Jeff Kinney, Mac Barnett, Jewell Parker Rhodes Join Children’s Institute Roster: Registration to Open Tuesday

The ABC Children’s Group at ABA announced this week that bestselling authors Jeff Kinney, Mac Barnett, and Jewell Parker Rhodes will be plenary speakers at the ABC Children’s Institute, to be held from April 19 – 21, 2015, at the Hilton Pasadena, immediately following the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.

Registration for the institute will open exclusively to members of the ABC Children’s Group at ABA on Tuesday, January 20. On February 2, registration will open to all bookseller members of ABA.

Kinney, who is opening a bookstore this spring in his hometown of Plainville, Massachusetts, will be the featured speaker at the Opening Plenary on Sunday evening, April 19. The Opening Plenary will be followed by a reception.

Barnett will present the breakfast plenary talk on Monday, April 20, and Parker Rhodes will be the keynote speaker at the institute’s closing event at 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday, the 21st.

Between its opening and closing, the Children’s Institute will offer the featured talk “Creating a Picture Book,” presented by two-time Caldecott Honor-recipient Marla Frazee and Beach Lane Books publisher Allyn Johnston; 10 breakout sessions; five roundtable discussions; a reps’ speed dating lunch; a Scholastic Meet & Treat After Party; and more.

Members of the ABC Children’s Group at ABA should watch for an e-mail on Tuesday with a link to the registration form and complete details.