May Author Programs
By Karen MacPherson
The Takoma Park Library has got a star-studded list of children’s authors and illustrators coming to visit in May, including 2016 Caldecott Medalist Sophie Blackall and best-selling author and humorist Dave Barry.
In fact, three wonderful author/illustrators will be helping us to celebrate Children’s Book Week (May 2-8) in a big way this year. Our Children’s Book Week celebration will begin with a program featuring picture book star author Mac Barnett on Tuesday, May 3 at 7 p.m. Barnett is the author of a number of hugely-popular books, including the Caldecott Honor book, Sam & Dave Dig a Hole, which was illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Jon Klassen. At our May 3 event, Barnett will talk about his new picture book, Rules of the House, illustrated by Matt Myers. In a last-minute addition, Myers also will be part of the program.
On Friday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m., humorist and kids’ author Dave Barry will read from his newest kid’s novel, The Worst Night Ever, a sequel to his popular book, The Worst Class Trip Ever. Barry gave a crowd-pleasing performance when he visited last year, and we expect this year’s program to be just as good. Note, please, that Barry’s event will take place in the Takoma Park Community Center auditorium.
We’ll wrap up Children’s Book Week on Saturday, May 7, at 3 p.m., when Caldecott Honor illustrator Molly Idle present the newest in her series of Flora picture books, Flora and the Peacocks. Idle also will do some drawing for the crowd.
Then, on May 19 at 7:30 p.m., we’re thrilled to welcome “reigning” Caldecott Medalist Sophie Blackall, along with author John Bemelmans Marciano, to talk about their new series, The Witches of Benevento. Our event offers a very special opportunity to meet a newly-minted Caldecott Medal winner; Blackall won the 2016 Caldecott Medal for her illustrations for Finding Winnie, which was written by Lindsay Mattick.
For the May 19th event, Blackall will be highlighting the illustrations she did for a new series of chapter books written by Marciano. Titled The Witches of Benevento, the series focuses on a five cousins and the way they outwit the many witches who live in their hometown of Benevento. School Library Journal noted of the first book, Mischief Season: “Magical spells and amusing characters with distinctive personalities, coupled with an engaging story with a twist, will captivate readers and leave them clamoring for future stories….”
Our final event of the month takes place on Friday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m. when graphic novelist Maris Wicks talks about her newest non-fiction comic, in the Science Comics series, Coral Reefs, Cities of the Ocean. Wicks won acclaim from critics and young readers for her work on two previous nonfiction comics, Primates and Human Body Theater.
All of our May author/ illustrator events are cosponsored by Politics & Prose Bookstore, which will sell books at each program. But all of the events are free, and no purchase is required to attend. Please join us!
This article appeared in the May 2016 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.
