AOI in Conversation with Jon Klassen [SOLD OUT]

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Internationally renowned Illustrator Jon Klassen is best known for his best-selling Hat Box trilogy (I Want My Hat Back, This Is Not My Hat, We Found a Hat), among many other loved titles.

In celebration of the release of his highly anticipated new book The Skull (published by Walker Books in the UK), the AOI is delighted to welcome Jon back for an insightful and inspiring evening. And in real life this time!

Chaired by the AOI, the conversation will delve deep into the inspiration and process of The Skull, the challenges and triumphs throughout the project, the evolution of Jon’s career so far, and much more. The audience will have the opportunity to ask questions during a Q&A, as well as purchase their own copy of The Skull and have it signed by Jon himself.

This event will be hosted in City Lit’s John Lyons Theatre (in Holborn, Central London).

About:

Jon Klassen is the creator of the New York Times bestselling I Want My Hat Back and its companions This Is Not My Hat, which won a Caldecott Medal and a Kate Greenaway Medal, and We Found a Hat, along with standalone The Rock from the Sky. He is also the illustrator of Extra Yarn, Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, Triangle, Square and Circle, all by Mac Barnett, and House Held Up by Trees by Ted Kooser. Originally from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Jon Klassen now lives in Los Angeles, USA. Find him on Instagram as @jonklassen and Twitter as @burstofbeaden.

The Skull is a deliciously new macabre treat for fans of things that go bump in the night.

“Would you care to dance, sire?” said Otilla. “M’lady,” said the skull.

Having escaped a terrible danger, brave Otilla finds herself lost in the dark forest until a big, lonely house on a barren hill beckons. The host? A skull. The skull is afraid of something too, something that comes every night. Can brave Otilla save them both?

Steeped in shadows and threaded with subtle wit, The Skull is a mysterious and foreboding tale with a warm note of friendship at its heart. An illuminating author’s note reveals Klassen’s inspiration: a Tyrolean folktale he once read in a library, in the years since, his brain changed without telling him.

City Lit is the ultimate destination for adult learning, where a vibrant community of learners come together to embark on a journey of personal and professional growth.

Within the School of Visual Arts, City Lit offers a wide range of courses and specialist workshops for all abilities from complete beginners to advanced practitioners. All courses include access to specialist spaces and equipment. All materials required to undertake the course are provided within the course fee.

AOI Members receive 15% off City Lit Visual Communications courses* until May 2024.

*Log in and see the AOI’s Discounts page for more details.

Accessibility

The AOI would like to make events accessible to all, where possible. Please let us know your access requirements at least one week in advance by emailing [email protected]

This event is presented by the AOI in partnership with Walker Books and City Lit.