DRAGON RIDER

Book 4 in the PACEY PACKER UNICORN TRACKER series

Calling all unicorn lovers! Pacey and Slasher (the world’s grumpiest unicorn) are flying high with dragons in this graphic novel series with plenty of attitude, humor, and heart! Perfect for anyone who loves—or hates—unicorns!

The battle begins for Rundalyn, the land of unicorns! To protect everyone, Pacey and Slasher MUST collect the pieces of the magic horn before the evil Alpha Unicorn does. Piece of cake, right? And everything goes to plan . . . until Pacey’s sister, Mina, gets taken by a DRAGON—hold on, there are dragons in Rundalyn?!

Pacey isn’t afraid of some dragons . . . but she IS afraid of some heights. (Hey, it’s scary being up high!) With flying dragons taking little sisters, how are Pacey and Slasher going to save Mina? And with the Alpha Unicorn on their tail, can they still get the magic horn first? Find out in the fourth adventure of the Pacey Packer, Unicorn Tracker series!

Bonus: Includes instructions for how to draw a dragon!

Ages 7-12

March 21, 2023. Random House Graphics. Available here or order a signed copy at my local indie book store, River Bend Bookshop in West Hartford, CT.

 

 

 

MERMAIDS VS. UNICORNS

Book 3 in the PACEY PACKER UNICORN TRACKER series

Pacey and Slasher (the world’s grumpiest unicorn) are swimming with MERMAIDS in this middle-grade graphic novel series that’s just right for anyone who loves (or hates!) unicorns!

Everyone loves mermaids. But take it from Slasher the unicorn–mermaids are NOT all they’re cracked up to be. In fact, they’re the mean girls of the underwater world.

Pacey’s not afraid of a few mermaids. She is just a little bit afraid of GIANT sea creatures and ANGRY Alpha unicorns, though. The last time she was in Rundalyn (a.k.a the magical land of the unicorns,) Pacey lost the Alpha Unicorn’s horn, and he wants it back! Can Pacey and Slasher find the missing horn . . . without getting on the bad side of any mermaids? Dive into adventure in the third Pacey Packer graphic novel!

March 22, 2022. Random House Graphic. Available here.

“Phillipps outfits Rundalyn with a backstory, a map, and a magical populace that runs from goblins and unicorns to molelike mogs. A splashy, snarky, subterranean sojourn.” – Kirkus Reviews

 

 

 

 

 

HORN SLAYER

BOOK 2 in the PACEY PACKER UNICORN TRACKER series

Pacey and Slasher the Unicorn are back and THIS time it’s personal in this laugh-out-loud graphic novel series with ATTITUDE that’s just right for fans of Phoebe and Her Unicorn, Bad Guys, and anyone who loves (or hates!) unicorns!

The last time Pacey Packer was in Rundalyn, the world of unicorns, she sliced the horn off of Arkane, the Evil Apha Unicorn, and took away his power. KI-AHHHH! TAKE THAT BAD GUYS! Now the unicorns and other creatures under Arkane’s rule call her . . . THE HORN SLAYER!

Pacey may be a LEGEND in the world of unicorns, but she didn’t finish the job. With Slasher’s help, can she use the power of the unicorn horn to rescue the statue kids and escape the fury of the Great (but seriously horn-less and now SERIOUSLY mad at her) Arkane?!

June 2021, Random House Graphics. Available here.

“Nonstop action, expressive artwork, and witty asides give this strong reader appeal. A refreshing change of pace for unicorn devotees a bit weary of the sugary, mild-mannered sort.” —Kirkus Reviews

 

 

 

PACEY PACKER UNICORN TRACKER

Pacey’s little sister, Mina, has always said her stuffed unicorn, Slasher, is real–but seriously? He’s a stuffed toy! Then again, he does seem to be leading Mina outside her room and to . . . some kind of weird magical unicorn land? Pacey may not believe in unicorns, but she’s not about to let her little sister be kidnapped, so she does the only thing she can: follows them to unicorn land (that she totally does NOT believe in).

