Judy Blume, Natalie Portman, Marie Lu, Raj Haldar, Misty Copeland, and Kwame Mbalia Grace the Stage to Discuss their Upcoming Books
Norwalk, CT, February 18, 2020: Reedpop’s BookExpo today unveiled the lineup for the Children’s Book & Author Breakfast, its annual event that showcases several of literature’s most esteemed children’s and young adult authors. The Children’s Book & Author Breakfast (Friday May 29, 2020) continues to be one of the most sought-after annual events of BookExpo, drawing over 1,000 attendees each year for a morning of lively conversation with literary giants and celebrity authors. This breakfast is sponsored by Candlewick Press.
This year’s breakfast will be hosted by renowned author Judy Blume as she celebrates the 50th anniversary of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret., her seminal novel which famously confronts issues about religious affiliations and early adolescence. Blume will discuss the importance of the novel in her own life and how it influenced thousands of young readers. Additionally, as host of the breakfast, Blume will not only introduce the other authors, but will also moderate a discussion among them.
Misty Copeland, who made history by becoming the first African American female principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, will introduce the audience to Bunheads, the first in a series of picture books inspired by her own early experiences in ballet. In her first picture book since the bestselling and award-winning Firebird, Copeland tells the story of a young Misty discovering her love for dance through the ballet of Coppélia. The book, illustrated by Setor Fiadzigbey, boasts themes of teamwork, friendship, dedication, and hard work, as Copeland hopes children everywhere will be inspired to reach for their dreams.
Academy Award ® winning actress, director, producer and activist Natalie Portman will discuss Natalie Portman’s Fables, her upcoming book which retells three classic fairytales and imbues them with empathy and humor. Her new takes of The Tortoise and the Hare, The Three Little Pigs, and Country Mouse and City Mouse are perfect for reading aloud and are sure to become beloved additions to family libraries.
Raj Haldar, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of P is for Pterodactyl who’s also known by his stage name, Lushlife, joins the breakfast to showcase another hilarious fresh look at the English language. No Reading Allowed pokes fun at the English language, as it joyfully teaches young readers about homophones, homonyms, and tricky punctuation. This picture book’s illustrations provide clues to understanding the meanings behind wily words and confusing phrases, so readers will no longer be tricked by phrases like “C Major, it’s a beautiful key! / See Major, it’s a beautiful quay!”
Marie Lu, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Legend series, will introduce the BookExpo audience to Skyhunter, her new novel in which she imagines an immersive world broken by war, where danger waits around every corner and loyalty is life. Lu focuses on the evolution of the dystopian genre, how our relationships with these stories have shifted in light of real-world trauma, and how she hopes these stories can affect positive change.
Finally, Kwame Mbalia follows-up his best-selling Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky with Tristan Strong Destroys the World featuring characters from African-American folklore. Bestselling author Rick Riordan presents this second book in the Tristan Strong trilogy which features the title character, just back from a victorious but exhausting adventure in Alke, the land of African American folk heroes and African gods, suffering from PTSD but unable rest as he faces a new challenge of survival.
Taking place Friday, May 29, 2020, the BookExpo Children’s Book & Author Breakfast will again kick off the final day of BookExpo, the must-attend destination for the publishing industry.
“The Children’s Book & Author Breakfast showcases the diversity of genres, book types, authors, and publishers within the world of children’s and young adult literature,” said Jennifer Martin, Event Director of BookExpo. “We’re extraordinarily thrilled to have such a varied group of authors who will bring such unique and different perspectives to our show. We know all our attendees will walk away with valuable insights about how these books, and ones like them, can help their own bookstores, libraries, and retail shops.”
The Children’s Book & Author breakfast compliments an exciting line-up of children’s publishers and exhibitors on the show floor including Candlewick Press, Charlesbridge Publishing, Lerner Publishing Group, Disney Worldwide Publishing, Phidal Publishing, Cottage Door Press, Peachtree Publishing Company, Publications International, Melissa & Doug, and MerryMakers.
