11th annual Children’s Literature Conference set for March 1 at WWU

The English Department, Western Libraries and Woodring College of Education at Western Washington University will host four award-winning children’s authors/illustrators from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1 in Western’s Performing Arts Center Concert Hall at Western’s 11th annual Children’s Literature Conference.

The conference will include presentations from the authors and illustrators, lunch, book sales and autograph sessions.

This year, the authors visiting Western are:

  • Nic Bishop – Author and photographer of nature books for children, recipient of the 2011 ALA Sibert Medal for Nonfiction for Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World’s Largest Parrot, 2008 Sibert Honor and Orbis Pictus Honor for Nonfiction for Spiders, and 2007 Sibert Honor and Orbis Pictus Honor for Nonfiction for Quest for the Tree Kangaroo.
  • Jennifer Holm – Author of Babymouse series of graphic-novel series, recipient of the 2011 Newbery Honor for Turtle in Paradise, 2007 Newbery Honor for Penny from Heaven, and 2000 Newbery Honor for Our Only May Amelia.
  • Steve Sheinkin – Former textbook writer, current nonfiction author and recipient of the 2013 Sibert Award for Nonfiction, the 2013 Newbery Honor, 2013 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction and 2013 National Book Award finalist for Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon.
  • Laura Vaccaro Seeger – Author/illustrator, recipient of the 2013 Caldecott Honor for Green, 2008 Caldecott Honor and 2008 Geisel Award for First the Egg, and author/illustrator of the Dog and Bear series for beginning readers.

“This inspiring event has become a tradition for teachers and librarians, readers and writers, and children’s/young adult literature aficionados to celebrate and discover more about the process behind the books we love to read,” said WWU English Professor Nancy Johnson

The cost to attend is $125, inclusive of continental breakfast and lunch. Full-time students and retired teachers receive a discount. A conference flier and registration forms are on the conference website.

For more information, call Nancy Johnson at (360) 650-3227.