Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander will present a keynote address on Children’s Books Day, May 26, at the 2022 U.S. Book Show, which will be held virtually May 23–26. Mo Willems will kick off the midday program in a keynote conversation with Tracey Keevan, editorial director of Union Square Kids, about his forthcoming The Pigeon Will Ride the Roller Coaster!

Following Alexander’s keynote, Jon Scieszka, author of The Real Dada Mother Goose: A Treasury of Complete Nonsense and the first National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, will moderate the PW Presents: Author Chats About Children’s Books panel featuring Chloe Gong (Foul Lady Fortune); Oliver Jeffers (Meanwhile Back on Earth); Justin A. Reynolds (Shot Clock); and Christina Soontornvat (The Tryout).

Kwame Alexander is the New York Times bestselling author of the forthcoming The Door of No Return. His 35 other books include the Caldecott Medal– and Newbery Honor–winning picture book The Undefeated, illustrated by Kadir Nelson; the Newbery Medal–winning middle grade novel The Crossover; Becoming Muhammad Ali, co-authored with James Patterson; and Rebound, which was shortlisted for the U.K. Carnegie Medal. Alexander is the executive producer and writer of The Crossover for the upcoming Disney+ series. He also co-founded LEAP for Ghana, an international literacy program.

Mo Willems is a three-time Caldecott Honor winner and New York Times bestselling author of more than three dozen popular picture books. He has also won two Theodor Seuss Geisel Awards and five Geisel Honors for his Elephant and Piggie series. Willems began his career as a writer for Sesame Street, for which he garnered six Emmy Awards. He has two series on the Cartoon Network and is developing new shows for HBO Max.

Other featured speakers at the U.S. Book Show's Children's Books Day include executives and editors from Abrams Children's Books; Algonquin Young Readers; Bloomsbury Children's Books; Candlewick Press; Chronicle Books; Dial Books for Young Readers; Henry Holt Books for Young Readers; Holiday House; Kokila; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Random House Books for Young Readers; St. Martin's Press; and more.

Learn more at the U.S. Book Show website.