Hello. My name is Jarrett Krosoczka, and I write and illustrate books for children for a living. So I use my imagination as my full-time job. But well before my imagination was my vocation, my imagination saved my life.
大家好,我的名字是 Jarrett Krosoczka 我是兒童繪本作家 所以這個全職工作得靠我的想像力 不過我的想像力在成為我賴以為生的才能之前 曾經救了我一命
When I was a kid, I loved to draw, and the most talented artist I knew was my mother, but my mother was addicted to heroin. And when your parent is a drug addict, it's kind of like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football, because as much as you want to love on that person, as much as you want to receive love from that person, every time you open your heart, you end up on your back. So throughout my childhood, my mother was incarcerated and I didn't have my father because I didn't even learn his first name until I was in the sixth grade. But I had my grandparents, my maternal grandparents Joseph and Shirley, who adopted me just before my third birthday and took me in as their own, after they had already raised five children. So two people who grew up in the Great Depression, there in the very, very early '80s took on a new kid. I was the Cousin Oliver of the sitcom of the Krosoczka family, the new kid who came out of nowhere.
我還小的時候,我熱愛畫畫 我認識的最有才華的藝術家 是我的母親 但是我母親有海洛因癮 如果你的父母有毒癮 那有點像是 Charlie Brown 想要踢足球 因為如果你非常非常愛這個人 你就會希望他也同樣非常愛你 每次你敞開心胸,結果總是熱臉貼冷屁股 所以整個童年時期, 我的母親都在坐牢 那時我也沒有父親 因為直到六年級我才知道他叫甚麼名字 不過我有祖父母 我的外公 Joseph 和外婆 Shirley 在我三歲生日前夕收養了我 即使已經拉拔大了五個孩子 他們還是視我為己出 這兩個成長於經濟大蕭條時代的人 在1980年代初期又扶養了一個孩子 我就像是喜劇 "Krosoczka家庭" 裡的表弟Oliver(美國家庭喜劇The Brady Bunch的角色之一) 不知道是打哪來的,沒見過的孩子
And I would like to say that life was totally easy with them. They each smoked two packs a day, each, nonfiltered, and by the time I was six, I could order a Southern Comfort Manhattan, dry with a twist, rocks on the side, the ice on the side so you could fit more liquor in the drink.
我想說的是,我跟他們一起的日子過得非常自在 他們倆每天各抽兩包煙,沒有濾嘴的 等到我六歲的時候 就能點甜酒調成的曼哈頓來喝 我會要求烈一點,橙皮抹杯口,冰塊放旁邊 冰塊放旁邊就可以多倒一些酒
But they loved the hell out of me. They loved me so much. And they supported my creative efforts, because my grandfather was a self-made man. He ran and worked in a factory. My grandmother was a homemaker. But here was this kid who loved Transformers and Snoopy and the Ninja Turtles, and the characters that I read about, I fell in love with, and they became my friends. So my best friends in life were the characters I read about in books.
他們喜歡這樣的我,他們超愛我的 他們支持我盡量表現創意 因為我的外公是白手起家的人 他經營了一家工廠 我的外婆是家庭主婦 然而這裡有個小傢伙,喜歡變形金剛 喜歡史努比和忍者龜 我在書裡讀到的,愛上的角色 都成了我的朋友 因此我這一輩子最好的朋友都是 我在書裡讀到的角色
I went to Gates Lane Elementary School in Worcester, Massachusetts, and I had wonderful teachers there, most notably in first grade Mrs. Alisch. And I just, I can just remember the love that she offered us as her students.
我在麻州 Worcester 郡的 Gates Lane 小學讀書 有很棒的老師教我 最特別的是一年級的 Alisch 女士 我記得,我還記得她有多愛我們 所有她的學生
When I was in the third grade, a monumental event happened. An author visited our school, Jack Gantos. A published author of books came to talk to us about what he did for a living. And afterwards, we all went back to our classrooms and we drew our own renditions of his main character, Rotten Ralph. And suddenly the author appeared in our doorway, and I remember him sort of sauntering down the aisles, going from kid to kid looking at the desks, not saying a word. But he stopped next to my desk, and he tapped on my desk, and he said, "Nice cat." (Laughter) And he wandered away. Two words that made a colossal difference in my life.
