On Tap for Children's Booksellers at BEA

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The Association of Booksellers for Children has released a rundown of programming for children's booksellers at next month's BookExpo America. Offerings include everything from educational sessions on serving the tween reader and the nuts and bolts of kids' bookselling, presented in conjunction with ABA's Day of Education on Tuesday, May 25, to some very special author events and ABC's annual Silent Auction.

Tuesday, May 25, ABA's Day of Education

At New York's Javits Convention Center

Serving the Tween Reader: A look at issues and best practices for this challenging children's category
12:45 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. in Javits Room 1E10

No reader is harder to serve than the "tween," ages 9-12. This is the cusp of adolescence, with a wide range of developmental needs, reading levels, and social issues. A panel of experts will discuss the definition of "tween" and examine such key issues as navigating content, interfacing with parents and teachers, shelving books, the role of outside services like Common Sense, in-store strategies for helping families navigate the challenges of this developmental period, and how publishers are approaching books for the tween audience.

The Nuts & Bolts of Children's Bookselling: A roundtable discussion
2:30 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. in Javits Room 1E12

Roundtable discussions will focus on day-to-day operational issues that children's booksellers rarely get a chance to discuss in a conference environment. Topics will include selection and shelving, creative display ideas, events, the mechanics of receiving and returns, managing coop, community networking and partnerships, and more. Each table will focus on a single topic, and seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Booksellers are encouraged to bring questions, ideas, and problems to share.

ABA's Day of Education is open to all BEA registrants. For complete program details, see BookWeb.org.

Tuesday Evening, May 25, The ABC Not a Dinner and (Mostly) Silent Auction

An evening with children's booksellers, at The Edison Ballroom 

ABC's annual evening of great art, wonderful speakers, and a celebration of being independent begins at 5:30 p.m. with a Silent Auction preview.

General admission is $79; the ABC bookseller discount is $59.

5:30 p.m Bar opens and (Mostly) Silent Auction preview
6:00 p.m. Keynote program, featuring David Wiesner (Flotsam, Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) and the announcement of the E.B. White Read-Aloud Award winners. Moderated by Michael Buckley (The Sisters Grimm series, Abrams)
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. (Mostly) Silent Auction opens for bidding

 

Register through ABC's Registration Page.

Wednesday, May 26, at BookExpo America

At the Javits Convention Center

Children's Book and Author Breakfast
8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. in the Javits Special Events Hall

The trade show's opening-day breakfast will feature:

Cory Doctorow, For the Win (Tor Books/Tor Teen)
Mitali Perkins, Bamboo People (Charlesbridge)
Richard Peck, Three Quarters Dead (Penguin/Dial Books for Young Readers)
Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, Helping Hand Books: Emily's First Day at School (Sterling Children's Books) as Master of Ceremonies.

Presented in cooperation with the Children's Booksellers and Publishers Committee (ABA, ABC, and CBC [Children's Book Council]).

Register through BookExpo America.

Speed Dating With Children's Authors
10:30 a.m. - Noon in Javits Room 1A10 - 1A12
Free and open to booksellers and librarians only, but advance registration is strongly suggested.

This event will feature quick get-to-know-you chats with up-and-coming children's authors and illustrators. Afterwards, participants will have the opportunity for longer discussions with authors who piqued their interest.

To date, participating authors include Heather Brewer (Penguin), Bryan Collier (Little, Brown), Eireann Corrigan (Scholastic), Beth Fantaskey (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), Adam Gidwitz (Penguin), Charlie Higson (Disney), Lauren Kate (Random House), Sean Kenney (Macmillan), Jonathan Maberry (Simon & Schuster), Carolyn MacCullough (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), Matt McElligott (Bloomsbury), Kate Millford (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), Daniel Nayeri (Candlewick), Mitali Perkins (Charlesbridge), Diana Peterfreund (Harper Collins), Matthew Reinhart (Candlewick), Karen Gray Ruelle (Holiday House), Bob Shea (Disney), Nadja Spiegelman and Trade Loeffler (Toon Books), Jonathan Stroud (Disney), Iza Trapani (Charlesbridge), and Maryrose Wood (HarperCollins). (Subject to change.)

Presented in cooperation with the Children's Booksellers and Publisher's Committee (ABA/ABC/CBC).

Register through ABC's Registration Page.


Thursday, May 27, at BookExpo America


ABC Annual Meeting
Noon – 1:00 p.m. in Javits Room 1E10 (Bag lunches welcome.)

All members of ABC are invited to the association's annual meeting for a review of 2009, the approval of new board members, and a discussion of ABC's ongoing conversation with ABA regarding a possible merger.

Tea With Children's Authors
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. in Javits Room 1E11
Tickets are $10, and advance registration is required. Open to booksellers and librarians only.

Attendees will have the opportunity to chat with some of the industry's brightest stars in a relaxed and casual environment. Each author will join a table of book enthusiasts for refreshments and an open-ended conversation about the author's life and work.

To date, authors scheduled to appear include Laurie Halse Anderson (S&S), Jan Brett (Penguin), Peter Brown (Little, Brown), Doreen Cronin (HarperCollins), Jennifer Donnelly (Random House), Russell Freedman (Holiday House), Cornelia Funke (Little, Brown), Geoffrey Hayes (Toon Books), Gordon Korman (Scholastic), Megan McDonald (Candlewick), Brandon Mull (Shadow Mountain), Richard Peck (Penguin), Sara Pennypacker & Marla Frazee (Disney), Rick Riordan (Disney), Peter Sís (Macmillan), and Carmen Agra Deedy (Peachtree). (Subject to change.)

Presented in cooperation with the Children's Booksellers and Publisher's Committee (ABA/ABC/CBC).

Register through ABC's Registration Page.


ABC in the ABA Lounge


ABC will be in the ABA Lounge (Room 1E07/08 of the Javits Convention Center) from Tuesday, May 25, through Thursday, May 27. Here, booksellers will be able to pick up an ABC membership sticker for their BEA badge, grab the latest ABC catalogs, get information on ABC events, browse galleys, and grab a drink and rest.

The lounge will also feature information about ABA products and services, the IndieBound movement, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, and more.

The lounge is only to open to bookseller members of ABA or ABC.