Summer Book Bash: Picture Book Party with Kyle Lukoff, Breanna Carzoo, and Debbi Michiko Florence

Join us for a conversation with picture book authors Kyle Lukoff, Breanna Carzoo, and Debbi Michiko Florence. All attendees will be eligible for a chance to win a sampling of prizes, including books from each author.

• Kyle Lukoff is the author of many books for young readers. His debut middle-grade novel, Too Bright To See, received a Newbery honor, the Stonewall award, and was a National Book Award finalist. His picture book When Aidan Became A Brother also won the Stonewall, and his book Call Me Max has been banned in schools across the country. He has forthcoming books about apologies, vegetables, death, and lots of other topics. While becoming a writer he worked as a bookseller for ten years, and then nine more years as a school librarian. He hopes you're having a nice day.

• A third-generation Japanese American, Debbi Michiko Florence is the acclaimed author of more than 20 books for children and tweens. Her books have received starred reviews, JLG Selections, and inclusion on lists such as Amazon Best Books and the Chicago Public Library Best of the Best. She loves to write stories about friendship and family. Her middle grade novels include Sweet and Sour and Just Be Cool, Jenna Sakai. She is also the author of the award-winning Jasmine Toguchi chapter book series. A native Californian, Debbi now lives in Connecticut.

• Breanna Carzoo is an author-illustrator based in Austin, TX. She creates illustrations with cut paper collage and mixed media. Her debut picture book LOU was named a Kirkus Best Picture Book of 2022 and was shortlisted for the Barnes and Noble Children’s and YA Book Awards, and both LOU and GREENLIGHT received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publisher’s Weekly. Her latest picture book, The Squish was released in May 2024 with HarperCollins. Breanna lives with her husband, Chris, and their dog, Ozzie. Outside of writing and illustrating books, she’s a beginner swimmer and avid hobby board gamer.

Moderator Kristi Chadwick is a Consultant with the Massachusetts Library System, where she provides training, continuing education, and advisory services across the state. She also serves as adjunct faculty for the School of Library & Information Science at Simmons University. 

Please note: By registering to attend this program, you agree to the LLNJ Code of Conduct: https://librarylinknj.org/code-of-conduct