This week, an industry veteran pens his first novel; authors and illustrators gather for Bay Area festivities; a beloved children’s book character greets book fest guests; a bookstore is reserved exclusively for “Octicorns”; and a Dutch author visits the city that helped inspire her book.

In Good Company

Laurent Linn, an art director at Simon & Schuster, recently added a new feather in his cap by publishing his first YA novel. Linn was joined by friends and colleagues to celebrate the release of Draw the Line at the Society of Illustrators in Manhattan on May 17. Here (from l.), Tim Federle, Curtis M. Wong, and Laurent Linn schmooze, while in the background is Cheryl Henson, president of the Jim Henson Foundation and daughter of Jim Henson.

Party Time!

School librarian and Great Kid Books blogger Mary Ann Scheuer welcomed authors and illustrators in town for the Bay Area Book Festival at her Berkeley home on June 4. Among those in attendance were (from l. to r., back row): Randy Preston, Jason Reynolds, Christian Robinson, and Kwame Alexander, who was also in town touring in the Bay Area. Up front and center is Adoria Williams, librarian at Jefferson Elementary School in Berkeley.

Maybe I’m A-Maisy

Boston Book Festival held the second annual Hubbub book festival for kids in Boston’s Copley Square Park on June 4. Book and author events, performances, and activities took part throughout the day, including a meet-and-greet with Lucy Cousins’s picture book character Maisy, who is celebrating her 25th birthday this year.

An Octicorn Birthday

Green Bean Books in Portland, Ore., hosted Kevin Diller and Justin Lowe to celebrate their book Hello, My Name Is Octicorn (HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray) on June 5. Kevin’s 10-year-old daughter Frankie read the book to the audience, since she helped to inspire its creation. Justin’s mother gave her an original Octicorn pillow and Frankie asked Diller to tell her a story about Octicorn – which is a cross between a unicorn and an octopus. The event featured Octicorn cupcakes and guests were invited to wear horns. Justin did a drawing presentation while “Octopus’ Garden” played over the karaoke machine.

A Dutch Author in New York

The Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Netherland Club of New York hosted Dutch author Anna Woltz on June 2 for a book presentation and reception in New York. Woltz’s latest title and the first to be translated into English, One Hundred Hours of Night (Scholastic/Levine), was published this April. Woltz discussed her writing career and New York City, where the book takes place. (From l. to r.): Scholastic editor Emily Clement; author Anna Woltz; cultural policy officer for the consulate general of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Vera Kuipers; and Arthur Levine, v-p and publisher, Arthur A. Levine Books.