SESSION TYPE: Featured Speaker (Panel) SESSION TITLE: HIGHLY DECORATED, HUGELY READ: Newbery Reading for Classroom Fun STRAND: English Language Arts DAY: Friday TIME: 11:15 - 12:30pm LOCATION: Sutton Parlor Central, 2nd floor

Andrea Davis Pinkney will moderate a discussion with Katherine Paterson, Christopher Paul Curtis and Jim Murphy. All three of whom have been honored with the John Newbery Medal or Honor. The John Newbery Medal is awarded to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children in a given year.

***BOOK SIGNING AT ONSITE BARNES & NOBLE BOOKSTORE TO FOLLOW SESSION (click here for schedule)

BIOGRAPHY

Moderator: Andrea Davis Pinkney, Vice – President, Executive Editor, Scholastic Inc.
Andrea Davis Pinkney has had an illustrious career in publishing that spans over 20 years. Currently at Scholastic, she has published a robust mix of authors and titles, among them Christopher Paul Curtis’s Newbery Honor winning Elijah of Buxton. Andrea Davis Pinkney is also a highly regarded children’s book author. Her most recent book, Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood-up by Sitting Down, pub Feb. 2010 is already a NYT best seller and was illustrated by two-time Caldecott Honor winning illustrator, and her husband, Brian Pinkney.

Christopher Paul Curtis’ first book, The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963, received a Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Honor. His second book, Bud, Not Buddy received the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award. His most recent book Elijah of Buxton won a Newbery Honor, the Coretta Scott King Author Award, and the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction. Christopher Paul Curtis lives in Detroit, Michigan.

Jim Murphy is the author of more than 30 books about American history. His most recent book TRUCE: The Day That the Soldiers Stopped Fighting, received starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist and SLJ. He is the most recent recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for significant contribution to young adult literature. He has also been awarded two Newbery Honors and was a National Book Award Finalist. Jim Murphy lives in Maplewood, New Jersey.

Katherine Paterson is the newly appointed National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Ms. Paterson is a two-time winner of both the Newbery Medal and the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. Katherine Paterson has written many books for children including, Bridge To Terabithia. Ms. Paterson lives in Barre, Vermont.