Join us May 23rd for our School Library Journal Day of Dialog virtual event! Our day-long program of author panels, in-depth conversations, and keynote talks will leave you informed, inspired, and entertained.  

Come hear about the hottest forthcoming titles for children, tweens, and teens, from nonfiction and romance to picture books and graphic novels. You can also visit the virtual exhibit hall to network with leading publishers, enjoy intimate author chats, and download digital galleys and other free resources.

Follow the conversation on X! #SLJDOD 

EVENT HOURS: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM ET

All live sessions will be on Zoom. Make sure to log in to your work or personal Zoom account before the day starts to avoid having to log in for each session. 

The Virtual Environment is optimized for 1024 X 768 screen resolution. Joining the environment with a cell phone is not recommended. Please make sure your computer and browser are up to date. Chrome tends to work best. The event platform does not support IE11 + Windows 7 or older versions. 

CE certificates are available in the event environment for all keynotes and panels, whether you view them live or on-demand. Certificates are not provided for sponsored content. 

If you are unable to join us on the live day, know that all sessions will be available for on-demand viewing within 24 hours, and the entire event will be accessible for three months from the event date.  

By registering for this event or webcast, you are agreeing to School Library Journal Privacy Policy and Code of Conduct Policy and agreeing that School Library Journal may share your registration information with current and future sponsors of this event.  

If you have any questions, contact the Event Manager. 

9:00 – 9:30 AM ET | The Exhibit Hall Opens / Visit the Booths

9:30 – 10:00 AM ET | A Conversation with Kyle Lukoff  
A look at the work of this prolific and versatile author and a peek at the first titles in his new SEL series, I'm Sorry You Got Mad & Just What to Do (Penguin Young Readers). 
Moderator: Jonah Dragan, Reviewer, School Library Journal

THREE CONCURRENT PANELS

10:05 – 10:40 AM ET | Caught In Between
Caught between cultures, parents, or friends, these middle grade boys are just trying to figure it out.  

Rob Harrell, Popcorn (Penguin Young Readers)
Lawrence Lindell, Buckle Up (Random House Children’s Books)
Shifa Saltagi Safadi, Kareem Between (Penguin Young Readers) 
Moderator: Brandi Grant, Librarian, Frisco ISD (TX)
 

10:05 – 10:40 AM ET | Comic Deliveries
A trio of humor-infused graphic titles for middle grade readers.

Jorge Cham, Oliver's Great Big Universe: Volcanoes Are Hot! Book 2 (Abrams) 
Matthew Erman, Heebie Jeebies (Mad Cave Studios/Papercutz)
Kirk Scroggs, Pet Wizards (Union Square) 
Moderator: Alea Perez, Youth Services Librarian, Forest Park Public Library (IL)

10:05 – 10:40 AM ET | Make Music Mine
The power of music to heal, to inspire, and to make us get up and dance has inspired many. Here’s a look at a few individuals who have moved us. 

Deidre Havelock, The Heartbeat Drum: The Story of Carol Powder, Cree Drummer and Activist (Abrams)
Robin Stevenson, Kid Musicians: True Tales of Childhood from Entertainers, Songwriters, and Stars (Penguin Young Readers)
Traci Todd, Make a Pretty Sound: The Music of Ella Jenkins (Chronicle) 
Moderator: Monisha Blair, Head Librarian, Key Middle School, Fairfax County (VA)

THREE CONCURRENT PANELS

10:45 – 11:35 AM ET | Dazzling Debuts
These new YA authors, writing in a range of genres, have caught our attention.

Anna Adams, A French Girl in New York (Wattpad Webtoon Book Group) 
Chatham Greenfield, Time and Time Again (Bloomsbury) 
Candice Jalili, Finding Famous: A Mashad Family Novel (Disney) 
Suja Sukumar, When Mimi Went Missing (SOHO Press)      
Emily Varga, For She Is Wrath (Macmillan Publishing Group/Wednesday Books) 
Moderator: Emmy Neal, Teen Librarian, Lake Forest Library (IL)
 

10:45 – 11:35 AM ET | Picture Book Nonfiction
A selection of titles introduces readers to the many places nonfiction books can take them. 