我讀三年級的時候 發生了一件大事 作家 Jack Gantos 來參觀我的學校 他是出過書的作家,他跟我們說 他以什麼為生 之後呢,我們都回到教室 畫出他書中的主角紅貓 Rotten Ralph 在自己心中的樣子 突然那個作者出現在我們教室的門口 我記得他在走道上走來走去 輪流看著每個孩子桌上的圖,一句話也沒說 然後他停在我身旁 他敲了一下我的桌子,然後說: 「很棒的貓」(笑聲) 然後他又晃走了 這幾個字徹底改變了我的一生
When I was in the third grade, I wrote a book for the first time, "The Owl Who Thought He Was The Best Flyer." (Laughter) We had to write our own Greek myth, our own creation story, so I wrote a story about an owl who challenged Hermes to a flying race, and the owl cheated, and Hermes, being a Greek god, grew angry and bitter, and turned the owl into a moon, so the owl had to live the rest of his life as a moon while he watched his family and friends play at night. Yeah. (Laughter)
我三年級的時候,寫了第一本書 《一隻自以為最厲害的貓頭鷹飛行員》(笑聲) 我們要寫出自己的希臘神話 我們自己創造的故事,所以我寫了一個貓頭鷹的故事 一隻向 Hermes 挑戰飛行的貓頭鷹 然後這隻貓頭鷹作弊 身為希臘之神,Hermes 又氣又急 就把牠變到月亮上面 因此這隻貓頭鷹的下半輩子就得住在月亮裡 看著牠的家人和朋友們在夜裡玩耍 嗯(笑聲)
My book had a title page. I was clearly worried about my intellectual property when I was eight. (Laughter) And it was a story that was told with words and pictures, exactly what I do now for a living, and I sometimes let the words have the stage on their own, and sometimes I allowed the pictures to work on their own to tell the story.
我的書有扉頁 我很擔心我的著作權問題,那年我八歲 (笑聲) 這是一篇圖文並茂的故事 就如同我現在賴以為生的工作 有時候我會讓這些文字自己上台表演 有時候我會讓圖片自己出來 說故事
My favorite page is the "About the author" page. (Laughter) So I learned to write about myself in third person at a young age.
我最愛的部分是「關於作者」這一頁 (笑聲) 我年紀很小的時後就學會以第三人稱 描述自己
So I love that last sentence: "He liked making this book." And I liked making that book because I loved using my imagination, and that's what writing is. Writing is using your imagination on paper, and I do get so scared because I travel to so many schools now and that seems like such a foreign concept to kids, that writing would be using your imagination on paper, if they're allowed to even write now within the school hours. So I loved writing so much that I'd come home from school, and I would take out pieces of paper, and I would staple them together, and I would fill those blank pages with words and pictures just because I loved using my imagination.
我喜歡最後一句話:「他很享受寫這本書的過程」 寫這本書讓我很享受,因為我喜歡發揮自己的想像力 寫作就是這樣 寫作就是運用文字來發揮你的想像力 而我被嚇到了,因為我造訪過這麼多間學校 發現今天如果叫孩子們在課堂上即席寫作 "寫作就是運用文字來發揮你的想像力" 這樣子的概念對他們來說卻非常陌生 我超愛寫作,連我下課回到家後 都會拿出幾張紙 然後把這幾張紙釘起來 然後我會在這些白紙上塞滿文字和圖畫 只因為我喜歡發揮想像力
And so these characters would become my friends. There was an egg, a tomato, a head of lettuce and a pumpkin, and they all lived in this refrigerator city, and in one of their adventures they went to a haunted house that was filled with so many dangers like an evil blender who tried to chop them up, an evil toaster who tried to kidnap the bread couple, and an evil microwave who tried to melt their friend who was a stick of butter. (Laughter) And I'd make my own comics too, and this was another way for me to tell stories, through words and through pictures.
所以這些角色會變成我的朋友 這裡有一顆蛋、一粒蕃茄、一棵萵苣、和一粒南瓜 他們都住在冰箱市 有一次,他們到鬼屋探險 裡面危機重重 像是想切碎他們的惡魔攪拌機 還有想綁架麵包情侶的惡魔烤箱 還有惡魔微波爐,想要融化他們的朋友 奶油棒(笑聲) 我自己也會畫漫畫 這是我透過文字和圖片 來說故事的另一種方法
Now when I was in sixth grade, the public funding all but eliminated the arts budgets in the Worcester public school system. I went from having art once a week to twice a month to once a month to not at all. And my grandfather, he was a wise man, and he saw that as a problem, because he knew that was, like, the one thing I had. I didn't play sports. I had art. So he walked into my room one evening, and he sat on the edge of my bed, and he said, "Jarrett, it's up to you, but if you'd like to, we'd like to send you to the classes at the Worcester Art Museum." And I was so thrilled. So from sixth through 12th grade, once, twice, sometimes three times a week, I would take classes at the art museum, and I was surrounded by other kids who loved to draw, other kids who shared a similar passion.
