even the least motivated of readers.

Because he feels boys lack role models in schools, Scieszka argues for the importance of books boys can relate to. He describes his campaign, Guys Read, to raise awareness about the reading struggles many boys face, and why great books can help prevent boys’ alienation from schools and reading.

Henry P. Baloney started with a "what if" and took off from there. However, Scieszka describes the writing process as hard labor – like ditch digging, in fact. He tells the story of how the Math Curse came to be, after a four-year-long labor of love.

Writing what you know is a typical mantra for writers. Jon Scieszka begins with personal experience and often lets his imagination take over from there.