Candlewick Press will be kicking off Check It Out! A Candlewick Book Club at ALA Midwinter Virtual with New York Times bestseller The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person by Frederick Joseph as the first pick for the monthlong read-along. School Library Journal School Librarian of the Year Cicely Lewis will be our first host for this read-along, which will be starting in February. For this special kickoff, we are featuring a video conversation between Lewis and author Frederick Joseph at our online booth and on our YouTube channel on the opening day, Friday, January 22. Please be sure to tune in!
For Exhibitor Education Sessions, Caldecott Honor recipient and Robert F. Sibert Medal winner Juana Martinez-Neal will be speaking with fellow picture book artists Cat Min and Cátia Chien during A Seat at the Table: The Power of BIPOC Women Illustrators, a panel moderated by former Caldecott committee member Alia Jones. The illustrators will share personal stories of the women artists who continue to inspire them and reflect on ways to increase access and equity for other women artists. Attendees can also check out the PopTop Stage for a brand-new recording of the podcast The Yarn featuring a discussion between host Travis Jonker and picture book creator Jon Klassen. They talk about all things picture books, including Klassen’s exciting new title The Rock from the Sky, publishing this April. Don’t miss these great presentations!
For off-hour events, Candlewick will be hosting a special virtual preview with guests of honor Meg Medina, author of the Newbery Medal winner Merci Suárez Changes Gears, and Coretta Scott King Honor recipient Kekla Magoon on Sunday, January 24, at 6 PM ET. Sign up for the Candlewick CIRC e-newsletter on candlewick.com to get more information for this online event, including the registration link.
If you’re looking for sneak peeks at new titles, special giveaways, and new resources, please stop by Candlewick’s online booth. Attendees will also be able to chat with staff, so be sure to come and say hello!