Jarrett J. Krosoczka: How a boy became an artist

Translator: Thu-Huong Ha Reviewer: Morton Bast

譯者: Marssi Draw 審譯者: Ho-chung Chou

Hello. My name is Jarrett Krosoczka,

大家好，我的名字是 Jarrett Krosoczka

and I write and illustrate books for children for a living.

我是兒童繪本作家

So I use my imagination as my full-time job.

所以這個全職工作得靠我的想像力

But well before my imagination was my vocation,

不過我的想像力在成為我賴以為生的才能之前

my imagination saved my life.

曾經救了我一命

When I was a kid, I loved to draw,

我還小的時候，我熱愛畫畫

and the most talented artist I knew

我認識的最有才華的藝術家

was my mother,

是我的母親

but my mother was addicted to heroin.

但是我母親有海洛因癮

And when your parent is a drug addict,

如果你的父母有毒癮

it's kind of like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football,

那有點像是 Charlie Brown 想要踢足球

because as much as you want to love on that person,

因為如果你非常非常愛這個人

as much as you want to receive love from that person,

你就會希望他也同樣非常愛你

every time you open your heart, you end up on your back.

每次你敞開心胸，結果總是熱臉貼冷屁股

So throughout my childhood, my mother was incarcerated

所以整個童年時期, 我的母親都在坐牢

and I didn't have my father because

那時我也沒有父親

I didn't even learn his first name until I was in the sixth grade.

因為直到六年級我才知道他叫甚麼名字

But I had my grandparents,

不過我有祖父母

my maternal grandparents Joseph and Shirley,

我的外公 Joseph 和外婆 Shirley

who adopted me just before my third birthday

在我三歲生日前夕收養了我

and took me in as their own,

即使已經拉拔大了五個孩子

after they had already raised five children.

他們還是視我為己出

So two people who grew up in the Great Depression,

這兩個成長於經濟大蕭條時代的人

there in the very, very early '80s took on a new kid.

在1980年代初期又扶養了一個孩子

I was the Cousin Oliver of the sitcom

我就像是喜劇 "Krosoczka家庭"

of the Krosoczka family,

裡的表弟Oliver（美國家庭喜劇The Brady Bunch的角色之一）

the new kid who came out of nowhere.

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.

我想說的是，我跟他們一起的日子過得非常自在

They each smoked two packs a day, each, nonfiltered,

他們倆每天各抽兩包煙，沒有濾嘴的

and by the time I was six,

等到我六歲的時候

I could order a Southern Comfort Manhattan,

就能點甜酒調成的曼哈頓來喝

dry with a twist, rocks on the side,

我會要求烈一點，橙皮抹杯口，冰塊放旁邊

the ice on the side so you could fit more liquor in the drink.

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.

他們喜歡這樣的我，他們超愛我的

And they supported my creative efforts,

他們支持我盡量表現創意

because my grandfather was a self-made man.

因為我的外公是白手起家的人

He ran and worked in a factory.

他經營了一家工廠

My grandmother was a homemaker.

我的外婆是家庭主婦

But here was this kid who loved Transformers

然而這裡有個小傢伙，喜歡變形金剛

and Snoopy and the Ninja Turtles,

喜歡史努比和忍者龜

and the characters that I read about, I fell in love with,

我在書裡讀到的，愛上的角色

and they became my friends.

都成了我的朋友

So my best friends in life were the characters

因此我這一輩子最好的朋友都是

I read about in books.

我在書裡讀到的角色

I went to Gates Lane Elementary School in Worcester, Massachusetts,

我在麻州 Worcester 郡的 Gates Lane 小學讀書

and I had wonderful teachers there,

有很棒的老師教我

most notably in first grade Mrs. Alisch.

最特別的是一年級的 Alisch 女士

And I just, I can just remember the love that she offered

我記得，我還記得她有多愛我們

us as her students.

所有她的學生

When I was in the third grade,

我讀三年級的時候

a monumental event happened.

發生了一件大事

An author visited our school, Jack Gantos.

作家 Jack Gantos 來參觀我的學校

A published author of books came to talk to us

他是出過書的作家，他跟我們說

about what he did for a living.

他以什麼為生

And afterwards, we all went back to our classrooms

之後呢，我們都回到教室

and we drew our own renditions of his main character,

畫出他書中的主角紅貓 Rotten Ralph

Rotten Ralph.

