The Picture Book Buzz - Interview with Jashar Awan
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Growing up outside of Washington, DC, Jashar Awan loved drawing and reading. In fact, he still does.
Jashar debuted as an author-illustrator in 2020 and has published picture books with W.W. Norton, Simon & Schuster, and Tundra Books.
His works have been recognized with a Geisel Honor, ALA Notables, and Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections and have been included in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, Amazon Editors' Pick, Read Across America, Choose to Read Ohio's Booklist, Texas Library Association 2x2 Reading List, and Bank Street College's Best Books of the Year. His books have also received numerous starred reviews from Kirkus, Publisher's Weekly, and School Library Journal.
A longtime New Yorker, Jashar moved to Ohio in 2017 with his wife and son, who love drawing and reading, too.
He is the author/illustrator of Every Monday Mabel (2025), Towed by Toad (2024), I'm Going to Build a Snowman (2023), Strum and Drum: A Merry Little Quest (2022), Only Ants for Andy (2021), and What a Lucky Day! (2020).
Jashar’s newest picture book, Loops, releases March 3rd.
Welcome Jashar,
Tell us a little about yourself. (Where/when do you write and illustrate? How long have you been writing and illustrating?)
I’ve been illustrating for more than 20 years—I started right out of art school. For the first half of my career, I worked as an editorial illustrator for publications like the New Yorker and the New York Times. After my son was born, I rediscovered my love of picture books and began writing and illustrating my own.
I’ll usually write or sketch in different comfy spots around the house, but when it comes to making the final illustrations, that happens in my home studio.
It's wonderful to "meet" you! What is one of the most fun or unusual places where you’ve written a manuscript or created an illustration?
I wrote a draft of Strum & Drum while sitting under the staircase at my local library! There’s a table and chairs under there—it’s a cozy spot to sit and write.
That sounds like a delightful spot! What was your inspiration or spark of interest for Loops?
While at the playground with my son, I saw a kid lose his shoe multiple times. It looked like he was on a loop—lose a shoe, put it back on, run off to play, repeat. The whole book sort of presented itself in those moments—the subject, the theme, and the story’s structure. I just had to get it down on paper.
It is so amazing when it happens like that. Typically, which comes first for you, the writing or the illustrations? How about for Loops?
It depends on the inspiration. For Towed by Toad, the title came first, followed by a few lines of text. If the inspiration is more visual, the book is written by sketching it out. I’m Going to Build a Snowman was inspired by a sad-looking snowman I built with my son and the first draft of that book was written via thumbnail sketches. The process of writing Loops was very similar—I wrote the book by sketching it out.
It's so fun to learn how each of these books started. What is the hardest or most challenging thing about writing and/or illustrating Loops? And what was the most fun?
I had the most fun writing Loops! Figuring out how I could take the visual of a kid tying their shoes and turn it into a 48-page book was a challenge, but I knew where the book would begin and where it would end, and the playground setting ended up being the way to connect the two.
Because Loops is more visually spare than my other books, I was hoping it would be easier! But simplicity doesn’t mean easy—it means every mark is that much more important.
It is interesting that illustrations "suffer" from the same requirement to justify themselves as the text does. How many revisions did the text or illustrations from your first draft to publication?
For Loops, I did two drafts before I even shared the dummy with my editor Celia Lee and then a revised draft was made based on her comments. In my very first draft, the main character was a rabbit—playing off of the “bunny ear” method of tying laces—but I decided there was already plenty going on in this book conceptually!
I think I like the little boy better. Is there a spread that you were especially excited about or proud of? Which is your favorite spread?
My favorite spreads are the ones where the character is on the playground equipment. Hopefully, as the reader moves across the spread from right to left, in their mind’s eye the character swings or slides or spins on the merry-go-round.
I love the playground images; they are so full of life. Many illustrators leave treasures or weave their own story (or elements) throughout the illustrations. Did you do this in Loops? If so, could you share one or more with us?
I don’t have my own Goldbug per se, but students in Columbus were convinced I owned a black cat because they show up in so many of my books. There’s no black cat in Loops though!
As I was working on this book, I thought a lot about the comic strips I loved growing up. Loops is in the visual tradition of many of those comics. The illustrations are the essential elements—the main character alongside the occasional piece of playground equipment as he monologues. I looked at the way Charles Schulz drew grass with quick little marks. For one spread in particular, I referenced the Family Circus comics with the dotted line maps.
I wondered about that, as that is exactly what the illustration reminded me of, with a marvelous adjustment. What's something you want your readers to know or discover about Loops?
Learning anything takes time and practice! It’s okay to mess up along the way—it’s all part of the process.
Are there any new projects you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?
I just finished illustrating The Sun Wants to Play, a picture book of seasonal poetry by Vikram Madan. This is the first book I’ve illustrated that I haven’t written. It’s scheduled for a spring 2027 release.
And up next on the drawing board is a third “Towed by Toad” book! (The second book in the series, Toad on the Go, is out this summer!)
Last question, what is your favorite National Park or Forest, regional park, or city park (anywhere in the world)? Or the one you’re longing to visit. Why?
Blue Hen Falls in autumn. © Jeffrey Gibson
I live down the road from Cuyahoga Valley National Park so that’s a personal favorite these days. I’m longing to visit Grand Teton and Yellowstone—there is a lot of in-law family lore tied to those spots, so I’d love to see them in person some day.
Thank you, Jashar, for sharing with us a bit about yourself and your newest picture book.
To find out more about Jashar Awan, or to contact him:
Website: https://jasharawan.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasharawan/
If you are in the area, check out Jashar's upcoming events:
Akron Book Fest at the Main Library in Downtown Akron - Storytime with Jashar Awan (Grades K-2)
Saturday, March 7, 2026, at 2 pm (Children's Library Programming Room)
60 South High Street
Akron, Ohio 44326
Enjoy a Storytime, an author talk, and a draw along with author and illustrator Jashar Awan.
Storytime at Square Books
Saturday, March 14, 2026, at 10:00am - 10:30am
Square Books Jr.
111 Courthouse Square
Oxford, MS 38655
