In December 2016, I embarked on writing a children’s chapter book series titled Katz Pajamas. The concept was a forties style film noiresque chapter book featuring a hard-boiled cat detective named Katz Pajamas. Set in the city of New Purrt, Catifornia, Katz is called upon by the rich and famous to solve their mysteries.

The first book, The Miss Kitty Mystery, follows Katz as he finds who has been stealing Miss Kitty’s valuables. Set in the Fat Cat Cafe, Miss Kitty, a Siamese cat, is the headline performer. The cast of characters is rounded out with Mr. Ty Bigly, Rufus, Calico Cornish, Thom, and Miss Kitty’s dog, Bogey.

The final print copy came in at 81 pages and included illustration by Max Rambaldi, a talented Italian artist. Max has given Katz the right tone to be kid friendly, but still appealing to adults.

My hope with this series was to be a fun read for kids while also being enjoyable for the parent that reads to their child. When my kids were young, I was often called into duty to read to them and felt tortured by many of the over simplified books with flat characters and unappealing storylines.

One of the fun parts about writing for children has been the opportunity to go to schools and share the book. I get to talk about the creative process, show them how I came up with the idea of Katz Pajamas, and then help them think of their own stories.

If you want more information about Katz Pajamas, you can reach out to me at jack@jacklugar.com or find Katz Pajamas on Amazon.