Blog Tour: I Ate a Cicada Today by Jeff Crossan

iateacicadatoday.com

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – When a flying cicada struck award-winning songwriter Jeff Crossan on the 

mouth on his way into a restaurant, he joked to his two kids that he almost ate a cicada. Little did he 

know then that more than 10 years later he would release a full collection of rhymes and illustrations 

because of the near-insect-consuming incident in his first book for children called I Ate a Cicada Today

(September 2014, Big Bound Books, LLC).

I Ate a Cicada Today features Crossan’s own ink and watercolor illustrations – putting his experience 

as a cartoonist to work – alongside his fun animal rhymes like “I leapfrogged a warthog today/The 

doctor thinks I’ll be okay.” On the CD accompanying the book, Crossan plays acoustic guitar and sings

the 16-verse song.

Crossan came up with several of the rhymes while eating with his kids at the restaurant the night the

“dive-bombing cicada” hit him in the mouth. He scribbled them on a napkin, adding more verses soon 

after, but wasn’t sure what to do with such a comical and offbeat song. It wasn’t until years later that

Crossan had the idea to turn the song into a children’s book using his drawing skills to produce the 

colorful and delightful illustrations.

The 32-page hardcover book with accompanying CD will have young readers laughing and singing 

along with each two-page spread featuring a verse about a different animal or insect and Crossan’s 

short spoken asides adding a comic punch to the zany lyrics.

Crossan’s hit songs include country’s No. 1 “You’re Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation,” which earned a 

BMI Million Air Award. He’s worked as a newspaper reporter and photographer, music journalist and 

syndicated radio writer. He and his wife, Linda, reside in Franklin, Tennessee. They have a daughter 

and a son.

An adorable musical rhyming song/story is one so outrageous if can't be anything but funny!  My kids and I got a hoot out of it!  A great book to use when kids are feeling down, since it is both beautiful and hilarious!  4.5 stars 

Jeff Crossan is an award-winning, Emmy-nominated 

songwriter. His hit songs include the No. 1 country tune 

“You’re Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation,” which 

earned a BMI Million Air Award.

Before becoming a full time songwriter, Crossan spent 

time as a newspaper reporter/photographer, music 

journalist and syndicated radio writer. For several years 

his cartoons appeared in the Presbyterian Voice. He 

earned a degree in journalism at the University of 

Richmond.

Crossan lives in Franklin, Tenn. with his wife, Linda.

They have a daughter and a son who have helped them 

assemble a fine assortment of mammals, reptiles, fish 

and insects.

I Ate a Cicada Today (September 2014) is his first 

children’s book. Originally only a song, Crossan got the 

idea for the rhymes when a flying cicada hit him in the 

mouth in a restaurant parking lot. While he and his two 

kids ate dinner, he scribbled rhymes for a song onto a napkin. 

He revisited the song from time to time 

through several years, 

unsure what to do with the offbeat lyrics, 

eventually developing a picture book 

using his own illustrations as well.

Author Links below:

Author Website

Goodreads

Amazon

Virtual Tour Page 

#IAteaCicadaToday,@SamiJoLien @JKSLitPublicity