What is it like to work on early chapter book series? The award-winning writers and illustrator on this panel are here to tell us more! Donna Barba Higuera will introduce Don’t Eat the Birthday Boy!, the second book in her Unlikely Aventuras of Ramón and El Cucuy series, which takes place at Ramón’s monster-filled birthday party. The author of the thirteenth book in The Kids in Mrs. Z’s Class series, Mike Jung introduces Theo Chang, who must find a way to befriend his family’s newly adopted cat before they give up and take him back to the shelter in Theo Chang Is Not a Cat. Twirling in with another feline friend who wreaks havoc, The Princess in Black and its illustrator LeUyen Pham are back with The Princess in Black and the Kitty Catastrophe to share what it’s like to illustrate a series that has been in publication for over ten years. The fun never stops with the early chapter book series in this marvelous panel, moderated by Supervising Librarian Librarian Shani B!

From war-torn Sudan to the halls of elite prep schools, from a ship bound for uncertain shores to the pages of a hidden diary, the stories and poems featured in I Am the Moment refuse to look away from hard truths. Ten visionary young female authors of color tackle family dysfunction, religious trauma, displacement, the particular loneliness of being “the only one,” and more. Come hear from these brilliant young authors who remind us that hope isn’t about denying the darkness—it’s about lighting a candle to lead the way through.

I Am the Moment is the fourth anthology from Cinnamongirl Inc., a leadership development organization dedicated to empowering girls of color ages 8-18 to become visionary leaders. In a literary landscape where only 5-7% of published authors are Black, Cinnamongirl’s writing program creates spaces where young writers don’t just find their voices—they claim them.

Breakfast? NO! Sharing? NO! Clean diaper? NO! How do kids with big feelings tell adults what they want? The Baby Who Only Said No! by Sandra Salsbury is a hilarious picture book that will have parents and older siblings laughing along together as they try to get their own ferocious little one to say anything but NO!Eunice and Sabrina Moyle’s My Box of Feelings, a bright and colorful collection of six original mini board books all about feelings, will come in handy for any young one learning to identify, describe, and regulate their emotions. Anger, happiness, calm… what about love? Kati Douglas’ How We Love, a board book full of stellar photography and LGBTQA+ representation of real families and friends, shows love in action through sharing, hugging, showing kindness, demonstrating bravery, and stepping in to help their families and communities. Celebrate the joys and challenges of toddlerhood and independence at this funny and charming read-aloud, emceed by Cinnamongirl!

The Center for ArtEsteem (ArtEsteem) presents “Unleashing the Super Hero Within,” a panel exploring Executive Director Amana Harris’s curriculum Self As Super Hero: Handbook on Creating the Life-Size Self-Portrait.ArtEsteem students and teachers will engage in dialogue about today’s youth, their creative needs, and the Self As Super Hero curriculum as a critical catalyst of self-reflection, family and cultural research, societal assessment, and artistic development.

ArtEsteem is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 1989 to provide opportunities for personal wellness and creative expression in the Bay Area. Its core programs include academic day, after school, and summer arts education for K-12 students, community engagement through the traveling ArtMobile, public art projects, and professional development for educators.

The Self As Super Hero curriculum is a foundational aspect of ArtEsteem’s work, centering the student artist as they reinvent themselves to be the Super Hero they want to see in their communities. Students identify issues, both personal and in the world, and develop super powers based on their talents, the five senses, and objects of importance that can directly solve the problems they have identified. The 12 Principles of Attitudinal Healing are at core of this curriculum. Attitudinal Healing is a method for healing that helps individuals transform fears into experiences of self reflection for inner healing, and ArtEsteem encourages students to apply the Principles within their daily lives and artistic practice.

Big dogs, small dogs, happy dogs, scrappy dogs—let’s draw them all! Bethanie Murguia, author and illustrator of the graphic novel Wagnificent: A New Dog in the Den, will lead a fun and welcoming drawing workshop for all ages. Participants will leave with their own dynamic and charming dog characters.

From coils and long locs to waves and braids, caring for hair can bring families together! Although going to the salon can feel overwhelming with so many options to choose from, the little girl in Salon Saturday by Janelle Harper learns to see her own kind of beautiful during her first trip to the salon with the guidance of her Grandma, Momma, and Sissy. Tasha from Wash Day Love by Tanisia Moore used to dread washing her hair at home every week because it meant stinging eyes, aching back, and water everywhere, but the weekly ritual soon becomes a special bonding time for singing, dancing, and sharing stories with her sister, Mama, and Granny! This read-aloud, emceed by Cinnamongirl, is a joyful and vibrant celebration of Black hair, intergenerational love, and ever-evolving journeys of self-expression.

Join Isabella Kung for a swell time reading her latest book, Nunu and the Sea. She will share symbolisms within the book, how big emotions are as natural as storms at sea, invite the audience to create a drawing with her, and end by leading a breathing and movement exercise to conjure up a “storm” and help regulate ourselves. 

Middle School is not just about boring classes—it’s about becoming who you are and enjoying all the fun extracurricular activities to choose from! As with all new experiences, it can be tricky to learn how to fit in at first, but these Middle Grade novels will be there for you along the way. The observant Talia of the school’s newly merged coed math team in Talia’s Codebook for Middle School by Marissa Moss learns to navigate the struggles of jealousy, leadership, stage fright, and the mysterious girl-boy codes of a middle school math team. May Li is also no stranger to competition, and Kyla Zhao’s May the Best Player Win follows May’s competition to beat her jealous supposed-to-be-friend Ralph in their school’s chess tournament and be chosen as team captain for nationals. For aspiring actress Maggie Pierson from Maggie’s Big Break by Jennifer Dickinson, doing theater doesn’t come easy when her classmates begin to tease her about her stutter, and she must find the courage to keep chasing her dreams. With Children’s librarian Yesica Hurd leading the way, follow your heart to this session about the ups and downs of middle school life beyond the classroom!