Author Isaac Fitzgerald to Present Keynote at Virtual Children’s Institute

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Isaac Fitzgerald, Photo by Alice Sola Kim
Isaac Fitzgerald, Photo by Alice Sola Kim

Isaac Fitzgerald, author of the children’s book How to Be a Pirate (Bloomsbury), will be presenting the keynote at the virtual Children’s Institute in July.

Fitzgerald is also the co-author, with Wendy MacNaughton, of Knives & Ink: Chefs and the Stories Behind Their Tattoos (with Recipes) and Pen & Ink: Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them (both Bloomsbury). As the COVID-19 outbreak began to affect indie bookstores, Fitzgerald sought public support for indie bookstores by producing a YouTube video to promote #SaveIndieBookstores and emceeing the #SaveIndieBookstores young adult tweet-a-thon, which raised $6,801 for the campaign, a donation that was matched by Rick and Becky Riordan, resulting in a total earning of $13,602.

While the American Booksellers Association canceled the 8th annual Children’s Institute due to the disruption of the COVID-19 outbreak, booksellers are invited to participate in a virtual program on July 15–16. Programming will feature a day of education on July 15 — including three education sessions, an Indies Introduce presentation, Fitzgerald’s keynote, and a virtual gathering — as well as a day dedicated to connecting with publishers on July 16. 

The event is open to all ABA member booksellers; registration will open in June. Watch upcoming issues of Bookselling This Week for details about programming and links to participate.

Children’s Institute will resume in person on June 16–18, 2021, at the Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa in Tucson, Arizona. Questions about the institute should be directed to [email protected]