In Brief: April 5

Scholastic hosted the third TEDxTeen conference at its SoHo headquarters in New York City on March 31. Authors Libba Bray (pictured), Siobhan Vivian, Elizabeth Eulberg, and Jeff Hirsch signed books for attendees. The conference, called “The Wisdom of Not Knowing,” focused on teens and their power to make a difference the world. Speakers included Liberian-born activist Kimmie Weeks and 15-year-old Tavi Gevinson, editor-in-chief and founder of RookieMag.com. Photo: Marc Birnbach.

The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa hosted the biennial National Latino Children’s Literature Conference on March 29 and 30. The program highlights award-winning as well as emerging Latino authors and illustrators; this year’s gathering attracted some 70 teachers, librarians, professors, researchers, grad students, and children’s-book writers and artists. Pictured here (front row, l. to r.): NLCLC conference chair Jamie Campbell Naidoo, author/illustrator Lila Quintero Weaver, author Monica Brown, and author Meg Medina. Back row (l. to r.): author René Colato Laínez, author Alma Flor Ada, illustrator John Parra, author F. Isabel Campoy, and illustrator Joe Cepeda.

San Antonio has appointed Carmen Tafolla as poet laureate, the first major city in the state to bestow that honor. The honorary position, a two-year term, was created to promote the literary arts and literacy within the community, as well as foster a greater appreciation of poetry. In addition to her five volumes of verse, Tafolla, a San Antonio native, is the author of numerous books for children. Her What Can You Do with a Paleta? (Tricycle) won the 2010 Charlotte Zolotow Award for outstanding picture-book writing.

On March 26, The King’s English Bookshop in Salt Lake City threw a launch party for The False Prince, the first volume in Jennifer A. Nielsen’s new Ascendancy trilogy. The event was held at Wasatch Fencing where, like the novel’s young contenders for the throne, party guests could suit up and practice their parries and thrusts. Seen here are authors (l. to r.) Sarah DeFord Williams (Palace Beautiful), Nielsen, and Kristyn Crow (Bedtime at the Swamp). Nielsen will be in Houston later this month for the Texas Library Association conference, and will appear at two Chicago bookstores in May.