This week, a dance school welcomes honored guests; a beloved author headlines in the Sunshine State; a YA author gets revved up for the release of her sequel; book awards celebrate South Asian diversity; a young writer wows his audience; and authors enjoy an intergalactic outing.

My Dance

Young dancers at the Ailey School in Manhattan enjoyed a visit from the husband-and-wife duo Lesa Cline Ransome and illustrator James E. Ransome, who discussed their book My Story, My Dance: Robert Battle’s Journey to Alvin Ailey (S&S/Wiseman). Also in attendance was the school’s artistic director and subject of the book, Robert Battle, who shared his story and did a reading for the kids.

In ‘Blume’

Author Judy Blume was one of the featured guest speakers at the Tampa Bay Times Festival of Reading held at the University of South Florida’s St. Petersburg campus on October 24. From left: Blume with author Lisa Unger, and Tampa Bay Times book editor Colette Bancroft.

Stopping ‘Traffick’

Ellen Hopkins kicked off her tour for Traffick (S&S/McElderry), sequel to her YA novel Tricks, at Tattered Cover Aspen Grove on November 3. Here, she is joined by Tattered Cover’s new co-owner and fellow author Len Vlahos (The Scar Boys).

It’s An Honor

Authors Paula Yoo (l.) and Tanuja Desai Hidier were presented with 2015 South Asia Book Awards, which are awarded to high-quality children’s and YA books that feature South Asian characters, for their respective titles Bombay Blues (Scholastic/Push) and Twenty-Two Cents: Muhammad Yunus and the Village Bank (Lee & Low). The ceremony took place in Madison, Wisc., at the Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club on October 23.

Elementia, My Dear Watson

Sean Fay Wolfe, creator of the Minecraft fan series The Elementia Chronicles, celebrated the release of the second book, The New Order, at Wakefield Books in Wakefield, R.I., on October 27. The event drew a crowd of more than 200 fans and the store raffled off t-shirts, books, and gift certificates. Wolfe originally self-published the series, which was later picked up by HarperCollins.

Spaced Out!

The Planetary Society, an organization that works to advance space science and exploration, celebrated its 35th anniversary with a day of presentations and activities at its headquarters in Pasadena. Included among the events was a panel discussion with authors of space-themed books. From left: Sue Ganz-Schmidt and Shane Prigmore, the author and illustrator of Planet Kindergarten (Chronicle); Cecil Castelucci (Tin Star, Macmillan/Square Fish); and moderator Emily Lakdawalla, senior editor of the Planetary Society. Also on the panel but not pictured was Stephanie Roth Sisson, author of Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos (Roaring Brook).