This week, booksellers have a spot of afternoon tea; Little, Brown presents the Emerging Artist Award; author Kheryn Callender visits St. Thomas; Lincoln Peirce draws a crowd; and authors honor a civil rights activist with their new book.

Tea Time

Neal Porter, v-p and publisher of Neal Porter Books at Holiday House (front l.), and Philip C. Stead (front r.), were joined by Chicagoland indie booksellers for an “afternoon tea” event held on January 9 at the Palm Court at the Drake Hotel. The gathering was in celebration of the upcoming picture book Music for Mister Moon, written by Philip C. Stead and illustrated by Erin E. Stead, the Caldecott-winning duo behind A Sick Day for Amos McGee. In the book, protagonist Harriet Henry accidentally knocks Mister Moon from the sky.

Quite an Honor

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers announced Chiao-Chih Su as the recipient of its Emerging Artist Award, given each year to an aspiring illustrator whose work provides a diverse perspective. Su won the award for her picture book Whose Princess? As part of the honor, Su received a day of mentorship with children’s book writer and illustrator Grace Lin. Here, Su (l.) and Lin display a spread from Su’s book.

A Homegrown Book Club

Kheryn Callender, author of the YA novel Hurricane Child (Scholastic Press), recently visited the island of St. Thomas, where Callender’s family lives and where they grew up. Callender met with a local high school book club to talk about reading, writing, and Hurricane Child.

A Knight’s Tale

Author and cartoonist Lincoln Peirce celebrated the launch of his middle grade book Max & the Midknights (Crown), about an aspiring young knight, at Print: A Bookstore in Portland, Maine. At the event, Peirce gave a lively drawing presentation for attendees.

Speaking Up

Heyday held a book launch party for Biddy Mason Speaks Up by coauthors Arisa White (l.) and Laura Atkins, at the African-American Museum & Library in Oakland, Calif., on January 12. The book is an addition to the Fighting for Justice series of biographical nonfiction titles.