Meet John
COURTESY JOHN GALLAGHER
Art director,
Ranger Rick and author/
cartoonist OCCUPATION:
LIVES: Fairfax, VA
Spouse, Beth; kids,
Katie, Jack and Will; and
pets, Cody the dog and
Millie the cat
FAMILY: What inspired
Meow: Cat
graphic novel
becomes a
snacking on a
I was teaching an
and started the first
ended drawing
knew immediately
do and sat down
remaining kids just
to get started, for
something
enough. I began
group, and together
cat, then added a
silliness ensued from
made a comic for
to cut our story
The next class I began
same kids instead
the cat hero story to
next. I could tell
special about this
friend—and the story
into “Max Meow, Cat
Grownups and
different sense
did you know
Mindy’s hijinks
My three kids have
sometimes toughest)
stories and jokes.

helped with some of
story elements for the
great sounding
involved because he
but graphic novels,
Dog Man series,
reading. Max Meow
he became further
This attraction led to
over and over and,
a more enriching and
Do your children
passion for
novels? What
favorites? Each has had