Chris takes comic suggestions from the kids.

SMASH Visit to Sweetbriar Elementary School

May 20, 2016 by Chris Bolton in Blog, Readings, School Visits

SMASH writer Chris A. Bolton had a wonderful time visiting with a couple of fifth grade classes from Sweetbriar Elementary School, where he read from SMASH: TRIAL BY FIRE (with the help of his good friend, Levi Buchanan) and answered students' wonderful questions -- including a few he had never heard before!

Lots of ideas exploding from this amazing group of creative kids!

Chris collaborated with the students to create an original comic strip based on their suggestions. These brilliant kids volunteered awesome ideas for panels and dialogue, then the class voted for their favorites. Being a writer, naturally, Chris struggled a little with the artwork. Check out the zany results below! (Click on the pic for a larger view.)

Can you tell they're supposed to be a monkey, elephant, and unicorn?

Special thanks to Lynn Reaney for inviting me, and to the whole staff at Sweetbriar for making me feel so welcome.

SMASH Reading at Sweetbriar Elementary!

May 28, 2015 by Chris Bolton in Blog, Readings, School Visits

SMASH writer Chris A. Bolton got to meet and chat with the amazing 5th graders at Sweetbriar Elementary School in Troutdale, OR.

These enthusiastic kids are studying graphic novels and are about to make their own, so Chris talked about their creative process and showed them a few things from How to Make Comics - the Smash Way.

(And yes, Chris mentioned that when he was a kid, they didn't study comics in school -- they tried to hide them from the teachers!)

Big thanks to Lynn Reaney and all the staff and faculty at Sweetbriar for being awesome. And HUGE thanks to the students for their super-smart questions and great ideas! We can't wait to see how their comics come out.

Chris shows the kids how to thumbnail a comic page.

The kids made their 1st comic - a banana and a pickle in a car! (It doesn't end happily for the banana.)

SMASH Reading at B.F. Day!

May 20, 2015 by Chris Bolton in Blog, Events, School Visits, Readings

SMASH artist Kyle Bolton gave a reading for the kids at B.F. Day Elementary School in Seattle. A wild and raucous time was had by all! Obviously the "B.F." must stand for "Bright Future!"

SMASH School Visit: Thornton Creek Elementary

May 08, 2015 by Chris Bolton in Blog, Events, Kids' Comics, Readings, School Visits

SMASH artist Kyle Bolton paid a visit to the students of Thornton Creek Elementary in Seattle, where he read from Smash Book One: Trial by Fire, talked about drawing comics, and answered questions from lots of 3rd through 5th-grade fans.

Huge thanks to Ginny Allemann and everyone at Thornton Creek for such a great reception!

Kyle prepares to give a reading for these lucky kids.

SMASH Reading at Isaac Stevens School

April 08, 2015 by Chris Bolton in Blog, Book One, Events, Kids' Comics, Readings, School Visits

Kyle gave another reading of our graphic novel, SMASH: Trial by Fire, for the excited kids at the Isaac Stevens School in Seattle. More than 100 elementary schoolers delighted in the adventures of our 10-year-old superhero.

To find out how to book Chris or Kyle for a reading at your school or library, click here.

SMASH Reading at Gatewood Elementary

April 01, 2015 by Chris Bolton in Blog, Events, Kids' Comics, Photos, Readings, School Visits

We're pleased to present some pictures from SMASH artist Kyle Bolton's recent visit to Gatewood Elementary School in Seattle.

A gaggle of excited 4th and 5th graders watched a panel-by-panel slide show with Kyle performing voices and sound effects from SMASH, Book One: Trial by Fire. Then Kyle answered a LOT of fantastic questions from these eager readers. Huge thanks to Gatewood's super-librarian Jackie Snyder for arranging the event and taking pictures!

To find out how to book an event with Chris or Kyle at your school or library, visit our Events page.

Kyle (lurking in the shadows) finishes performing the opening scene of SMASH after the slide show.

The students listen to Kyle talk about his art process.

SMASH Reading at Green Bean Books

June 30, 2014 by Chris Bolton in Blog, Events, Publicity, Readings

We can't stop singing the praises of Green Bean Books in Portland, Oregon. It's a wonderful children's bookstore — and even though it occupies a relatively small space, it feels like you could be lost for days in there.

Last Saturday, writer Chris A. Bolton read from SMASH: TRIAL BY FIRE for a bunch of excited kids and eager parents.

Kyle couldn't be there to read with him, so Chris's friend (and longtime Smash fan) Craig Fitzpatrick stepped in to provide voices for the Magus, Gareth, and other characters.

Ordinarily, Kyle and Chris use a laptop to project individual panels onto a screen for their live readings. But since Green Bean has a simple outdoor setup, the audience had their own books to read along with Chris and Craig. Well, not everyone got her own book...

But they all managed to find a way to share!