This month I had the great pleasure of traveling to Seattle Washington to visit Sacajawea Elementary in North Seattle. I’m super grateful for the invitation and was happy to read Fresh Juice and to talk about who I am and what I do.
Thanks to Robin and the whole PTA crew who do a lot of work to fundraise, organize, call, text, and bring parents and kids to events like this. Above you can see the flyer for the event which was not just about me, but bringing in old books for a bookshop, connecting with each other, and inviting lots of different types of people.
So, when I get to read to kids and family I share a couple of things to try and engage folks so its not just me talking but a back and forth.
Picture Book Reading
Q & A about writing and drawing
Fruits, veggies, and community
Different types of family structures
Character design
Art Books
History
School and Library Visits: I’ve been visiting students as a storyteller since 2012 yall. I started as an illustrator first and then I became an author. I visit many schools every single year. I’ve been all over the Bay Area and Ive read to students in California, Texas, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico, and Ohio. At this point I’ve visited over 100 libraries and schools. Recently I put out the call to visit more cities in Northern and Central California. If you’d like to invite me to visit your school or library in the Bay or outside of it, I’m open to travel! Shoot me an email at info@robdontstop.com
Dig this? Check out some photos from my visits to Alvarado Elementary in Union City, CA
This was cool. I’ve never ever done a school visit in Union City. I met an educator named Roxanne Ramirez at the San Jose Made last year who has been a teacher for over 20 years. Not only that but shes an ethnic studies educator. Anyways, she invited me to her school in the Southern part of the Bay Area and I spoke to a whole bunch of students from 1st grade up to 5th.
They kids were super sweet, curious, and inquisitive so I had fun chopping it up with them, asking them questions, and being silly.
Some of the things we talked about or did on the first day were:
Several picture book readings
Q & A about writing and drawing
Revising your work, working with a team
Fruits, veggies, and community
Different types of family structures
Some of the things we talked about on the second day were more focused on:
Character design
Art Books
Figure drawing
Collaboration
Public Art/ Graffiti
Video Games, Animation, Film
Social Justice
I really had a blast drawing with them and talking with these young minds, meeting their teachers, their principal, and many of the staff members. And I hope to make it back to this school again in the future.
School and Library Visits: I’ve been visiting students as a storyteller since 2012 yall. I started as an illustrator first and then I became an author. I visit many schools every single year. I’ve been all over the Bay Area and Ive read to students in California, Texas, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico, and Ohio. At this point I’ve visited over 100 libraries and schools. Recently I put out the call to visit more cities in Northern and Central California. If you’d like to invite me to visit your school or library in the Bay or outside of it, I’m open to travel! Shoot me an email at info@robdontstop.com
These are the educators who spend countless hours prepping, reading, researching, and teaching our babies. They were kind enough to take a picture with me. Photos by Victor Guzman Benitez and Roxanne Ramirez. Shout out to the Social Justice Academy and the Ethnic Studies educators there. Hella appreciate y’all!
This past week I got the chance to visit a school out in Daly City CA called Garden Village for #ReadAcrossAmerica week. Ive been to a few San Francisco schools but never to Daly City to read so this is new territory. I spoke to a class of Kindergarten students and 4th graders. Its was lots of fun and the kids had great energy and questions. I hope to make it out there again soon.
School and Library Visits: I’ve been visiting students as a storyteller since 2012 yall. I started as an illustrator first and then I became an author. I visit many schools every single year. I’ve been all over the Bay Area and Ive read to students in California, Texas, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico, and Ohio. At this point I’ve visited over 100 libraries and schools. Recently I put out the call to visit more cities in Northern and Central California. If you’d like to invite me to visit your school or library in the Bay or outside of it, I’m open to travel! Shoot me an email at info@robdontstop.com
Ok. These are fun to do to look back and share work that I reeally liked. As an artist I do a bunch of art and wear many hats but I dont always love every project. These are a feew that I love. Top to bottom, left to right. These are usually shared in December of each year I think, but hey-better late than never. #ArtVsArtist2025 #artVSartist
Story time Print 8– I wanted to draw a teacher or librarian reading to some children, simple yet joyful.
