Children’s Institute to Feature Reception With Authors

This week, the American Booksellers Association revealed the names of nine authors who will be taking part in the Children’s Institute closing reception on Monday evening, April 7, in San Antonio, Texas. Additional names will be announced in the coming weeks.

Similar to the Winter Institute’s very popular Author Reception, the Children’s Institute Reception With Authors will feature authors and illustrators signing books at stations around the room.

Participants in the Reception With Authors announced this week are:

• Rohan Gavin, Knightley and Son (Bloomsbury) — An Indies Introduce New Voices Spring pick
• Megan Frazer Blakemore, The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill (Bloomsbury)
• Don Tate (Illus.), The Cart That Carried Martin (Charlesbridge)
• Aaron Reynolds, Here Comes Destructosaurus! (Chronicle Books)
• Steve Jenkins, Creature Features (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
• Robin Paige, Creature Features (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
• Oliver Jeffers, The Day the Crayons Quit (Penguin Young Readers)
• Nancy J. Cavanaugh, Always Abigail (SourceBooks)
• J.B. Cheaney, Somebody on This Bus Is Going to Be Famous (SourceBooks)

ABA previously announced that bestselling authors Brad Meltzer and Tim Federle would be plenary speakers at this spring’s institute. Meltzer (I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln, Dial) will open the Children’s Institute on Sunday evening, April 6, with a plenary talk about the need for real heroes in children’s literature for both boys and girls. 

Federle (Better Nate Than Ever and Five, Six, Seven, Nate!, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers) will kick off Monday’s full-day schedule with a funny and interactive breakfast plenary on diversity. Federle will recount his journey from bullied teen to Broadway dancer to debut novelist, and share his secrets to turning weaknesses into strengths.

Monday’s programming also features educational workshops, a rep picks lunch, roundtable discussions, and the closing author reception. Topics will include managing successful book fairs in-store and off-site, working with publicists to set up author events both in-store and at schools, child development and literacy, and more.

Registration is open to booksellers at all ABA member stores, and all members — whether they are registered or not — are invited to enter their names in a drawing for publisher-sponsored scholarships to the institute.

The Children’s Institute conference fee is $79 per person and is nonrefundable. A maximum of three registrants are allowed per member business.

To learn more about the 2014 Children’s Institute and to register, visit BookWeb.org/ci2014.  All registrants will be entered into the scholarship drawing. Booksellers who are not registered should send an e-mail to ABC Children’s Group Manager Matthew Zoni by Tuesday, February 11, with “Children’s Institute Scholarship” in the subject line and include their name, the store name, and their position in the store. Scholarship winners will be announced in mid-February.

The host hotel is the DoubleTree by Hilton San Antonio Downtown Hotel, located at 502 West Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. in San Antonio. The ABA group rate, which is subject to availability, is $119 for singles and doubles from April 4 through April 11. Reservations must be made before March 7 and must be booked directly with the hotel. The DoubleTree by Hilton’s reservation number is (800) 560-7753, or rooms can be booked online through the hotel’s special CI reservation page. An ABA group code is required; see BookWeb’s Children’s Institute hotel information page for details.