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Author Events for Kids, Tweens and Teens – 2019
Catch live presentations from some of the hottest authors for kids and young adults.
Looking for events in Children’s Alley, including storytellers, arts and crafts, live music and more?
Past Events
November 2019
Picture Book Author: Edwidge Danticat
When a child wakes up feeling sick, her remedy includes a yummy cup of hot chocolate, a cozy bubble-bath, and unlimited snuggles. My Mommy Medicine can heal all woes and make any day the BEST day!…
Author Mark Kurlansky: Bugs in Danger
By now you’ve probably heard that bees are disappearing—but they aren’t the only ones at risk. Fireflies, butterflies, and ladybugs are in danger too. Learn just how much the growth, spread, and recent declines of these four types of insects matters to our world. In conversation with Rev. Linda P. Freeman.…
Whodunit: Murder, Mayhem, and Mystery
In Ann Dávila Cardinal’s Five Midnights, clues to a series of murders sweeping through Puerto Rico all point to the impossible. The murder mystery in Maureen Johnson’s Truly Devious trilogy, has more twists and turns than Stevie Bell ever expected. Fans of the CLUE board game will love Diana Peterfreund’s In the Hall with the Knife, in which nothing is as it seems, and everyone has a motive for murder. Moderated by Oline Codgill.…
Picture Book Author: Susan Choi
In Camp Tiger, every year, a boy and his family go camping at Mountain Pond. Usually they see things like eagles and salamanders, but this year is different. This year, a tiger comes to the woods.…
Twistery History, Manifested Mythology
Lovely War by Julie Berry is a multi-layered romance during WWI and WWII recounted by the goddess Aphrodite. Kat Cho combines K-dramas and folktales with Wicked Fox, a nine-tailed gumiho who must devour the energy of men in order to survive. Jennifer Mathieu’s The Liars of Mariposa Island follows two siblings grappling with their mother’s experience as a teenage refugee fleeing the Cuban revolution. Asylum to America is granted to The Grief Keeper (Alexandra Villasante) only if she takes the grief of another into her own body to save lives. …
Myths and Legends: The Comics Edition
In Mike Cavallaro’s Nico Bravo and the Hound of Hades, Eowulf plans to slay Cerberus, which could accidentally unleash the hordes of the Underworld. Witness the wrath of George O’Connor’s Hephaistos: God of Fire as he creates a plan that will win him the respect he deserves. Jarod Roselló’s Red Panda & Moon Bear battle supernatural threats to their neighborhood with the power of science, magic, and a pair of very special hoodies. Moderated by Juan Navarro (The Goblin’s Heist –…
Fierce Fantasy:
Three indomitable fantasy authors join forces in a conversation you won’t want to miss. Featuring Stephanie Garber with Caraval #3: Finale, in which all games must come to an end; and Tahereh Mafi with Shatter Me #5: Defy Me, in which Juliette must choose to be a weapon or be a warrior. Moderated by Culture Shock Miami. G. Willow Wilson UNABLE TO APPEAR…
Trailblazers in History: On Making a Difference
Meet Jo Ann Allen Boyce, author of This Promise of Change and one of 12 African-American students who broke the color barrier and integrated Clinton High School in Tennessee. Kyandreia Jones provides a different view of history with Choose Your Own Adventure: Spies: James Armistead Lafayette, recounting the life of a slave turned spy and war hero for General George Washington. Moderated by Leslie C. Campbell.…
Picture Book Author: Julie Berry
Whether learning the best way to embrace the circumstances we find ourselves in each day or celebrating the unconditional love and joy in the promise of a new child, you’ll love these brilliant picture books!…
Avatar, the Last Airbender: The Rise of Kyoshi
Author F. C. Yee and animation series co-creator Michael Dante DiMartino of Avatar, the Last Airbender delve into the story of Kyoshi, the Earth Kingdom-born Avatar. The first of two novels based on the longest-living Avatar in this beloved world’s history, The Rise of Kyoshi maps her journey from a girl of humble origins to the merciless pursuer of justice who is still feared and admired centuries later. Moderated by Joan Hilty. …
Picture Book Author: Krystel A. Kanzki
La Petite Pétra: Haiti Discovery Series is a bilingual series in English and Haitian Creole that teaches children to read while learning about Haitian culture.…
Author Carl Hiaasen: Squirm
Billy Dickens’ dad left when he was four, but he has just found his dad’s address—in Montana. This summer, Billy will fly across the country, hike a mountain, float a river, dodge a grizzly bear, shoot down a spy drone, save a neighbor’s cat, save an endangered panther, and then try to save his own father. Sponsored by …
Remembering Your Roots: Not Just Your Average Rom-Com
Whether they’re caught between cultures or crushes, family and friends, these heartfelt, hilarious characters will sweep you off your feet. Featuring Nina Moreno (Don’t Date Rosa Santos), Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite (Dear Haiti, Love Alaine), and David Yoon (Frankly in Love). Moderated by Aurora Dominguez.…
Picture Book Author: Andrea Beaty
When Sofia petitions City Hall to turn a local landfill into a park, she’s told she can’t build a park because she’s just a kid. Down but not out, she sets out to prove what one kid can do in The Questioneers: Sofia Valdez, Future Prez. Moderated by Miami Moms Blog.…
A New Kind of Superhero
What would you do if you had the power to time travel? Or retrieve things (and people) from anywhere in time and space? What if your parents were real-life superheroes? Take a ride on the sci-fi side with Carlos Hernandez (Sal and Gabi Break the Universe), Peter Lerangis (Throwback), and Ridley Pearson (Super Sons: The Foxglove Mission)! Moderated by Leadership Academy.…
Picture Book Author: Serena Minott
Aya travels the world with her parents and her stuffed sloth buddy, Pete. Whether it’s Paris, London, or New York, you can read all about The Amazing Adventures of Aya & Pete. Moderated by Miami Moms Blog.…
Picture Book Author: Jeffrey Brown
New York Times bestselling author of the Darth Vader and Son series returns to the Star Wars galaxy with Rey and Pals, a collection of brand-new adventures starring young Rey and Kylo, Finn and Poe, Hux and Phasma, Rose and BB-8—all under the watch of Luke, General Leia, Han, and Chewie. Moderated by Miami Moms Blog.…
Award-Winning Readings: National Book Award Nominees: Young People’s Literature
The National Book Foundation’s National Book Awards recognize some of the most outstanding works of young people’s literature published in the U.S. each year. Moderated by Rita Mayer, Miami Dade Public Library System Children’s Librarian. Jason Reynolds, Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks Laura Ruby, Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All Hal Schrieve, Out of Salem Colleen AF Venable & Ellen T. Crenshaw, Kiss Number 8 Sponsored by …
Friendship, Family, and Finding Your Place: Hilarious & Heartfelt Stories
In The Rhino in Right Field by Stacy DeKeyser, a boy must keep his eye on the ball—and the rhino in the outfield—to join his local baseball team. Coding and music take center stage in Aimee Lucido’s Emmy in the Key of Code as the new girl tries to find her place in a new school. Rahul wonders if he’s truly good at anything in Maulik Pancholy’s The Best at It. Moderated by Ivy Rosettes.…
CANCELLED – Picture Book Author: Jamaica Kincaid
Three girls attend a party that has many fancy distractions. Two of the girls see something. The youngest does not, and has a hard time getting anyone to tell her anything in Party: A Mystery.…
Equality and Justice for All
In Troublemaker for Justice, Walter Naegle traces the life of Bayard Rustin, who was a major figure in the Civil Rights movement—arrested on a bus 13 years before Rosa Parks, mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., organizer for the March on Washington. In One Person, No Vote, Carol Anderson chronicles the 2013 Supreme Court decision that eviscerated the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and discriminated against African American participation in the vote. Moderated by Keshia Abraham.…
Unusual Heroes: Stuffies, Ghosts, and Warriors, Oh My!
In Liz Braswell’s Stuffed, a grandma-made sock animal is the last line of defense against nefarious shadow monsters. A girl searching for her father becomes an attorney for a ghost in William Lashner’s Elizabeth Webster and the Court of Uncommon Pleas. Katie Zhao’s The Dragon Warrior might just be a twelve-year-old girl, if only she can prove her worth. Moderated by Los Tweens & Teens.…
Picture Book Author: Bobbi Dick
Blanchette is a white toy poodle who lives happily with her human family—until they start adopting kittens. Find out what happens in 1+9: The Story of Blanchette. Moderated by Tara Gilani.…
On the Come Up: Women Who Slay
Join us for a conversation with powerhouses Brittany Morris and Angie Thomas! Slay follows a teen game developer as she battles a real-life troll intent on ruining the Black-Panther-inspired video game she created and the safe community it represents. On the Come Up follows Bri, who wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. With bills piling up and homelessness staring her family down, she no longer just wants to make it—she has to.…
Picture Book Author: Jason “Rachel” Brown
Karamo Brown has had to cancel his appearance at the Miami Book Fair. The event will still go on as described, featuring his son and co-author, Jason “Rachel” Brown. I Am Perfectly Designed is an exuberant celebration of loving who you are, exactly as you are. In this empowering ode to modern families, a boy and his father take a joyful walk through the city, discovering all the ways in which they are perfectly designed for each other.…
Author George O’Connor
Thrown from Mount Olympus as a newborn, Hephaistos has an aptitude for forging exquisite gifts and weapons, which earn him a seat back in the heavens. But he is not treated equal. Witness his wrath in Hephaistos: God of Fire as he creates a plan that will win him the respect he deserves.…
Author Ridley Pearson
In Super Sons: The Foxglove Mission, Jon Kent and Damian “Ian” Wayne, the respective sons of Superman and Batman, are on the run with their new teammate, Candace. While their quests threaten to divide the three of them, it’s only through teamwork and trust that they can succeed. Sponsored by …
Author Naomi Shihab Nye
2019 National Young People’s Poet Laureate Naomi Shihab Nye has collected one hundred original poems in Voices in the Air, honoring artists, writers, historical figures, and ordinary people who motivate us to live rewarding and graceful lives.…
Author Stacy DeKeyser
Nick has found his American dream—becoming a batboy for the local baseball team. There are just two curveballs in his way: his hard-working immigrant parents, and Tank, a terrifying 2,000-pound rhinoceros. Nick will need to keep his eye on the ball in The Rhino in Right Field.…
Authors Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite
When Alaine Beauparlant finds herself suspended from school, shipped off to Haiti and writing the school report of a lifetime, she finds herself flirting with Tati’s cute intern, experiencing Haiti for the first time, and discovering a family history loaded with betrayals, superstitions and possibly even a family curse in Dear Haiti, Love Alaine.…
CANCELLED – Author Jamaica Kincaid
Three girls attend a party to celebrate the publication of the first of the Nancy Drew mystery books. There are many distractions at the fancy affair. Suddenly, the oldest girl sees something. The other girl sees it too. The youngest does not, and has a hard time getting anyone to tell her anything in Party: A Mystery.…
Author Aimee Lucido
In Emmy in the Key of Code, coding and music take center stage as twelve-year-old Emmy tries to find her place in a new school and prove that she isn’t a wrong note, but a musician in the world’s most beautiful symphony.…
Author Brittney Morris
By day, Kiera Johnson is an honors student, math tutor, and one of the only Black kids at Jefferson Academy. By night, she’s secretly the game developer for an online multiplayer Black Panther-inspired video game. In SLAY, she must battle a real-life troll intent on ruining the game. Can she protect her game without losing herself in the process?…
Author Jeffrey Brown
Return to the Darth Vader and Son series with brand-new adventures starring young Rey and Kylo, Finn and Poe, Hux and BB-8, all under the watch of Luke, General Leia, Hann, and Chewie in Rey and Pals.…
Author Conor McCreery
Juliet Lives! The newest chapter of the award-winning Kill Shakespeare series flashes back to five months after the death of Romeo, where Juliet is mourning yet another loved one – her mother. Now Juliet must discover who the murderer is, lest she becomes the next victim.…
Author Jason “Rachel” Brown
*Karamo Brown has had to cancel his appearance at the Miami Book Fair. The event will still go on as described, featuring his son and co-author, Jason “Rachel” Brown. I Am Perfectly Designed is an exuberant celebration of loving who you are, exactly as you are. In this empowering ode to modern families, a boy and his father take a joyful walk through the city, discovering all the ways in which they are perfectly designed for each other.…
