Book Expo Goes Online

Image taken from website

Book Expo America (BEA), the annual conference for the publishing industry that usually takes place in the last week of May in New York City, has gone online as a result of the Coronavirus. For the next few days, industry professionals and avid booklovers can tune in online to author dinners, panels and book trends presentations.

Some of the highlights include a number of children’s publishing events which will be presented on Thursday and Friday. There will be five young adult and five middle-grade editors buzzing about upcoming books they are eager to introduce to readers; a panel of seven picture-book authors and illustrators spotlighting their latest creations; and six celebrated authors breaking bread together virtually while sharing the stories behind their upcoming publications, among them Judy Blume, who is celebrating the June release of Atheneum’s 50th-anniversary edition of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. The children’s author dinner will be held on Thursday, May 28 featuring Judy Blume, Misty Copeland, Raj Haldar, Marie Lu, Kwame Mbalia, and Natalie Portman.

BookExpo Online will conclude with Buzz Day on Friday, May 29 with adult, young adult and middle grade editors’ buzz panels planned, along with new picture book and new graphic novel showcases. According to Publisher’s Weekly, the editors’ buzz panels will be presented in an updated format that brings together a discussion between editor and author for each featured title. The adult buzz panel will feature editors from the major publishers, as will the YA and middle grade panels.

BookConline 2020 will offer fans a virtual gathering place to interact with a variety of authors. The two-day event will feature a full slate of Q&A’s and panel discussions with nearly 100 bestselling and debut authors including Judy Blume, Cassandra Clare, Zoraida Cordova, Mike Curato, Jenny Han, Jodi Picoult, and Nic Stone discussing topics such as the new age of superheroes, LGBTQ characters in YA and middle grade literature, and social justice.

All BookExpo Online programming is viewable on the BookExpo Facebook page, and all BookConline programming is viewable on the BookCon Facebook page and BookCon Facebook group and will be archived on YouTube.