話說我六年級的時候 伍斯特公立小學的各項公共行政預算都提高了 唯獨美術預算縮減 我本來一星期上一次美術課 變成一個月兩次 再變成一個月一次,再來全沒了 我的外公是一位很睿智的人 他覺得這樣不對,因為他知道 這就像,嗯,是我唯一擁有的東西,我不運動 我只畫畫 有一天晚上,他走到我房間 然後坐在我的床邊 他說:「Jarrett,你自己決定,如果你想的話 我們樂意送你到 Worcveset 美術館上課」 我超興奮的 所以我六到十二年級的時候 每周會去美術館上一次或兩次課 有時候會上三次課 我周圍都是喜歡畫畫的小朋友 他們和我擁有相同的熱情
Now my publishing career began when I designed the cover for my eighth grade yearbook, and if you're wondering about the style of dress I put our mascot in, I was really into Bell Biv DeVoe and MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice at the time. (Laughter) And to this day, I still can do karaoke to "Ice, Ice Baby" without looking at the screen. Don't tempt me, because I will do it.
話說,我的出版事業要從我設計 八年級紀念冊那年算起 如果你想知道我設計的吉祥物戲服是哪種風格 我那時候超迷 Bell Biv DeVoe( 黑人節奏藍調團體) MC Hammer(饒舌歌手)和 Vanilla Ice( 白人說唱樂手)(笑聲) 一直到今天,我還能在卡啦OK唱「Ice, Ice Baby」 而且不用看字幕 不需要慫恿我, 因為我一定會唱
So I get shipped off to private school, K through eight, public schools, but for some reason my grandfather was upset that somebody at the local high school had been stabbed and killed, so he didn't want me to go there. He wanted me to go to a private school, and he gave me an option. You can go to Holy Name, which is coed, or St. John's, which is all boys. Very wise man, because he knew I would, I felt like I was making the decision on my own, and he knew I wouldn't choose St. John's, so I went to Holy Name High School, which was a tough transition because, like I said, I didn't play sports, and it was very focused on sports, but I took solace in Mr. Shilale's art room. And I just flourished here. I just couldn't wait to get to that classroom every day.
我轉到私立學校讀書 八年級的時候,因為當時那間公立學校出了點事 我的外公很生氣 因為有個當地的高中生被刺死了 所以他不希望我去那邊讀書 他希望我去唸私校,他讓我自己選擇 你可以讀男女合校的 Holy Name 中學 或是只有男生的 St. John's 中學 他很聰明,因為他知道我會怎麼選 我覺得這個決定是我自己做的 而且他也知道我不會選擇 St. John 中學 所以我去了 Holy Name 中學 那段過渡期很辛苦,因為我先前說過了 我不運動 而這間學校很重視體育 但是我在 Shilale 先生的美術教室找到了慰藉 那裡讓我如魚得水 我每天都迫不及待的想進那間教室
So how did I make friends? I drew funny pictures of my teachers -- (Laughter) -- and I passed them around. Well, in English class, in ninth grade, my friend John, who was sitting next to me, laughed a little bit too hard. Mr. Greenwood was not pleased. (Laughter) He instantly saw that I was the cause of the commotion, and for the first time in my life, I was sent to the hall, and I thought, "Oh no, I'm doomed. My grandfather's just going to kill me." And he came out to the hallway and he said, "Let me see the paper." And I thought, "Oh no. He thinks it's a note." And so I took this picture, and I handed it to him. And we sat in silence for that brief moment, and he said to me, "You're really talented." (Laughter) "You're really good. You know, the school newspaper needs a new cartoonist, and you should be the cartoonist. Just stop drawing in my class."
