AUBURN – The 2007 Maggie Trafton Authors for Young Readers program, offered by the Children’s Services Department of the Auburn Public Library, is slated for 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, in the library’s Androscoggin Community Room.

This year’s guest is Noah Z. Jones, a freelance author/illustrator/animator whose wacky energy and designs have added to numerous award-winning projects from clients such as Nickelodeon, PBS and Disney.

He has worked as an animator for Weston Woods videos, was the former art director of Fablevision, and his Web-developed characters have attracted worldwide recognition and can often be spotted popping up on T-shirts the world over.

His ability to change styles digitally on the computer and to more traditional pencil drawings demonstrates an unusual stylistic versatility.

His books with Candlewick Press are favorites with Auburn children. “Not Norman,” “The Monster in the Backpack,” “Welcome to the Bed and Biscuit” and “Those Shoes,” each written by a different author, show his ability to approach every story with a fresh eye.

As a kid, Jones’ love for drawing was fueled by dinosaurs, monster movies and the Wacky Packages line of trading cards. He spent many hours poring over books by Maurice Sendak, Richard Scarry and Mercer Mayer.

After taking part in a monster-drawing contest in the fifth-grade (placing fourth out of five), Jones realized he wanted to create art for a living. He works from his home in Camden where he lives with his librarian wife, their dog and their new baby. To see more of his work, visit www.noahzjones.com.

In the evening workshop Jones will illustrate to children how important it is to study writing if they hope to become illustrators. He’ll tell them about the wiggly line his life has taken from a boy with pencils and crayons to a prize-winning illustrator.

Jones will then uncork a fist full of markers and use them for fun art games, engaging the children for ideas, and embellishing the drawings he dashes off, with inventive stories.

The program is best for children in kindergarten through grade six and their families. All are welcome to attend. For more information about this and other programs, visit the library, call 333-6640, ext. 2004, or visit www.auburnpubliclibrary.org.