Lena Anlauf & Vitali Konstantinov, Genius Ears: A Curious Animal Compendium (NorthSouth) 
Sally Denmead, A Song for August: The Inspiring Life of Playwright August Wilson (Levine Querido)
Andrew Larsen, Gifts from the Garbage Truck (Sourcebooks) 
Carlos Pintado, HaiCuba/HaiKuba (NorthSouth) 
Leslie Stall Widener, Kindred Spirits: Shilombish Ittibachvffa (Charlesbridge) 
Moderator: Dr. Amina Chaudhri, College of Education, Northeastern Illinois University

10:45 – 11:35 AM ET | Play Like a Girl
Beyond the benefits of exercise, sports participation can offer lessons about teamwork, foster camaraderie, and lead to self-discovery. 

Hadley Davis, Not Yet: The Story of an Unstoppable Skater (Scholastic)
Hena Khan, We Are Big Time (Random House Children’s Books) 
Zahra Lari, Not Yet: The Story of an Unstoppable Skater (Scholastic)
Yamile Saied Mendez, The Beautiful Game (Hachette) 
Donna Tapellini, It’s Her Story: Billie Jean King: A Graphic Novel (Sunbird Books)  
Moderator: Heather Lassley, Librarian, Frisco ISD/ Trent Middle School (TX)

11:35 AM – 12:05 PM ET | Break / Visit the Exhibit Hall

Lunchtime Interludes
Sit back and enjoy these mid-day conversations offering a look into two artists' inspiration and work.

12:05 – 12:30 PM ET | We Got Work To Do
Carole Boston Weatherford in conversation with Mavis Staples, the subject of Weatherford’s forthcoming Bridges Instead of Walls: The Story of Mavis Staples (Penguin Young Readers)
Moderator: Shelley Diaz, SLJ Reviews Editor
 

12:35 – 1:00 PM ET | So Much Depends on a Yellow School Bus
Author and illustrator of the beloved “Otis the Tractor" series, Loren Long, will share an introductory video about the creation of his soon-to-be published The Yellow Bus (Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group/Roaring Brook Press), followed by a Q & A.
Moderator: Karen Grenke, Library Co-Director, Ecology Lab Co-Director, The Town School (NY)

THREE CONCURRENT PANELS

1:05 – 1:55 PM ET | A Strange Thing Happened…
New novels for middle grade and up invoke alien objects, ghosts, and mystery. 

Flora Ahn, A Brush with Magic (Quirk Books) 
Louise Hung, Hungry Bones (Scholastic) 
Wendy Orr, Out of the Valley of the Horses (Pajama Press) 
Karen Strong, The Secret Dead Club (Simon & Schuster) 
Jasmine Warga, A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall (HarperCollins Children’s) 
Moderator: Melissa Thom, Teacher Librarian, Bristow Middle School, West Hartford (CT)

1:05 – 1:55 PM ET | Books for Young Readers
Give early readers stories and characters that spark their interest, and you’ll create readers for life.  

Annie Barrows, Stella & Marigold (Chronicle) 
Sarah Davidson, Jackson's Wilder Adventures (Mad Cave/Papercutz) 
Rajani LaRocca, The Kids in Mrs. Z’s Class: Rohan Murthy Has a Plan (Hachette) 
Zandile Ndhlovu, Zandi’s Song (Amazon Publishing) 
Jolie Taylor, The Totally Not Boring Book of Feelings (Shadow Mountain Publishing) 
Moderator: Florence Simmons, Associate Editor, Generalist, SLJ

1:05 – 1:55 PM ET | New & Noteworthy Nonfiction 
Listen in, hone your booktalking skills, and watch the word spread about these fascinating—and informative—titles.

