Kevin’s Stories
THIS IS WHERE Kevin's drawings, characters and words mix together in an infinite number of combinations.
On this page, you will find summaries of Kevin's manuscripts, both completed, and in-progress. This is the work that Kevin currently scratches away at every night, reads to captive classrooms of grade school children, and submits to large and small publishing houses across the United States and internationally.
*Kevin Welcomes inquiries from agents and publishers.
*Kevin also self-publishes some of the stories listed below online.
xxxFor more information, please check out Kevin's Bookshop (dot) com.
*Kevin illustrates books for adult readers. Some recent books Kevin has illustrated are:
xxxVirtuoso Teams; Lessons From Teams That Changed The World, Boynton, Fischer, Prentice Hall 2005
xxxThe World Café: Shaping Our Futures Through Conversations That Matter,
xxxxxxBrown, Isaacs, et. al., Berrett-Koehler 2005
Illustrations from these books appear in Kevin's Black-and-White online Portfolio.
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OVERVIEW OF MANUSCRIPTS LISTED ON THIS PAGE
Picture Books for Children
Aunt Imelda's Dinosaur Stew and Other Things AIDS Doesn’t Stand For
Aunt Imelda's Recipe for Disaster
The Bird Lady
The King of Kook
The Goose on the Loose, the King of Kook, and the Flower Boy
The Flower boy and the Origami Christmas Tree
Circus Maximus
Life is a Circus
The Last Minister
The Emperor's Gift
Chapter Books for Children
Spider Song
¡Rodogel! Warriors of the Air
Circo Bertums
Graphic Novels
Monica, Circus Girl
Gays, From Page 1
The King of Kook: The Comic Strip
Poetry
Bird Poems
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Kevin’s Manuscripts
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Aunt Imelda’s Dinosaur Stew
and Other Things AIDS Doesn't Stand For
Picture book
Words by John L. Lipp, Illustrations by Kevin Woodson
An Aunt Imelda Story , based on the characters created by John L. Lipp and Kevin Woodson
500 words, 32 pages, ages 5-8
health; community; education; humor
http://www.auntimelda.com
AIDS DOESN'T STAND FOR… Aunt Imelda's Dinosaur Stew!
Authors John Lipp and Kevin Woodson are working on a new concept in Children’s Literature. Their book, Aunt Imelda’s Dinosaur Stew and Other Things AIDS Doesn’t Stand For, is a whimsical and accessible picture book focusing on compassion and awareness about HIV/AIDS.
Twenty-five years into the pandemic, people assume that there are resources and programs for all who need them. But sadly, there are very few appropriate resources available for children ages 5-8. Because this is the stage in a child's emotional and physical development when their thirst for answers is so great, the needs of this age range can't be ignored.
Aunt Imelda is a book with a Vision and a Mission. Not your typical manuscript, this book, like Carmen Sandiego, has an entire curriculum, resources, and a growing family of partners, foundations, and funders.
Because of the curriculum, strong brand focus, and growing network of partners and supporters, this book will have access to a wide selection of channels, reaching diverse readers and educators in domestic and international markets.
Find out more at Aunt Imelda's website: auntimelda.com.
completed to date:
MANUSCRIPT • B/W DUMMY • SAMPLE COLOR • VISION • WEB PAGE • FOUNDATION SUPPORT • FIELD TESTING
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Aunt Imelda’s Recipe for Disaster (working title)
Picture book
Written and Illustrated by Kevin Woodson
An Aunt Imelda Story , based on the characters created by John L. Lipp and Kevin Woodson
under 100 words (many repeated), 32 pages, ages 3-6
humor; suspense
AUNT IMELDA’S young friends Artie and Amy return home from the library to find their aunt’s big old house has become a mystery! Study the detailed illustrations for clues, or rush to the end, but by all means find out why all Aunt Imelda’s friends are all crying! Read this Aunt Imelda Story with a child to talk about all the things in life that seem disastrous, but on closer examination, aren’t really so bad…
completed to date:
MANUSCRIPT • B/W DUMMY___________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Picture book
Written and illustrated by Kevin Woodson
750 words (approx) ages 6-10
horror; humor; environment
WHO IS THAT MYSTERIOUS LADY feeding the birds in down the street in the Town Park?
In this comedy, Robintown is in for a lesson in understanding when loony Mayor Brown bans the batty Bird Lady from Robin Park. Part comedy, part horror, the chaos that ensues when the Bird Lady and her feathered friends' abandon Robintown will have children simultaneously rolling with laughter and squirming with fright!
Fortunately our hero, the misunderstood young Martin knows how to save the day and teach his fellow Robintownians a lesson – if he’s in time!
*Potential for a series. Future titles include:
The Bird Ladies of Robintown: Hundreds of Bird Ladies descend on Robintown for the First Annual Bird Lady Convention.
The Bird Lady and the Mayor of Robintown: As Robintown’s youngest mayor, Martin finds out there are two sides to every story.
