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National Geographic Learning

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Unit 6

Inspiring Lives

The Story of Jarrett Krosoczka

Lead-in 01

Who inspired you to follow your dream? 🌟

Behind every great artist is a moment, a person, or a gift that set everything in motion. Before reading, think about what pushes someone to create.

🎁
A Gift

A special present that changed everything

👩‍🏫
A Teacher

Someone who believed in you early on

💔
A Loss

Pain that turned into purpose

📚
A Story

A book character that felt like a friend

Krosoczka had all four. Let's discover how a drawing table and a fortune cookie launched a legendary career.

Reading 02

Skimming Task ⏱️

Read the text quickly (90 seconds). Answer these three questions:

👤
WHO

Who is Jarrett Krosoczka?

📖
WHAT

What is his first published book?

💫
WHY

Why did he want to write for children?

✅ WHO: Jarrett Krosoczka — a successful artist and children's book author raised by his grandparents.

✅ WHAT: Good Night, Monkey Boy — a story about an energetic boy who never wants to go to bed.

✅ WHY: A pivotal experience at a camp for sick children, where he met a boy named Eric with leukemia, inspired him to write picture books for children.
Paragraph 1
A Birthday Gift & a Fortune
On his 14th birthday, two things set Jarrett Krosoczka on his path — a drawing table and a fortune cookie message he would keep for decades.
Reading 03
A Special Birthday Gift
On Jarrett Krosoczka's 14th birthday, his grandparents gave him a gift — a drawing table. During dinner that night, the fortune in his fortune cookie said, "You will be successful in your work." He taped it to the table.
The dash (em-dash) creates a dramatic pause before a reveal. It builds anticipation — "a gift" is vague; then the dash drops the specific answer: "a drawing table." A comma would feel too casual; brackets would feel like extra information. The dash signals: this detail matters. It mimics the natural rhythm of spoken storytelling, as if someone pauses before the punchline.
Reading 04
Fortune Cookie Prophecy
On Jarrett Krosoczka's 14th birthday, his grandparents gave him a gift — a drawing table. During dinner that night, the fortune in his fortune cookie said, "You will be successful in your work." He taped it to the table.
Quoting the exact words gives the fortune cookie message direct speech impact. The reader hears the actual prediction, not a filtered version. "Will be" (simple future) makes it sound absolute and certain — almost like a promise. Paraphrasing ("it predicted his success") would weaken the effect. The directness makes the sentence feel significant, as if fate itself spoke, and sets up the irony: a random cookie message ended up being true.
Reading 05
A Meaningful Act
On Jarrett Krosoczka's 14th birthday, his grandparents gave him a gift — a drawing table. During dinner that night, the fortune in his fortune cookie said, "You will be successful in your work." He taped it to the table.
The extremely short sentence creates a full stop effect — like a beat of silence after something meaningful. Its simplicity conveys quiet determination: no drama, no explanation, just a small physical act. The shortness also speeds up the pace, making the moment feel instinctive and natural. The act of taping the fortune is symbolic (he believes in it), but the author trusts the reader to feel the significance without spelling it out.
Paragraph 2
A Troubled Start
Krosoczka's childhood was difficult — absent parents, few friends — until his grandparents stepped in and gave him the love and support he needed.
Reading 06
A Difficult Family Background
Krosoczka came from a troubled family — his parents were never around, and he had few friends. His best friends at the time were the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and other characters he read about in books. When he was in the third grade, his grandparents adopted him. "They loved me so much," he says, "and they supported my creative efforts."
"Never" is an absolute frequency adverb — it allows for zero exceptions, conveying total absence. "Rarely" or "seldom" would imply occasional presence, softening the reality. "Never" makes the neglect feel complete and permanent. It is also more emotionally resonant in a reader's mind: you cannot soften "never." The author's choice of this extreme adverb signals the severity of his family situation without needing lengthy explanation.
Reading 07
Fictional Friends
Krosoczka came from a troubled family — his parents were never around, and he had few friends. His best friends at the time were the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and other characters he read about in books. When he was in the third grade, his grandparents adopted him. "They loved me so much," he says, "and they supported my creative efforts."
This is a form of understatement through irony: "best friends" is a warm social term, but applied here to fictional characters — highlighting just how isolated he was. Real friendships require social connection; his isolation was so deep that invented characters filled that role. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are also specifically named (not just "cartoon characters"), which makes the image vivid and sympathetic. It also foreshadows his future career: characters in stories became his world.