我怎麼交到朋友的? 我用漫畫造型替每個老師畫了肖像(笑聲) 然後傳給同學看 有一天,九年級上英文課時 我的朋友 John 坐在我旁邊 笑得有點過份 Greenwood 先生不太高興 (笑聲) 他馬上發現我是製造動亂的根源 因此我生平第一次被叫去走廊 然後我心想:「糟糕,我死定了 外公一定會宰了我」 然後他走出教室, 在走廊對我說: 「讓我看看那張紙. 」 我想:「糟糕,他以為那是紙條」 然後我拿出這張圖,遞出去給他 有好一會兒,我們就靜靜的坐在那裏 然後他對我說: 「你真的很有天份」(笑聲) 「你真的很厲害, 你知道嗎 校刊會需要一個新的漫畫家,你應該去幫校刊, 就別在我課堂上畫了」
So my parents never found out about it. I didn't get in trouble. I was introduced to Mrs. Casey, who ran the school newspaper, and I was for three and a half years the cartoonist for my school paper, handling such heavy issues as, seniors are mean, freshmen are nerds, the prom bill is so expensive. I can't believe how much it costs to go to the prom. And I took the headmaster to task and then I also wrote an ongoing story about a boy named Wesley who was unlucky in love, and I just swore up and down that this wasn't about me, but all these years later it was totally me.
因此我的家長壓根不知道這件事 我沒惹上麻煩,我被介紹給 Casey 女士 她負責校刊編輯 我在校刊會擔任了 三年半的漫畫家 處理一些重大事件 像是...高年級都很壞 新生都很宅 舞會門票是太貴了,參加舞會要花的錢多到讓人不敢相信 因此我挑校長開刀 然後我還畫了一系列的故事,主角是一個叫 Wesley 的男孩 他感情路走得不順,我到處對天發誓極力否認 苦主不是我 但是多年後我承認那根本就是我
But it was so cool because I could write these stories, I could come up with these ideas, and they'd be published in the school paper, and people who I didn't know could read them. And I loved that thought, of being able to share my ideas through the printed page.
當年我覺得自己能寫這麼多故事真是了不起 我腦中產生了這些靈感 然後這些靈感會印在校刊上 連我不認識的人都可以看到這些故事 我超愛這種感覺的,能把想法印在紙上 然後和別人分享
On my 14th birthday, my grandfather and my grandmother gave me the best birthday present ever: a drafting table that I have worked on ever since. Here I am, 20 years later, and I still work on this table every day. On the evening of my 14th birthday, I was given this table, and we had Chinese food. And this was my fortune: "You will be successful in your work." I taped it to the top left hand of my table, and as you can see, it's still there. Now I never really asked my grandparents for anything. Well, two things: Rusty, who was a great hamster and lived a great long life when I was in fourth grade. (Laughter) And a video camera. I just wanted a video camera. And after begging and pleading for Christmas, I got a second-hand video camera, and I instantly started making my own animations on my own, and all throughout high school I made my own animations. I convinced my 10th grade English teacher to allow me to do my book report on Stephen King's "Misery" as an animated short. (Laughter)
我十四歲生日那天,我外公外婆 給了我這輩子最棒的生日禮物: 我一直到現在都還在用的製圖桌 現在,二十年過去了 我每天還是在這張桌子上工作 我十四歲生日那晚 我收到了這張桌子,然後我們吃了中國菜 然後我的幸運籤上寫: 「你的事業會一帆風順」 我把這張籤貼在桌子的左上角 如你所見,這張紙還在 其實我從來沒有跟我外公外婆要求過甚麼 嗯,只有兩件事: Rusty,一隻很棒的倉鼠 我四年級的時候牠就已經活了很久了 (笑聲) 還有一台攝影機 我很想要一台攝影機 我在聖誕節來臨前又跪又求的成果 就是一台二手攝影機 我馬上著手進行我的第一部動畫 自製的 整個中學時期我都在做我自己的動畫 我說服十年級的英文導師 讓我用動畫短片製作史帝芬金的《戰慄遊戲》 做為讀書報告(笑聲)
And I kept making comics. I kept making comics, and at the Worcester Art Museum, I was given the greatest piece of advice by any educator I was ever given. Mark Lynch, he's an amazing teacher and he's still a dear friend of mine, and I was 14 or 15, and I walked into his comic book class halfway through the course, and I was so excited, I was beaming. I had this book that was how to draw comics in the Marvel way, and it taught me how to draw superheroes, how to draw a woman, how to draw muscles just the way they were supposed to be if I were to ever draw for X-Men or Spiderman. And all the color just drained from his face, and he looked at me, and he said, "Forget everything you learned." And I didn't understand. He said, "You have a great style. Celebrate your own style. Don't draw the way you're being told to draw. Draw the way you're drawing and keep at it, because you're really good."