在自己心中的樣子

And suddenly the author appeared in our doorway,

突然那個作者出現在我們教室的門口

and I remember him sort of sauntering down the aisles,

我記得他在走道上走來走去

going from kid to kid looking at the desks, not saying a word.

輪流看著每個孩子桌上的圖，一句話也沒說

But he stopped next to my desk,

然後他停在我身旁

and he tapped on my desk, and he said,

他敲了一下我的桌子，然後說:

"Nice cat." (Laughter)

「很棒的貓」（笑聲）

And he wandered away.

然後他又晃走了

Two words that made a colossal difference in my life.

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,

我三年級的時候，寫了第一本書

"The Owl Who Thought He Was The Best Flyer." (Laughter)

《一隻自以為最厲害的貓頭鷹飛行員》（笑聲）

We had to write our own Greek myth,

我們要寫出自己的希臘神話

our own creation story, so I wrote a story about an owl

我們自己創造的故事，所以我寫了一個貓頭鷹的故事

who challenged Hermes to a flying race,

一隻向 Hermes 挑戰飛行的貓頭鷹

and the owl cheated,

然後這隻貓頭鷹作弊

and Hermes, being a Greek god, grew angry and bitter,

身為希臘之神，Hermes 又氣又急

and turned the owl into a moon,

就把牠變到月亮上面

so the owl had to live the rest of his life as a moon

因此這隻貓頭鷹的下半輩子就得住在月亮裡

while he watched his family and friends play at night.

看著牠的家人和朋友們在夜裡玩耍

Yeah. (Laughter)

嗯（笑聲）

My book had a title page.

我的書有扉頁

I was clearly worried about my intellectual property when I was eight.

我很擔心我的著作權問題，那年我八歲

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And it was a story that was told with words and pictures,

這是一篇圖文並茂的故事

exactly what I do now for a living,

就如同我現在賴以為生的工作

and I sometimes let the words have the stage on their own,

有時候我會讓這些文字自己上台表演

and sometimes I allowed the pictures to work on their own

有時候我會讓圖片自己出來

to tell the story.

說故事

My favorite page is the "About the author" page.

我最愛的部分是「關於作者」這一頁

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

So I learned to write about myself in third person

我年紀很小的時後就學會以第三人稱

at a young age.

描述自己

So I love that last sentence: "He liked making this book."

我喜歡最後一句話:「他很享受寫這本書的過程」

And I liked making that book because I loved using my imagination,

寫這本書讓我很享受，因為我喜歡發揮自己的想像力

and that's what writing is.

寫作就是這樣

Writing is using your imagination on paper,

寫作就是運用文字來發揮你的想像力

and I do get so scared because I travel to so many schools now

而我被嚇到了，因為我造訪過這麼多間學校

and that seems like such a foreign concept to kids,

發現今天如果叫孩子們在課堂上即席寫作

that writing would be using your imagination on paper,

"寫作就是運用文字來發揮你的想像力"

if they're allowed to even write now within the school hours.

這樣子的概念對他們來說卻非常陌生

So I loved writing so much that I'd come home from school,

我超愛寫作，連我下課回到家後

and I would take out pieces of paper,

都會拿出幾張紙

and I would staple them together,

然後把這幾張紙釘起來

and I would fill those blank pages with words and pictures

然後我會在這些白紙上塞滿文字和圖畫

just because I loved using my imagination.

只因為我喜歡發揮想像力

And so these characters would become my friends.

所以這些角色會變成我的朋友

There was an egg, a tomato, a head of lettuce and a pumpkin,

這裡有一顆蛋、一粒蕃茄、一棵萵苣、和一粒南瓜

and they all lived in this refrigerator city,

他們都住在冰箱市

and in one of their adventures they went to a haunted house

有一次，他們到鬼屋探險

that was filled with so many dangers

裡面危機重重

like an evil blender who tried to chop them up,

像是想切碎他們的惡魔攪拌機

an evil toaster who tried to kidnap the bread couple,

還有想綁架麵包情侶的惡魔烤箱

and an evil microwave who tried to melt their friend

還有惡魔微波爐，想要融化他們的朋友

who was a stick of butter. (Laughter)

奶油棒（笑聲）

And I'd make my own comics too,

我自己也會畫漫畫

and this was another way for me to tell stories,

這是我透過文字和圖片

through words and through pictures.

