This week, marchers from the children’s book world put a kid lit-inspired spin on protest marches, Kwame Alexander met with fellow authors at ALA; and Peachtree publishers celebrated a milestone.

And…March!

A group of about 35 women from Scholastic and Penguin Random House, as well as from several agencies, carpooled to the Women’s March on Washington. Talia Benamy (front row, second from l.), assistant editor at Penguin Young Readers, organized the bus trip for her office mates and any friends who also wished to attend. Here the group pauses to soak in the moment before marching.

A Banner Moment

Authors Cece Bell and Andrea Beaty, along with editor Susan Van Metre, organized the group #kidlitmarches, to help galvanize writers and publishing colleagues and get them to the Women’s March. Marching on behalf of children in the nation’s capital are (from l.) Cece Bell, R.L. Saunders, Jess Stork Gilcoes, Megan Wagner Lloyd, Heidi Stemple, Courtney Pippin Mathur, Melinda Spohn Beatty, and Susan Van Metre. Cece Bell designed and created the banner.

Fight for the Right

In Washington, D.C., author Andrea Beaty (far l.), joined by her daughter and sisters, dressed in costume as suffragists as a way to “emphasize the sacrifices of all the women who fought for our rights before us,” Beaty explained. The buttons on their sashes included images of British suffragettes and American suffragists as well as an image of the sisters’ mother. Though their attire may have harkened back to a distant era, their signs were undeniably of the moment.

When in Georgia

Chronicle staffers (from l.) Ginee Seo, publishing director; Jaime Wong, marketing manager; and Melissa Manlove, senior editor, were in Atlanta for ALA Midwinter, but made a point to take part in Georgia’s Women’s March. Congressman John Lewis was the headline speaker at the march – before winning the Printz Award and three other prizes at ALA for March: Book Three.

A Bright Midwinter

Young adult authors and enthusiasts were on the scene at ALA, including Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander, who spread the word about his upcoming novel Solo (Blink). Here, Alexander (back row, center) visits with (from l.): Chris Lett, CNN field producer; Michael Philson, indie-published author of Misadventures of the American Dreamer: Nick Ca$h vs. Everyone; and Lamar Giles from We Need Diverse Books.

Georgia Peaches

Peachtree Publishers celebrated its 40th anniversary at ALA Midwinter with a party held in downtown Atlanta – the publisher’s home base – at the Georgia Railroad Freight Depot. Author and folk singer John McCutcheon (Flowers for Sarajevo) performed at the event. Here, Peachtree’s staffers get into party mode.