Children's Literature Breakfast set for Feb. 18
Roughly 600 children's book lovers, educators and authors will meet at Anderson's Bookshops' 15th annual Children's Literature Breakfast from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at Bobak's Signature Events, 6440 Double Eagle Drive, Woodridge.
The cost for the entire morning is $59, with full breakfast included. Advance registration is required by visiting www.abkidlit2017.brownpapertickets.com.
Attendees will have an opportunity to meet celebrated children's authors, including dozens of Illinois authors and illustrators of children's books.
Featured this year are three confirmed keynote speakers. There may be two additional guests announced soon. For updates, visit www.andersonsbookshop.com and click on the Anderson's 15th annual Children's Breakfast image at the bottom of the home page.
The confirmed speakers include Robin Preiss Glasser, the No. 1 New York Times best-selling illustrator of the Fancy Nancy series, written by Jane O'Connor. She also has illustrated "America: A Patriotic Primer, A Is for Abigail, and Our Fifty States" by Lynne Cheney, and "Tea for Ruby" by Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York.
Another confirmed speaker is Rita Williams-Garcia, whose Newbery Honor-winning novel "One Crazy Summer" was a winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, a National Book Award finalist, the recipient of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, and a New York Times best-seller.
The sequel, "P.S. Be Eleven," was also a Coretta Scott King Award winner and an ALA Notable Children's Book for Middle Readers.
Williams-Garcia is also the author of six distinguished novels for young adults: "Jumped," a National Book Award finalist; "No Laughter Here;" "Every Time a Rainbow Dies" (a Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book); "Fast Talk on a Slow Track" (all ALA Best Books for Young Adults); "Blue Tights;" and "Like Sisters on the Homefront," a Coretta Scott King Honor Book.
Williams-Garcia, who lives in Jamaica, New York, is on the faculty at the Vermont College of Fine Arts in the Writing for Children & Young Adults Program.
Confirmed speaker No. 3, Steve Anthony writes and illustrates picture books with themes ranging from saying "please" to the futility of war. Anthony decided to pursue his dream job by applying for a place on the Children's Book Illustration MA course at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, UK. His 2014 debut, "The Queen's Hat," was a project simply inspired by a photo he happened to see.
He has also written and illustrated several books, including the Mr. Panda series (a series of books about a grumpy but lovable panda that likes good manners), "Green Lizards vs. Red Triangles" (a story about war and peace), "Monster in the Hood" (a story about prejudice), and two Betty Goes Bananas books (both deal with temper tantrums).
He also illustrated a cover of the Famous Five series. Anthony's books have been translated into lots of different languages, and he's now working on future books in his little Swindon studio.
In addition, two dozen other children's authors will be in attendance, including: Jennifer Allison, Sarah Aronson, Barbara Belford, Jeffrey Brown, Carolyn Crimi, Lori Degman, Simone Elkeles, Michelle Falkoff, Jeff Fieischer, Mike Grosso, Gene Ha, Kate Hannigan, Danny Kravitz, Peter Kujawinski, Lisa Maggiore, Janet Nolan, Sherri Rinker, Barb Rosenstock, Aaron Reynolds, Adam Selzer, Liesl Shurtliff, Ruth Spiro, Sharon Biggs Waller and Anna Michels.
Participants also will learn about new award-winning and notable children's books; have an opportunity to participate in a book talk with Anderson's own Kathleen March, Beth VanCurine and Sara Mantia; have a chance to win raffle prizes; receive giveaways; and earn CPDU credits. Books will be on sale at the event as well.