A “Monument”-al Launch

The final book in Emmy Laybourne’s Monument 14 trilogy, Savage Drift (Feiwel and Friends), launched with a dramatic reception on May 9 at McNally Jackson in Soho. Laybourne, who was a performer before becoming an author, was joined by Broadway actors George Merrick, Kenita Miller, and Katie Finneran, who each performed a reading from Laybourne’s post-apocalyptic series. Here, Laybourne (l.) taps into her comedy improv background while introducing Finneran, who read from the second book in the Monument 14 series, Sky on Fire.

Meet Me at the Museum

Author Mary Higgins Clark and illustrator Wendell Minor discussed their collaborations on the children’s books Ghost Ship and The Magical Christmas Horse on May 10 at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass. The appearance was in celebration of a retrospective of Minor’s work, currently on display at the museum. The exhibit, Wendell Minor’s America, features illustrations from the past four decades, and runs until May 27.

A Grand Opening

Named for characters from two children’s favorites – Jack and the Beanstalk and Alice in Wonderland – Jack and Allie’s children’s bookstore in Vernon, Conn., held its grand opening earlier this month. Mayor Daniel A. Champagne (r.) cut the ribbon and presented owner Barbara Haggerty Kahn (l.) with a mayoral citation welcoming, commending, and congratulating the bookstore, which has a mission “to encourage literacy and a love of reading through creating an engaging, community oriented space for children.”

Ooh La La!

As part of a literacy initiative between HarperCollins and AAA, Jane O’Connor (l.) and Robin Preiss Glasser rolled out in a customized Fancy Nancy RV for an eight-city tour, traveling more than 1,800 miles between May 4 and May 12, with stops at bookstores and schools from Illinois to Texas. Shown here, O’Connor and Glasser glam it up at the Barnes & Noble in Birmingham, Ala. The author and illustrator team’s latest books in the franchise are Fancy Nancy and the Wedding of the Century and Nancy Clancy: Secret of the Silver Key.

Allegiance and Laughter

Book People in Austin, Tex., hosted a May 10 joint appearance for the authors and illustrator of I Pledge Allegiance (Knopf). From l.: author Pat Mora, illustrator Patrice Barton, and Mora’s daughter and coauthor, Libby Martinez, share a laugh during an audience Q&A session following their reading of the book.

Who’s Bad?

It was a very good birthday for a very bad kitty at the Jefferson Market branch of the New York Public Library on May 13. Nick Bruel (l.), author and illustrator of the Bad Kitty series, was on hand to meet fans and celebrate the feline character’s birthday as well as Children’s Book Week. Joining Bruel in a photo with the guest of honor was his editor, Neal Porter.