Reading 08
A New Family
Krosoczka came from a troubled family — his parents were never around, and he had few friends. His best friends at the time were the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and other characters he read about in books. When he was in the third grade, his grandparents adopted him. "They loved me so much," he says, "and they supported my creative efforts."
The time clause "When he was in the third grade" sets the scene before the main action. Placing it first means the reader knows his age (roughly 8–9 years old) before processing the event (adoption). This ordering creates context before impact — we understand how young he was when this significant event happened. If reversed ("His grandparents adopted him when he was in the third grade"), the emotional emphasis would fall on the adoption itself; the front placement makes us feel the vulnerability of his age first.
Reading 09
Words of Love
Krosoczka came from a troubled family — his parents were never around, and he had few friends. His best friends at the time were the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and other characters he read about in books. When he was in the third grade, his grandparents adopted him. "They loved me so much," he says, "and they supported my creative efforts."
"He says" (present simple) is used to introduce a quotation from an interview or speech that the subject gave and that remains on record. It is the standard convention in journalism and biography — it implies: "this is his current, stated position." "He said" (past) would suggest a one-time utterance in a specific, completed moment. Using present tense for direct quotes gives them a sense of ongoing truth and immediacy, as if he is speaking to the reader right now.
Paragraph 3
Creative Encouragement
From home and school alike, Krosoczka found people who nurtured his love of drawing — especially one first-grade teacher he would never forget.
Reading 10
A Natural Creator
Even as a young boy, Krosoczka loved drawing and writing stories. He was lucky in that he found encouragement both at home and at school. One teacher in particular stood out for him: his first-grade teacher, Mrs. Alisch.
"Even" as an emphatic adverb signals something unexpected or noteworthy for the context. "As a young boy" is neutral — it just sets the time. "Even as a young boy" implies: "you might expect this at an older age, but remarkably, it was true even then." It highlights that his passion was unusually precocious. This small word amplifies the sense of natural talent — his love of drawing wasn't learned or cultivated; it was always there.
Reading 11
Double Source of Support
Even as a young boy, Krosoczka loved drawing and writing stories. He was lucky in that he found encouragement both at home and at school. One teacher in particular stood out for him: his first-grade teacher, Mrs. Alisch.
The "both…and" construction is a parallel correlative conjunction — it stresses the completeness of support: not just one place, but two. For a child from a troubled background, having encouragement in both major environments (home and school) is significant. It tells the reader that Krosoczka's talent was recognised and supported from multiple angles. The structure also creates a satisfying symmetry, implying he was surrounded by positive reinforcement — a contrast with his earlier isolation.
Reading 12
The Teacher Who Stood Out
Even as a young boy, Krosoczka loved drawing and writing stories. He was lucky in that he found encouragement both at home and at school. One teacher in particular stood out for him: his first-grade teacher, Mrs. Alisch.
The colon acts as a presenter or introducer — it signals "here comes the specific detail." By first saying "one teacher in particular stood out" (creating anticipation), then using the colon to deliver the name, the author builds a micro-moment of suspense. This is a classic rhetorical technique: general statement → colon → specific identity. Naming Mrs. Alisch after the pause gives her name more weight and makes the reader feel they are about to meet someone important.
Paragraph 4
A Pivotal Moment
At age 17, Krosoczka met a sick child named Eric. That encounter changed his life and gave him a clear sense of purpose.
Reading 13
Volunteering at the Camp
When he was 17, he volunteered at a camp for sick children called Hole in the Wall. There he met Eric, a kid with leukemia. Eric sadly didn't live to see his sixth birthday. It was an inspirational experience that Krosoczka said changed his life — it was the pivotal moment that made him want to write picture books for children.
"Called Hole in the Wall" is a post-modifying participial phrase — it identifies/names the camp after mentioning it. Grammatically, it functions like a relative clause ("which is called Hole in the Wall") but in a more concise, flowing form. The name "Hole in the Wall" (derived from a Paul Newman reference) evokes a secret, sheltered place for those on the margins — a metaphor for the camp's role as a refuge for sick children. The naming adds authenticity and depth.
