This week, Chelsea Clinton inspires readers; Kwame Alexander goes wild; Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston look snazzy in Bologna; R.J. Palacio celebrates a milestone and a new picture book; Drew Daywalt gets some pointers from a fan; and Adam Gidwitz celebrates his newest novel with music.
A Visit from a First Daughter
Chelsea Clinton launched the paperback edition of It’s Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired, & Get Going! (Puffin) at Housing Works Bookstore in New York on April 4. More than 250 people attended the event, which included a presentation by Clinton, followed by a Q&A and book signing.
Speak No Evil
Kwame Alexander read from Animal Ark: Celebrating our Wild World in Poetry and Pictures (National Geographic), his book of poetry, at an April 4 event in Washington, D.C. Pictures of the animals in the book, taken by photographer Joel Sartore, appeared in slides behind Alexander as he presented. The event was co-sponsored by First Book, the professional services firm KPMG, and National Geographic. First Book members in attendance each received an autographed copy of the book and 15 select members won $75 in credits, provided by KPMG, for use at the First Book Marketplace.
When in Bologna
Oliver Jeffers (l.) and Sam Winston attended last week’s Bologna Children’s Fair.While there, they accepted the BolognaRaggazzi award for A Child of Books (Candlewick) in the fiction category. The award honors children’s books with the best graphic and editorial production. Here, Jeffers and Winston show off their wares.
A ‘Wonder’-ful Celebration
Author R.J. Palacio celebrated the fifth anniversary of her middle grade novel, Wonder, as well as the release of her first picture book, We’re All Wonders. The celebratory cocktail party was held at Random House headquarters. Attendees, including booksellers and teachers, brought gifts to donate to the nonprofit organization MyFace, which benefits children with facial differences similar to Auggie’s, the protagonist of Wonder.
Getting Down to Business
Drew Daywalt kicked off his tour for The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors, illustrated by Adam Rex, in Texas on April 4. While at the Barnes & Noble in The Woodlands, Daywalt consulted with a young attendee/future CEO. Daywalt will continue his tour through April and into May, with stops in the Midwest and on the West Coast.
Going Medieval
On April 1, Thalia Kids’ Book Club at Symphony Space in New York City welcomed Adam Gidwitz (r.), who spoke about his latest novel, The Inquisitor’s Tale (Or, the Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog), illustrated by Hatem Aly. Joining Gidwitz on stage was medieval musician Benjamin Bagby, who performed for the audience.
