Last month an actor celebrated her debut picture book; a graphic novelist launched her latest book with a virtual event; an author made a national book tour in honor of her duology finale; and a new book festival held its first annual event.
‘Perfect’ for You
On August 14, actor Jazmyn Simon visited Barnes & Noble at The Grove in Los Angeles for an event featuring her debut picture book, Most Perfect You (Random House). Simon held a storytime and signed copies of the book for guests. Illustrated by Tamisha Anthony, the book centers a Black girl learning to love and accept herself both for her physical characteristics and her inner qualities.
Graphic Novelist Hicks ‘Rides On’
Author Faith Erin Hicks (r.) celebrated the launch of her latest graphic novel, Ride On (First Second), with a virtual event hosted by An Unlikely Story in Plainville, Mass., on August 17. Fellow creators Gene Luen Yang (l.) and Kristin Varner (m.) spoke with Hicks about graphic novels, creative processes, fandoms, and horses and ended the evening with a q&a.
A ‘Sweet’ Tour
The release of The Book of Tea duology conclusion A Venom Dark and Sweet was celebrated by author Judy I. Lin with a national tour. Lin hit the road from August 19 through 21, with in-person stops in Seattle and Vancouver and a virtual launch event on August 22. Lin is pictured here (r.) at her first stop, at Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle, with authors Marissa Meyer (l.) and Margaret Owen (c.).
First-Time Festival Fun
The first annual Adirondack Family Book Festival took place at the John Brown Farm State Historic Site in Lake Placid, N.Y., on August 20. The festival, which focused on connecting children’s authors and illustrators with their audiences, featured panels throughout the day on subjects such as poetry in children’s literature, crafting characters, and the author-illustrator work dynamic. Pictured here (from l.) are Maxwell Eaton III, Amy Guglielmo, and Jason Chin.
