The year has just started and it’s already been a busy one. A new picture book offers a celebration of culture; Jamar J. Perry launches a book steeped in West African mythology; Zetta Elliott presents the latest book in her fiery series; and authors discuss the importance of talking about tough topics.
Amah Faraway
Margaret Chiu Greanias shared her picture book, Amah Faraway (Bloomsbury), illustrated by Tracy Subisak, at an in-person launch on January 22 at Greanias’s local indie bookstore, Linden Tree Books in Los Altos, Calif. The reading was held outdoors and also featured a Lunar New Year-themed display.
Finding the Hidden Kingdom
On January 29, Jamar J. Perry virtually launched his Igbo-inspired middle grade fantasy debut, Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms (Bloomsbury). The event was hosted by Loyalty Bookstore in Washington, D.C., and included (clockwise from top l.) Perry, Kwame Mbalia (Tristan Strong series, Rick Riordan Presents), Loyalty owner Hannah Oliver-Depp, and Adrianna Cuevas (The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez, FSG). The lively Crowdcast was even attended by some of Jamar’s former middle school students.
Talon-ted Minds
As part of her Dragons in a Bag series, Zetta Elliott virtually presented the latest addition to her series, The Witch’s Apprentice (Random House), to third and fourth grade students at St. Louis’s Marion Elementary School last month. Students heard about why she became a writer, the themes in her books, and the publishing process. Afterward, each student was able to take home the first two books in Elliott’s series. The event was sponsored by The Novel Neighbor.
The World Upside Down
On February 2, Source Booksellers in Detroit hosted a virtual event in celebration of Covid-set middle-grade novel When the World Turned Upside Down (Scholastic Press), featuring author K. Ibura in conversation with Brandy Colbert, author of Black Birds in the Sky (Balzer + Bray). The duo discussed writing history for young readers, the importance of tackling tough topics, how their creative processes differ when writing middle grade vs. YA, and more.
