This week, Carson Ellis and Jon Klassen read together; Richard Peck meets baseball and book fans in Chicago; author Helena Coggan and fans play laser tag; debut author Booki Vivat signs some books; Tania del Rio and Will Staehle take a group selfie; and Yvonne Ventresca enjoys an elegantly dark book launch.

Practice Makes Perfect!

Children’s book biz folks – while indulging in mimosas and pastries – happily served as story time guinea pigs for author-illustrators Jon Klassen and Carson Ellis on October 18 at Books of Wonder in New York City. Klassen and Ellis both read their respective picture books, Du Iz Tak? and We Found a Hat, while seeking feedback from the audience and from each other, in preparation for their upcoming school tours. The two also had a lively discussion on writing and illustrating their work, touching on topics like the divisive nature of hats and the nuances of bug language.

Best Man

Richard Peck visited Longwood Elementary School in the Chicago area on October 18. The city and surrounding suburbs are in the midst of Chicago Cubs fever, which is fitting for Peck and his book, The Best Man. The novel takes place in Chicago, many of the characters are Cubs fans, and an important scene takes place at Wrigley Field. Students and teachers presented Peck with a jersey for the main character in The Best Man, Archer Magill.

Tagged!

Fifteen-year-old author Helena Coggan celebrated the release of her first novel The Catalyst at BowlMor Chelsea Piers in New York City on October 16. In keeping with the book’s theme of a divided, dystopian society, attendees played laser tag. Helena (back row, middle, in the white shirt) played for the winning red team, composed of teens from the Teenreads.com Teen board.

Not So Frazzled

Booki Vivat, debut author and associate publicist at HarperCollins Children’s Books, recently concluded her multi-city tour for Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom. Here, Vivat signs books during a visit to the Catherine Cook School in Chicago on September 28; impending doom and disasters were nowhere in sight.

Smile!

While on tour for their middle grade book Warren the 13th, author Tania del Rio and illustrator Will Staehle visited the Wauwatosa Public Library, northwest of Milwaukee. Here, Staehle and del Rio take an epic group selfie with fans.

Paint It Black!

Author Yvonne Ventresca celebrated the release of her YA psychological thriller Black Flowers, White Lies on October 16 at Words Bookstore in Maplewood, N.J. In keeping with the book’s darker elements, Ventresca received a black bouquet of roses; guests received black candles as party favors, and Tarot cards were used to select door prize winners.