Join these authors and illustrators at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books SCBWI LA booth. This year we are booth #518 by the Children’s Stage. Buy books and art, get autographs, and enjoy one of the largest celebrations of books in the country. We’ll see you at USC, April 22nd & 23rd. Insider tip: don’t drive. Parking is impossible. Take the train!
Saturday Signers | Sunday Signers
Saturday Authors and Illustrators
Click here to download a printable schedule
| Saturday | ||||||||||||||
| 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | |||||||
| (Click on a name in red for more information) | ||||||||||||||
| Glenda Armand 10 – 11:50 |
Joan Bransfield Graham 12 – 1:50 |
R.S. Mellette 2 – 3:50 |
Ruthie Briggs-Greenberg 4 – 6:00 |
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| Jennifer J. Chow 10 – 11:50 |
Benson Shum 12 – 1:50 |
Janet Tashjian 2 – 2:50 |
Kristin Riddick 3 – 6:00 |
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| Nancy Lorenz 10 – 12:50 . |
Diane de Anda 1 – 2:50 |
Robin Yardi 3 – 6:00 |
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Glenda Armand Signing Saturday from 10:00am – 11:50am After teaching grades pre-Kindergarten through twelve, and serving as a school librarian in Los Angeles, Glenda now keeps busy gardening, substitute teaching, and of course, writing. Her first book, Love Twelve Miles Long, was published by Lee and Low Books in November 2011. A New Voices Award winner about Frederick Douglass, it tells the story of his mother’s late night walks, twelve miles one way, to visit her son. Her walks, after having worked all day in the corn fields of her master’s plantation, let young Frederick know that he was loved. Her second book, Ira’s Shakespeare Dream, illustrated by Floyd Cooper, was published in 2015. It tells the story of Ira Aldridge and how the nineteenth century African American defied all odds and became a famous Shakespearean actor. Click here to learn more about Glenda Armand Purchase Love Twelve Miles Long and Ira’s Shakespeare Dream |
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Jennifer J. Chow Signing Saturday from 10:00am – 11:50am Jennifer J. Chow creates multicultural fiction with intergenerational drama. She enjoys writing in bespoke journals, kayaking near waterfalls, and inventing teen stories with fantastical elements. She lives in Los Angeles, where she hunts for all things matcha. Her short fiction has most recently appeared in Hyphen Magazine and Yay! LA Magazine. Her Asian-American novels include Dragonfly Dreams, The 228 Legacy, and Seniors Sleuth. |
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Nancy Lorenz Signing Saturday from 10:00am – 12:50pm I am the author of the YA book, The Strength of Ballerinas from Sweetwater Books. The Booklist review said that it would “appeal to inspirational fiction readers.” I also self-published a sequel, American Ballerina. By day, I’m a college adjunct with a Masters in Humanities and a BA in English. I’ve worked in network television, as well as publishing (Harper & Row / Harper Collins). I also belong to a writer’s critique group. Click here to learn more about Nancy Lorenz Purchase Nancy Lorenz’s books from Amazon and The Strength of Ballerinas from Barnes and Noble |
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Joan Bransfield Graham Signing Saturday from 12:00pm – 1:50pm Poet, children’s book author Joan Bransfield Graham’s Splish Splash and Flicker Flash—shape poems about water and light—inspire students to write their own poetry. Both books were SLJ Best Books of the Year and NCTE Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts, among many other honors. She also has a poetry/classical music CD— The Song We Chose to Sing. Her newest book The Poem That Will Not End: Fun with Poetic Forms and Voices is the opposite of Writer’s Block. Ryan O’ Brian can’t stop writing poetry (http://youtu.be/hCHXuZec6Us). Poem is a NCTE Notable Poetry Book, winner of the Myra Cohn Livingston Poetry Award, and recipient of a Eureka! Silver Award for Excellence in Nonfiction. Former U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate, Kenn Nesbitt said the book “belongs in every classroom and school library, and in the hands of every young reader who wants to know more about poetry.” A former teacher, Joan encourages students to think creatively. She’s given hundreds of presentations worldwide. Click here to learn more about Joan Bransfield Graham Purchase Joan Bransfield Graham’s books from Amazon and IndieBound |
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Benson Shum Signing Saturday from 12:00pm – 1:50pm Benson is an author-illustrator. He enjoys creating and telling stories through illustration and animation. Originally from Vancouver, BC, Benson relocated to Burbank, California to work at the Walt Disney Animation Studios as an Animator. He worked on such films as this year’s Academy Award®-winning animated film, “Zootopia,” as well as “Moana,” “Frozen,” and “Big Hero 6.” Benson has published his first children’s book Holly’s Day at the Pool with Disney-Hyperion, and is also part of the Disney artist showcase. He has also worked at various studios including Sony Picutres Imageworks, Sesame Workshop, The Moving-Picture Company (MPC), DHX Media, and Rainmaker. His inspirations come from his love of children’s book illustrations and observations of the little things in life. |
