The publishing industry’s annual BookExpo took place at New York City’s Javits Center May 30 to June 1, with an all-star lineup of bestselling and rising children’s authors and illustrators. The programming featured a number of panels, signings, in-booth visits, giveaways, and more. We’ve gathered a selection of visual highlights from the event.
This year’s Children’s Book and Author Breakfast featured (from l.) Meg Medina, Dave Eggers, Jacqueline Woodson, Yuyi Morales, and Viola Davis. Photo: stevekagan.com.
Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs, friends and co-authors of The Darkdeep (Bloomsbury), spin the Wheel of Imagination.
(From l.): Roshani Chokshi (Aru Shah and the End of Time), Rick Riordan (the Percy Jackson series), and J.C. Cervantes (The Storm Runner) participated in a panel on the new Rick Riordan Presents imprint.
Author Kate DiCamillo and illustrator Harry Bliss celebrated their new picture book collaboration, Good Rosie! (Candlewick). Photo: stevekagan.com.
The “Queen of England” and her corgis presided over the galley drop of Mac B., Kid Spy by Mac Barnett, at the Scholastic booth.
Illustrator Sean Qualls donated a signed print from Grandad Mandela for the annual Silent Art Auction, hosted by the American Booksellers Association’s ABC Children’s Group and the Children’s Book Council.
(From l.): Wade Hudson, Nic Stone, Cheryl Willis Hudson, and Phoebe Yeh, v-p and publisher of Crown Books for Young Readers, at Random House’s party at Legacy Records.
Author Claire Legrand signed copies of Furyborn (Sourcebooks Fire), first in her YA fantasy trilogy.
(From l.): Authors Leigh Bardugo, Eva Chen, Taye Diggs, Shane Evans, and Ngozi Ukazu, during a lunch hosted by Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.
James and Susan Patterson signed copies of Max Einstein: The Genius Experiment and Cuddly Critters for Little Geniuses during their Hachette booth takeover.
During the "Conversation with Latinx Authors" panel, moderator Cristina Arreola (l.) led a discussion among authors Diana Lopez, Sarai Gonzalez, Daniel José Older, and Rafael López that touched upon how their heritage influences their writing, as well as the complexities and multiplicities of Latinx cultures. Photo: Claire Kirch.
Illustrator Peter H. Reynolds and author Susan Verde with a life-size illustration of the cover of their forthcoming picture book, I Am Human (Abrams).
Eoin Colfer signed Artemis Fowl books for a long line of fans.
Authors Gayle Forman, Marie Lu, Tochi Onyebuchi, and Sabaa Tahir at the Penguin Young Readers party.
Dan Zanes and Claudia Eliaza performed songs from their forthcoming book, Dan Zanes’ House Party!: A Family Roots Music Treasury (Young Voyageur).
Laurie Keller, author-illustrator of Potato Pants! (Holt), brought along a special spud to BookExpo.
Courtney Summers signed galleys of her upcoming YA novel, Sadie.
Illustrator Sophie Blackall checked out the new Ivy and Bean book at Chronicle’s stand.
Authors at the Simon & Schuster Children’s Breakfast, which was moderated by Cathy Berner (center) of Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston: (from l.) Tony and Angela DiTerlizzi, Deb Caletti, Terry and Eric Fan, Matthew Van Fleet, Leah Tinari, and Sharon M. Draper.
Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera, co-authors of the forthcoming YA novel What If It’s Us (HarperTeen/Balzer + Bray). Photo: stevekagan.com.
Collaborating couple Shannon and Dean Hale signed The Princess in Black and the Science Fair Scare (Candlewick).
The “Spotlight on African-American Children’s Books” panel featured (from l.) Varian Johnson, Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati, Sharon M. Draper, T.R. Simon, and Cheryl Willis Hudson, co-editor of the upcoming middle grade anthology, We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices.
Thi Bui, Caldecott Honor–winning illustrator of A Different Pond by Bao Phi, signed books at the Capstone booth.
(From l.): Mary Jane Wynne of Perrot Memorial Library in Old Greenwich, Conn.; Amy Sears of the Teaneck Public Library in Teaneck, N.J.; and Caitlin McDonagh, author-illustrator of The ABCs of What I Can Be, during a breakfast at the Holiday House offices.
Author-illustrator Ryan T. Higgins signed copies of Bruce’s Big Move (Disney-Hyperion) with help from the titular bear. Photo: stevekagan.com.
Author Robb Pearlman (center), with Running Press’s Jessica Schmidt (l.) and Val Howlett showed their pride for Pink Is for Boys at a signing.
Mélina Mangal, author of The Vast Wonder of the World: Biologist Ernest Everett Just (Lerner/Millbrook).
Author Peter Hermann (l.) and illustrator Matthew Cordell, collaborators on If the S in Moose Comes Loose (HarperCollins). Photo: stevekagan.com.
Celebrating the upcoming release of Presto & Zesto in Limboland by Maurice Sendak and Arthur Yorinks (HarperCollins/di Capua): (from l.) Sendak Foundation president Lynn Caponera; Sendak’s longtime editor, Michael di Capua; author Yorinks; Suzanne Murphy, president and publisher of HarperCollins Children’s Books; and senior executive editor Antonia Markiet.
Inkyard Press author Julie Kagawa met fans, both human and canine, at her autographing of Shadow of the Fox.
"Rise Up" panelists (from l.) Veronica Chambers (moderator), Becky Albertalli, Adam Silvera, Tahereh Mafi, and Ibi Zoboi discussed speaking their truths to power in their novels, and how fiction written by diverse authors can be a vehicle of resistance in the current political climate. Photo: Claire Kirch.
Workman celebrated the launch of photographer and YouTube star Jordan Matter’s Born to Dance: Celebrating the Wonder of Childhood. Here, dancer Jeremy Villas jumps for joy as he peruses an ARC of Matter’s new book, in which Villas is a featured dancer. Photo: Jordan Matter.
