BROWARD COUNTY, FL - 2016 marks the 29th Annual Conference on Children's Literature and 14th Annual Ashley Bryan Art Series, a free, day-long professional development opportunity where librarians, teachers, writers, illustrators, storytellers, and parents gather to receive training and gain exposure to current trends in literature for youth and teens. The Conference will be held from 9AM to 4:30PM on Friday, April 29, 2016 at the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center, located at 2650 Sistrunk Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311. Registration will start at 8:30AM.

Broward County Library recognizes the crucial role libraries, schools, community centers and other youth serving organizations play in growing young minds, starting at birth. Therefore, the 2016 Conference on Children's Literature's theme is "Beginning with Books: Back to the Basics." 

Presenters:

Chris Schweizer is an award-winning graphic novelist and the cartoonist behind The Crogan Adventures, a historical fiction graphic novel series that has been nominated for two Eisner Awards, and The Creeps, a horror series. He received his BFA in Graphic Design from Murray State University in 2004, and his MFA in Sequential Art from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta, where he went on to teach for five years. He now spends all of his time making comics.

Jack Gantos  has written books for people of all ages, from picture books and middle-grade fiction to novels for young adults and adults. His works include Hole in My Life, a memoir that won the Michael L. Printz and Robert F. Sibert Honors, Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, a National Book Award Finalist, Joey Pigza Loses Control, a Newbery Honor Book and popular picture book series, Rotten Ralph. Several of Gantos' works and characters are also based on his life, such as Rotten Ralph, an aggressive cat he had as a pet. A Hole in My Life is an inspirational book that has helped many teenage boys in trouble.

Charles R. Smith Jr. is an award-winning author, photographer and poet with over thirty books to his credit. His awards include a Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration for his photographs accompanying the Langston Hughes poem, My People and a Coretta Scott King Honor Author Award for his biography on Muhammad Ali, Twelve Rounds to Glory. Many of his books have also garnered reluctant reader awards, proving that kids that don't like to read, do like to read his books.

Donna Washington is a professional storyteller, multiple-award-winning recording artist, and author. She performs all over the country at festivals, schools, and libraries and gives workshops for parents and educators as well. Her many storytelling recordings have received Gold and Silver Parents' Choice Awards, Storytelling World Awards, iParenting Awards, Children's Music Web Awards, National Parenting Publications Awards Honors, and many more. She is the author of The Story of Kwanzaa, A Big Spooky House,  Li'l Rabbit's Kwanzaa, A Pride of African Tales and she received a Parents' Choice Award for her recording, Live and Learn: The Exploding Frog and Other Stories.

The joint Conference on Children's Literature and Ashley Bryan Art Series is sponsored by the Friends of Fort Lauderdale Libraries, the Friends of the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center and the Broward Public Library Foundation. Funding provided by Broward County Public Schools through the Discovering Your Way Grant. The book vendor for the conference is Books & Books.
 
Participants must pre-register for this free Conference by April 22, by calling 954-357-7317 or online at the official Conference registration page.  

About Broward County Libraries Division
Broward County Libraries Division, named 2015 Library of the Year by the Florida Library Association, was founded in 1974 and is the largest library system in Florida by square footage and one of the busiest, with more than nine million walk-in customers visiting its 38 locations annually. Broward County Libraries Division provides convenient access to a full range of innovative and cost-effective services that satisfy the changing needs of the people of Broward County for information, education and recreation. Visit our website, Broward.org/Library, or follow Libraries on Facebook and Twitter.