來說故事的另一種方法

Now when I was in sixth grade,

話說我六年級的時候

the public funding all but eliminated the arts budgets

伍斯特公立小學的各項公共行政預算都提高了

in the Worcester public school system.

唯獨美術預算縮減

I went from having art once a week

我本來一星期上一次美術課

to twice a month

變成一個月兩次

to once a month to not at all.

再變成一個月一次，再來全沒了

And my grandfather, he was a wise man,

我的外公是一位很睿智的人

and he saw that as a problem, because he knew

他覺得這樣不對，因為他知道

that was, like, the one thing I had. I didn't play sports.

這就像，嗯，是我唯一擁有的東西，我不運動

I had art.

我只畫畫

So he walked into my room one evening,

有一天晚上，他走到我房間

and he sat on the edge of my bed,

然後坐在我的床邊

and he said, "Jarrett, it's up to you, but if you'd like to,

他說：「Jarrett，你自己決定，如果你想的話

we'd like to send you to the classes at the Worcester Art Museum."

我們樂意送你到 Worcveset 美術館上課」

And I was so thrilled.

我超興奮的

So from sixth through 12th grade,

所以我六到十二年級的時候

once, twice, sometimes three times a week,

每周會去美術館上一次或兩次課

I would take classes at the art museum,

有時候會上三次課

and I was surrounded by other kids who loved to draw,

我周圍都是喜歡畫畫的小朋友

other kids who shared a similar passion.

他們和我擁有相同的熱情

Now my publishing career began when I designed the cover

話說，我的出版事業要從我設計

for my eighth grade yearbook,

八年級紀念冊那年算起

and if you're wondering about the style of dress I put our mascot in,

如果你想知道我設計的吉祥物戲服是哪種風格

I was really into Bell Biv DeVoe and MC Hammer

我那時候超迷 Bell Biv DeVoe（ 黑人節奏藍調團體）

and Vanilla Ice at the time. (Laughter)

MC Hammer（饒舌歌手）和 Vanilla Ice（ 白人說唱樂手）（笑聲）

And to this day, I still can do karaoke to "Ice, Ice Baby"

一直到今天，我還能在卡啦OK唱「Ice, Ice Baby」

without looking at the screen.

而且不用看字幕

Don't tempt me, because I will do it.

不需要慫恿我, 因為我一定會唱

So I get shipped off to private school,

我轉到私立學校讀書

K through eight, public schools, but for some reason

八年級的時候，因為當時那間公立學校出了點事

my grandfather was upset that somebody

我的外公很生氣

at the local high school had been stabbed and killed,

因為有個當地的高中生被刺死了

so he didn't want me to go there.

所以他不希望我去那邊讀書

He wanted me to go to a private school, and he gave me an option.

他希望我去唸私校，他讓我自己選擇

You can go to Holy Name, which is coed,

你可以讀男女合校的 Holy Name 中學

or St. John's, which is all boys.

或是只有男生的 St. John's 中學

Very wise man, because he knew I would,

他很聰明，因為他知道我會怎麼選

I felt like I was making the decision on my own,

我覺得這個決定是我自己做的

and he knew I wouldn't choose St. John's,

而且他也知道我不會選擇 St. John 中學

so I went to Holy Name High School,

所以我去了 Holy Name 中學

which was a tough transition because, like I said,

那段過渡期很辛苦，因為我先前說過了

I didn't play sports,

我不運動

and it was very focused on sports,

而這間學校很重視體育

but I took solace in Mr. Shilale's art room.

但是我在 Shilale 先生的美術教室找到了慰藉

And I just flourished here.

那裡讓我如魚得水

I just couldn't wait to get to that classroom every day.

我每天都迫不及待的想進那間教室

So how did I make friends?

我怎麼交到朋友的?

I drew funny pictures of my teachers -- (Laughter) --

我用漫畫造型替每個老師畫了肖像（笑聲）

and I passed them around.

然後傳給同學看

Well, in English class, in ninth grade,

有一天，九年級上英文課時

my friend John, who was sitting next to me,

我的朋友 John 坐在我旁邊

laughed a little bit too hard.

笑得有點過份

Mr. Greenwood was not pleased.