Gail Jarrow, Spirit Sleuths: How Magicians and Detectives Exposed the Ghost Hoaxes (Astra Books for Young Readers)
Lin King, translator, The Boy from Clearwater (Levine Querido) 
Hazel Mead, Why Aren’t We Talking About This?!: An Inclusive Illustrated Guide to Life in 100+ Questions (Interlink Publishing Group) 
Sam Nakahira, Ruth Asawa: An Artist Takes Shape (Getty Publications)  
David Dorado Romo, Borderlands and the Mexican American Story (Random House Children’s Books) 
Moderator: Justin Shannin, Digital Media Coordinator, Chicago Public Library (IL)

Afternoon Spotlights

2:00 – 2:25 PM ET | Lawyer, politician, voting rights advocate, and author Stacey Abrams (Stacey Speaks Up, HarperCollins Children’s) will discuss her NAACP Image Award-winning, empowering “Stacey Stories” picture books and more.
Moderator: Ashley Leffel, Librarian, Frisco (TX)
 

2:30 – 2:55 PM ET | Nathalie Alonso and Rudy Gutierrez, author and illustrator, chat about Call Me Roberto!: Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos (Astra Books for Young Readers), a picture book celebrating the Latin-American baseball hero.
Moderator: Dr. Sujei Lugo, Children's Librarian, Boston Public Library, Connolly Branch (MA)

3:00 – 3:25 PM ET| Join acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin in conversation with her editor, Kendra Levin, discussing her middle grade title, The Leadership Journey (Simon & Schuster), which examines the character and paths of four presidents who led the country through turbulent eras. 

3:25 – 3:55 PM ET | Break / Visit the Exhibit Hall

THREE CONCURRENT PANELS

3:55 – 4:45 PM ET | Cryptic Clues and a Few Dead Ends 
Delve into the action with tweens and teens who team up to solve mysteries. 

Alison Gervais, A Game Most Foul (Blink) 
Preston Norton, The House on Yeet Street (Union Square Kids) 
Mark Oshiro, Jasmine Is Haunted (Macmillan Children’s)
James Ponti, The Sherlock Society (Simon & Schuster)
Samantha San Miguel, Fathomless (Union Square) 
Moderator: Erin O'Leary, Middle School Reading Specialist, Horace Mann Middle School, Franklin (MA)

3:55 – 4:45 PM ET | It’s Love and War
Get swept into these YA fantasies and supernatural thrillers rife with conflict…and generous measures of romance.

Dana Claire, Hunterlore (CamCat Books) 
Sarah Dass, It Waits in the Forest (Disney) 
Hayley Dennings, This Ravenous Fate (Sourcebooks) 
Markelle Grabo, Call Forth a Fox (Page Street Publishing) 
Jordan Ifueko, The Maid and the Crocodile (Abrams) 
Moderator: Clair Quaintance, Regis High School, (NY)

3:55 – 4:45 PM ET | Spreading Wings 
Whether it’s participating in a neighborhood event, reaching out to a classmate, or joining a team, these new picture books explore some of children’s first friendships and experiences as members of a community.

Annemarie Riley Guertin, 123, Counting on Community (Familius) 
Rob Sanders, We Are a Class (Beaming Books) 
Traci Sorell, Clack, Clack! SMACK! A Cherokee Stickball Story (Charlesbridge) 
Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, Sister Friend (Abrams) 
Stacy Wells, Tana Cooks with Care (Capstone) 
Moderator: Amalia E. Butler, Librarian, Park Avenue School (NJ)

TWO CONCURRENT PANELS

4:50 – 5:25 PM ET | Super Powers
Hair-raising danger and mystery lie at the center of new middle grade novels by celebrated authors. 

Tracey Baptiste, Boy 2.0 (Hachette) 
Garth Nix, We Do Not Welcome Our Ten-Year-Old Overlord (Scholastic) 
Cynthia Leitich Smith, On a Wing and a Tear (HarperCollins Children’s) 
Moderator: Marva Hinton, Editor, The Horn Book

4:50 – 5:25 PM ET | They’re Complicated
Relationships, that is, especially when there’s way more to the story as these teens discover.

Alexis Castellanos, Guava and Grudges (Bloomsbury)
Alexene Farol Follmuth, Twelfth Knight (Tor Teen)
Kristi McManus, How to Get Over Your Best Friend’s Ex (CamCat Books) 
Moderator: Alicia Abdul, School Librarian, Albany High School (NY)

5:30 – 6:00 PM ET | Dangerous and Deadly  
A new book by Karen M. McManus, the author of the “One of Us Is Lying” titles (now a TV series), is cause for celebration. Join the author and her editor, Krista Marino, in a conversation about McManus’s forthcoming thriller, Such Charming Liars (Random House Children’s Books), featuring a pair of mother-daughter grifters.