Short story 31– A fun exercise to make some promo art and get back to my series of short stories. Read it!
Postcard -This postcard I made in the new year to get back to basic self promo. It has some nice gold finishing.
Rights of Every Child – This is a collab to illustrate a line from the UN convention on the rights of the child.
Photo– Shot of me speaking at Modesto Jr College thx to Dr Theresa Rojas.
Yo, I want to give a huge shout out to my sis Nancy from Latino Task Force in San Francisco, Jen Woo from SF Public Library, Patty from the YMCA, and all the librarians, volunteers, educators who came to this reading and presentation. Normally I’m in a classroom or library but it was dope to be here. Casa Apoyo or “Support House” is a hub for community resources in San Francisco’s Excelsior district where local familes can come get a bike, groceries, clothing, legal services, housing resources, and more.
Some fotos from inside the organizational hub!
As you can see in the above photos the spot is a hub, elders, women, and youth were coming in and out to get food and serve it. A was a perfect place to talk about my latest book because the theme is community.
I did a reading and presentation in English and Spanish. We talked about
Bilingual picture book reading
The importance of reading, writing, and literacy
Animation, gaming, engineering, art making, illustration
Art education through school, friends, sketchbooks, and self guided practice
The power of community, healthy foods, and more
We also talked about team work, editors, art directors, and collaboration
Via SF Days
Hopped on Bart from Fruitvale station in Oakland to Balboa next to Balboa HS and walked to Mission st where the org was.
Latino Task Force, SFPL, and several volunteers
During the reading Latino Task Force, SF Public Library, and several volunteers got the ingredients from the juice in the book ” Fresh Juice/ Jugo Fresco” , and juicers ready for the young people to not only taste, but to make themselves by putting the ingredients into the juicer and then they provided each kid a take home bag w/ more of the sme ingredients so they could share it with their family. These lovely folks also gave away English and Spanish copies of the book to each kid or adult who came.
Wanna invite me to speak or read to you students in elementary, high school, or college? Email me at info@robdontstop.com
I also brought my sketchbook, original drawings, and paintings and I passed them around while adults and children asked questions. It was amazing y’all and at that point it was beyond me as an individual and more about the concept of the story and the idea of interacting w/ a working artist/writer. Hasta la Proxima.
These photos were taken by teachers in the classroom at SF Brightworks a school out in the Presidio area of San Francisco. I spoke to 3rd graders and Kinder students. Here’s a link to their photos and site.
I’m blessed that I get to speak to youth tomorrow at @rocktheschoolbells about one of my favorite things!!! Art Books and Education, specifically I’m going to converse with them about doorways to creative fields and what part inspiration can play in liberation.
If you’ve got kids going to the 17th annual “Rock The School Bells” a dope conference for youth about hip hop history, skills, workshops, performance, and knowledge send em my way 🙏🏾 check out my bro OG @dodatamen who will be rocking as well!! @skyline_college in #SanBruno California.
For more information about location, time, and all the other speakers please go to RockThe School Bells
This week I had a chance to volunteer for this week for Children’s Book Project in San Francisco with students from Guadalupe Elementary School. I read my book in Spanish and it was a blast! Here are some more photos from the reading where I got to meet the super sweet staff.
First off, I need to give major props and respect to Dr Theresa Rojas who not only invited me to come speak to teachers, administrators, and students at MODESTO JUNIOR COLLEGE but is one of the nicest most bad ass Chicana’s I know. She organizes the annual Latinx Comix & Arts Festival in Modesto at MJC. If you’re in the Bay, LA, Northern Cali, or central California go check this event out. Here’s a link
Ok, I got up super early and made the trek from Oakland to Modesto which if you’re not from here takes about 2 hours. It was a super rainy weekend but I was prepared for it and we need as much rain as we can get.
When I arrived English professor Dan Schmidt received me and took me around. Dan was super nice and gave me the leg of the town, took me to lunch with other staff members, and guided me around since I made multiple presentations. This poster was up everywhere around the campus. Fresh Juice came out in the summer so it was nice to let folks know about that early.
