The Brown Bookshelf at ALA 2019

ALA is always special. But this year, the 50th anniversary of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards, makes it even more meaningful. Get ready to celebrate and reflect. Check out the programs saluting this milestone – sessions honoring CSK books, an invitation-only evening gala, a reception honoring Dr. Pauletta Bracy, the CSK-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement Winner, Sunday social and the incomparable CSK Book Awards breakfast on Sunday morning. Visit here for information on all of the amazing events.

Several of us will be at ALA. We’d love to see you at CSK events and at our programs and signings.  The Brown Bookshelf session, Looking Back, Moving Forward, will be 1-2 p.m. Sunday. More details below.

Here’s our complete signing and session schedule (Brown Bookshelf members in red):

Friday, June 21

6  p.m.-6:45 p.m.  Jerry Craft signs New Kid. HarperCollins Children’s Booth #1219, Exhibit Hall.

Saturday, June 22

7 a.m.-9 a.m. Invite-only HarperCollins breakfast to meet authors and illustrators including Jerry Craft. Renaissance Washington DC Downtown Hotel.

Noon-12:50 p.m. Anthology editor Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich and contributors Hena Khan, Ellen Oh, Linda Sue Park, Ronald L. Smith and Rita Williams-Garcia appear in WNDB and Random House Present: The Hero Next Door, Stories of Courage and Compassion. Washington Convention Center, PopTop Stage, Exhibit Hall.

2:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Mix and mingle with Jerry Craft and other graphic novelists at the Graphic Novel Author and Illustrator Meet and Greet. Booklist Booth #1325, Exhibit Hall.

4 p.m.-5 p.m. CSK Book Awards Chair Elect Alan Bailey presents The Coretta Scott King Book Award Committee: 50 Years Strong! Kelly Starling Lyons is a guest speaker. Washington Convention Center, Room 143B.

Sunday, June 23

11 a.m. – Noon. Gwendolyn Hooks signs Ona Judge Outwits the Washingtons: An Enslaved Woman Fights for Freedom. Capstone Booth.

11 a.m.- Noon. Kelly Starling Lyons signs Sing a Song: How Lift Every Voice and Sing Inspired Generations and Jada Jones: Dancing Queen. Autographing Area (Table 3, Penguin). Exhibit Hall. 

1 p.m.-2 p.m. Looking Back, Moving Forward: The Brown Bookshelf Shines a Light on Black Children’s Literature.  Award-winning children’s book creators Gwendolyn Hooks, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich and Kelly Starling Lyons give concrete tips to help librarians include classic and contemporary Black children’s literature in their collections in meaningful ways that can enhance teaching and learning. Through personal stories, book talks, readalikes and activity suggestions, they share how books by Black creators of today stand on the shoulders of those of the past and why child and adult readers need both. Washington Convention Center, Room 144A.

2:30-3:30 p.m. Kelly Starling Lyons signs Going Down Home with Daddy books and posters. Peachtree Booth #1444, Exhibit Hall.