Reading 14
Meeting Eric
When he was 17, he volunteered at a camp for sick children called Hole in the Wall. There he met Eric, a kid with leukemia. Eric sadly didn't live to see his sixth birthday. It was an inspirational experience that Krosoczka said changed his life — it was the pivotal moment that made him want to write picture books for children.
An appositive is a noun phrase placed immediately after another noun to rename or describe it. Here, "a kid with leukemia" renames Eric — it gives him an identity defined by his illness. This is deliberate: the medical label lands immediately after his name, creating an abrupt emotional contrast. The reader barely has time to meet Eric before knowing he is seriously ill. "Kid" (informal, childlike) next to "leukemia" (clinical, adult) creates a painful juxtaposition — this is a child carrying a grown-up disease.
Reading 15
A Life Cut Short
When he was 17, he volunteered at a camp for sick children called Hole in the Wall. There he met Eric, a kid with leukemia. Eric sadly didn't live to see his sixth birthday. It was an inspirational experience that Krosoczka said changed his life — it was the pivotal moment that made him want to write picture books for children.
"Sadly" is a sentence adverb (also called a disjunct) — it modifies the entire sentence and expresses the speaker/narrator's emotional attitude toward the fact. Without it, the sentence would be a cold, factual statement: "Eric didn't live to see his sixth birthday." With "sadly," the narrator's compassion is visible; the reader is invited to share in the feeling of loss. Its position before the main verb gives it maximum weight. It's a small word that humanises the reporting.
Reading 16
The Pivotal Turning Point
When he was 17, he volunteered at a camp for sick children called Hole in the Wall. There he met Eric, a kid with leukemia. Eric sadly didn't live to see his sixth birthday. It was an inspirational experience that Krosoczka said changed his life — it was the pivotal moment that made him want to write picture books for children.
The defining relative clause ("that made him want to write picture books") restricts the meaning of "moment" — it defines which particular moment: not just any moment, but the one that changed his career direction. "Pivotal" is an adjective meaning "decisively important; acting as a pivot on which everything else turns." Together they elevate this moment above all others in his life story. The word "pivotal" comes from the physical metaphor of a pivot point — the place where direction changes. It signals: everything before this was prologue; everything after is different.
Paragraph 5
The Road to Publication
After art school came rejection — and perseverance. When his first book finally appeared, the people who shaped him were all there to celebrate.
Reading 17
Struggle After Graduation
After graduating from art school, Krosoczka struggled to publish his work, but he never gave up. He eventually published his first book, Good Night, Monkey Boy — a story about a young, energetic boy who never wants to go to bed. His local newspaper celebrated the news, and he signed copies of the book at a local bookstore. Many of the people who inspired him were present at the event, including his friends, grandparents, and even several of his teachers. Mrs. Alisch, his first-grade teacher, cut in front of the line and proudly said, "I taught him how to read."
"But" is an adversative conjunction — it introduces a contrast or reversal. The structure is: obstacle ("struggled") → counter-action ("never gave up"). "Never" (absolute negation over time) is stronger than "didn't": "he didn't give up" suggests a single decision; "he never gave up" implies sustained, repeated resistance over an extended period of failure. "Never" matches the word already used for his parents' absence — creating a quiet, circular echo: what was "never" done to him (parental care), he "never" did back to his dream.
Reading 18
The First Book Published
After graduating from art school, Krosoczka struggled to publish his work, but he never gave up. He eventually published his first book, Good Night, Monkey Boy — a story about a young, energetic boy who never wants to go to bed. His local newspaper celebrated the news, and he signed copies of the book at a local bookstore. Many of the people who inspired him were present at the event, including his friends, grandparents, and even several of his teachers. Mrs. Alisch, his first-grade teacher, cut in front of the line and proudly said, "I taught him how to read."
"Eventually" is a temporal adverb signalling that something happened after a long time or series of difficulties. Without it, "He published his first book" sounds straightforward. With it, the reader knows this publication was delayed, hard-won, and came only after persistent effort. It rewards the narrative arc: the struggle in the previous sentence → the payoff signalled by "eventually." It also implicitly honours the journey — the book's arrival feels earned, not accidental.
Reading 19
Local Recognition
