Kwame Alexander and Carole Boston Weatherford Promote Literacy, and More News

Our clients are promoting literacy in events and books. Here’s their latest news…

EVENTS

Kwame Alexander
Kwame Alexander

Kwame Alexander will deliver the closing keynote for the Children’s Literature Day at the International Literacy Association 2018 Conference in Austin, Texas, July 23.

This year’s theme is “Be a Changemaker,” and the event is dedicated to past ILA Board of Directors president Dr. William Teale, a fierce advocate for children’s literature. Teale once said, “If I could create a campaign, I’d start one on making high-quality literature at the absolute heart of literacy instruction and literacy education.”

Also appearing at the Children’s Literature Day is Carole Boston Weatherford, who’ll be featured in the Early Reader Author Meet-up for discussions with educators.

REVIEWS

No Small Potatoes illustrated by Don TateThe latest picture book illustrated by Don Tate, NO SMALL POTATOES, has received a starred review from Kirkus. Written by Tonya Bolden, the biography is about Junius G. Groves, who the U.S. Department of Agriculture called the “Potato King of the World” in 1902. After he was born into slavery, Junius began working on a potato farm and through hard work and determination, eventually owned 500 acres and grew around 12 million potatoes in one year. The book is available now from Knopf.

NEW BOOKS

Jessixa Bagley will illustrate Karen Romano Young’s novel A GIRL, A RACCOON, AND THE MIDNIGHT MOON, which is set for publication in fall 2019 by Chronicle. The book tells the story of bookish Pearl, the daughter of a librarian, who lives in a fantastical version of New York City. When their local library is scheduled to close, Pearl teams up with an older boy, a tap-dancing new friend and a pack of uniquely skilled raccoons that live in the library basement to save the day.