Here’s a photo I took with one of the students. I wish I had take a photo of the first presentation with allllll of the students, but it was in a room full of young and older college students so I got talk to them about:
A career in the arts
Children’s Book Illustration and writing
Diversity in literature
Making a living as an artist
Social Justice art
I cannot remember everyone’s name for the life of me but it was so nice to sit and have lunch with staff from the school. These adults care a lot about their students and their community!
After a dinner I was brought back to MJC where I was then introduced to a room full of professors, teachers, students, and community members.
So here I gave a presentation about :
Children’s Book Publishing
Creative writing and illustration process
My journey in the arts and kid lit
Ethnic Studies, Social Justice, Mural art
My first bilingual book Furqan’s First Flat Top/ El Primer Corte de Mesita de Furqan
I talked a bit about visiting young children to read to them
And I then answered questions from the audience
After the questions, I tabled a bit selling some of my prints, books, and showing them some examples of the type of stuff I bring with me to do workshops for teens such as zines and art books. Dr Rojas helped me handle the merch table because hella folks actually supported, I was not expecting that so I didn’t bring allll my stuff.
And here’s a photo of Dr Theresa Rojas who made it possible for me to visit the college and speak to so many about what I do and see out there. She’s super awesome, and here’s a few words she had to say….
“We have enjoyed having Robert join us at Modesto Junior College no fewer than THREE times so far—for tabling at the Latinx Comic Arts Festival, to speak to a children’s literature course, and as our Visiting Author for the year. That speaks volumes about the impact of his work and our fondness for the way he connects to his audience.”
~Dr. Theresa Rojas Professor of Ethnic Studies and English Director of the Latinx Comic Arts Festival Modesto Junior College
That’s it fam, I really loved speaking to future teachers, early childhood educators, and students. Over the years I’ve read to thousands of young people and increasingly I’m getting the chance to talk to colleges. Here is a link to check out MJC and definitely check out their annual Latinx Comics & Arts Festival.
Last Fall in 2023 I got the distinct pleasure of reading my latest book “Fresh Juice/ Jugo Fresco” to a big group of students at the South Berkeley Public Library branch. Here are some photos from that day.
Giving a reading to children is kind of like a performance. You know what story you’re going to read, and since Fresh Juice is still new I have read it out loud to kids only about 15-20 times. For some of my other books I’ve read them 100’s of times; each time trying to emphasize a different part depending on the group I’m reading to. Sometimes I read in English, sometimes Spanish. In this photo I’m trying to gt the kids to talk back to me rather than just listen. Folks in the church used to say “call and response”.
Something I love to do when I visit with kids beyond reading them the actual story is to share some of the behind the scenes, the outtakes, and the practice that goes into making these books that take minutes to read and sometimes years to make. I love sharing drawings and paintings from the process, and I LOVE sharing my sketchbook with them. Younger kids and even some of the older ones love seeing drawings, paintings, sketches, etc because whether its a song, a dance, a video game, or a picture book its fun to see how artists do the thing.
I’ve kept a sketchbook since I was a child. I love sharing them so much that I self published a book full of my drawings, paintings, sketches, etc that have helped me develop stories, share knowledge, or just develop as an artist. You can cop that here.
BIG shout out to Juan Rigo (Adult w/ the hat on the left) who is a librarian at Berkley Public Library who I’ve known since Berkeley high school! He told me he was gonna bring me to the library to read to the babies and sho nuff did. Thx Juan! And BIG shout out to Maestra Arroyo sitting next to Juan who not only brought her class but a fellow teacher’s class to see me read. All photos taken by Jessica and Juan!
SEE? When you see librarians and teachers give them props, words of affirmation, and support when they are in labor struggles for better pay. If it weren’t for these two, my story would not have reached these kids that day. I take that honor seriously and am forever grateful for all of you doing your best to cheer on and game up the next generation with knowlege and love.
If you havent already, please review “Fresh Juice/ Jugo Fresco” wherever you review books. Request it at your local library or bookstore no matter where you live.