After graduating from art school, Krosoczka struggled to publish his work, but he never gave up. He eventually published his first book, Good Night, Monkey Boy — a story about a young, energetic boy who never wants to go to bed. His local newspaper celebrated the news, and he signed copies of the book at a local bookstore. Many of the people who inspired him were present at the event, including his friends, grandparents, and even several of his teachers. Mrs. Alisch, his first-grade teacher, cut in front of the line and proudly said, "I taught him how to read."
"Celebrated" is a verb with positive emotional charge — it implies joy, pride, and communal recognition. "Reported" would be neutral; "announced" would be factual. By choosing "celebrated," the author signals a shift in tone: we have moved from struggle to triumph. The paragraph's overall tone is warm and triumphant. The verb choice reflects the community's response and invites the reader to share in the celebration. It also contrasts beautifully with "struggled" in the previous sentence — the trajectory from struggle to celebration is complete.
Reading 20
Everyone Who Mattered
After graduating from art school, Krosoczka struggled to publish his work, but he never gave up. He eventually published his first book, Good Night, Monkey Boy — a story about a young, energetic boy who never wants to go to bed. His local newspaper celebrated the news, and he signed copies of the book at a local bookstore. Many of the people who inspired him were present at the event, including his friends, grandparents, and even several of his teachers. Mrs. Alisch, his first-grade teacher, cut in front of the line and proudly said, "I taught him how to read."
"Even" here signals mild surprise or heightened expectation — it implies that having teachers attend a book signing is slightly unexpected, above and beyond what one would normally anticipate. Friends and grandparents are expected; teachers showing up requires extra dedication. "Even" elevates their presence from ordinary to noteworthy. It also implicitly pays tribute to these teachers — their attendance shows they genuinely cared, not just as professionals, but as people invested in his success long after school ended.
Reading 21
Mrs. Alisch's Proud Claim
After graduating from art school, Krosoczka struggled to publish his work, but he never gave up. He eventually published his first book, Good Night, Monkey Boy — a story about a young, energetic boy who never wants to go to bed. His local newspaper celebrated the news, and he signed copies of the book at a local bookstore. Many of the people who inspired him were present at the event, including his friends, grandparents, and even several of his teachers. Mrs. Alisch, his first-grade teacher, cut in front of the line and proudly said, "I taught him how to read."
The two elements combine to create a vivid, character-defining moment. "Cut in front of the line" is a mildly rule-breaking, assertive action — it shows she felt entitled to special status and wasn't shy about it. "Proudly" as a manner adverb reveals her emotion: not embarrassment, but joy and ownership. Together they paint her as bold, warm, and unselfconsciously proud — a teacher who genuinely takes credit for a student's success. Her directness is endearing, not presumptuous. The humour in her cutting the line makes the quote land with even more force.
Paragraph 6
Full Circle
Years later, the same table, the same fortune, and the same love for children's stories — Krosoczka's success is rooted in where it all began.
Reading 22
A Successful Artist
Krosoczka is now a successful artist. His readers clearly love his books, and he receives fan mail from kids all over the world. Interestingly, he still draws on that same table he got on his 14th birthday, and the fortune is still taped to it.
The shift to present simple ("is now") marks the transition from past narrative to present reality — the story has caught up with the current moment. Throughout the article, simple past verbs ("came," "volunteered," "struggled," "published") placed events in a completed timeline. "Is now" lands like an arrival — we have reached the destination. The word "now" reinforces this temporal shift. In biographical writing, this is the standard technique for signalling: the journey is over; here is who he became.
Reading 23
The Table & The Fortune
Krosoczka is now a successful artist. His readers clearly love his books, and he receives fan mail from kids all over the world. Interestingly, he still draws on that same table he got on his 14th birthday, and the fortune is still taped to it.
"Interestingly" is a sentence adverb (evaluative disjunct) that signals the author's judgment: "this detail is worth noting." It invites the reader to share the author's appreciation before the fact is even delivered. "Still" appears twice ("still draws," "still taped") — both signal continuity across time, an unchanged state despite everything that has changed in his life. The repetition of "still" creates a structural echo, reinforcing the article's central theme: his origins remain his foundation. The table and fortune are no longer just objects — they are symbols. The article ends where it began (his 14th birthday), completing a circular narrative structure.
Language 24

