ALA 2009: Shots from the Convention Floor

Well, my darlings, I owe you an apology.  Here I am at ALA and the Gods of Wireless have decided to spit upon my miserable carcass.  The only place I have unfettered access is the third floor, conveniently right outside the door of the ALA Notables discussion.  So while I sit here typing I can listen in on their discussions of whether or not there’s a plot in The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate or who the audience is for The Rock and the River.

One lovely thing about the convention is that many a children’s publisher booth features this image of Kate and Kathy, as created by Brian Selznick. The yellow roses too. They’re for remembrance, yes?

Of course, Scholastic had the original painting in their booth:

This is what 500 Neil Gaiman Fans look like at an ALA Convention.

I passed them at 2:00 yesterday then circled back an hour and a half later. Seeing an equally long line I thought to myself, "Who’s signing NOW, for crying out loud?" Answer? Gaiman. He’s like a little autographing machine, that one. Wind up his arm and just watch him patiently, endlessly, relentlessly go go go! The nice thing is that he is now impervious to people walking up and sticking electronic recording devices in his face. It’s kind of fun. You can bypass the line, walk right up to him, foist a camera in his general direction, and he just takes it. At least I didn’t use flash.

This one’s for you, mom. Croc quilting.

And the winner of the Best Last Minute Banner Because The Real One Didn’t Get Delivered Award goes to . . . . Charlesbridge!!!

No book selling event is ever complete without Stormtroopers. Or so I am led to believe.

You may ask, "Were there any galleys of Catching Fire available?" Answer: No. Longer Answer: No, and check out the tape job on this single sole remaining copy of the ARC:

We can do this. I’ll need a team of men, a demolitions expert, a fake ID . . .

M&Ms celebrate Balzer and Bray. Or so I am led to believe. One look at the chocolate goodness and I was lost to the world.

Hey! It’s Uri Shulevitz!

And yes. The rumors are true. Mo Willems has a new pop-up book.

One of these days he’s going to write and illustrate a bad book and then THEN we will know that he is human.  Doggone Mo.

Walter Dean Myers & Son.

And now, if you will excuse me, I’m off to watch some Book Cart Drill Team action.  Yowzah!

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