The Bird Cave Lady Rides Again: Meet Peet the Pterodactyls and find out about the little known the little known ‘Bird Age.’
completed to date:
MANUSCRIPT • B/W DUMMY___________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Picture book
Written and illustrated by Kevin Woodson
32 pages, 250 words (approx) ages 4-8
humor; politics;
IN THIS HILARIOUS STORY from the Kingdom of Kook, a series of progressively worse misunderstandings leads to total chaos for the King and his confused subjects.
The King of Kook forgets conventional wisdom and lets his suspicions run away with him, and his distrust ultimately affects every single subject in the Kingdom — even the mouse! Unable to return to business as usual, the King has to find a new approach and make new friends to restore the normal, peaceful level of Kookieness.
With this book, children confused by babbling world leaders on TV will have a new perspective on public political quibbling, demystifying the incomprehensible rhetoric and bizarre posturing that runs rampant.
- The King of Kook appears in a weekly comic strip on Kevin's blog: thekingofkook.com.
- The King of Kook has also appeared as the illustration for Kevin's How-To-Print-Guide for The Flower Boy and the Origami Christmas Tree, and will potentially appear in future guides and how-to manuals
- The King of Kook makes an appearance in some of Kevin's other stories, such as The Goose on the Loose, the King of Kook, and the Flower Boy (below)
- *Potential for a series. Future titles include:
The King of Kook and the Whopper: Just how big a lie can the King tell and get away with it?
The King of Kook and the Very Important Thing: The King knows the Thing is very important. Far too important to be taken seriously!
completed to date:
MANUSCRIPT • INITIAL DUMMY SKETCHES • BLOG • COMIC STRIP___________________________________________________________________________________________________
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The Goose on the Loose, the King of Kook, and the Flower Boy
Picture book
Written and illustrated by Kevin Woodson
32 pages, 350 words (approx), ages 4-8
humor; flowers; birthday; problem-solving, alphabet
IN THIS CLEVER ‘WHAT-WILL-HE-DO’ story, life is rosy for the Flower Boy, until the King of Kook orders a special bouquet for his ravenously hungry friend, the Goose on the Loose, on her birthday.
Not able to say ‘no’ to the King, the Flower Boy has to find a way to present his precious flowers to the King's impatient feathered foul friend — famous for devouring daisies by the dozen and munching marigolds by the millions!
Children faced with impossible situations will appreciate the Flower Boy's smart solution, and take delight in the story's resolution at the Goose on the Loose’s big party.
- The King of Kook appears in his own series.
- The Flower Boy appears in his own series.
- The Goose on the Loose is the subject of an existing series of Kevin's bird poems for children.
completed to date:
TREATMENT • DRAFT MANUSCRIPT • CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
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The Flower Boy and the Origami Christmas Tree
Non-traditional children's book
Written and illustrated by Kevin Woodson and Matthew Matsuyama
16 pages, 30 words (approx), all ages
bilingual: English and Japanese
*Self-published: See The Flower Boy online The Flower Boy homepage
*Pilot story in a potential series about the Flower Boy
poetry; origami; Christmas; flowers; fantasy; culture; painting
THE FLOWER BOY and the Origami Christmas Tree, by Kevin Woodson and Matthew Matsuyama, is a bilingual picture book, in Japanese with English translations.
About the book
Its 16 pages tell the story of a boy, whose quest to paint flowers leads him on a magical journey through Japanese and American culture. In his watercolor adventures, he joins other children flying on origami creatures into a dream-like tapestry. Children will love the origami tree that becomes the bridge between Japan and America, creating a Nutcracker-like Christmas for all, full of wonder and surprise.
New ideas and new images abound in this trans-cultural celebration.
The Flower Boy is a picture book with a simple story, and illustrations that are truly objects of art. Children, from three up will love spending hours with the art, and the poetic story can be told over and over again. Adults will also love the detailed, colorful illustrations that create uplifting, positive worlds, full of hidden secrets to explore.
The first in a series of picture books about the Flower Boy, The Origami Christmas Tree sets a magical tone for many adventures to follow.
Potential Series
The vision for The Flower Boy is to inspire children to imaginative action by creating compelling myths around everyday ‘magic,’ and to provide hands-on activities to reinforce concepts from the books.
completed to date:
TREATMENT • CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
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Picture book
Written and illustrated by Kevin Woodson
32 pages, 750 words (approx) ages 6-10
culture; family; circus; adventure; light humor
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF Kevin's experience traveling with the Chimal Family Performers in the United States and Mexico, Circus Maximus takes us behind the scenes at a traveling circus. Performing families from all over the world weave a colorful, cultural tapestry, energizing this series of mishaps.
This story unfolds like ‘The Prince and the Pauper.’ A real circus boy, and a young circus fan get mixed up in this spirited adventure that unlocks the mysteries and magic of the Big Top, and teaches them about the importance of their families and cultural heritage.
completed to date:
TREATMENT • CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
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Picture poetry book for children
Written by Juan Pablo Gutierrez
Illustrated by Kevin Woodson
32 pages, 200 words (approx), ages 4 and up
bilingual: Spanish and English
circus; poetry; family; magic; painting
JUAN PABLO'S DECEPTIVELY SIMPLE POETRY evokes the magic and fantasy of a traveling circus. In 13 poems, we experience many of the favorite acts (no animal acts) in a modern show, and expolore the mystery and metaphor behind the performance. Kevin's rich watercolors are aesthetic compliments to the poetry, encouraging readers to enjoy these pages with an open mind.
