Macmillan's BLUE Announcement!
Book Expo 2018, NYC
Book Expo in New York City was so much fun today.
Got to sign tons and tons of books and meet so many wonderful teachers, librarians, parents, children, and friends.
So excited to share BLUE!.
Thank you to everyone at Macmillan Children's for everything!
with Matthew Cordell
Irma Black and Cook Prize Awards 2018
It was an honor to deliver the keynote speech at the Irma Black Award/Cook Prize ceremony at the Bank Street College of Education in New York City. Special thanks to Cindy Weill for organizing an incredible event, and congratulations to all the award recipients!
(photos by Cheryl Simon)
Amazing China Trip!
Recently, I was so fortunate to have spent almost a month in China, speaking at the Pudong and Puxi American Schools in Shanghai, visiting my 21st Century/Macmillan publisher in Beijing, and appearing at the incredible Shanghai Book Festival.
At the American schools, I had an absolute blast working with the children. An extra special thank you to Kimbra Power and Beth Rohrbeck for making sure every day was a joy. As a huge added bonus, I was able to spend some extended quality time with my good friend, author Chris Crutcher.
And everyone at 21st Century/Macmillan couldn't have been nicer. Jon Yaged (President of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group), Kristin Dulaney (Executive Director of Subsidiary Rights), and I had such a wonderful time. We visited the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, and had countless amazing meals.
Here are just a few photos from this most memorable trip...
Snow Scene Book Signing Event
Please join us for a book signing!
Friday, October 20, from 7pm - 8pm
Turn of the Corkscrew Bookstore, 110 N Park Avenue, Rockville Centre, NY 11570, 516-764-6000
Plum Creek Festival was a Blast!
What a wonderful time was had by all at the fabulous Plum Creek Festival, in Seward, Nebraska.
It was so much fun to hang out with so many friends, including Melissa Sweet, Philip Stead, Matthew Cordell, Kadir Nelson, Brandon Mull, Christian Robinson, Tad Hills, Jenni Holm, Matthew Holm, Lauren Castillo, Henry Cole, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Joan Bauer, and the absolutely amazing Patricia MacLaughlin.
Special thanks to Dylan Teut for making all of us feel so welcome, and for organizing this incredible event. He and his colleagues are absolutely wonderful.
BYU Symposium on Books for Young Readers
Great time in Utah, speaking at the BYU Symposium on Books for Young Readers, with Melissa Sweet, Matt De La Pena, Debbie Wiles, Jen Bryant, and Tess Hilmo. Special thanks to Gene Nelson!
Virginia State Reading Association Conference
Fabulous events at Virginia State Reading Association 30th Annual Conference, and Broward Public Library Conference on Children's Literature - special thanks to Anna Shaw and Lisa McClure!
Dog and Bear Board Books are here!
LOVE these new editions for DOG AND BEAR - board books, perfect for little ones!
Love Bayville Schools
So happy to visit Bayville Schools (again!). Thank you, Stefanie Lipsey, the wonderful staff, and all 400 incredible, smart, creative kids!
ILA 2016
Great fun meeting so many librarians and teachers at ILA in Boston. Shout out, for an amazing job, to Lucy Del Priore and Katie Halata at Macmillan, and Deborah Wooten and Amy Broemmel at ILA. And an added bonus was getting to hang out with my good friends, Steve Sheinkin, Candy Fleming, and Jack Gantos. Love these guys.❤️
Uniondale School Rocks!
Had a wonderful time this week with 144 utterly well-behaved, attentive students, and the amazing Dr. Brenda Williams and her staff at the truly special new PreK school in Uniondale, New York.
New Editions Now Available
Macmillan has just released new editions of BLACK? WHITE! DAY? NIGHT!, LEMONS ARE NOT RED, WALTER WAS WORRIED, and ONE BOY…
On sale now!
Simmons Childrens Literature Institute/Trustman Art Exhibit
Extremely honored to have an art exhibit of almost 40 paintings at the Trustman Art Gallery in Boston, and to give a presentation with Neal Porter at the wonderful Simmons Children's Literature Institute. Thank you Megan Lambert, Cathie Mercier, Susan Bloom, and everyone at Simmons.
Knoxville Children's Literature Festival
Fun time in Knoxville, Tennessee with Dan Santat, Jonathan Auxier, Erin and Philip Stead, and Gregory Christie (not pictured).
Bank Street College of Education
Great time speaking at the Bank Street College of Education "Building Blocks of Play" Conference, with Paul Zelinsky, Nina Crews, and Peter Reynolds. Thank you, Jenny Brown, for everything, but especially for letting us draw on the walls!
Pictured: Nina Crews, Laura Vaccaro Seeger, Jennifer M. Brown, Paul Zelinsky
Pictured: Paul Zelinsky, Laura Vaccaro Seeger, Nina Crews
Northern Illinois Children's Literature Conference
Great time at the Northern Illinois Children's Literature Conference, thanks to Melanie Koss and Gail Hayenga. And always fun to hang out with my friends, Peter Brown, Melissa Sweet, and Gene Yang.
The Voice
I am utterly honored and flattered that my friend, (Newbery Honor winner and National Book Award finalist) Steve Sheinkin, created this hilarious comic strip of a conversation we'd recently had while hiking together in Utah. So cool! Click to view on Betsy Bird's School Library Journal page.
SCBWI 2015
Omg, had an unbelievably wonderful time giving the Keynote speech at the SCBWI conference in New York City this morning. The incredible audience of artists and writers, more than 1200 of my peers, made me cry!!
Here's a photo taken by Neal Porter during the Illustrator's Intensive on Friday, with Peter Brown, David Ezra Stein, and Paul Zelinsky.
And here's another photo including Kwame Alexander (this year's Newbery winner), and The Fonz! And my best friend, Judes (far right).