2026 Reading Challenge

Ask the Author: Ben Hatke

“Hi Goodreads! Let's talk about _Julia's House for Lost Creatures_. Ask me anything you like.” Ben Hatke

Answered Questions (45)

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I was looking over my books to-read list and came across your book Miracle Molly... any updates on that? Yet to be published? Abandoned for now? New name?
Ben Hatke A little of both, actually. The character of Molly, or someone very similar, pops up in my Reynard the Fox book. The book that was to be MM is now The Princess in the Piazza, which is in the midsts of being (re)written.
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I love how you see many of these creatures in the Goblin book too. Did you intend to write this story to get littles into graphic novels? My 3 year old loves reading it with me.
Ben Hatke I think there's a lot of natural overlap between comics and picture books. I didn't set out to make something to get kids into comics, just to make as good a picture book as I could. To make Maurice Sendak proud.
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Hey Ben, are you ever going to write a book #3 of the Mighty Jack series? Thanks, Jamison :P
Ben Hatke Yep! It's all written and will be out next fall!
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hi ben im a kid from auburn middle school and I'm a huge fan I love all our books and the presentation thank you for coming to ams?
Ben Hatke You're welcome!
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Hello Ben! What made you name the character "Zita"? I ask because my own name is also Zita and I know it isn't that much of a common name, even less in the US. I just wanted to ask you about that, hope you can answer me. Thank you, have a good day!
Ben Hatke Hooray for the Zitas! She's named after an Italian saint who was well known for baking bread.
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Are you going to write a new series or stick with mighty Jack?
Ben Hatke Mighty Jack is a trilogy. Next up is picture books and prose novels for a little while.
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Are you going to make book 3 of Mighty Jack?
Ben Hatke Yes! In fact it's all finished, turned in and will be out next fall.
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Is it crazy that I love Zita the Spacegirl so much that my sister and I wrote three short comics continuing after the last book ends?
Ben Hatke Not crazy AT ALL. Just great.
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Hi Ben! Love your work! I hope you don't mind but I enjoyed Nobody Likes a Goblin so much, I designed a crochet plushie of him. https://thebookshelfgargoyle.wordpress.com/2016/06/20/yarning-with-mad-martha-about-nobody-likes-a-goblin-a-free-crochet-pattern/ Keep writing those hits, kid! ?
Ben Hatke Oh my goodness, this is great! Thank you! I'm going to share it right now! I can't believe it took me a year to get to this message.
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How do you make me feel so many emotions for little characters of ink and paper? Your books are so great! :D
Ben Hatke Thank you! I try very hard to make characters that resonate, even little side characters that we only see for a moment or two.
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Hey! I absolutely love your Zita The Spacegirl books, they are my favorite. Are you going to write a forth book? Thanks so much!
Ben Hatke Yes! I'm writing it now. It's a crossover with Mighty Jack.
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My entire household loves your creations- thank you! Do you have any recommendations or personal favorites as per 11/9/8/5 year olds?
Ben Hatke Ooh.. Good question. I do love The Animal Family by Randall Jerall.

The Graveyard book is good for the older end of that spectrum.

Vera Brosgol's GN Be Prepared is excellent.
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Are you going to write any more Zita books?
Ben Hatke Yep! Working on it right now.
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Hi, you just visited my school, earlier today. :D did you have fun?
Ben Hatke Of course I did!
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This question contains spoilers... (view spoiler)
Ben Hatke Yes indeed! I'm working on it now.
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I just absolutely LOVED this book! The artwork is gorgeous and the story was just perfect! Superb! Will you be revisiting Julia and her house again?
Ben Hatke I'm glad you liked Julia! In making it I fell in love with picture books. My next icture book is Nobody Likes a Goblin, but after that I may very well revisit Julia. I do wonder what she's up to...
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Uh, I just started following you on here? How upsetting is that? :)
Ben Hatke I don't know how upsetting it is to you, but I have to change my shirt BECAUSE IT IS SOAKED WITH TEARS.
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Got any tips for kids who wanna make graphic novels?
Ben Hatke Make comics every day! Comics are great because you don't need any expensive equipment. Just a pen and some paper.
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I've noticed you write stories with female protagonists really well. Julia, both in how she's drawn and how she behaves feels like a real person, albeit with unusual housemates. Zita, too, feels like a real girl. What women, in real life and in literature do you admire?
Ben Hatke Thank you! I think any protagonist has to behave like a real person to come off well.

I'm inspired by my wife who is a beautiful powerhouse, and my raggle-taggle band of daughters. I love the character of Sophie from the BFG and I'm a fan of the late illustrator Trina Schart Hyman and the late author Madeline L'Engle.
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What is your latest new book?
Ben Hatke My most recently-released book is _Julia's House for Lost Creatures_. My next-to-be-released book is a graphic novel called _Little Robot_, which will be available on September 1st. You can see the cover here:

http://herocomplex.latimes.com/books/...

I am currently working on a story that involves goblins, and that book will wander out into the world sometime in the future.
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Ben Hatke
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