Jeff Mack, Author-Illustrator of Duck on a Disco Ball: My Writing And Reading Life

The Children’s Book Review | November 2, 2018

Jeff Mack is the award-winning author and illustrator of Duck in the Fridge; Mine!; Ah Ha!; Good News, Bad News; and the Hippo and Rabbit series. He has also illustrated many books, including If My Love Were a Fire Truck by Luke Reynolds. His books have been awarded the Texas 2×2, a Junior Library Guild award, a Colorado Bell Award, a Pennsylvania Family Literacy Award, a New York Public Library Best Book of the Year Award, and a Bank Street Best Book of the Year award. Jeff lives in Massachusetts.

I write because …

I love to make up stories. Ideas fill up my head like popcorn, ideas for characters, their problems and what they do about them. Those ideas have to get out into the world somehow, and I’d rather write them down than talk about them.

I read because …

It’s fun to be surprised by the unexpected twists and turns in other people’s stories.

My latest published book is …

Duck on a Disco Ball. I have three new books this year. The other two are Mr. Monkey Bakes a Cake, and Mr. Monkey Visits a School.

I wrote this book because …

So many kids and teachers told me how much fun they had reading Duck in the Fridge, I wanted to give them another Duck book that would be just as much fun!

Best moment …

Is hopefully yet to come. So far my best moment was wandering around exploring an ancient mud village in the mountains of Oman.

My special place to write is …

On airplanes. When I’m forced to sit in one place for a long time, my mind starts to fill up with ideas. There are no distractions to stop me from writing them all down. I just write and write and the next thing I know…we’ve landed!

Necessary writing/creativity tool …

Deadlines! I love putting a time limit on my work. It means I don’t have too much time to doubt or second guess my ideas. I just keep moving forward.

The person who has been my greatest writing teacher or inspiration is …

My college art professor, Michael Fox. He had a strange sense of humor. He loved weird ideas. The weirder the better. I had never met anyone who liked my weird ideas as much as he did. He encouraged me to spend my time drawing and writing the things I love and not to worry too much about what other people thought.

Currently reading …

Candide by Voltaire, a graphic novel called Heretics, and The Lonely Planet Guide to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Northern Thailand.

Favorite bookshop …

Quimby’s in Chicago. A great indie comic book shop. They also opened a store in Brooklyn, but I haven’t been to that one yet.

All-time favorite children’s book I didn’t write…

Shrek

Favorite illustrator …

William Steig

A literary character I would like to vacation with …

Linus Van Pelt. He’s optimistic but sensible. He’s always putting Charlie Brown’s despair into perspective. A good friend.

When I am not reading or writing I am …

Visiting schools and talking with kids about reading and writing.

You can learn about Jeff Mack online at jeffmack.com and on Twitter and Instagram.

Duck on a Disco Ball

Written and Illustrated by Jeff Mack

Publisher’s Synopsis: Bedtime has never been so silly!

Every night it’s the same old story. A boy wants to stay up late, but his parents won’t let him. But sometimes in the morning, he notices things look a little off—like when he sees a disco ball in the kitchen…with his toy duck on it. So one night he decides to stay up. And that’s when the fun really begins.

Silliness builds with each page of this high-energy, pun-filled companion to Duck in the Fridge until the moment when sleep eventually takes hold and morning arrives once more.

Ages 3-7 | Publisher: Two Lions | November 1, 2018 | ISBN-13: 978-1503902923

Available Here

Book Trailer

Discover more books like Duck on a Disco Ball, written and illustrated by Jeff Mack, by checking out our reviews and articles tagged with Bedtime Stories, Humorous Books, Jeff Mack, and Picture Book; plus, be sure to follow along with our Writing and Reading Life series.