Today we have not one, but two special guests. They're the stars of a highly praised NEW early chapter book series written by Mary Amato and illustrated by Ward Jenkins.
Our guests want to be good Crooks instead of following in their dishonest parents' footsteps. But they're being trained in the family business, so they must be good on the sly. Give a big Enchanted Woods welcome to . . .
Billy and Jillian Crook!
<<applause>>
Let's get right to it. What are your full names?
Our names are Billy Crook and Jillian Crook. Our parents told us that we didn’t come with middles names!
What one word best describes you?
We are twins, so we need two words, Mr. Pig. Jillian, my sister, is a genius. She invents all kinds of cool gadgets. Me? I’m charming.
Indeed. Now for a more personal questions. Do you have belly buttons?
We do have belly buttons. Right now, Jillian is working on an actual on-off button to insert in my belly button, so that she can shut me down when I get too hyper.
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| From GOOD CROOKS by Mary Amato. Illustration copyright 2014 by Ward Jenkins. |
That is genius. What is the best thing about being you?
If you’re in trouble, we got your back, dude. That’s the best thing about us.
What is the worst thing about being you?
The worst thing is that our parents, Ron and Tanya, want us to lie, cheat, and steal, just like they do. We have to keep our good deeds a secret.
Fascinating! If you were stranded on a desert island, what would you bring?
I’m sorry to say this, Mr. Pig, but I have to tell truth. I’d bring bacon. Jillian? She’d bring me to keep her company. I sing, dance, tell jokes, and make funny faces. I also snore, which I think is funny, but she would probably make me sleep on the other side of the island.
Oh dear. Let's change the subject. What is your idea of the perfect day?
Ah, waking up, sniffing bacon (sorry, again), going to school, playing with friends, and making people smile. Unfortunately, our parents want us to sleep late, skip school, eat junk food, and rob banks. It’s a problem.
If you have a pocket, what is in it right now? (Please don't say "bacon.")
I have a fake mustache in my pocket. We’re always in disguise when we do good deeds so our parents won’t recognize us. Jillian has a remote control for the jet-packs she invented for our quick getaways.
Share one thing that most of our readers don’t know about you.
When it’s late at night and I can’t sleep, sometimes I open the window and look out and wonder what everyone else in the world is thinking. And then if it’s winter, I get cold and have to shut the window.
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| From GOOD CROOKS by Mary Amato. Illustration copyright 2014 by Ward Jenkins. |
If a genie gave you one wish, what would you wish for?
We believe that we were robbed at birth and that Ron and Tanya Crook are not our real parents. We want to try and find our real parents and hope they turn out to be nice.
I wish you the best of luck! By the way, the Cottagers LOVE your series and recommend it to anyone looking for a funny early chapter book series. Thanks for joining us, Billy and Jillian!
Our pleasure, Mr. Pig!
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About the GOOD CROOKS books
GOOD CROOKS: MISSING MONKEY! (Book One)GOOD CROOKS: DOG GONE! (Book Two)
by Mary Amato
Illustrated by Ward Jenkins
Egmont USA, both published February 25, 2014
Book One ISBN 978-1606845097
Book Two ISBN 978-1606845103
"Billy’s parents live up to their last name of Crook, and Billy and his twin sister, Jillian, are expected to follow in their footsteps. The problem is that both kids feel drawn to doing good deeds. . . . In this first book in the Good Crooks series . . . the twins try to help out at the local zoo, only to have their parents steal a monkey to train as a thief. Jillian’s genius for problem-solving and gadget-making and Billy’s more slapdash tendencies combine with comical results. With his jokes, burping skills, and endless craving for bacon, Billy is an entertaining narrator, and the book’s many gags and sweetly absurd resolutions to the outlandish problems that arise will have beginning readers eager for more chaotic misadventures from these well-meaning Crooks." --Publishers Weekly
"Scrappy song lyrics, energetic illustrations and plenty of potty humor keep the hilarity high for reluctant readers. " --Kirkus
"Bizarre and comedic circumstances keep readers wondering what will happen next, and frequent black-and-white art adds to the fun. This humorous series will be a hit with early-chapter-book readers." --School Library Journal
GOOD CROOKS: SNIFF A SKUNK! (Book Three)
Coming in April 2015!
ISBN 978-1606845998
Billy and Jillian’s infamous parents, the Crooks, expect the kids to find a new place to rob. Instead, the twins discover a lonely little orphan skunk in need of help. Will they be able to rescue the skunk and keep their parents from pulling off the next heist? Will their new furry friend help by raising a stink? How can a good deed smell so bad?
About the author
To learn more about Mary, visit her website.
About the illustrator
Ward
Jenkins is an illustrator and animator. His first picture book was How
to Train with a T-Rex and Win Eight Gold Medals by Michael Phelps. He
lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and two children. - See more
at:
http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Ward-Jenkins/62973453#sthash.yN7RgQ36.dpuf
Ward Jenkins is an illustrator and animator. Ward's books include the Good Crooks series, by Mary Amato; Chicks Run Wild, by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen; How to Train with a T-Red and Win Eight Gold Medals, by Michael Phelps; and more. He lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and two children.
To learn more about Ward, visit his website.
Ward
Jenkins is an illustrator and animator. His first picture book was How
to Train with a T-Rex and Win Eight Gold Medals by Michael Phelps. He
lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and two children. - See more
at:
http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Ward-Jenkins/62973453#sthash.yN7RgQ36.dpuf
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