Special Events

Nancy Pearl presents "Book Buzz"
Wednesday, March 26, 10:30am - noon

Join Nancy and friends as they talk about some of the best upcoming books. Scheduled to appear: Virginia Stanley from HarperCollins, Talia Ross from Holtzbrinck, Nora Rawlinson from Hachette, and Marcia Purcell from Random House. This program is open to all registered conference attendees. Nancy Pearl speaks about the pleasures of reading to library and community groups across the country and recommends books regularly on NPR's Morning Edition, as well as local public radio stations in Milwaukee, Seattle, and Tulsa. She's the author of Book Crush: For Kids and Teens: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Interest; Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason; and More Book Lust: 1,000 New Reading Recommendations for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason, all published by Sasquatch Books. In 2004 she was awarded the Women's National Book Association Award, given to "a living American woman who has done meritorious work in the world of books beyond the duties or responsibilities of her profession or occupation." You can check out her monthly recommendations, Pearl's Picks, at many library websites. And if you just can't get enough of Nancy Pearl, don’t miss the YA Luncheon with Nancy on Friday, March 28. Sign up early! The luncheon is sure to be a sell out!

John Wood to keynote PLA Conference Opening Session
Wednesday, March 26, 2008

At the age of 35, Wood left an executive career track at Microsoft Corporation to form Room to Read, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping over one million children across the developing world break the cycle of poverty through the power of education. Since its start in 2000, Room to Read has sponsored the opening of more than 280 schools and 3,600 multi-lingual libraries across the developing world. The organization has distributed over 2.8 million children’s books and supports more than 2,300 girls with long-term scholarships. Room to Read plans to increase this literacy network to 20,000 libraries and schools serving at least 10 million children. Wood illustrates his experience with Room to Read in a recent memoir, Leaving Microsoft to Change the World (HarperCollins 2006), a book described by Publishers’ Weekly as “an infectiously inspiring read.” Translated into 10 languages, it is popular with entrepreneurs, philanthropists, educators, and internationalists alike. PLA thanks Highsmith and Brainfuse for their support of this event.
Click to watch a video of Wood describing how a trekking holiday in Nepal became a mission to change the world one book and one child at a time.

The Best In Mystery Authors Revealed!
Friday, March 28, 2007, 10:30am - 11:45

Presented by the Association of American Publishers, don't miss the twists and turns of today's premier mystery authors! Will they, or won't they, reveal their endings at PLA?

Some clues to their stories' finales might just lie behind the secrets of how they create their works.  Get an advance sneak peak into the plots everyone will soon be talking about, by hearing from the masterminds of literary sleuthing. Authors include:  T. Jefferson Parker, author of L.A. Outlaws (Dutton); C.J. Box, author of Blue Heaven (St. Martin’s Minotaur); Linwood Barclay, author of No Time for Goodbye (Bantam); Karen Rose, author of Scream for Me (Grand Central Publishing) and Laura Lippman, author of Another Thing To Fall (William Morrow/HarperCollins). Hosted by Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal.

Paula Poundstone to keynote Closing Session Saturday, March 29, 2008

Appearing on stage with a stool, a microphone, and a can of Diet Pepsi, Paula Poundstone is famous for her razor-sharp wit and spontaneity. Paula has been a fixture on the standup comedy scene for nearly 30 years. It took her eight years to write her first book, There’s Nothing In This Book That I Meant To Say. (Harmony Books, a division of Random House), because, “…I was writing it in real time,” Poundstone jokes. Part memoir, part monologue, Paula’s unique laugh-out loud book features biographies of legendary historical figures including Abraham Lincoln, Joan of Arc, and Sitting Bull, among others, from which she can’t help digressing to tell her own. Paula began fostering children in the early 1990’s, and went on to become a parent to three children of her own, Toshia 16, Allison 13, and Thomas E., 9, The family lives in Santa Monica, California. Due to a scheduling conflict, Kevin Nealon will not be able to attend the Closing Session.

A.R.T. (Authors Readers Theatre)
Thursday, March 27, 8:30 - 9:45am and 4:00 - 5:15pm

Authors Avi, Pam Munoz Ryan, Sarah Weeks and Brian Selznick present A.R.T. (Authors Readers Theatre.)  Readers Theatre takes many forms, but A.R.T. follows the tradition of the readers/actors standing on stage, reading from prepared scripts.  A.R.T intensifies the dramatic effect by bringing tales forward in a theatrical fashion.  These authors have reshaped their writing into a theatrical performance that they deliver with texts in hand.

Avi's many award-winning books for young readers include the Newbery Medal winner Crispin: The Cross of Lead, as well as the Newbery Honor Books Nothing But the Truth and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. He is the author of the beloved Poppy books, an animal adventure. His critically acclaimed novels include Don't You Know There's a War On? and the hilarious animal fantasy The Mayor of Central Park. Avi lives in Denver, Colorado.

Pam Muñoz Ryan has written more than 30 books for young people, including Siebert Honor Book, When Marian Sang, and the novel, Esperanza Rising, which received many accolades including the Pura Belpre Medal and the Jane Addams Peace Award. Most recently, Becoming Naomi León received the Tomás Rivera Award, and the Pura Belpre Honor. She is twice the recipient of the Willa Cather Literary Award for Writing.

Brian Selznick has illustrated many best selling and award winning books for children, including The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins by Barbara Kerley, which received a 2001 Caldecott honor. Brian has also written and illustrated several books, including the novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret (Scholastic in Spring 2007).

Sarah Weeks is an award-winning author of many children’s books. Her most recent novel, So B. It, was named an ALA Notable Children's Book and a Top 10 Best Book for Young Adults. She has also written the popular Guy series, including Regular Guy, Guy Wire, Guy Time, and My Guy, which is soon to be a feature film by Disney. Sarah grew up in Michigan and now lives in New York City with her two teenaged sons.