Greenwood 先生不太高興

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

He instantly saw that I was the cause of the commotion,

他馬上發現我是製造動亂的根源

and for the first time in my life, I was sent to the hall,

因此我生平第一次被叫去走廊

and I thought, "Oh no, I'm doomed.

然後我心想:「糟糕，我死定了

My grandfather's just going to kill me."

外公一定會宰了我」

And he came out to the hallway and he said,

然後他走出教室, 在走廊對我說:

"Let me see the paper."

「讓我看看那張紙. 」

And I thought, "Oh no. He thinks it's a note."

我想：「糟糕，他以為那是紙條」

And so I took this picture, and I handed it to him.

然後我拿出這張圖，遞出去給他

And we sat in silence for that brief moment,

有好一會兒，我們就靜靜的坐在那裏

and he said to me,

然後他對我說:

"You're really talented." (Laughter)

「你真的很有天份」（笑聲）

"You're really good. You know, the school newspaper

「你真的很厲害, 你知道嗎

needs a new cartoonist, and you should be the cartoonist.

校刊會需要一個新的漫畫家，你應該去幫校刊，

Just stop drawing in my class."

就別在我課堂上畫了」

So my parents never found out about it.

因此我的家長壓根不知道這件事

I didn't get in trouble. I was introduced to Mrs. Casey,

我沒惹上麻煩，我被介紹給 Casey 女士

who ran the school newspaper,

她負責校刊編輯

and I was for three and a half years

我在校刊會擔任了

the cartoonist for my school paper,

三年半的漫畫家

handling such heavy issues as,

處理一些重大事件

seniors are mean,

像是...高年級都很壞

freshmen are nerds,

新生都很宅

the prom bill is so expensive. I can't believe how much it costs to go to the prom.

舞會門票是太貴了，參加舞會要花的錢多到讓人不敢相信

And I took the headmaster to task

因此我挑校長開刀

and then I also wrote an ongoing story about a boy named Wesley

然後我還畫了一系列的故事，主角是一個叫 Wesley 的男孩

who was unlucky in love, and I just swore up and down

他感情路走得不順，我到處對天發誓極力否認

that this wasn't about me,

苦主不是我

but all these years later it was totally me.

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,

當年我覺得自己能寫這麼多故事真是了不起

I could come up with these ideas,

我腦中產生了這些靈感

and they'd be published in the school paper,

然後這些靈感會印在校刊上

and people who I didn't know could read them.

連我不認識的人都可以看到這些故事

And I loved that thought, of being able to share my ideas

我超愛這種感覺的，能把想法印在紙上

through the printed page.

然後和別人分享

On my 14th birthday, my grandfather and my grandmother

我十四歲生日那天，我外公外婆

gave me the best birthday present ever:

給了我這輩子最棒的生日禮物：

a drafting table that I have worked on ever since.

我一直到現在都還在用的製圖桌

Here I am, 20 years later,

現在，二十年過去了

and I still work on this table every day.

我每天還是在這張桌子上工作

On the evening of my 14th birthday,

我十四歲生日那晚

I was given this table, and we had Chinese food.

我收到了這張桌子，然後我們吃了中國菜

And this was my fortune:

然後我的幸運籤上寫:

"You will be successful in your work."

「你的事業會一帆風順」

I taped it to the top left hand of my table,

我把這張籤貼在桌子的左上角

and as you can see, it's still there.

如你所見，這張紙還在

Now I never really asked my grandparents for anything.

其實我從來沒有跟我外公外婆要求過甚麼

Well, two things: Rusty, who was a great hamster

嗯，只有兩件事: Rusty，一隻很棒的倉鼠

and lived a great long life when I was in fourth grade.

我四年級的時候牠就已經活了很久了

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And a video camera.

還有一台攝影機

I just wanted a video camera.

我很想要一台攝影機

And after begging and pleading for Christmas,

我在聖誕節來臨前又跪又求的成果

I got a second-hand video camera,

就是一台二手攝影機

and I instantly started making my own animations

我馬上著手進行我的第一部動畫

on my own,

自製的

and all throughout high school I made my own animations.

整個中學時期我都在做我自己的動畫

I convinced my 10th grade English teacher to allow me

我說服十年級的英文導師

to do my book report on Stephen King's "Misery"

讓我用動畫短片製作史帝芬金的《戰慄遊戲》

as an animated short. (Laughter)

做為讀書報告（笑聲）

And I kept making comics.

