Join us Thursday, May 19 at 7:30 PM in the Library’s Children’s Room for a chance to meet “reigning” Caldecott Medalist Sophie Blackall. She’s coming to talk about her newest project, illustrating a new chapter book series, The Witches of Benevento, written by John Bemelmans Marciano. The series, aimed at ages 7-10, focuses on five cousins and the way they outwit the many witches who live in their hometown of Benevento, Italy. 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….”

Blackall won the 2016 Caldecott Medal for her illustrations for Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear. The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the American Library Association to the artist of the “most distinguished American picture book for children,” and is regarded as one of the most prestigious awards in the world of children’s literature. Marciano, the grandson of Madeline creator Ludwig Bemelmans, has continued the Madeline series and also written several other books, including The Nine Lives of Alexander Baddenfield, also illustrated by Blackall.

At our May 19 event, Politics & Prose will be selling copies of Finding Winnie as well as the first two books of The Witches of Benevento series, but our program is free and no purchase is required to attend. Please join us for a rare opportunity to meet a Caldecott Medalist!

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