4 Fantastic Online Author Talks for Kids, Teens & Families

Posted on June 13, 2024 at 5:30 am

July brings you closer to four fabulous authors of children’s and teens’ literature! These creators of wonderful stories—told though graphic novels, poetry in verse, and illustrated children’s books—make these summer author talks fun online experiences for the whole family to share.

Register to watch each author talk live and even ask questions. Archived recordings of these will be available after the live talks.

Kate DiCamillo

A Visit to Deckawoo Drive with Mercy Watson

For kids entering grades PreK–3

Visit Deckawoo Drive with everyone’s favorite adventure loving pig: Mercy Watson! We celebrate the publication of the final book in the Mercy Watson series. Newbery-Medal-winning author Kate DiCamillo shares the stories behind the creation of her early chapter book series, Mercy Watson, and the follow up series, Tales from Deckawoo Drive.

Kate DiCamillo is the award-winning author of over 30 books for children. She served as the 2014–15 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, appointed by the Library of Congress. Several of her books have been turned into movies, and one was even adapted as an opera.

ONLINE
Tuesday, July 9, 11am

Max Brallier

Surviving the Summer with “The Last Kids on Earth”

For kids entering grades 3–6

Would you survive a zombie apocalypse? Author Max Brallier talks about The Last Kids on Earth, both the book series and the animated series on Netflix. Max shares how he came up with the different monsters and villains as well as the unique ways that Jack and his friends figure out how to defeat them.

Max Brallier is the New York Times bestselling author of more than fifty books, including the middle-grade series The Last Kids on Earth, and under the pen name Jack Chabert, the Eerie Elementary series. He has also written books for LEGO, Adventure Time, Regular Show, Steven Universe, and Uncle Grandpa.

ONLINE
Tuesday, July 16, 11am

Elizabeth Acevedo

Learning the Power of Poetry

For teens entering grades 9–12

Elizabeth Acevedo provides a short reading from her National Book Award winning and New York Times bestselling novel-in-verse, The Poet X, serving as the backdrop for an amazing chat and Q&A session. The Poet X is about Afro-Latina heroine Xiomara Batista, who tells her story with blazing words and powerful truth. She feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking. But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy named Aman, who her family can never know about.

Elizabeth Acevedo is the author of numerous other titles, including Family Lore; With the Fire on High, which was named a best book of the year by the New York Public Library, NPR, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal; and Clap When You Land, The Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor book and a Kirkus Reviews finalist.

ONLINE
Tuesday, July 23, 11am

Dan Santat

Graphic Novels Are Life! Telling Your Own Story in a Graphic Novel

For tweens & teens entering grades 5–8

This year’s winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, Dan Santat discusses how tweens and teens can tell their own stories through graphic novels. His winning book, A First Time for Everything, is a graphic memoir based on his own awkward middle school years and the trip to Europe that changed his life.

Dan Santat began drawing as a young boy and although he first studied microbiology, he pursued his passion in illustration. He spent many hours as a child and teenager teaching himself to draw by copying illustrations from comic books until he developed the unique, recognizable style that we see today. His talk will inspire listeners to draw their own story as well as give them practical tips on the creation of graphic novels.

ONLINE
Tuesday, July 30, 11am

Tags: author talks, books, kids, online, parents, reading, SCLD Online Authors Series, teens, tweens