The caricatures of Maxine, Norma, and Tina Einstein, Reverend Moriah Godley and the Flying Monkey helped popularize my first novel. Readers loved the book, but I didn’t make a penny from it.

But it was a lot of fun for all of us.

The weekly chapters of Jumpin’ Jubilee Club are free. One will be posted every Friday morning.

I’m eager to add your illustrations of Jesus Nazareno, Maya Meadows, Melody O’Connor, Brooke Pepper, Catty Fletcher, Newt Olsen and even Agnes Grendel into the Jumpin’ Jubilee Club chapters.

Like the young characters in The Einstein Sisters, those in the Jumpin’ Jubilee Club find themselves living in a confusing and troubled world messed up in countless ways by older generations. They can willingly suffer through the economic, political and—most serious of all—climate crises or join together to try to fix it.

Wow! It’s up to them to save the world! Nobody else is going to do it.

The amazing youngsters at Rockwell Central School are lucky. They had a principal who taught them how to think for themselves and gave them confidence in their generation. Their creative and inspiring teachers were activists and organizers from earlier mass struggles and love sharing their skills, knowledge and encouragement.

But the students themselves devise the political strategies, write the appeals for direct action, pen the poems, rap on TikTok and compose the lyrics and chords for their own musical version of The Lorax.

Do you think I’ve already written—or even visualized--all of that?

Sorry. I’ve got a few dozen page-turner, cliff-hanger chapters ready to post, but I’m not that far along or talented! I’d love your help. And you’ll get credit for your work. Got a good photo to go with your name?

Is there any money in it? Sorry again. The Jumpin’ Jubilee Club, as the name suggests, is a cooperative venture. No charge to read, no pay to play. I’m doing it for fun. . .and because of this octogenarian’s enduring love of humanity, our unique planet and all its fascinating creatures. And my super confidence that your generation can do it.

Where does that come from?

I got it from the impressive accomplishments of my own generation. I’ll never forget the excitement from our challenges and exhilaration from our victories along the way!

Will you share your skills with Rockwell Central’s young revolutionaries? I hope so.

Irving

(PS. You don’t have to be a young person to contribute. Look at me!)

Anyone can learn to draw illustrations! Here’s a pdf of the 1939 book that taught me how to do it.

And here’s how the illustrations were done for The Einstein Sisters and a jump starter for your illustrations of Jesus and Maya for Jumpin’ Jubilee Club.

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