National Network for Equitable Library Service

Bryson Elementary School janitor Frazz is known for his hilarious wit, brilliant songwriting skills and his unusual choice to stay in his custodial position after making it big on the music scene—but his talents don’t stop there. Frazz also has a knack for running. And swimming. And biking. It probably comes as no surprise that the modern-day Renaissance man couldn’t just pick one sport; instead, he is a successful triathlete. Along with his girlfriend, first-grade teacher Miss Plainwell, who shares Frazz’s affinity for jogging and has even run the Boston marathon, Frazz continues to inspire the kids of Bryson Elementary with his unstoppable determination. The eBook original compilation Bike Swim Run Grin, not only collects the best in Frazz’s triathlon adventures, but it also includes exclusive commentary from Frazz’s creator, Jef Mallet himself. Mallet’s work was nominated by the National Cartoonists Society for a Reuben division award for Best Newspaper Comic Strip in 2004, and Frazz has won two Wilbur Awards in 2003 and 2005, which honors excellence in communicating values and ethics. Indeed, within Frazz’s jokes and antics is the heart of the strip: insight that makes learning fun for kids and inevitable for adults.