Meet the author

Jory John.

Writer · United States · b. 1979

Jory John: American author of the Food Group picture-book series (The Bad Seed, The Good Egg, The Cool Bean, with Pete Oswald on art) — a core PSHE / SEL bookshelf for ages 3–7.

Jory John is an American author born in 1979, best known for the Food Group picture-book series, The Bad Seed, The Good Egg, The Cool Bean, The Smart Cookie, The Couch Potato, all illustrated by Pete Oswald. Each is a deceptively simple character study of an anthropomorphic food item working through one big feeling (being bad, being too good, fitting in, feeling smart, feeling lazy), built around a strong refrain and read-aloud rhythm. The series has been on the NYT bestseller list for years and is a core PSHE / SEL picture-book shelf in US and UK schools. John also writes the All My Friends Are Dead adult humour books (out of scope) and contributes to The New York Times. A reliable picture-book emotional-literacy author for ages 3–7.