Peter Trimarco, Author, Illustrator, Publisher

Website:

http://itsjustso.net

Social Media:

Facebook - It’s Just So Books

Facebook - Notable Kids Publishing

Facebook - Notable Arts & Enrichment

Instagram - Notable Kids Publishing

Location:

Colorado

Award-Winning Author-Illustrator and Co-Director of Notable Kids Music Theatre Program

Peter Trimarco started his professional doodling career as an editorial cartoonist before turning to commercial art and designing packaging for the music industry. While staying in the entertainment field, he published a trade magazine for the film industry and brought his creative juices to the printed page for youngsters. Peter is the illustrator of the critically acclaimed It’s Just So book series (Lizzy’s World) which he co-wrote with his wife, Brenda Faatz.

Together they create picture books and performing arts programs for children, as well as publishing the works of other authors and illustrators. As part of their immersion in working with children, they are co-directors of the Notable Kids Music Theatre & Arts Center in Denver. Prior to turning his creative juices to children’s content and productions, Peter was a veteran of the media industry as executive producer and creative director on dozens of music productions, co-founder of three record labels, publisher for two international film magazines and a news art director. While in the music industry, he was the creative director and executive producer on over forty titles with twenty-three making the NARAS short list and two receiving Grammy Award nominations. As an active member of the entertainment and publishing communities, Peter has been featured on NPR’s “Fresh Air” and interviewed by the London Financial Times on intellectual property rights.

With all of his efforts now turned to developing and publishing quality content for youngsters, he currently serves on the Board of the IBPA and is President of the CIPA Education and Literacy Foundation in Colorado.

Awards:

Foreword Indies 2nd Place “Children's Book of the Year;” Moonbeam Award—1st Place “Best Picture Book Series;” Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, 2nd Place “Picture Books 6 & Older;” Mom's Choice Gold, Colorado Book Publishers—1st Place "Best Picture Book"

Speaking Engagements and School Presentations:

Peter, along with his co-author of children’s books, bring well-orchestrated programs to their school visits. They lean into their unique talents from years of teaching children music, acting, script writing and the fine (fun) arts. Tapping into entertainment components, rich word play and professionally developed core curriculum they have created an author visit program that culminates in a valuable hands-on experience for children.

Their current visits are focused on the It’s Just So book series, featuring Lizzy and her wise little dog. All three books have been incorporated into a curriculum and teacher guide, with worksheet activities which are shared with the librarian or teacher for pre-visit preparation. The package was professionally written and designed by the team at Room 228 (rm228.com) in collaboration with the authors. It connects the content and the author visit activities and discussions to Common Core Standards, Social Emotional Learning Competencies, and Social Justice Anchor Standards. The basic curriculum has been published and made available for free to educators and librarians, with additional worksheets and author visit collateral material available upon request. For classroom teachers this package includes specific annotations and instructions connected to the documented standards and assessments. This is critical to the teachers and the administrators in order to realize the educational and emotional value to the programs.

Tightly tethered to the published books of the author-illustrator team, the supporting materials are a ‘turn-key’ way to prepare the class before the author visit, and to provide an opportunity for post visit opportunities. The design of the author visit program is to prepare the children and have them ‘available to learn’ by weaving the SEL with Core Curriculum and Social Justice Standards. This is followed by the virtual or live author visit where the children have the culmination of their shared ideas and creativity with the author and illustrator. In other words, it is made fun, incorporates rich language, art, music and a bit of acting out. Most important, it is intended to inspire young minds to learn and create within their own community.