The Africana Access Review, a program dedicated to reviewing children’s books about Africa, annually gives out awards to the best children’s and YA books on Africa. This year, One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of Gambia, written by Miranda Paul and illustrated by Liz Zunon, has been chosen by this committe to receive a Children’s African Book Honor. Liz Zunon will be attending a dinner to honor the awarded authors and illustrators is being held tomorrow, October 7th, at Busboys and Poets in Washington D.C. Those interested in attending can RSVP here. Saturday October 8th, Liz will be signing copies of One Plastic Bag at the 24th Annual Children’s Africana Book Awards Festival at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art. This event is free to the public. Liz will be available for signings from 11 am to 2 pm. For more information, see the flyer below. If you haven’t read this inspirational and true book yet, you can purchase One Plastic Bag online here.
Connie Morrison, author of the picture book I Got the Rhythm, will be featured in the third part of the Artist Talk Brunch Series at the Ode to Babel in Brooklyn, NY. Along with five other authors and illustrators, Connie will discuss critiquing and what is needed to create a work. The event will occur October 16th with an admission fee of $25. Admission is free for high school students who bring their school ID with them. Make sure to stop by if you’re in the area! You can purchase tickets at Ode to Babel’s site here.
The town of Brentwood, CA, is holding a StoryWalk event from September 10 to October 1, featuring Michael Slack‘s picture book Monkey Truck. A StoryWalk is an event in which individual pages from a storybook are set out at special stops across a park or town so that participants can read the story as they take a peaceful walk by themselves or with their family. On the last day of the StoryWalk, California local Michael Slack will visit Brentwood himself, guiding anyone who wishes to join in through the StorkWalk and finally stopping by the community center for an author talk and book signing. Anyone in the Brentwood area October first should stop by to join the walk and say hi to Michael! Find out more about the Brentwood StoryWalk event here. If you haven’t read Monkey Truck yet, you can order it online here!
Mr. Puffball: Stunt Cat Across America, the next book in Constance Lombardo‘s illustrated middle grade novel series is available for purr-chase as of today! In the latest volume in the aspiring movie star cat’s adventures, Mr. Puffball, El Gato, and his other friends travel across America to promote their newest movie. Tom Angleberger, New York Times bestselling author of Origami Yoda, calls Mr. Puffball “too crazy to resist!” Check out the Mr. Puffball book trailer below. Order Mr. Puffball online here.
This Friday (9/23) Sarah Dillard, author and illustrator of the Extraordinary Warren and Mouse Scouts series, will be returning to her hometown of Harvard, MA to participate in one of their Warner Free Lectures. She and two other locally born children’s author/illustrators will join in a discussion about their work and the influence their home had on their books, as well as answering audience questions. There will also be a book signing afterward. Sarah is excited to participate in this lecture series, which she says she remembers from when she was a child herself. You can find out more details about the lecture here.
This weekend is Speak Like a Pirate weekend at Bel and Bunna’s bookstore in Lafayette, CA, so of course you can find Michael Slack and the Pirasaurs there this weekend (9/17-18). Michael will do a reading and signing of his new picture book, Pirasaurs!, written by Josh Funk and illustrated by Michael. He’ll also do drawings and, obviously, he’ll speak like a pirate. He’ll be at Bel and Bunna’s from 11 am to 2 pm, so be sure to drop by if you’re in the area! You can read more about the event on Bel and Bunna’s website. Pirasaurs! can be ordered online here.
