50th anniversary of JFK's inauguration

Believe it or not, next Thursday, January 20, marks the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy. There are going to be a lot of events going on around the country throughout the day, and I'm very honored to be a part of one of them.

Doreen Rappaport and I will be presenting together on January 20 at the JFK Library and Museum in Boston, MA, for a group of 200 students from Boston Public Schools. The best part of the event is that the JFK Library generously purchased books for every single kid! So not only will the kids hopefully learn something about JFK, but each student will also get to go home with their own copy of Jacks' Path of Courage, signed by the author and the illustrator.

The only down side is that the event isn't open to the public. But some of the other events are.  Here's a full list of what else is going on that day.

November 22, 1963

Perhaps the greatest challenge I faced while illustrating Jack's Path of Courage: The Life of John F. Kennedy was deciding how to illustrate the page that deals with his assassination. I tried a few different ideas, but ultimately I decided to let Doreen Rappaport's well-chosen words tell the tragic news of his death, and I focused my picture on the last moments of his life, when he looked so young, vibrant and happy.

talking about Jack's Path of Courage on '207'

Jack's Path of Courage is in stores, right... NOW!

Find Jack's Path of Courage: The Life of John F. Kennedy at a bookstore near you, or on Amazon.

Picture Book Biographies event at Books of Wonder

upcoming events for Jack's Path of Courage

Now that the publication date for Jack's Path of Courage: The Life of John F. Kennedy (written by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by me, published by Disney-Hyperion) is less than a month away, I thought I'd start spreading the news about a couple fun events I have planned.


First, on Saturday, October 23, I'll be at Books of Wonder in New York City, from 12:00 to 2:00, part of the "Picture Book Biographies" event, along with Sean Qualls, Bryan Collier, and an amazing lineup of award-winning authors and illustrators. The authors and artists will present their picture book biographies, take questions from the audience, and sign copies of all of their books.


For details, go to the Books of Wonder event page.


Then on Saturday, November 6, I'll be at Book Ends in Winchester, MA, 2:00-4:00 pm. I'll present Jack's Path of Courage: The Life of John F. Kennedy, show some some sketches and talk about my experiences working on the book, answer questions, and sign books.


For details, visit the Book Ends event page.

first reviews for JACK'S PATH OF COURAGE

The first reviews of Jack's Path of Courage: The Life of John F. Kennedy are in! So far, so good:

From School Library Journal:
      "[Rappaport's] descriptive narration is spiced with memorable quotations and Tavares’s larger-than-life illustrations. The realistic paintings portray the different periods in JFK’s life with depth and detail, capturing his emotions, courage, and sovereignty while remaining true to this unique time in history.... This beautifully illustrated and gracefully told story serves as a superior introduction to our 35th president."

From Publisher's Weekly:
      "As with these collaborators' Lady Liberty, the striking cover of this picture-book biography features a closeup portrait of the subject, all the more compelling in this instance with the omission of any type.... Tavares's light- and shadow-infused paintings balance lifelike portrayals of Kennedy with renderings of dramatic events, notably a Japanese destroyer ramming Kennedy's PT boat during WWII and the planting of the American flag on the moon. An evenhanded, graphically stirring biography."

And from Kirkus:
      "A striking cover close-up of Kennedy (with the title information on the back of the jacket, à la the author's Martin's Big Words, illustrated by Bryan Collier, 2001) introduces the reader to this biography of the 35th president of the United States.... The handsome and vivid illustrations pop."

Jack's Path of Courage: The Life of John F. Kennedy, book trailer

Jacks Path of Courage: The Life of John F. Kennedy

I just got my first real copies of Jack's Path of Courage: The Life of John F. Kennedy (Disney-Hyperion, October 2010). Here it is, front and back: