ALA Awards and Weekly Event Listings

This morning the American Library Association announced the winners of a slew of young people's literary awards, including the Newberry, the Caldecott, the Printz, and the Alex, at it's midwinter meeting here in Philadelphia (this gathering didn't make last week's listing of literary doings because it's really a conference for librarians and while the general public can buy tickets, it's expensive even after you factor in the number of author appearances and signings). They did live stream the award ceremony, which is great for book news junkies like me.

Anyway, go check out the list of winners. It's nice to see books I love on the lists and I also got some new titles brought to my attention. I'm especially gratified to see that The Death of Bees, which is one  of the books I reviewed here (one of the few) get an Alex nod!

I've got a couple of reviews to post over the next few days of recently released and a couple of upcoming titles including Rebecca Mead's excellent My Life in Middlemarch, Matthew Quick's new adult novel, The Good Luck of Right Now, Rachel Cantor's debut A Highly Unlikely Scenario, and a YA book that's been getting a lot of good buzz, Grasshopper Jungle.

I have to run now, but in the meantime, there's lots to do in the Philly region this week!


Monday, January 27

Ransom Riggs | Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Location: Free Library, Central Library
Cost: Free
7:30 pm

Nancy Tillman
Towne Book Center
220 Plaza Drive, Suite B-3
Collegeville, PA
19426
6:00 pm


Tuesday, January 28

Susan Nussbaum | Good Kings, Bad Kings
Location: Falvey Memorial Library, Villanova University
Cost: Free
1:30 pm

This is the One Book Villanova selection for 2013-14

Good Kings, Bad Kings is a novel told from the perspectives of several characters who either work or live in an institution for young adults with disabilities in Chicago. Readers follow the characters as they deal with the hardships of institutional life and experience personal triumphs and tribulations.

Following the book signing, Nussbaum will participate in various other activities throughout the day.

Sue Monk Kidd | The Invention of Wings
Location: Free Library, Central Library
Cost: $15 General Admission, $7 Students
7:30 pm

Thursday, January 30

Tricia Ferrara | Look Both Ways: Parent With Possibility in Uncertain Times
Location: Wellington Square Books, 549 Wellington Square, Eagleview Towne Center, Exton PA,
(610) 458-1144
Cost: Free
6:30 - 8:00 pm

David Gilbert | & Sons
Location: Falvey Memorial Library, Speakers' Corner, Villanova University
Cost: Free
6:00 pm

Nancy Horan | Under the Wide and Starry Sky
Location: Free Library, Central Library
Cost: Free
7:30 pm

Saturday, February 1

Let's Play Books Grand Opening
379 Main Street, Emmaus, PA 18049
610-928-8600

Open 10am - All day specials! RSVP on Facebook and get a Special-Special that morning! 

1pm:  Special Guest Book Reading - A naturalist from the Wildlands Conservancy will be here to introduce us to an owl, and read the book "Owl Moon" by Jane Yolen. Donations will be accepted to benefit the Wildlands Conservancy.  

3pm:  Ribbon cutting, remarks & a champagne (or apple cider) toast! 

​3:30 - 5pm: Time to celebrate! Music, Arts & Crafts, Door Prizes, Raffles, Treats & Roll-Out of our many programs!

Black History Month Kickoff 
Location: Children's Book World, 17 Haverford Station Rd. Haverford, PA
Cost: Free
7:00 pm

Join us for dessert and discussion with four fantastic authors! 

Kelly Starling Lyons
Don Tate
Tameka Fryer Brown
Crystal Allen 

Learn more about these creators and their books at thebrownbookshelf.com, a blog dedicated to awareness of the myriad African American voices writing for young readers.

As always, please, please, if you know of an upcoming event that I missed, or an upcoming event that you want to be sure gets listed here, just let me know via a comment or by connecting with me on Facebook or Goodreads.