John Joseph – illustratör

2024-2025 Kentucky Bluegrass Silver Medal in Preschool CategoryGet ready for a laugh-out-loud adventure with Minivan Mix-Up, a charming picture book by debut author Juliana Gaddis and NY Times bestselling illustrator John Joseph. This delightful story follows two families who unknowingly swap identical minivans after a mix-up at the grocery store—thanks to their mischievous toddlers and identical key fobs! The only difference between the vehicles? One tiny bumper sticker.With its lively, cinematic illustrations and engaging, simple text, Minivan Mix-Up is a playful tale that highlights the chaos of family life, the surprising connections between strangers, and how shared experiences can lead to unexpected friendships. This relatable story is perfect for young readers, offering humor and heart while celebrating the diversity and commonality in everyday life.Key Features:Hilarious and relatable plot: Families and kids will delight in the fun-filled confusion of switching minivans and discovering similarities.Vivid illustrations: Bright and bold artwork adds cinematic charm to the story, keeping readers engaged.Simple, engaging text: Easy-to-follow narrative, perfect for young readers and read-aloud sessions.Themes of connection: Encourages appreciation for shared experiences and celebrates the joy of new friendships.Ideal for family reading time, Minivan Mix-Up delivers a fun and meaningful message with every turn of the page.

A rhyming picture book about how sometimes it’s not the biggest, strongest, or the fastest, but the littlest who can get the job done!

"Charming, entertaining, and original, The Littlest Airplane is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections for children ages 4-7."—Midwest Book Review

"This is a really cute story about a plane that is smaller than all the others. He feels inferior because he can’t do what the big planes can. But when people get stuck in a storm and call for help, the big planes are too big to land to rescue the people, the little plane can reach them and he saves them. The illustrations were cute; I love the expressiveness of the planes. . . 4 stars."—Youth Services Book Review

"The text clearly stands out against Joseph''s wonderful illustrations, which work in tandem with the text to convey exactly what''s happening in the story. These scenes are big and colorful, making it easy to see all aspects of the picture, even from a distance—perfect for story hours. . . Altogether, Hartman has created another wonderful ride of a story. A great rhyming read aloud for little learners to introduce different types of planes and spot light the oft-forgotten bush plane."—School Library Journal

"The story told in lilting rhyming text is brought to life in colorful illustrations featuring personified airplanes with expressive faces and beautiful Alaskan scenery. Facts about bush planes and a labeled diagram of a plane appear in the back pages. Young children identify with being small and wanting to be important. They will recognize this story as a good companion to The Little Engine That Could."—Children''s Literature Comprehensive Database

“Alaska Northwest Books wings into spring with... The Littlest Airplane by Brooke Hartman, illus. by John Joseph, in which a storm necessitates calling a mighty little bush plane to rescue people stuck on a mountain in the snow.”—Publishers Weekly, Spring 2022 Children’s Sneak Previews

At a landing strip in the far north, a little bush plane watches quietly as bigger, stronger, faster planes take off for adventure. But when a storm hits and hikers are stranded on the mountain, who will come to the rescue?

Told in rhyming verse with bright illustrations, The Littlest Airplane soars high with heart and excitement.

A happy-go-plucky rhyme adventure of chickens frolicking in an urban environment as they run rampant all around town!

"Urban backyard chickens go on a madcap tour of the city in this rhyming romp. . . the narrative bounces off the tongue. The marker-bright illustrations are frenetic and filled with humorous details."--Kirkus Reviews

"Hysterical rhyming book about chickens escaping from their yard. Funny shenanigans ensue with each towns-person and animal they encounter. This will appeal to lots of kids around here whose families own chickens!"--Buttonwood Books & Toys, bookseller recommendation

"Reading this out loud was so much fun! The rhyming and rhythm added a musical element to reading the book. And within the rhymes there are great vocabulary moments, too! . . . The backmatter of the book gives information about keeping urban chickens and some fun chicken facts. It is a great way to connect the story to science."--Unleashing Readers

Chickens on the loose. Chickens on the lam. Zipping from the yard, As quickly as they can.

Chickens don''t just live on farms--they''re in the city too! In the store, on the street, they bring mayhem and excitement to all the surprised people. See where these mischievous chickens go in this brightly illustrated picture book told in verse. Also included at the back are fun facts and tips for the urban chicken farmer.

Book Features:• 24 pages, 8 inches x 8 inches • Ages 5-8, Grades K-2 leveled readers• Simple, easy-to-read pages with illustrations• Features a simple vocabulary list• Includes reading and teaching tips

The Importance of Reading: Introduce hard yet important topics to your child with Forever Rhen: A Book About Divorce. The 24-page book features pictures and simple language to practice early reading comprehension skills and learn about divorce.

Hands-On Reading: Rhen''s parents are getting a divorce, and she’s worried about what all will change and what that means for her. One thing is certain—her parents love her very much. Find out what changes and what will stay the same.

Features: More than just an insightful story about family changes, this kids book also includes a vocabulary list as well as reading and teaching tips for additional interaction and engagement on the topic of divorce.

Leveled Books: Vibrant illustrations and leveled text work together to engage readers and promote reading comprehension skills. The leveled book engages kindergarteners—2nd graders with new vocabulary and relevant topics like divorce.

Why Rourke Educational Media: Since 1980, Rourke Publishing Company has specialized in publishing engaging and diverse non-fiction and fiction books for children in a wide range of subjects that support reading success on a level that has no limits.

Book Features:• 24 pages, 8 inches x 8 inches • Ages 5-8, Grades K-2 leveled readers• Simple, easy-to-read pages with illustrations• Features a simple vocabulary list• Includes reading and teaching tips

The Importance of Reading: Introduce hard yet important topics to your child with Forever Rhen: A Book About Divorce. The 24-page book features pictures and simple language to practice early reading comprehension skills and learn about divorce.

Hands-On Reading: Rhen''s parents are getting a divorce, and she’s worried about what all will change and what that means for her. One thing is certain—her parents love her very much. Find out what changes and what will stay the same.

Features: More than just an insightful story about family changes, this kids book also includes a vocabulary list as well as reading and teaching tips for additional interaction and engagement on the topic of divorce.

Leveled Books: Vibrant illustrations and leveled text work together to engage readers and promote reading comprehension skills. The leveled book engages kindergarteners—2nd graders with new vocabulary and relevant topics like divorce.

Why Rourke Educational Media: Since 1980, Rourke Publishing Company has specialized in publishing engaging and diverse non-fiction and fiction books for children in a wide range of subjects that support reading success on a level that has no limits.