Developed on the road with the Chimal Family Performers in the United States and Mexico, Life is a Circus is a compliment to Circus Maximus.
completed to date:
MANUSCRIPT • COLOR DUMMY
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Picture book
Written and illustrated as a collaboration between Kevin Woodson and Reverend Mark Belletini
700 words (approx) ages 6-10
spirituality; reflection; personal inquiry
IT SEEMS LIKE THE END of an era with the closing of a church that has been in the community for as long as anyone can remember. As the community moves from a world of certainty to a world of questions, one child queries her former minister. “Do you believe in God?” she asks publicly.
“Oh no,” he answers, “I believe in something far greater than that.”
Taking advantage of Kevin's visual storytelling capability, a series of picture stories summarize some of Unitarian minister Belletini's most inquisitive and thoughtful sermons.
completed to date:
TREATMENT
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Picture book
Written and illustrated by Kevin Woodson
1000 words (approx), ages 6-10
historical fiction
IN THIS HISTORICAL FANTASY set against the background of the US Civil War and reconstruction, Ambassador Burlingame, Abraham Lincoln, and the Emperor of China share a connection through a mysterious bonsai tree.
completed to date:
TREATMENT
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Chapter book, liberally illustrated
Written by Kevin Woodson
ages 8-10
vision; music; storytelling; fantasy
FRANCIS IS A MUSICALLY GIFTED, blind child whose life is dark and lonely until a magical spider reaches out to him. Sitting by his side as he learns to play the piano, the spider fills Francis’ head with stories about the outside world. Until one day, when Francis looses his patience and breaks his connection with the spider, he is plunged back into a world of darkness, until he discovers the spider's secret.
completed to date:
TREATMENT
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Chapter book
Written by Kevin Woodson
ages 14 and up
circus; historical fiction; Mexico; love story; adventure
A BOOK ABOUT the Mexican revolution – told through the daredevil eyes of a traveling circus. ‘Don’t get involved, at all costs,’ is the motto of the circus, but as bullets are flying, a romance that should never come to pass is blossoming.
Based on a true story, the Ramos family, now known as the Flying Rodogels, ‘Warriors of the Air’ takes us on a breakneck chase through the heart of the revolution.
completed to date:
TREATMENT
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Chapter book
Written by Kevin Woodson
ages 10-17
LIKE ¡RODOGEL,! THIS SIMPLER BOOK traces present-day circus performers back to the heyday of Mexican circus. Based on the true stories of the Chimal Family, as told by grandfather Chimal. Bertums is a series of stories, each chapter building toward the present-day family, performing around the world; coming home to the Yucatan.
The Chimal Family Performers are also featured in picture book Circus Maximus, listed above.
completed to date:
TREATMENT
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Graphic novel
Written and illustrated by Kevin Woodson
ages 13 and up
superhero; circus; adventure
WE ARE TREATED to the adventures of Monica – a perfectly normal teenage circus girl, who just happens to be the fastest, highest-leaping, most clever daredevil of the whole circus. Without fail, setting up in a new town always leads to a mystery and adventure that calls on the superhuman skills of our young heroine, all while she tries to juggle social and family responsibilities.
completed to date:
TREATMENT
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Graphic novel
Written and illustrated by Kevin Woodson
ages 16 and up
coming out; AIDS; punk rock; drama
A PERIOD PIECE set in 1991, Woody is the new kid in San Francisco, but instead of the frolicking paradise of Maupin’s ‘Tales of the City,’ he finds a more desperate and motley cast of hags, artists, rock stars, queens and bikers waiting to take him in. His wish to learn about true love for the first time is granted when he is confronted with the realities of AIDS and the mortality of his new friends. In this upbeat and touching tale of a different City, Woody must make the decisions that will allow him to stay true to himself and his friends.
completed to date:
TREATMENT
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The King of Kook: The Comic Strip
Comic Strip Book
By Kevin Woodson
Daily / weekly comic strip; bound collections of comic strips
IN THE GRAND TRADITION of Pogo Possum and The Far Side, The King of Kook entertains wide audiences on the funny pages and editorial pages. Not shedding his jovial, goofy nature, the comic strip becomes an extension of the character in the King of Kook books.
*Weekly King of Kook strip now appears at http://www.thekingofkook.com
*The King of Kook appears in his own picture book series, and also makes appearances in other other books above.
completed to date:
TREATMENT
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Picture poetry book for children
Written and illustrated by Kevin Woodson
ages 4 and up
birds; poetry; painting
A POETRY BOOK containing verses and watercolor paintings about the joy of being a bird!
Birds write poems
in the air
Singing songs
for all to share
Many bird paintings are featured in Kevin's Watercolor Gallery.
completed to date:
MANUSCRIPT
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Click on any of the characters below to find out about their stories, plans, and where they keep the key to the cookie jar.
(CHECK BACK TO SEE MORE CHARACTERS AND LINKS IN THIS SECTION)
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