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Ben Hatke- Best Author Ever!

Published on Jul 03, 2019

This is an Author profile for my last undergrad class, Literature for Children & Adolescents. If Mr. Hatke ever reads this, he should know that my daughter is one of his biggest fans. She was given Zita, the Spacegirl for her 5th birthday and loved it so much that we had to get her the next 2 for Christmas (her b-day is in November). When she opened them, she hugged them to her chest and tried to sneak off to read them even though she had an entire pile of gifts to open! When "Nobody Likes a Goblin" was released, she and I were walking through the bookstore and she snatched it up and said, "Hey! This is by Ben Hatke!" She was 6. I asked, "Who is that?" "He writes Zita!" We bought it immediately. Later that year I was reading her another of her favorites when I looked at the cover and said, "Oh! I didn't know Ben Hatke wrote Julia!" Silly, Mama.

In researching this, I also found an University Bookstore event with Ben and Kazu Kibuishi. Milli's other favorite books are the Amulet series and she plays Emily with her sister all the time (little sister is usually Miskit). If she had been there, she would have died!! Just sayin'. If you are ever in Dallas, we are going to drive the 3 hours to see you!

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

Ben Hatke

Author Study

Early Life

  • Born in Fayetteville, IN
  • Christendom College, class of 2000
  • Met Wife in college. She was class of 2003
  • Freelanced as an artist and digital designer while wife finished degree
  • First daughter born in 2002
  • In 2006, he took his family to Florence to study classical painting

Early Life

  • Born in Fayetteville, IN
  • Christendom College, class of 2000
  • Met wife in college. She was class of 2003
  • Freelanced as an artist and digital designer while wife finished degree
  • First daughter born in 2002
  • In 2006, he took his family to Florence to study classical painting

Ben Hatke is the author of several children's graphic novels and picture books. He has been drawing since he was very young. The son of an architect, he was taught early how to explain things not just with words but also with his pencil. Now, he does this for a living.

Fun Facts

  • Ben is Catholic
  • Ben has 5 daughters
  • Ben has named two of his characters after his daughters and one more is modeled after his wife
  • Ben's wife is a fire dancer and sings
  • Ben lives part time in Virginia and part time in Italy, where his wife's family lives
  • His favorite color is red

Hidden Talents:

Archery
Fire-Breathing
Cosplay
Handyman
Homeschooler
Fencing

Books by Ben

Books Illustrated by Ben

Seminal Moment:
When Ben was 10 or 11, he wrote to Jim Davis, creator of Garfield. When Jim wrote back, Ben realized that he was a real person with a real job. That was when he though, "I can be a comic artist when I grow up."

Photo by mag3737

Inspirations

  • Jim Davis
  • Elf Quest
  • Calvin & Hobbes
  • Hayao Miyazaki
  • Jim Henson
Photo by A.M. Kuchling

Inspirations

  • Jim Davis
  • Elf Quest
  • Calvin & Hobbes
  • Hayao Miyazaki
  • Jim Henson
Photo by A.M. Kuchling

Advice for Authors

  • Draw &/or write every day
  • Read Constantly
  • Writer's Block? Take a Walk
Photo by Joshua Ness

#1 Recommendation for Kids

Mouse Guard (Incidentally, I just bought this for my youngest earlier today)

Graphic Novels

Done in sketches, then scanned, then altered

Picture Books

Done in Watercolor

Personal

  • Ben was the first author my daughter recognized. She was 6.
  • Zita, the Spacegirl was my daughter's first graphic novel.
  • I think Ben is the coolest author I have ever read about!

References

References

The End