Picture Books are the BEST! For readers young and old! Join us on July 27th for the third annual SLJ Picture Book Palooza, an all-day, free virtual celebration of authors and artists dedicated to the extraordinary craft of picture books! Come for a day packed with keynotes, author panels, and illustrator spotlights with visionary creators. Visit the exhibit hall, chat with authors and publishing teams, download digital galleys & resources, and be prepared to be inspired as you build your collection. Register for the FREE event here.
See below for a sneak preview of all the picture book creators and books we’ll be featuring at this year’s event.
12:00 – 12:50 PM ET | Spectacular STEM
An otherworldly experiment, a hands-on opportunity to create an earthquake, and an inspiring story of an indefatigable scientist: new nonfiction books offer unlimited opportunities to spark your students’ curiosity.
Janice S. Harrington, Rooting for Plants: The Unstoppable Charles S. Parker, Black Botanist and Collector (Astra Books for Young Readers)
David A. Kelly, Tee Time on the Moon: How Astronaut Alan Shepard Player Lunar Golf (Astra Books for Young Readers)
Rajani LaRocca, Your One and Only Heart (Penguin Young Readers)
Lola M. Schaefer, Hands-On Science: Geology (Charlesbridge)
Jody Jensen Shaffer, Creep, Leap, Crunch! A Food Chain Story (Random House Children’s Books)
Moderator: Mandi Harris, PhD Student, University of Washington Information School
1:50 – 2:40 PM ET | The Art of the Picture Book
In addition to imagination, what tools do picture book illustrators employ? Artists working in a variety of styles and media share their thoughts, processes, and latest projects.
Sylvie Daigneault, The Imaginary Alphabet (Pajama Press)
St. Clair Detrick-Jules, My Hair Is Like the Sun (Chronicle)
London Ladd, You So Black (Simon & Schuster)
E. B. Lewis, The Walk (A Stroll to the Poll) (Abrams)
Daniel Salmieri, Before Now (Penguin Young Readers)
Moderator: Jess Schriver, PhD Candidate, Childhood Studies, Rutgers University, Camden (NJ)
3:40 – 4:30 PM ET | The Creative Response
Music, art, and dance can serve to/are vehicles to express joy and community, to inspire and heal, to protest and challenge. A selection of fiction and nonfiction titles focus on those who have found their voice through the arts.
Cátia Chien, On the Tip of a Wave: How Ai Weiwei’s Art Is Changing the Tide (Scholastic)
Angela Joy, Ordinary Days: The Seeds, Sound, and City That Grew Prince Rogers Nelson (Macmillan Children’s)
Aly McKnight, Why We Dance: A Story of Hope and Healing (Abrams)
Nikkolas Smith, The Artivist (Penguin Young Readers)
Rachel Werner, Moving and Grooving to Fillmore’s Beat (Capstone)
Moderator: Eric Carpenter, School Librarian, Parkside Elementary School (GA)
LOOKING FOR MORE RESOURCES?
Get a behind the scenes look at these amazing picture books by Black artists. See their studios, the art supplies they used, get a sneak preview of some inside pages, and more!
Looking for picture book biographies? We’ve got you covered! Download the interactive booklist and watch the book buzz on demand!