While BookExpo spotlights literary celebrities and blockbusters, at its very essence this annual gathering is a manifesto for literacy. For children’s publishing, that means hooking readers early on and reeling them in for a lifetime. Below are several panels that do just that.
In Ready, Set, Read! (today, 1–1:50 p.m., Room 1E11) and Making Books Come Alive (tomorrow 2–2:50 p.m., Room 1E11), representatives from the publishing arms of Sesame Workshop, Disney Baby, and Phoenix International will explore how integrating technology with print books can engage young readers by providing a multisensory experience that encourages active participation in the story.
At the Rick Riordan Presents Imprint Launch (today, 2:45–3:30 p.m., Midtown Stage), Riordan talks about diversity in his new eponymous imprint at Disney-Hyperion for middle grade readers. “Plenty of young readers grew up with Indian or Meso-American or Korean mythologies, yet have never seen those stories spotlighted in a way that lets them see themselves reflected in mainstream culture. Such books will hopefully appeal to all young readers, whether they are learning about a different culture, or finally seeing their own culture valued in the stories and the authors we promote.”
Joining Riordan are two authors: Roshani Chokshi (Aru Shah and the End of Time) and J.C. Cervantes (The Storm Runner).
On the YA front, some of the biggest names in fiction will discuss common themes in their works. At You Trust Me... Right? (today, 3:45–4:30 p.m., Downtown Stage), Lauren Oliver (Broken Things), Victoria Aveyard (Red Queen series), Kendare Blake (Three Dark Crowns series), and Anna Godbersen (When We Caught Fire) will talk about budding romances, unlikely alliances, and betrayals. At Rise Up! (tomorrow, 3:30–4:30 p.m., Uptown Stage), Tahereh Mafi (A Very Large Expanse of Sea), Ibi Zoboi (Pride), and Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli (What If It’s Us), discuss resilience. Veronica Chambers, author of Resist, which profiles prominent activists, moderates.
At Social Media Stars as Authors (today, 4:45–5:15 p.m., Downtown Stage), three social media luminaries who are now published authors will discuss switching between platforms. Zach King, a magician, will discuss the second volume in his trilogy, Zach King: The Magical Mix-Up. Elizabeth Pipko, a model who used social media to launch the #PerfectlyImperfect campaign advocating a positive body image, will talk about her second collection of poems, About You. And Stacy Hinojosa, better known as StacyPlays, the creator of the YouTube series Dogcraft, will introduce her middle grade series, Wild Rescuers: Guardians of the Taiga, Book 1.
Spotlight on African American Children’s Books (tomorrow, 2:45–3:30 p.m., Uptown Stage) fills a need, says moderator Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati, director of the African American Children’s Book Project. “You have people of color on the covers of picture books, and you have people of color on the covers of YA novels. There’s such a demand for the same in middle grade.” Authors Sharon M. Draper, Varian Johnson, and T.R. Simon, as well as publishers Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson of Just Us Books, will discuss middle grade reads with diverse characters.