當時我一直在畫漫畫 我一直在畫漫畫,而 Worceset 美術館的每位老師 都給了我這輩子最受用的建議 Mark Lynch,一位很棒的老師 也是我的好朋友 那年我 14 或 15 歲 我中途插班進了他的漫畫課 我超興奮的,我超開心的 我有這本書,教我知道如何用驚奇公司的方式畫漫畫 這本書還教我怎麼畫超級英雄 怎麼畫女生,怎麼畫肌肉 才能讓這些人物呈現該有的特色 不論我要畫的是 X 戰警或是蜘蛛人 然後他的臉上散發出各種光芒 然後他看著我,他說 「把你學過的東西通通忘掉. 」 當時我不懂,他說:「你有自己獨特的風格 好好發展自己的風格,不要畫那些別人教你的東西 照你以往的方式畫,然後保持下去 因為你畫得很好」
Now when I was a teenager, I was angsty as any teenager was, but after 17 years of having a mother who was in and out of my life like a yo-yo and a father who was faceless, I was angry. And when I was 17, I met my father for the first time, upon which I learned I had a brother and sister I had never known about. And on the day I met my father for the first time, I was rejected from the Rhode Island School of Design, my one and only choice for college.
當年我只是青少年,每個青少年都很敏感 但是十七年來,我媽不時地介入與脫離 我的生活,像顆溜溜球一樣 而我爸則像是隱形人,我很生氣 我第一次見到我爸是在十七歲的時候 那時我才知道我還有一個從未謀面的弟弟和妹妹 第一次見到我爸的那天 我收到了 Rhode Island 設計大學的不錄取通知 那是我唯一想申請的大學
But it was around this time I went to Camp Sunshine to volunteer a week and working with the most amazing kids, kids with leukemia, and this kid Eric changed my life. Eric didn't live to see his sixth birthday, and Eric lives with me every day.
當時我也在 Camp Sunshine(重症病童家庭支持的非營利組織) 擔任一個星期的志工,和一群很棒的孩子一起工作 他們有白血病,而這位小朋友 Eric 改變了我的一生 Eric 沒能活到六歲 但是 Eric 一直與我同在
So after this experience, my art teacher, Mr. Shilale, he brought in these picture books, and I thought, "Picture books for kids!" and I started writing books for young readers when I was a senior in high school. Well, I eventually got to the Rhode Island School of Design. I transferred to RISD as a sophomore, and it was there that I took every course that I could on writing, and it was there that I wrote a story about a giant orange slug who wanted to be friends with this kid. The kid had no patience for him. And I sent this book out to a dozen publishers and it was rejected every single time, but I was also involved with the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, an amazing camp for kids with all sorts of critical illnesses, and it's those kids at the camp that read my stories, and I read to them, and I saw that they responded to my work.
經歷過這件事後,我的美術老師 Shilale 先生 他給了我這些繪本 我心想:「繪本是小孩在看的!」 高三的時候 我開始為少年讀者寫書 而我最後還是去唸了 Rhode Island 設計大學 我在大二的時候轉到 RISD 我在那兒修了每一門有助寫作的課程 我在那兒還寫了一個橘色大蛞蝓的故事 牠想要和這個小孩做朋友 這個孩子對牠很不耐煩 我把這本書寄給了十幾間出版社 而每次都被退搞 我也參加了 The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp 這個神奇的營地專為重症病童設立 這座兒童營裡的孩子會看我的書 我會唸給他們聽,然後發現他們都有所反應
I graduated from RISD. My grandparents were very proud, and I moved to Boston, and I set up shop. I set up a studio and I tried to get published. I would send out my books. I would send out hundreds of postcards to editors and art directors, but they would go unanswered. And my grandfather would call me every week, and he would say, "Jarrett, how's it going? Do you have a job yet?" Because he had just invested a significant amount of money in my college education. And I said, "Yes, I have a job. I write and illustrate children's books." And he said, "Well, who pays you for that?" And I said, "No one, no one, no one just yet. But I know it's going to happen."