當時我一直在畫漫畫

I kept making comics, and at the Worcester Art Museum,

我一直在畫漫畫，而 Worceset 美術館的每位老師

I was given the greatest piece of advice by any educator I was ever given.

都給了我這輩子最受用的建議

Mark Lynch, he's an amazing teacher

Mark Lynch，一位很棒的老師

and he's still a dear friend of mine,

也是我的好朋友

and I was 14 or 15,

那年我 14 或 15 歲

and I walked into his comic book class halfway through the course,

我中途插班進了他的漫畫課

and I was so excited, I was beaming.

我超興奮的，我超開心的

I had this book that was how to draw comics in the Marvel way,

我有這本書，教我知道如何用驚奇公司的方式畫漫畫

and it taught me how to draw superheroes,

這本書還教我怎麼畫超級英雄

how to draw a woman, how to draw muscles

怎麼畫女生，怎麼畫肌肉

just the way they were supposed to be

才能讓這些人物呈現該有的特色

if I were to ever draw for X-Men or Spiderman.

不論我要畫的是 X 戰警或是蜘蛛人

And all the color just drained from his face,

然後他的臉上散發出各種光芒

and he looked at me, and he said,

然後他看著我，他說

"Forget everything you learned."

「把你學過的東西通通忘掉. 」

And I didn't understand. He said, "You have a great style.

當時我不懂，他說:「你有自己獨特的風格

Celebrate your own style. Don't draw the way you're being told to draw.

好好發展自己的風格，不要畫那些別人教你的東西

Draw the way you're drawing and keep at it,

照你以往的方式畫，然後保持下去

because you're really good."

因為你畫得很好」

Now when I was a teenager, I was angsty as any teenager was,

當年我只是青少年，每個青少年都很敏感

but after 17 years of having a mother

但是十七年來，我媽不時地介入與脫離

who was in and out of my life like a yo-yo

我的生活，像顆溜溜球一樣

and a father who was faceless, I was angry.

而我爸則像是隱形人，我很生氣

And when I was 17, I met my father for the first time,

我第一次見到我爸是在十七歲的時候

upon which I learned I had a brother and sister I had never known about.

那時我才知道我還有一個從未謀面的弟弟和妹妹

And on the day I met my father for the first time,

第一次見到我爸的那天

I was rejected from the Rhode Island School of Design,

我收到了 Rhode Island 設計大學的不錄取通知

my one and only choice for college.

那是我唯一想申請的大學

But it was around this time I went to Camp Sunshine

當時我也在 Camp Sunshine（重症病童家庭支持的非營利組織）

to volunteer a week and working with the most amazing kids,

擔任一個星期的志工，和一群很棒的孩子一起工作

kids with leukemia, and this kid Eric changed my life.

他們有白血病，而這位小朋友 Eric 改變了我的一生

Eric didn't live to see his sixth birthday,

Eric 沒能活到六歲

and Eric lives with me every day.

但是 Eric 一直與我同在

So after this experience, my art teacher, Mr. Shilale,

經歷過這件事後，我的美術老師 Shilale 先生

he brought in these picture books,

他給了我這些繪本

and I thought, "Picture books for kids!"

我心想:「繪本是小孩在看的！」

and I started writing books for young readers

高三的時候

when I was a senior in high school.

我開始為少年讀者寫書

Well, I eventually got to the Rhode Island School of Design.

而我最後還是去唸了 Rhode Island 設計大學

I transferred to RISD as a sophomore,

我在大二的時候轉到 RISD

and it was there that I took every course that I could on writing,

我在那兒修了每一門有助寫作的課程

and it was there that I wrote a story about a giant orange slug

我在那兒還寫了一個橘色大蛞蝓的故事

who wanted to be friends with this kid.

牠想要和這個小孩做朋友

The kid had no patience for him.

這個孩子對牠很不耐煩

And I sent this book out to a dozen publishers

我把這本書寄給了十幾間出版社

and it was rejected every single time,

而每次都被退搞

but I was also involved with the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp,

我也參加了 The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp

an amazing camp for kids with all sorts of critical illnesses,

這個神奇的營地專為重症病童設立

and it's those kids at the camp that read my stories,

這座兒童營裡的孩子會看我的書

and I read to them, and I saw that they responded to my work.

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,

我從 RISD 畢業了，外公外婆覺得很光榮

and I moved to Boston, and I set up shop.

