In Brief: May 6

Don’t Forget: Next Week Is Children’s Book Week

Next week marks Children’s Book Week 2010— an annual event that has been running since 1919—as well as the third annual Children’s Choice Book Awards Gala. The Children’s Book Council has a list of official events taking place across the country on the Children’s Book Week Web site. Those unable to attend Book Week events in person can keep tabs on the various happenings by following the Twitter hashtag #kidsbookwk.

This past Monday night, author Rick Riordan was at the Brooklyn Museum of Art (home to a sizeable collection of Egyptian art) to celebrate The Red Pyramid (Disney-Hyperion), the first book in his new Kane Chronicles series, which is steeped in Egyptian mythology. The actors who narrate the Brilliance Audio version of the novel read excerpts, and Riordan took questions from the schoolchildren in attendance. On Tuesday, Riordan spoke to a sold-out crowd at New York City’s Symphony Space; he will be touring the U.S. in support of the book through next week.

Debut author Jessica Brody launched her YA novel, The Karma Club (FSG, Apr.) in high style with an event at Barnes & Noble in Valencia, Calif., that featured musical performances by singers Savannah Outen, Josh Golden, and Madisen Hill, and drew a number of teen/tween celebrities (click here for a video recap of the event). Here, Brody is seen with the cast of the Karma Club book trailer: (l. to r.): Leah Clark, Hill, Brody, Gina Cecutti, Nico Nevolo, and Megan Yelaney. Photo: Holly Clark, C Level Photography.

Brooklyn-based illustrator Stephen Savage is a father himself, so it’s fitting that he didn’t travel too far from home to celebrate the launch of his new picture book, Margaret Wise Brown’s never-before-published The Fathers Are Coming Home (S&S/McElderry, Apr.), in which a variety of animal (and human) fathers make their way home to their offspring. Brooklyn’s Abilene Bar was the site of the official launch party for the book. And earlier this week Savage made an appearance at Brooklyn indie bookstore BookCourt; here, Savage is seen with Evelyn Pollins, children’s event coordinator for BookCourt.

More than 50 children’s book authors and illustrators in the San Francisco Bay area gathered this past Saturday for the second annual Kids Otter Read Day, a celebration of the local children’s book community organized by the Northern California Children’s Booksellers Association. Area stores—including Copperfield’s Books, Cover to Cover, and several locations of Books Inc.—hosted readings and signings. Seen here, at a reception held at the Museum of Children’s Art in Oakland, are (l. to r.) Valerie Lewis of Hicklebee’s, author/illustrator Jim LaMarche, and Summer Laurie of Books Inc.

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators has received a $25,000 grant from Amazon.com to underwrite the SCBWI’s annual Work-In-Progress grants, which are given to member authors and illustrators to assist in the completion of their books for young readers. “The mission of the Work-In-Progress Grants has always been to offer our members tangible financial support as they create work for young readers,” said Lin Oliver, SCBWI’s executive director, in a statement. “We are so pleased to count Amazon.com as a partner in one of our most vital pursuits as an organization.”