我從 RISD 畢業了,外公外婆覺得很光榮 然後我搬到 Boston,開了間店 我成立了一間工作室,想找人出版我的書 我把我的書寄出去,寄出上百張名信片 給編輯和藝術總監 但是他們從沒回覆 我的外公每星期都會打電話給我 他會說:「Jarrett,最近怎樣? 找到工作了嗎? 」 因為他已經投資了一大筆錢 來付我的大學學費 我會說: 「有啊,我有工作了,我寫童書和畫插畫」 然後他說:「是喔,那誰付你錢? 」 然後我說: 「沒有,沒人,現在還沒有 不過我知道馬上就會有了」
Now, I used to work the weekends at the Hole in the Wall off-season programming to make some extra money as I was trying to get my feet off the ground, and this kid who was just this really hyper kid, I started calling him "Monkey Boy," and I went home and wrote a book called "Good Night, Monkey Boy." And I sent out one last batch of postcards. And I received an email from an editor at Random House with a subject line, "Nice work!" Exclamation point.
好,當時我習慣在假日去 The Hole in the Wall 的淡季課程打工 我想賺點外快,好讓自己的事業趕快起步 這個孩子真的超容易亢奮的 所以我開始叫他「猴小子」 然後回家後我寫了一本叫《晚安,猴小子》的書 然後寄出最後一疊名信片 然後我收到 Random House 的編輯寄來的電子郵件 主旨是「寫得好!」一個驚嘆號
"Dear Jarrett, I received your postcard. I liked your art, so I went to your website and I'm wondering if you ever tried writing any of your own stories, because I really like your art and it looks like there are some stories that go with them. Please let me know if you're ever in New York City." And this was from an editor at Random House Children's Books.
「親愛的 Jarrett,我收到你的明信片了 我喜歡你的圖,所以我去了你的網站 我在想,你有沒有想過要寫你自己的故事? 因為我真的很喜歡你的圖, 每一張都像是在說不同的故事 如果你那天來了紐約,請務必通知我」 這是 Random House 的童書編輯寫的
So the next week I "happened" to be in New York. (Laughter) And I met with this editor, and I left New York for a contract for my first book, "Good Night, Monkey Boy," which was published on June 12, 2001.
所以隔了一個禮拜我「剛好」去了紐約 (笑聲) 然後我和那位編輯見了面 然後我留在紐約簽了第一份童書合約 《Good Night, Monkey Boy》 在2001年6月21日出版了
And my local paper celebrated the news. The local bookstore made a big deal of it. They sold out of all of their books. My friend described it as a wake, but happy, because everyone I ever knew was there in line to see me, but I wasn't dead. I was just signing books. My grandparents, they were in the middle of it. They were so happy. They couldn't have been more proud. Mrs. Alisch was there. Mr. Shilale was there. Mrs. Casey was there. Mrs. Alisch cut in front of the line and said, "I taught him how to read." (Laughter)
我家鄉的地方報也刊登了這則喜訊 當地的書店因此賺了不少錢 他們賣光了所有的進貨 我的朋友形容那像我的守靈夜,不過是開心的 因為我認識的每個人都排隊來看我 可是我沒有死我,只是不斷地在書上簽名 我外公外婆也在隊伍裡面 他們非常開心,他們感到無比的榮耀 Alisch 女士到了,Shilale 先生到了,Casey 女士到了 Alisch 女士插進前面的隊伍,她說: 「是我教他怎麼讀書的」(笑聲)
And then something happened that changed my life. I got my first piece of significant fan mail, where this kid loved Monkey Boy so much that he wanted to have a Monkey Boy birthday cake. For a two-year-old, that is like a tattoo. (Laughter) You know? You only get one birthday per year. And for him, it's only his second. And I got this picture, and I thought, "This picture is going to live within his consciousness for his entire life. He will forever have this photo in his family photo albums."
然後發生了改變我一生的事情 我收到了第一封的超級粉絲來信 這個小孩超愛《Monkey Boy》 愛到他想要個《Monkey Boy》生日蛋糕 對兩歲的小孩來說,這跟刺青一樣酷(笑聲) 你知道嗎? 每年只能過一次生日 對他來說,這次是他的第二個生日 然後我收到了那張照片,我想 「他會把這張照片記在腦海裡 一輩子不忘,這張照片會永遠 放在他的家庭相簿裡」
So that photo, since that moment, is framed in front of me while I've worked on all of my books.
