Let's Get Cozy!
December 2023 Edition of the Super Readers Club
Happy Winter, Super Readers! I have a wonderful news: today’s newsletter is our BIG winter activity kit issue—hooray! And it’s full of lots of super fun goodies for celebrating the season. Kitty & Cat are also back! Plus, there’s a mini interview with this week’s Super Story Time LIVE guest, Steve Metzger. So grab a hot cocoa, a fuzzy blanket and cozy up for winter Super Jane style!
The Funnies
What’s your favorite winter activity? Is it inside or outside? Cold or cozy?
Fun Freebies
Winter is the perfect time to snuggle up with a good book! And to get you inspired, here’s a fab Winter Reading Bingo challenge! There’s also a Nutcracker-themed coloring page, a winter word search and a decorate-the-cookies for any holiday worksheet. Then get creative with the seasonal story starter prompt featuring a magical, mysterious light source—let your imagination shine!
(PS I’d LOVE to see your finished activity pages & mysterious light source stories! Share em’ on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter + tag me OR email them to me at jane@superjane.com!)
Extra, Extra—Read-All-About-It
Have you ever heard of the Mazza Museum? It houses an amazing treasure trove of original children’s book art at the University of Findlay in my native Ohio. The first time I visited the museum, I was an illustration student at the Columbus College of Art & Design. The second time was last month as a special guest at their annual fall conference.
FUN FACT: I’ve willed them all of my original book art and developmental materials, so when I pass, it will all become part of their collection. And the museum takes a cast of every artist’s hand to display next to their work! You can see my hand cast below—how cool is that?! If you ever have the chance to visit, I highly recommend it!
Super Story Time LIVE
Join me and children’s book author, Steve Metzger, THIS Wednesday 12/13 at 10am PST / 1pm EST for Super Story Time LIVE on Instagram (@superjanesmith)! We’re getting silly and going for giggles with my picture book, Naked Butt, and Steve’s NEW middle grade graphic novel, The Bumble Brothers: The Not-So-Secret Clubhouse! Yay!
Super Star Interview Mini with Steve Metzger
Q: Dish with us about your new book in The Bumble Brothers series.
STEVE: Well, this graphic novel is a follow-up to the first book in the series: The Bumble Brothers: Crazy for Comics! in that book they overcame a bunch of silly obstacles to obtain a new comic book about Frabbit, their favorite superhero who is 1/2 frog and 1/2 rabbit. This time around, their parents kick them out of the house after too many video-game arguments. It's off to Leafy Park where they want to find the perfect place for their "secret" clubhouse. But it's hard to keep it a secret when they keep telling everyone about it. When you throw in a "secret password" and a "secret handshake," middle-grade wacky hilarity ensues.
Q: What were your favorite book as a kiddo?
STEVE: Hmm...as a child—and this was a while ago—my favorite picture book was The Red Carpet by Rex Parkin. Never heard of it? That makes sense as it was published many years ago. But it's rhyming and a lot of fun—it's about a carpet that gets rolled out to meet a visiting duke and just keeps rolling and rolling...and ROLLING!
Q: Give us the scoop on what you’re currently reading, watching and listening to!
STEVE: My family and I are currently watching a bunch of things: The Great British Bake-Off, The Gilded Age, Bob's Burgers, and re-runs of Ugly Betty and Will and Grace. I like to take turns reading a variety of books. Right now: Everyman by Philip Roth, Saving Freud by Andrew Nagorski, and Moby-Dick by Herman Melville. Based on my daughter's recommendation, I'm about to start the young adult graphic novel, Himawari House by Harmony Becker. During the day I always listen to NYC's classical music station, WQXR.
Q: Describe your most perfect snack.
STEVE: My perfect snack must feature ice cream! It could be an ice-cream cake or an ice-cream sundae featuring mint chip ice cream, hot fudge, and whipped cream (definitely)!
• Enjoy more from Steve on Instagram here!
Happy Holidays
Nothing makes me happier than making picture books, artwork and greeting cards! If there’s a Super Jane book, print or card that you enjoy, please consider gifting it to someone you love (or writing a review!)—it would mean the world to me!
See You Later, Alligator
I hope you and yours have an absolutely wonderful holiday season! Thanks so much for being here with me! As always, if there’s anything you’d like MORE of—comics, activities, interviews, something else—please do drop me a line in the comments. See you again in the New Year! Woot, woot!