John Bianchi wrote and illustrated his first Pokeweed Public School adventure in 1991 (for Bungalo Books) after visiting dozens of schools during six years of author tours. His Pokeweed School stories poke gentle fun at the seasonal routines of elementary schools, turning humdrum life into a series of entertaining stories.

In the author's mind, howling blizzards, mysterious sea serpents and malfunctioning technology are all part of school life where anything can -- and will -- go wrong. Teachers and children alike love the characters and situations that Bianchi creates -- especially the unflappable Ms. Mudwortz and the bumbling Principal Slugmeyer.

Bianchi's characters are recognizable to everyone who has ever set foot in a school.

Snowed in at Pokeweed Public School
Written and illustrated by John Bianchi

A heavy snowstorm traps the students and staff in the school overnight thanks to the snoozing Principal Slugmeyer who fails to send everyone home early. Trapped without beds, supper or pajamas, the children rely on their beloved Ms. Mudwortz to help them.

And, of course, she saves the day with style, turning a potential disaster into a memorable sleepover that every school child dreams about (and every teacher fears).

Originally published in 1991, this is one of Bianchi's best-selling books. With sales of 175,000 copies, it is now back in print as a Pokeweed Press title.

8 x 8 inches, 24 pages
(Originally published by Bungalo Books. Now back in print as a Pokeweed Press title.)

Young Authors Day at Pokeweed Public School
Written and illustrated by John Bianchi

The students at Pokeweed Public School love to read and each year teacher/librarian Ms. Mudwortz devotes a week to exploring how books are written and published. The students all create their own picture books and then celebrate Book Week by inviting their favorite author for a visit.

Things don't work out quite as planned though when Principal Slugmeyer fails to recognize the guest of honor -- adventure writer Reginald Thornbottom -- and escorts the wrong visitor through the school. As the grand finale presentation is about to fall into chaos, Ms. Mudwortz saves the day by finding the missing author.

Teachers, librarians and kids alike will enjoy this entertaining explanation of how books are created -- brought to life with Bianchi's usual assortment of oddball animal characters and a lot of laughs.

8 x 8 inches, 24 pages