Gathering and Growing: 2026 ALA Annual Conference Highlights

The final weekend of June marked the 150th Anniversary of the ALA Annual Conference. From June 25th to June 29th, librarians, publishers, and authors packed the streets of Chicago to celebrate the communities they’ve built and the stories they’ve told. Lerner Publishing Group was no exception. The booth hosted ten signings and countless incredible discussions, and authors gathered at the Lerner happy hour. Many Lerner employees and authors attended ceremonies to honor the Youth Media Award winners. Want a front-row seat to the best moments? Read on!

In the Booth

The Lerner booth served as a both a home base and gathering space during the conference. Of course we needed to make it as beautiful as possible so we filled it with outstanding fiction and nonfiction! These included books from Lerner’s imprints as well as our LPS partners. Librarians grabbed pins, catalogs, bookmarks, and more as they perused the display. Biographies and civics titles grabbed a lot of attention, along with the perennial interest in graphic novels. Thank you for visiting us in the booth and for sharing your thoughts on our new and upcoming titles!

Coretta Scott King Award Luncheon and Breakfast

Author Calvin Alexander Ramsey and illustrator R. Gregory Christie had a busy weekend, filled with events to celebrate their CSK Illustrator Winner and CSK Author Honor book The Library in the Woods. The Coretta Scott King Celebration Luncheon came first on Saturday June 27th. There, the legacy of Coretta Scott King was honored and the authors signed their books for attendees.

The next day at the break of dawn, CSK honorees, winners, and other publishing professionals gathered for the award’s breakfast where speeches were made and plaques bestowed. Special guests joined the Lerner tables including Dr. Gholdy Muhammad and Dr. Sonja Cherry‑Paul.

Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) Award Banquet

The APALA Award Banquet took place Saturday evening and honored the books that represent Asian American, Native Hawaiian and/or Pasifika experiences and cultures. Lerner had two titles selected as winners this year. The Red Car to Hollywood by Jennie Liu was named the winner in the Young Adult category, and Kahoʻolawe: The True Story of an Island and Her People by Kamalani Hurley and illustrated by Harinani Orme was named the winner of the Pasifika category. All three creators attended and received recognition from the librarians present.

Pura Belpré Celebración and Breakfast

This year, the Pura Belpré Celebración took place on June 28th, Sunday afternoon. Attendees gathered to applaud authors whose books best celebrate and portray the Latino cultural experience in youth literature. One said author was Lupe Ruiz-Flores, who received the Pura Belpré Children’s Author Award for The Pecan Sheller. She accepted her award and gave a moving speech.

The following morning Lupe and her family dined at the Pura Belpré Breakfast to celebrate with other winners and honorees.

Outstanding Comic Book Awards Ceremony

The first ever GNCRT Outstanding Comic Book Award Ceremony took place on Saturday evening where a dedicated group of comic book enthusiasts celebrated exemplary titles from the last year. Author Anne Lambelet’s I’m a Dumbo Octopus! received the GNCRT Outstanding Comics Award Honor Book distinction for the Children’s Nonfiction. She accepted the award and shared her gratitude through a comic illustration, pictured below.

Stonewall Book Awards Ceremony and Breakfast

Monday was a busy day for many, but none more so than those attending the Stonewall Book Awards celebrations. Author Jennifer Mason-Black attended these events along with her spouse, agent, and editor. Early in the morning the team had a delicious breakfast to meet the committee members and other winners. The award ceremony began shortly afterwards, and here Jennifer accepted the Stonewall Honor for Young Adult Literature for her novel Sometimes the Girl. A signing immediately followed the inspiring and passionate speeches.

Author Signings

Every corner of ALA holds a unique kind of magic, but nothing compares to the joy of connecting with the authors who inspire us. Thanks to ten special signing sessions this year, librarians had the chance to meet these incredible minds and take home a cherished, free signed book for their collections.

Saturday

Debut author Florence Migga signed The Summer Scrapbook first thing in the morning. This novel is a fun and gentle homage to tween friendship and the expanding horizons of middle school.

Our second signing featured Jody Jensen Shaffer and her hilarious picture book Disco Dave which features a dance-happy walrus. The story promotes confidence and creative problem solving

Hope you buckled your seatbelts and put your tray tables in the upright position because signings took off with Kelly Rice Schmitt and her new picture book I Fly: An Airplane’s Fantastic Flight. The latest in the On the Move series, this book is a high-flying look at airplanes all readers can enjoy.

The last signing of Saturday featured the fierce Patricia Jackson and her young adult nonfiction Ban This!: How One School Fought Two Book Bans and Won (and How You Can Too). Those who were lucky enough to receive a copy now have a handbook which looks at common reasons why books are banned, arguments against them, and actionable steps to take to preserve intellectual freedom.

Sunday’s first signing took readers into space with Marissa Moss and her biography The Mystery of the Stars: Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, Astonomer. Mixed graphic novel and narrative nonfiction format made this an attractive choice for librarians.

Pura Belpré award-winning author Lupe Ruiz-Flores stopped by next to sign advanced reader copies of her upcoming middle grade Paloma Joins the Circus. The historical fiction is a story of following your dreams and growing into new ones.

Two nonfiction picture book signings kicked off our afternoon. The first was The Ocean’s Heart: The Tiny Creatures Essential to Life. Author Jilanne Hoffmann signed this story of the largest migration of animals (zooplankton!).

The second nonfiction picture book was the latest from the indomitable Patricia Newman! Sharks Unhooked: The Adventures of Cristina Zenato, Underwater Ranger tells the story of an extraordinary diver and conservationist who removes fishing hooks from the bodies of sharks.

And how could we have an ALA without celebrating our award winners? Author Calvin Alexander Ramsey and illustrator R. Gregory Christie joined us at the Lerner booth to sign their CSK Illustrator Winner and CSK Author Honor book The Library in the Woods.

And last, but not least, Anne Lambelet rounded out the weekend with a signing of her upcoming graphic nonfiction We Are Dwarf Sperm Whales! This next installment in Anne Lambelet’s Marine Life Graphic Guides series presents a fun, factually robust look at some of the most gifted creatures under the sea.

Lerner Happy Hour

We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again: Lerner authors and illustrators are awesome! We are always looking for an excuse to hang out and chat with these incredible creators. Thus a happy hour to celebrate, catch up, and see what’s next!