Join us and School Library Journal on July 17th for the fifth annual SLJ Picture Book Palooza, an all-day, free virtual celebration of authors and artists from around the world, who bring picture books to life with their extraordinary art. Register here for FREE a day dedicated to their craft and hard work, with a schedule that includes keynotes, author panels, and illustrator spotlights with visionary creators.
Scroll down for a preview of the who’s who and what’s what of Penguin books and creators at the show!
11:05 – 11:55 AM ET | All in a Day’s Work
Challenges, disappointments, and mishaps can derail a day, but perseverance, compromise, and understanding bring rewards.
Tracey Baptiste, Super Goat Girl (Penguin Young Readers)
Mary Rand Hess & Randy Preston, Bravo for Backstage (Free Spirit Publishing)
Constance Lombardo, Itty Bitty Betty Blob Makes a Splash! (Astra Books for Young Readers)
Paige Murray, Rosie’s Ranch Rescue (Zonderkidz)
Lisa Frenkel Riddiough, Embarrassed Ferret (Disney)
Moderator: Allison Tran, Library Services Manager, City of Irvine (CA)
1:30 – 2:20 PM ET | Lives and Legacies: The Artists
Stunning new books highlight visual artists, musicians, and a poet.
Derek Desierto, Matisse: Magician of Color (Macmillan Children’s Book Group)
Debbi Michiko Florence, Monster Maker: The Strange Creatures of Mark Nagata (Reycraft Books)
Erin Frankel, Mary Oliver, Holding on to Wonder (Astra Books for Young Readers)
Elizabeth Partridge, Imogen: The Life and Work of Imogen Cunningham (Penguin Young Readers)
Rekha S Rajan, That Swingin’ Sound!: The Musical Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong (Simon & Schuster Children’s)
Moderator: Dr. Amina Chaudhri, College of Education, Northeastern Illinois University
2:25 – 3:00 PM ET | From Those Who Know
Rooted in culture and family, and imparted by grandparents, these long-held traditions are finding their way to a new generation.
Tonya Engel, illus. of Gwendolyn Wallace’s Dancing with Water (Penguin Young Readers)
Jenn Moudahi, Charlotte’s New Moccasins (Charlesbridge)
Daniel Nayeri, A Knot Is Not a Tangle (Random House Children’s Books)
Moderator: Mandi Harris, Children’s Librarian and University of Washington Information School Doctoral Student
2:25 – 3:00 PM ET | Taking Time to Wonder
Three books invite children on walks exploring the sounds, smells, and sights around them.
Zeke Peña, Sundust (Penguin Young Readers)
Chris Raschka, I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea (Random House Children’s Books)
Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie, Ph.D., We Go Slow (Simon & Schuster Children’s)
Moderator: Ruth E. Quiroa, Ph.D., Associate Professor, National Louis University (IL)
3:20 – 3:45 PM ET | Authors & Illustrators in Conversation
Rachel G. Payne & Jose Pimienta, Let’s Rumble (Penguin Young Readers)
Moderator: Cecily Kaiser, Vice President & Publisher, RISE x Penguin Workshop, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers
OTHER BOOKS AND RESOURCES TO CHECK OUT
Teach life’s (big and small) lesson’s with books by Cori Doerrfeld! The creator of THE RABBIT LISTENED has a pitch perfect sense for big feelings and little readers. Get discussion questions and activities in this educator guide!
Success isn’t about avoiding mistakes – it’s about getting back up, trying again, and embracing the joy in every attempt, experiment, and discovery. Celebrate mistakes in your class or library with these great picture books!
Discover new picture books celebrating important moments and people throughout history—from civil rights heroes to creative trailblazers and scientific breakthroughs.