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Diane de Anda Signing Saturday from 1:00pm – 2:50pm Diane de Anda has written 5 picture books and 3 short story collections for children. Four of the picture books are bilingual (English/Spanish): Kikirikì, Dancing Miranda, A Day Without Sugar, and The Patchwork Garden. The last two and The Dessert Garden teach children about good nutrition via entertaining stories. The Immortal Rooster and The Ice Dove are collections of short stories for middle readers. The Monster in the Mattress is an English/Spanish flip book filled with five short mysteries. The books feature Latino children in stories to which children of all backgrounds can relate. The books have won several awards: Reading is Fundamental 2013-2014; 2014 Skipping Stones Honor Award; 2014 Paterson Prize; Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of the Year 2013; International Latino Book Award 2012; Texas Star Reading List 2012-2015. Dr. de Anda, a retired UCLA professor, has published short stories, poetry, essays and a flash fiction book, L.A. Flash. Click here to learn more about Diane de Anda Purchase Diane de Anda’s books from de Anda Bookshop, Amazon and Barnes and Noble |
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Janet Tashjian Signing Saturday from 2:00pm – 2:50pm Janet Tashjian is a middle-grade and young adult novelist who’s been writing books for children for twenty years. Her first novel Tru Confessions was made into a critically acclaimed Disney TV movie starring Clara Bryant and Shia LaBeouf. The Gospel According to Larry is a cult favorite and Fault Line is taught in many middle and high schools. Her My Life As series and Einstein the Class Hamster series were illustrated by her son Jake Tashjian. Her newest series Sticker Girl follows Martina Rivera and her magical sheets of stickers that come to life. Janet is thrilled to introduce My Life As A Ninja at the 2017 LA Times Festival of Books. Click here to learn more about Janet Tashjian Purchase Janet Tashjian’s books from Amazon and Barnes and Noble |
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R.S. Mellette Signing Saturday from 2:00pm – 3:50pm R.S. Mellette’s critically acclaimed first novel, Billy Bobble Makes A Magic Wand, has a sequel, Billy Bobble And The Witch Hunt, just released from Elephant Bookshelf’s Press. Prior to Billy Bobble, Mellette’s Sci-Fi short stories were published in the anthologies: The Fall: Tales from the Apocalypse, Spring Fevers and Summer’s Edge. Mellette is an Associate Director of Dances With Films. He wrote the first web-to-television intellectual property, “The Xena Scrolls,” for Universal Studio’s Xena: Warrior Princess. Mellette is a regional board member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Click here to learn more about R.S. Mellette Purchase Billy Bobble Makes A Magic Wand and Billy Bobble and the Witch Hunt |
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Kristin Riddick Signing Saturday from 3:00pm – 6:00pm Kristin Riddick is the author of 3 books in the Kat McGee Adventure series: Kat McGee and the Halloween Costume Caper, Kat McGee Saves America, and her latest, Kat McGee and the Thanksgiving Turkey Train. Kristin, like Kat, never met an adventure she didn’t like. She has acted in commercials, sitcoms, and webisodes. Her voice can be heard on television and in films, most recently in TVLand’s “Impastor” and HBO’s “Silicon Valley”, but you will never know it is her voice so it seems very mysterious. She teaches Pilates and spinning to stay sane, and because she thinks it puts people in better moods. Kristin is a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, and a graduate of The University of Virginia. She currently divides her time between Los Angeles and Austin with her husband, and they just began the greatest adventure of all—parenthood. To find out more go to www.kristinriddick.com, or join the KAT adventure at www.facebook.com/AKatMcGeeAdventure and follow on twitter @katmcgeebooks Click here to learn more about Kristin Riddick Purchase Kat McGee Saves America and Kat McGee and the Halloween Costume Caper |
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Robin Yardi Signing Saturday from 3:00pm – 6:00pm Robin Yardi is the author of the nonfiction picture book They Just Know: Animal Instincts, and the absolutely-not-nonfiction middle grade novel The Midnight War of Mateo Martinez. She loves animals of all sorts, homemade cakes, and kids! School Library Journal called her debut novel, “A fun, action-filled tale whose protagonist has a distinct and sincere young voice.” And the Kirkus starred review dubbed The Midnight War of Mateo Martinez, “A magnificent novel that defines what it is to be an older brother, a friend, and, yes, even a knight.” Click here to learn more about Robin Yardi Purchase The Midnight War of Mateo Martinez, They Just Know: Animal Instincts and Instinto animal: ellos ya saber! from Barnes and Noble Purchase Robin Yardi’s books from Amazon and IndieBound |
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Ruthie Briggs-Greenberg Signing Saturday from 4:00pm – 6:00pm Ruthie Briggs-Greenberg is an artist & author/illustrator. Her artwork currently is carried at Elena’s Fine Art Gallery in Laguna Beach & some of her work has been exhibited at other art exhibitions & galleries in SoCal. Her fine art clients include the Four Seasons Hotel Beverly Hills, the Sunstone Vineyard & Winery in Santa Ynez, multiple entertainment industry executives & producers. Ruthie is a member of the Soc. of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, the Lewis Carroll Soc. of North America, the Intern’l Women’s Writers Guild, the Nat’l Political Science Honor Soc., Pi Sigma Alpha (as a Political Science graduate student @CSULB), the American Watercolor Soc. She lives in LA with her husband & two children & one cat. Ruthie has a Masters in Fine Art from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Her first two children’s illustrated books, Felicity the Dragon and Sea of Echoes were published in 2015 by Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group’s Taylor Trade Publishing. Click here to learn more about Ruthie Briggs-Greenberg Purchase Felicity the Dragon from Amazon and Barnes and Noble and Sea of Echoes from Amazon and Barnes and Noble |