從那一刻起,我把那張照片 框起來放在我的工作桌上, 讓我創作每本書時都看得見
I have 10 picture books out. "Punk Farm," "Baghead," "Ollie the Purple Elephant." I just finished the ninth book in the "Lunch Lady" series, which is a graphic novel series about a lunch lady who fights crime. I'm expecting the release of a chapter book called "Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked." And I travel the country visiting countless schools, letting lots of kids know that they draw great cats.
我出了10本繪本 《Punk Farm》、《Baghead》、《Ollie the Purple Elephant》 我剛完成了第九本書 是《Lunch Lady》的系列,這是一套圖文小說 故事是在說一位打擊犯罪的午餐小姐 我希望我那本讀本可以發行出版 書名是《鴨嘴獸警隊:呱呱叫的青蛙》 我周遊各國, 造訪了無數校園 跟很多孩子說他們畫的貓都很棒
And I meet Bagheads. Lunch ladies treat me really well. And I got to see my name in lights because kids put my name in lights. Twice now, the "Lunch Lady" series has won the Children's Choice Book of the Year in the third or fourth grade category, and those winners were displayed on a jumbotron screen in Times Square. "Punk Farm" and "Lunch Lady" are in development to be movies, so I am a movie producer and I really do think, thanks to that video camera I was given in ninth grade. I've seen people have "Punk Farm" birthday parties, people have dressed up as "Punk Farm" for Halloween, a "Punk Farm" baby room, which makes me a little nervous for the child's well-being in the long term.
然後我遇到了 Bagheads Lunch Ladies 對我真的很好 然後,我得逆光看我的名字 因為孩子們把我的名字打光 如今,《Lunch Lady》系列獲得了兩次 中年級學童年度最佳書籍 得獎名單會出現在 時代廣場的超大螢幕上 《Punk Farm》和《Lunch Lady》正準備拍成電影 所以我成了電影製作人 我由衷地感謝,我九年級那年 拿到的攝影機 我看到很多人舉辦 Punk Farm 生日派對 人們會在萬聖節時打扮成 Punk Farm 的樣子 將嬰兒房佈置成 Punk Farm 的樣子 我有點擔心這會對孩子的長期教養造成影響
And I get the most amazing fan mail, and I get the most amazing projects, and the biggest moment for me came last Halloween. The doorbell rang and it was a trick-or-treater dressed as my character. It was so cool.
去年的萬聖節 我收到了最棒的書迷來信 我聽到了最棒的計畫,以及度過了最棒的時刻 門鈴響了,門外是不給糖就搗蛋的孩子 打扮成我書裡的角色,那超酷的
Now my grandparents are no longer living, so to honor them, I started a scholarship at the Worcester Art Museum for kids who are in difficult situations but whose caretakers can't afford the classes. And it displayed the work from my first 10 years of publishing, and you know who was there to celebrate? Mrs. Alisch.
現在我的祖父母已經過世了 為了紀念他們,我在 Worcester 美術館設立了獎學金 給家境困難的孩子們 而他們的監護人也負擔不起這些課程 裡面展示了我前十年的出版作品 你知道是辦的展覽嗎? 是 Alisch 女士
I said, "Mrs. Alisch, how are you?"
我說: 「Alisch女士,妳好嗎?」
And she responded with, "I'm here." (Laughter)
然後她回答: 「我還在呼吸」(笑聲)
That's true. You are alive, and that's pretty good right now.
真的,妳還活著,現在這樣真好
So the biggest moment for me, though, my most important job now is I am a dad myself, and I have two beautiful daughters, and my goal is to surround them by inspiration, by the books that are in every single room of our house to the murals I painted in their rooms to the moments for creativity where you find, in quiet times, by making faces on the patio to letting her sit in the very desk that I've sat in for the past 20 years. Thank you. (Applause)
對我來說最重要的時刻 嗯,雖然我現在最重要的工作是當爸爸 我有兩個漂亮的女兒 而我對他們的期許是,透過不斷地鼓勵 透過屋子裡每間房裡的書本 還有我在她們房間牆壁上畫的圖 以及在寧靜時刻浮現腦中的靈感 透過把笑臉畫在陽台的動作 讓她坐在這張獨特的桌子前 我坐了二十年的這張書桌 謝謝大家(鼓掌)