然後我搬到 Boston，開了間店

I set up a studio and I tried to get published.

我成立了一間工作室，想找人出版我的書

I would send out my books. I would send out hundreds of postcards

我把我的書寄出去，寄出上百張名信片

to editors and art directors,

給編輯和藝術總監

but they would go unanswered.

但是他們從沒回覆

And my grandfather would call me every week,

我的外公每星期都會打電話給我

and he would say, "Jarrett, how's it going? Do you have a job yet?"

他會說：「Jarrett，最近怎樣? 找到工作了嗎? 」

Because he had just invested a significant amount of money

因為他已經投資了一大筆錢

in my college education.

來付我的大學學費

And I said, "Yes, I have a job. I write and illustrate children's books."

我會說: 「有啊，我有工作了，我寫童書和畫插畫」

And he said, "Well, who pays you for that?"

然後他說:「是喔，那誰付你錢? 」

And I said, "No one, no one, no one just yet.

然後我說: 「沒有，沒人，現在還沒有

But I know it's going to happen."

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

好，當時我習慣在假日去 The Hole in the Wall 的淡季課程打工

to make some extra money as I was trying to get my feet off the ground,

我想賺點外快，好讓自己的事業趕快起步

and this kid who was just this really hyper kid,

這個孩子真的超容易亢奮的

I started calling him "Monkey Boy,"

所以我開始叫他「猴小子」

and I went home and wrote a book called "Good Night, Monkey Boy."

然後回家後我寫了一本叫《晚安，猴小子》的書

And I sent out one last batch of postcards.

然後寄出最後一疊名信片

And I received an email from an editor at Random House

然後我收到 Random House 的編輯寄來的電子郵件

with a subject line, "Nice work!" Exclamation point.

主旨是「寫得好！」一個驚嘆號

"Dear Jarrett, I received your postcard.

「親愛的 Jarrett，我收到你的明信片了

I liked your art, so I went to your website

我喜歡你的圖，所以我去了你的網站

and I'm wondering if you ever tried writing any of your own stories,

我在想，你有沒有想過要寫你自己的故事?

because I really like your art and it looks like there are some stories that go with them.

因為我真的很喜歡你的圖， 每一張都像是在說不同的故事

Please let me know if you're ever in New York City."

如果你那天來了紐約，請務必通知我」

And this was from an editor at Random House Children's Books.

這是 Random House 的童書編輯寫的

So the next week I "happened" to be in New York.

所以隔了一個禮拜我「剛好」去了紐約

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And I met with this editor,

然後我和那位編輯見了面

and I left New York for a contract for my first book,

然後我留在紐約簽了第一份童書合約

"Good Night, Monkey Boy,"

《Good Night, Monkey Boy》

which was published on June 12, 2001.

在2001年6月21日出版了

And my local paper celebrated the news.

我家鄉的地方報也刊登了這則喜訊

The local bookstore made a big deal of it.

當地的書店因此賺了不少錢

They sold out of all of their books.

他們賣光了所有的進貨

My friend described it as a wake, but happy,

我的朋友形容那像我的守靈夜，不過是開心的

because everyone I ever knew was there in line to see me,

因為我認識的每個人都排隊來看我

but I wasn't dead. I was just signing books.

可是我沒有死我，只是不斷地在書上簽名

My grandparents, they were in the middle of it.

我外公外婆也在隊伍裡面

They were so happy. They couldn't have been more proud.

他們非常開心，他們感到無比的榮耀

Mrs. Alisch was there. Mr. Shilale was there. Mrs. Casey was there.

Alisch 女士到了，Shilale 先生到了，Casey 女士到了

Mrs. Alisch cut in front of the line and said,

Alisch 女士插進前面的隊伍，她說:

"I taught him how to read." (Laughter)

「是我教他怎麼讀書的」（笑聲）

And then something happened that changed my life.

然後發生了改變我一生的事情

I got my first piece of significant fan mail,

我收到了第一封的超級粉絲來信

where this kid loved Monkey Boy so much

這個小孩超愛《Monkey Boy》

that he wanted to have a Monkey Boy birthday cake.

愛到他想要個《Monkey Boy》生日蛋糕

For a two-year-old, that is like a tattoo. (Laughter)

對兩歲的小孩來說，這跟刺青一樣酷（笑聲）

You know? You only get one birthday per year.

