These three local authors all have new picture books out that they want to share with you and the kids in your life: A Cat Like That by Lester Laminack, The Gift of the Broken Teacup: Poems of Mindfulness, Meditation, and Me by Allan Wolf, and Itty Bitty Betty Blob Makes a Splash by Constance Lombardo.

The panel will ask each other questions, read from their books, and do some interactive play (and drawing demos) to engage young readers. There will also be a Q&A to answer your questions about what it's like to be an author and/or illustrator. Giveaways such as activity sheets will be part of the fun. Great for babies to older kids, and for anyone who loves picture books!

Lester Laminack is a full-time writer and consultant working with schools throughout the United States. He is Professor Emeritus at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC where he received two prestigious awards for excellence in teaching. He is also the author or co-author of over 25 books for children and teachers.

Constance Lombardo is the author of the picture book Itty Bitty Betty Blob illustrated by Micah Player and the author/illustrator of three middle grade novels about Mr. Puffball. Her debut picture book, Everybody Says Meow, was chosen as an Anna Dewdney Read Together Award Honor book, as was Tiny Spoon vs. Little Fork, illustrated by Dan & Jason. She lives with her family and old beagle, Louie, in Asheville, NC. Plus she likes Pictionary.

Allan Wolf, a thirty-five-year resident of Asheville, now lives in Roanoke, VA with his wife, and his sister, and a dog named Mo. He is a Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist, two-time winner of the North Carolina Young Adult Book Award, and recipient of New York’s Bankstreet College Claudia Lewis Award for Poetry. He has three books coming in 2025: a poetry collection, The Gift of the Broken Teacup; a novel, Junius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of Doom; and a forthcoming nonfiction graphic novel, The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur which you can pre-order today, from Firestorm Books!

The organizer of this event marked it kid-friendly. 😛