PACEY PACKER UNICORN TRACKER is a hilarious, fast-paced adventure book for readers aged 7 – 12.

August 2020 through Random House Graphics.  Available here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE SIMPLES LOVE A PICNIC

The Simples want to go out and have a simple little picnic, but things become horribly complicated: The dog chases after a squirrel, the cat reveals its hiding spot in Lulu’s backpack, there are too many ants and birds, and one food item send the whole park into a tizzy! What will the Simples do?

I bet your bottom dollar that if read correctly The Simples Love a Picnic by J.C. Phillipps could be one of those books a classroom of first graders fight to the death to check out from the library. The lie is in its very name: “Simple”. As a quick perusal shows, what Phillipps is able to accomplish here is anything but simplistic. After all, writing funny books is no easy task, yet The Simples Love a Picnic blows that notion right out of the water. Highly hilarious stuff.
-Elizabeth Bird, Fuse 8

 

 

 

 

 

 

MONKEY ONO

Monkey Ono is not exactly a real monkey, but he really, really wants to go to the beach! So when Beach Day arrives, and the children who own him forget the bag he’s in, Monkey Ono does not take this lying down, like most stuffed animals would. Oh no, he’s got a plan. In fact he’s got many, many plans. From riding the family dog to ricocheting through the sky to diving down the water pipes. All end with hilarious results, but not exactly according to plan. Will Monkey Ono ever get to the beach?? Only if the beach comes to him…

J.C. Phillipps’s spirited text and stunning illustrations, done in colorful cut paper collage, deliver a humorous story with a great message—try and try again!

[Monkey Ono] will have listeners in stitches. They will identify with his enthusiasm and learn a thing or two about creativity and cooperation.   -Kirkus

Phillipps’s cut-paper collages – embellished with watercolor, crayon, and stitching – convey energy, movement, and frustration in a way that few artists working in this medium can match.
- Publishers Weekly

 

 

 

 

WINK: THE NINJA WHO WANTED TO NAP

Wink the Nimble Ninja is the star of the Lucky Dragon Circus! But-yawn-being a circus performer is hard work and-yawn-Wink is tired. It is time, Grandmother says, for Wink to take a nap. But every time Wink tries to lie down, his fans show up. They won’t let him sleep! Fortunately, with the help of Master Zutsu and the Summer Moon School for Young Ninjas, Wink comes up with the perfect plan to find a good place to nap-alone. Illustrated with striking collages, this is a funny, high-energy follow-up to Wink: The Ninja Who Wanted to Be Noticed.

Bright patterns and heavy textures give the paper-collage illustrations a 3D look.  Phillipps cranks up the visual energy by strewing her brightly lit street scenes with laughing figures, arms and legs flung out joyfully.  Not a snoozer! 
–Kirkus

Phillipps offers wit aplenty in cut-paper compositions that match Wink’s boundless energy and bravado. Even when sleepy, her hero demands to be noticed. –Publisher’s Weekly

 

 

 

 

WINK: THE NINJA WHO WANTED TO BE NOTICED

The happiest day of Wink’s life was when he was accepted to the Summer Moon School for Young Ninjas. He is sure that he will be a great ninja. Silence is the first lesson and everyone is very very silent … except for Wink. Stealth is the second lesson and everyone is very very stealthy … except for Wink. Finally, Wink decides that he will be silent and stealthy. But no one notices! What?s the point of being a great ninja if no one notices? Maybe Wink wasn’t meant to be a ninja?

This daring debut is an adventure-lover’s dream.

Starred Review. The collage-style illustrations often appear to have a three-dimensional effect and Wink practically bounds off the pages with barely contained energy. This flashy picture book is sure to appeal to a wide audience. – School Library Journal

Use the offbeat ninja angle as a hook to instill in children the lesson to embrace your own best qualities and not to be dogged down by those who stifle self-expression. – Booklist

WINK: THE NINJA WHO WANTED TO BE NOTICED is available at AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE, or POWELL’S.