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Press Release

OC Public Libraries Presents a Children’s Author Series

Young children learning and playing at school.

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. (June 5, 2024) – OC Public Libraries is proud to present a children’s author series featuring award winning and bestselling children’s book authors. This program series runs throughout the summer and celebrates literacy while showcasing multicultural books and the authors who write them. Attending an author event is a magical experience which allows readers to connect with the authors whose words have empowered, inspired, and entertained them.  Representation is crucial in fostering a sense of belonging and understanding, and through these diverse voices, children can see themselves reflected in the stories they read. By bringing this program series to life, OC Public Libraries hopes to spark a love of reading in our community and connect children and families to literature in a meaningful way. 

 

OC Public Libraries’ children’s author series will feature author talks along with audience Q&A sessions, which allow children and attendees to ask beloved authors questions, and book signings. To become strong readers, children require access to books; to help build home libraries, complimentary copies of the books will be available at the author events, while supplies last.

 

WHO: 

Mrs & Mr. Macleod – Monday, June 10 at 2pm at the El Toro Library 

Mrs & Mr. Macleod are the creators of the critically acclaimed picture book, How to Eat a Book, a Barnes & Noble Picture Book of the Year. 

El Toro Library 

24672 Raymond Way, Lake Forest, CA 92630

 

Sarah Mlynowski – Tuesday, June 18 at 11am at the Rancho Santa Margarita Library

Sarah Mlynowski is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author and coauthor of over fifty books for teens, tweens, kids, and adults, including the Whatever After series. 

Rancho Santa Margarita Library

30902 La Promesa, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688

 

Matt de la Peña – Thursday, June 20 at 1pm at the San Juan Capistrano Library 

Matt de la Peña is the New York Times bestselling, Newbery Medal-winning author of seven young adult novels and six picture books. His picture books, Last Stop on Market Street, was awarded the 2016 Newbery Medal. 

San Juan Capistrano Library 

31495 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

 

Pablo Cartaya – Monday, June 24 at 11am at the Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library

Pablo Cartaya is an internationally acclaimed and award-winning author, screenwriter, speaker, and educator. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, NBC, and on Oprah’s Booklist. His book, The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, is an American Library Association Pura Belpré Honor Book. 

Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library 

1855 Park Avenue, Costa Mesa, CA 92627

 

Ernesto Cisneros – Tuesday, June 25 at 2pm at the El Toro Library 

Ernesto Cisneros is the nationally acclaimed author of the novel, Efrén Divided, winner of the prestigious Pura Belpré Medal and two International Latino Book Awards, as well as an SCBWI Crystal Kite Award. As an author, he believes in providing today’s youth with an honest depiction of characters with whom they can identify.

El Toro Library 

24672 Raymond Way, Lake Forest, CA 92630

 

Minh Le – Tuesday, July 2 at 1pm at the Garden Grove Chapman Library 

and Tuesday, July 9 at 1:00 pm at the Garden Grove Main Library 

Minh Lê is the award-winning author of picture books including Drawn Together, winner of the 2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, and the Eisner-nominated Lift, and graphic novels such as Green Lantern: Legacy and Enlighten Me. In addition to writing books, he serves on the board of We Need Diverse Books and has been a contributor to a variety of national publications, including NPR, HuffPost, and the New York Times.

Garden Grove Chapman Library 

9182 Chapman Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92841

 

Garden Grove Main Library 

11200 Stanford Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92840

 

Lucky Diaz – Monday, July 8 at 1pm at the Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library 

Lucky Diaz is a bilingual, multi-Latin Grammy Award-winning, Grammy-nominated and six-time Emmy-nominated musician, children's television personality, and author. His work has been praised by NPR, Billboard, People, and the New York Times. He is a Parent's Choice Gold Award and NAPPA Award winner. In 2020, his album Buenos Diaz was named an official selection of notable works for children by the American Library Association. Lucky's debut picture book, Paletero Man, has been celebrated with starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and ALA Booklist.

Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library 

1855 Park Avenue, Costa Mesa, CA 92627

 

Mac Barnett – Wednesday, July 10 at 11am at the Tustin Library 

Mac Barnett is a New York Times bestselling author of stories for children. His work has been translated into more than 30 languages and sold more than 5 million copies worldwide. Mac’s books have won many prizes, including two Caldecott Honors, three New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Awards, three E.B. White Read Aloud Awards, and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award.

Tustin Library 

345 E. Main Steet, Tustin, CA 92780

 

Gordon Korman – Tuesday, July 16 at 1pm at the Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library 

And Wednesday, July 17 at 11am at the Tustin Library 

Gordon Korman the author of more than 100 children's and young adult fiction books. His books have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide over a career spanning four decades and have appeared at number one on the New York Times best seller list. 

Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library 

1855 Park Avenue, Costa Mesa, CA 92627

 

Tustin Library 

345 E. Main Steet, Tustin, CA 92780

 

Isabel Quintero – Tuesday, July 23 at 2pm at the El Toro Library 

Isabel Quintero is an award-winning author. Her young adult novel, Gabi, A Girl in Pieces, was the recipient of multiple awards including the Tomas Rivera Award, California Book Award Gold Medal, and the Morris Award for Debut YA Novel. Her picture book, My Papi Has a Motorcycle, earned the Southern California Independent Booksellers Association Award, Pura Belpré Illustration Honor Award, the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award, and many other recognitions. Her books have garnered many starred reviews and have been included in multiple best of lists including NPR’s yearly Book Concierge List, NYPL’s best of list, and the New York Times Best Books list.

El Toro Library 

24672 Raymond Way, Lake Forest, CA 92630

 

Sajni Patel – Thursday, August 1 at 1pm at the Tustin Library 

Sajni Patel is an award-winning author of women's fiction and young adult books. Her new book for young adults, A Drop of Venom, is a retelling of the Medusa myth steeped in Indian mythology and has received starred Publishers Weekly and Kirkus reviews. 

Tustin Library 

345 E. Main Steet, Tustin, CA 92780

WHY: 

OC Public Libraries’ mission is to provide access to information and promote literacy at all ages. Access to world-class authors inspires reading communities to connect with diverse and powerful role models in the literary world. 

REGISTRATION: 

No registration required. Early arrival is suggested. 

OTHER LINKS: 

OC Public Libraries Summer Reading site - https://ocpl.org/summer-reading-2024