On December 4, some of today’s brightest children’s book creators gathered for a cocktail party in honor of the more than 500 authors, illustrators, and translators whose 2017 books received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. The event, which was held following the third annual Global Kids Connect conference, offered a chance for the publishing community to toast exceptional talent. We’ve gathered a selection of highlights from the festivities. All photos by Sean Sime.
(From l.): Nancy Carpenter, author of Balderdash, and guest; Sophie Blackall, illustrator of Finding Winnie; and Brian Floca, illustrator of Princess Cora and the Crocodile.
(From l.): Author-illustrators Eric Velasquez and Jerry Craft joined by debut author David Barclay Moore (The Stars Beneath Our Feet).
Christian Trimmer, editorial director of Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, with author Madeline Valentine (I Want That Nut).
Author-illustrator Steve Light (Swap!) and his wife.
(From r.): Husband-and-wife team Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr (The Real McCoys), joined by their baby—held by Krista Rafanello, senior marketing director at PW.
(From l.): Kristine Enderle, director of Magination Press; Karen Rayne, executive director of Unhushed and author of Girl: Love, Sex, Romance, and Being You; illustrator Nyk Rayne and daughter Vivian Rayne.
Members of the Penguin Random House team, from left: Kenneth Wright, v-p and publisher of Viking; Beverly Horowitz, v-p and publisher of Delacorte; Shanta Newlin, v-p, executive director of publicity at Penguin Young Readers; Elyse Marshall, director of publicity at Penguin; and Chloe Goodhart, brand coordinator at Penguin.
Authors Sandra Jordan and Brian Floca.
Cynthia Compton, owner of 4 Kids Books & Toys in Zionsville, Ind. (and PW blogger) chats with author Steven Guarnaccia (Cinderella: A Fashionable Tale).
Speed of Life author Carol Weston with her editor, Steve Geck, editorial director of Sourcebooks Children’s Books.
Andrea J. Loney, author of Take a Picture of Me, James Van Der Zee!
Fellow author-illustrators Sophie Blackall and Elisha Cooper (Big Cat, Little Cat).
Emma Dryden, founder of Drydenbks, with Jill Grinberg, president of Jill Grinberg Literary Management and a GKC 2017 panelist.
Erin Clarke and Nancy Siscoe of Knopf, with Knopf author David Barclay Moore.
Megan Abbate (l.), editorial assistant at Roaring Brook Press, and associate editor Emily Feinberg.
Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat designed the cover for this year’s Starred Reviews Annual; his cover art was revealed to much acclaim at the party. See you next year!
