Recently, a festival featured several YA authors, an author dropped by a museum for an event, an author presented his new middle grade mystery series, an author received a gift from a fan at an event, collaborators celebrated a release together, and an illustrator held a storytime.
A ‘Big’ Festival
(From l.): authors Sydney Langford, Kendare Blake, Lish McBride, Marissa Meyer, and Margaret Owen gathered for a YA panel at the Bigfoot Kids’ Book Festival in Redmond, Wash., on September 7.
Picture This
On September 7, Sarah J. Albee held a storytime and art workshop at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. Albee read from her new picture book, The Painter and the President: Gilbert Stuart’s Brush with George Washington, illustrated by Stacy Innerst (Calkins Creek), which centers the relationship between President George Washington and portrait painter Gilbert Stuart.
Get a Clue
Barnes & Noble on the Upper West Side in New York City gave James Ponti (c.) a warm welcome on September 8 for his event presenting The Sherlock Society (S&S/Aladdin). The middle grade series starter follows siblings Alex and Zoe Sherlock and their friends on their first investigation. Ponti appeared with fellow authors Chris Grabenstein (r.) and Gayle Forman (l.) for a discussion about their careers in children’s books. The event closed with a q&a and signing.
Sweet Memories
Aiden Thomas recently went on tour for his new YA fantasy sequel Celestial Monsters (Feiwel and Friends) and made a stop at Carmichael’s in Louisville, Ky,. on September 7. In the duology closer, semidioses Teo, Aurelio, and Niya face the aftermath of a betrayal and are charged with returning the sun back into the sky before it is too late. Thomas held a conversation with Christen Randall and signed books for readers afterwards. Here, Thomas enjoys a fan-made Celestial Monsters scrapbook from a fan.
Game Time
September 10 marked the release of Mr. Fox’s Game of No (Candlewick), and author David LaRochelle (c.) and illustrator Mike Wohnoutka (r.) commemorated the day with a sweet treat. The picture book challenges readers to answer “no” to all the titular star’s questions, or face starting the book all over again.
We Are Definitely Reading
X Fang joined young readers at Books of Wonder in New York City on September 14 for a storytime event. Fang read from her latest picture book, We Are Definitely Human (Tundra), the tale of three aliens trying to convince their new human friends that they are just like them. Here Fang gives a drawing demonstration for a young fan.