你知道嗎? 每年只能過一次生日

And for him, it's only his second.

對他來說，這次是他的第二個生日

And I got this picture, and I thought,

然後我收到了那張照片，我想

"This picture is going to live within his consciousness

「他會把這張照片記在腦海裡

for his entire life. He will forever have this photo

一輩子不忘，這張照片會永遠

in his family photo albums."

放在他的家庭相簿裡」

So that photo, since that moment,

從那一刻起，我把那張照片

is framed in front of me while I've worked on all of my books.

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.

我出了10本繪本

"Punk Farm," "Baghead," "Ollie the Purple Elephant."

《Punk Farm》、《Baghead》、《Ollie the Purple Elephant》

I just finished the ninth book

我剛完成了第九本書

in the "Lunch Lady" series, which is a graphic novel series

是《Lunch Lady》的系列，這是一套圖文小說

about a lunch lady who fights crime.

故事是在說一位打擊犯罪的午餐小姐

I'm expecting the release of a chapter book

我希望我那本讀本可以發行出版

called "Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked."

書名是《鴨嘴獸警隊：呱呱叫的青蛙》

And I travel the country visiting countless schools,

我周遊各國, 造訪了無數校園

letting lots of kids know that they draw great cats.

跟很多孩子說他們畫的貓都很棒

And I meet Bagheads.

然後我遇到了 Bagheads

Lunch ladies treat me really well.

Lunch Ladies 對我真的很好

And I got to see my name in lights

然後，我得逆光看我的名字

because kids put my name in lights.

因為孩子們把我的名字打光

Twice now, the "Lunch Lady" series has won

如今，《Lunch Lady》系列獲得了兩次

the Children's Choice Book of the Year in the third or fourth grade category,

中年級學童年度最佳書籍

and those winners were displayed

得獎名單會出現在

on a jumbotron screen in Times Square.

時代廣場的超大螢幕上

"Punk Farm" and "Lunch Lady" are in development to be movies,

《Punk Farm》和《Lunch Lady》正準備拍成電影

so I am a movie producer

所以我成了電影製作人

and I really do think, thanks to that video camera

我由衷地感謝，我九年級那年

I was given in ninth grade.

拿到的攝影機

I've seen people have "Punk Farm" birthday parties,

我看到很多人舉辦 Punk Farm 生日派對

people have dressed up as "Punk Farm" for Halloween,

人們會在萬聖節時打扮成 Punk Farm 的樣子

a "Punk Farm" baby room,

將嬰兒房佈置成 Punk Farm 的樣子

which makes me a little nervous for the child's well-being in the long term.

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,

去年的萬聖節

and I get the most amazing projects,

我收到了最棒的書迷來信

and the biggest moment for me came last Halloween.

我聽到了最棒的計畫，以及度過了最棒的時刻

The doorbell rang and it was a trick-or-treater

門鈴響了，門外是不給糖就搗蛋的孩子

dressed as my character. It was so cool.

打扮成我書裡的角色，那超酷的

Now my grandparents are no longer living,

現在我的祖父母已經過世了

so to honor them, I started a scholarship at the Worcester Art Museum

為了紀念他們，我在 Worcester 美術館設立了獎學金

for kids who are in difficult situations

給家境困難的孩子們

but whose caretakers can't afford the classes.

而他們的監護人也負擔不起這些課程

And it displayed the work from my first 10 years of publishing,

裡面展示了我前十年的出版作品

and you know who was there to celebrate? Mrs. Alisch.

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,

對我來說最重要的時刻

my most important job now is I am a dad myself,

嗯，雖然我現在最重要的工作是當爸爸

and I have two beautiful daughters,

我有兩個漂亮的女兒

and my goal is to surround them by inspiration,

而我對他們的期許是，透過不斷地鼓勵

by the books that are in every single room of our house

透過屋子裡每間房裡的書本

to the murals I painted in their rooms

還有我在她們房間牆壁上畫的圖

to the moments for creativity where you find, in quiet times,

以及在寧靜時刻浮現腦中的靈感

by making faces on the patio

透過把笑臉畫在陽台的動作

to letting her sit in the very desk

讓她坐在這張獨特的桌子前

that I've sat in for the past 20 years.

我坐了二十年的這張書桌

Thank you. (Applause)

謝謝大家（鼓掌）