Recently, an author became part of a community; collaborators went on a book tour; authors helped celebrate independent bookstores; publishing professionals held a panel; fellow alumnae returned to their alma mater; and a nonprofit highlighted local writers.


On December 2, the town of Frostburg, Md., welcomed Will Hillenbrand as one of its own, celebrating his picture book Little Red (Little, Brown/Ottaviano) and proclaiming December 2 Will Hillenbrand Day. The author was made an honorary citizen and received a key to the city.


Traci Sorell (l.) and Charles Waters headed on tour last month to share their new middle grade novel, Mascot (Charlesbridge). On November 16, the collaborators made an appearance at Politics and Prose in Washington D.C., for a meet-and-greet with young readers.


Green Bean Books in Portland, Ore., welcomed Caldecott Medalist Doug Salati for a Small Business Saturday/Indies First event on November 25. Here, Salati speaks with a young guest after a live drawing demonstration for his award-winning picture book, Hot Dog (Knopf).


On December 2, Andrews McMeel hosted a panel at Los Angeles Comic Con titled “Let’s Talk KidLit.” (From l.): moderator Erinn Pascal, authors Terrance Crawford and Danielle McKechnie, illustrator Simon Estrada, author Joshua Pruett, narrative lead Dean Ravenola, and author Dora Wang at the convention.


On November 30, Barnard College hosted an alumnae panel that brought together authors and Barnard grads (from l.) E.L. Shen, Victoria J. Coe, Karina Yan Glaser, and Abby Hanlon. The panel, titled “Arts Focus: So You Want to Write a Children's Book,” centering the panelists’ unique journeys to children’s publishing.


Nonprofit organization West Virginia Public Broadcasting launched a new literacy initiative called Mountain Readers Become Leaders, highlighting a book from a local author accompanied by a week-long literacy celebration. The picture book Fallingwater: The Building of Frank Lloyd’s Masterpiece by Marc Harshman and Anna Egan Smucker, illustrated by LeUyen Pham (Roaring Brook), was the inaugural book selection for the initiative. Here Anna Lucarelli, a West Virginia Public Broadcasting volunteer, gives a reading to students.