John Gallagher, creator of the “Max Meow” graphic novel series that tells the story of a feline podcaster turned superhero cat, visited the second and third graders on Tuesday, October 25.

He grabbed the boys’ attention right away with a lightsaber and other props, and they remained enthusiastically engaged as Gallagher led them in a drawing exercise. Together, the group constructed the main character of the series, Max, using simple shapes. He explained how he makes Max’s eyes from inspiration drawn from Calvin and Hobbes, a cartoon from the 1980s and ’90s. He shared about his love for Shazam, a character he read about in comics when he was a child. “My favorite part was when we got to draw with him,” said third grader Luke B.

At first, the students were amazed at how quickly the cartoonist was able to draw the character. “If you practice 10 to 15 minutes a day for three months, you’ll get better at whatever you are doing, whether that is drawing, sports, reading, or anything else,” he said.

Through a collaborative effort, the group developed an idea for a new comic character: a jaguar who likes football and has a tornado swirl on his shirt. One third grader asked how Gallagher comes up with ideas for the setting of a book. “Brainstorming,” he said. “Just like we are doing now.”

Second grade teacher Caroline Way said that “the boys were very engaged, and they loved learning how to draw one of their favorite book characters.”

Gallagher also shared how he forms characters and storylines for his books and offered advice for aspiring writers and illustrators. “Keep reading to get new ideas,” he said. “Your imagination is your only limit.”

Second grader Ray R. expressed his feelings about Gallagher’s visit: “The author was so nice, creative, and imaginative!”