Author John Fitzgerald
El robo real que nunca fue y Qué problema con mi nombre son libros que apuestan por estilos diferentes, pero vinculados por el humor. El primero es una historia detectivesca con personajes animales y el segundo tiene como protagonista a un niño que descubre que un nuevo alumno de su salón de clases se llama igual que él. Con el apoyo de la Fundación Cuatrogatos, el Departamento de Educación Bilingüe y Lenguas Extranjeras de las Escuelas Públicas del Condado Miami Dade y Editorial Norma.…
Author Mike Cavallaro
At Vulcan’s Celestial Supply Shop, Nico and his friends provide “legendary service and expertise in all areas of the arcane.” But his latest customer, Eowulf, plans to slay Cerberus, which could accidentally unleash the hordes of the Underworld. Find out what happens in Nico Bravo and the Hound of Hades!…
Author William Lashner
Elizabeth Webster’s lawyer father is missing, and a ghost haunting her friend Harry is asking for her. Elizabeth soon discovers her family’s secret law firm, Webster & Son, Attorneys for the Damned. Demons and ghosts take the witness stand in Elizabeth Webster and the Court of Uncommon Pleas.…
Author Maulik Pancholy
When he starts middle school, Rahul’s grandfather gives him advice: “Find one thing you’re really good at and become THE BEST AT IT.” But what if he discovers he isn’t the best at anything?…
Author Nina Moreno
Don’t Date Rosa Santos (Disney-Hyperion) is her first novel. Rosa Santos is cursed by the sea-at least, that’s what they say. Dating her is bad news, especially if you’re a boy with a boat. But Rosa feels more caught than cursed. Caught between cultures and choices. Between her abuela, a beloved healer and pillar of their community, and her mother, an artist who crashes in and out of her life like a hurricane. Between Port Coral, the quirky South Florida town they call home,…
Author Andrea Beaty
When her Abuelo gets hurt, Sofia asks City Hall to turn the dangerous Mount Trashmore into a park, only to be told she’s just a kid. Down but not out, she sets out to prove what one kid can do in the Questioneers: Sofia Valdez, Future Prez!…
Author David Yoon
Desperate to be with his white girlfriend without his Korean parents finding out, Frank fake-dates his friend, who is in a similar bind. But now he’s left wondering whether he really knows anything about love—or himself—in Frankly in Love.…
Author Liz Braswell
In Stuffed, Clark’s mom attempts to rid the house of stuffies, which protect the house at night. Does Clark’s grandma-made sock animal, Foon, have what it takes to rid Clark’s house of all its monsters?…
Author Mónica Rodríguez
La tía Clío y la máquina de escribir cuenta las aventuras vividas por una niña cuando sale en busca de un tesoro junto a su tía Clío, una mujer intrépida y un tanto fuera de lo común. Con el apoyo de la Fundación Cuatrogatos, el Departamento de Educación Bilingüe y Lenguas Extranjeras de las Escuelas Públicas del Condado Miami Dade y Ediciones Ekaré.…
Illustrator Ramón París
Upper plaza of Children’s Alley La caimana, libro álbum con texto de María Eugenia Manrique e ilustraciones de Ramón París, narra la historia real de un hombre que “adopta” a un pequeño caimán en los campos de Venezuela. Cuando el animal crece, forma parte de su familia y los niños del barrio se divierten con él. Con el apoyo de la Fundación Cuatrogatos, el Departamento de Educación Bilingüe y Lenguas Extranjeras de las Escuelas Públicas del Condado Miami Dade y Ediciones Ekaré. …
National Book Foundation Presents the Teen Press Conference
High school students from Miami-Dade County Public Schools act as journalists, posing questions to the nominees for the 2019 National Book Award in Young People’s Literature. Since 1998, the Teen Press Conference has taken place at various literary landmarks in New York, including the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the Scholastic Auditorium, Brooklyn Borough Hall, and now for the sixth year, at the Miami Book Fair! Hosted by George O’Connor. Featured Authors: • Kadir Nelson,…
Teen Poetry Showcase
Northwest corner of N.E. 3rd Street and 2nd Avenue Teen Poetry Showcase featuring the powerful voices of Miami’s best budding new poets AK Kirkland, Kayra Serpenguzel, Christopher Badillo, Nasir Sims, and Lamaria Washington from Dranoff’s Piano Slam and writers from MBF’s Speak Up: Teen Poetry and Performance Program Alexandra Ceballos, Mitch Poole, Jessica Elkins, Jose Arriaza, Maria Arango, Melly Lopez, and Nathaniel Gordon.…
Author Angie Thomas
Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. But it’s hard to get your come up when you’re labeled a hoodlum at school, and your fridge at home is empty after your mom loses her job. On the Come Up is an ode to hip hop from one of the most influential literary voices of a generation. Moderated by Marva Hinton. Sponsored by …
