The figurative curtain will go up on a lively lineup of stage events at this year’s BookExpo, scheduled for May 31–June 2. Playing out on the Uptown and Downtown Stages will be panel discussions exploring a wide range of genres and topics, including graphic novels, fantasy, books by African-American authors and illustrators, orchestrating successful author visits to schools, and adapting YA novels into films. Booksellers and other industry professionals will have the opportunity to hear fresh voices, those of promising new authors whose books were selected for this year’s Young Adult and Middle Grade Editors’ Buzz Panels—as well as the voices of well-established, award-winning writers and illustrators. Here’s a look at who will be talking about what, and when and where.
Wednesday, May 31
11–11:45 a.m. Uptown Stage: “Hot Graphic Novels of Fall 2017”
Calvin Reid, Publishers Weekly senior news editor, moderates a panel of graphic novelists who will discuss their upcoming works, as well as the graphic novel’s popularity and possibilities for booksellers and librarians. Panelists and their books are Nidhi Chanani, Pashmina (First Second, Oct.); Iasmin Omar Ata, Mis(h)adra (Gallery 13, Oct.); Liniers, Good Night, Planet (Toon Books, Sept.); Katie O’Neill, The Tea Dragon Society (Oni Press, Oct.); and Pratap Chatterjee and Khalil Bendib, Verax (Holt, Oct.).
Noon–12:30 p.m. Uptown Stage: “Marvel: From Prose to Panel”
R.L. Stine, the prolific superstar author of hundreds of books, including his recent novel, Man-Thing, and Margaret Stohl, author of Mighty Captain Marvel, will be joined by other “Mighty Marvel guests” to talk about bringing their narrative skills to graphic fiction, and about Marvel’s new wave of YA graphic novels.
Thursday, June 1
10:45–11:15 a.m. Uptown Stage: “Why Does Fantasy Matter?”
Attendees will hear two bestselling writers address this question and discuss how their debut series came to be: Victoria Aveyard, author of the Red Queen series (HarperTeen), and Soman Chainani, author of the School for Good and Evil series (HarperCollins).
Friday, June 2
10–10:30 a.m. Uptown Stage: “Meet the 2017 Young Adult Buzz Authors”
The five authors selected for this year’s YA Editors’ Buzz Panel will offer insight into their books. These include Tillie Walden, Spinning (First Second, Sept.); Tochi Onyebuchi, Beasts Made of Night (Razorbill, Oct.); Samantha Mabry, All the Wind in the World (Algonquin, Oct.); Dashka Slater, The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Oct.); and Nic Stone, Dear Martin (Crown, Oct.). Moderating the panel discussion is Rebecca Munro, editorial coordinator of Teenreads.com and Kidsreads.com.
11:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Uptown Stage: “Building Successful School Visits with Middle Grade Authors”
How can authors work effectively with independent bookstores to build a successful school visit with strong sales? A trio of middle grade authors published by Bloomsbury will tackle this question: Kate Messner, The Exact Location of Home (Oct.); Elizabeth Eulberg, The Great Shelby Holmes Meets Her Match; and Courtney Sheinmel, The Kindness Club: Chloe on the Bright Side (Nov.). Lauren Savage, owner of the San Carlos, Calif., bookstore Reading Bug, will moderate.
12:30–1 p.m. Uptown Stage: “Indie Insight with Children’s Books”
Five independent publishers will showcase new titles and offer a coupon to attendees to redeem a free galley or book at each publisher’s booth. Presenters and the books they are highlighting are J.L. Powers, coauthor, with M.A. Powers, of Broken Circle (Akashic/Black Sheep, Oct.); John Parra, illustrator of Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos by Monica Brown Parra (NorthSouth, Sept.); Janina Scarlet, author of Superhero Therapy: Mindfulness Skills to Help Teens & Young Adults Deal with Anxiety, Depression & Trauma (New Harbinger, Aug.); Shana Drehs, presenting Be Brave Little One by Marianne Richmond (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, Aug.); and S.M. Beiko, author of Scion of the Fox (ECW, Oct.).
1:15–1:45 p.m. Uptown Stage: “Spotlight on African-American Children’s Books”
Three award-winning authors and illustrators whose contributions to children’s literature span two decades will have the spotlight. Participating are R. Gregory Christie, illustrator of A Time to Act by Shana Corey (NorthSouth); Carole Boston Weatherford, author of Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library (Candlewick, Sept.); and Sean Qualls, illustrator, with Selina Alko, of Why Am I Me? by Paige Britt (Scholastic Press, Sept.). The moderator is Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati, founder of the African American Children’s Book Project and Literary Media and Publishing Consultants.
2–2:30 p.m. Uptown Stage: “Meet the 2017 Middle Grade Buzz Authors”
The authors of books presented at this year’s Middle Grade Editors’ Buzz Panel will discuss their debut novels. Participants are Eucabeth Odhiambo, Auma’s Long Run (Carolrhoda, Sept.); Molly Ostertag, The Witch Boy (Scholastic/Graphix, Oct.); Jake Burt, Greetings from Witness Protection! (Feiwel and Friends, Oct.); David Barclay Moore, The Stars Beneath Our Feet (Knopf, Sept.); and Kamilla Benko, The Unicorn Quest: The Whisper in the Stone (Bloomsbury, Feb. 2018). Ellen Myrick, president and publisher of Spotlight, moderates.
2:45–3:30 p.m. Uptown Stage: “Bestseller to Blockbuster: Authors Talk About the Book to Film Adaptation Process”
Three YA authors share insights into the process of transferring narratives from the page to the screen. Panelists are Nicola Yoon, Everything, Everything (Delacorte); R.J. Palacio, Wonder (Knopf); and Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Simon & Schuster).
3:30–4:30 p.m. Downtown Stage: “Creative Minds Discuss the Creative Process”
Ben Dreyfuss, senior editor of growth and engagement at Mother Jones, moderates a panel discussion about creativity’s many forms and possibilities. Participating are designer Zac Posen, Cooking with Zac (Rodale, Oct.); Girls Who Code founder Reshma Saujani (Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World, Viking, Aug.); and Veronica Roth (the Divergent series, HarperCollins/Tegen).