Adverbs of Degree & Frequency

Analyse how adverbs change meaning, emphasis, and emotional register.

A) His parents were never around. [frequency: 0%]
B) He eventually published his first book. [sequence: after delay]
C) He still draws on that same table. [continuity: unchanged]
D) RULE: Adverb position and strength carry emotional weight beyond mere grammar.

Replace each adverb: "never" → "rarely", "eventually" → "soon", "still" → "also".
For each change, explain: meaning shift emotional impact author's choice

A) "never" → "rarely": "Never" = absolute zero; "rarely" = almost never, but sometimes. The swap softens the neglect — it implies the parents did appear occasionally. The author chose "never" to convey the total, unconditional absence of care, making the grandparents' adoption feel more necessary and meaningful.

B) "eventually" → "soon": "Eventually" implies a long, hard wait; "soon" implies quick success. The swap would erase the struggle, suggesting his publishing journey was easy. "Eventually" is essential — it embeds the difficulty of the journey into a single word.

C) "still" → "also": "Still" signals unchanged continuity across time; "also" is just additive, meaning "in addition to other things." The swap removes the symbolic resonance entirely — the table becomes just another object rather than a lifelong companion. "Still" is the word that makes the ending circular and emotionally satisfying.

Key insight: Adverbs are not just grammar — they are the author's moral and emotional compass. Each one here tells us how to feel about the fact it modifies.
Language 25

Appositive Noun Phrases

Identify and evaluate the use of apposition as a narrative and grammatical tool.

A) There he met Eric, a kid with leukemia. [identity label]
B) One teacher: his first-grade teacher, Mrs. Alisch. [name reveal]
C) He published his first book, Good Night, Monkey Boy. [title reveal]
D) RULE: Appositives rename/specify; placement controls emotional timing.

For each appositive above, answer: What does it add? Could it be removed? Effect on tone

A) "a kid with leukemia": Cannot be removed without losing critical information — it explains why this was an "inspirational" rather than an ordinary encounter. It also creates emotional shock: "a kid" (warm, childlike) collides with "leukemia" (clinical, adult). Tone: tragic.

B) "Mrs. Alisch": Technically could be removed ("one teacher in particular stood out"), but the name personalises her and elevates her from a generic "teacher" to a specific, memorable person. Naming her is an act of public tribute. Tone: warm, honouring.

C) "Good Night, Monkey Boy": The title in italics is the appositive. Removing it would leave a vague reference ("his first book"). The title also immediately characterises the book as playful and child-friendly — it tells the reader about Krosoczka's artistic voice. Tone: light, celebratory.

Key insight: Every appositive in this article adds essential emotional or identifying information — none are mere decoration. Writers use them to control how and when information lands.
Language 26

Circular Narrative Structure

Analyse how the article uses structural echoes to create thematic unity.

A) OPENING: his grandparents gave him a drawing table at 14.
B) CLOSING: he still draws on that same table.
C) OPENING: fortune cookie said, "You will be successful in your work."
D) CLOSING: fortune is still taped to it. [It came true.]

Identify the structural technique and discuss: circular structure bookending thematic closure

Technique: Circular / Frame Narrative Structure
The article opens and closes with the same objects (the table, the fortune). This is called bookending or circular structure — the ending loops back to the beginning, creating a sense of completeness and unity.

Effect on meaning: In a linear story, the table would just be a birthday gift. In a circular structure, it becomes a symbol of his entire journey — origin, companion, and proof that the fortune came true. The reader cannot think of the table as just furniture; it carries the whole weight of the story.

Thematic closure: The fortune cookie's prediction ("You will be successful") hangs over the article like a promise. The closing sentence ("the fortune is still taped to it") confirms the promise was kept. This gives the reader a strong sense of satisfaction — all threads are tied. The story ends exactly where it began, but the meaning is now completely transformed by everything in between.

Try it: Write an opening and closing sentence for a biography of a musician, using the same object to create circular structure.
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Lesson Complete

🎁
Origins Matter
A birthday gift became a lifelong companion
👩‍🏫
Teachers Inspire
One person's belief can change a life
💔
Pain Becomes Purpose
Eric's story gave Krosoczka his mission
🔄
Never Give Up
Struggle + persistence = eventual success
You will be successful in your work.

— Fortune cookie, Krosoczka's 14th birthday