Benny, Penny, Zig and Wikki visit NYC schools

Geoffrey Hayes, creator of the Geisel-award-winning Benny and Penny books, and Nadja Spiegelman, author of the newly released Zig and Wikki in Something Ate My Homework, stopped by three Brooklyn schools recently to share their work and meet young fans.  All the students, even those in middle school, were completely engaged by Geoffrey and Nadja’s readings.  “There is something about comics that transcends age groups,” Geoffrey says.  He continues, “One thing that always strikes me is how universally sweet and polite the kids are no matter where I speak. They always seem so excited just to have us come and talk to them.”

Nadja, Geoffrey, and the children not only read Zig and Wikki and Benny and Penny together but also created their own new comic characters.  Our TOON authors point out that it still seems magical to kids when they watch a drawing evolve out of what was just a blank sheet of paper.  First, Nadja and the students helped Geoffrey draw monsters by calling out suggestions for scary features, then the students spent about fifteen minutes drawing their own monsters and discussed them with the authors.  “The kids really got into helping me draw monsters,” Geoffrey says.  “Mohawks are big these days. So more than one of my monsters ended up with a Mohawk.”

At all three schools, the visiting TOON authors found students to be enthusiastic, attentive, and inspiring.  Although Geoffrey left his drawings behind for each school library, the children weren’t ready for the authors to go.  Instead, they gathered around Geoffrey and Nadja and asked for stories, pictures, and lots of hugs.