The SWON Children's Literature Conference is a full-day regional event for library staff, educators, and anyone else who works with children or children’s literature. By combining the 28-year tradition of our event, Picture Book Read-In, with some of the methodologies handed down to us by the OKI Children’s Literature Committee, this new event will help reinvent and revitalize Children’s Literature training in our region.

The conference is designed to provide attendees with the latest information, resources, and best practices in children's literature and library services. In addition to Picture Book Read-In, a day-long binge-reading event that compiles hundreds of recent titles in one room, there will be a variety of break out sessions to choose from, covering a range of topics such as:

• Children's literature selection and collection development
• Storytime and programming ideas
• Early literacy and childhood education

The conference will also provide attendees with the chance to meet and learn from prominent children's authors and other industry professionals.

Keynote Speakers:

Jacob Grant is an author, illustrator, and dad who makes picture books. Originally from Cincinnati, Jacob now lives with his wife and two little ones in Chicago. Here he can be found in his home studio, drawing and writing until something feels story-ish. Some of his books include: No Fair!, No Pants!, Bear's Scare, and Cat Knit, among other stories inspired by parenting and animals with problems. Learn more about Jacob at jacobgrantbooks.com

Mariama J. Lockington is an adoptee, author, and educator. She has been telling stories and making her own books since the second grade, when she wore shortalls and flower leggings every day to school. Mariama’s middle-grade debut, For Black Girls Like Me, earned five starred reviews and was a Today Show Best Kids’ Book of 2019. Her sophomore middle-grade book, In The Key of Us, earned a Stonewall Honor award and was featured in the New York Times. Her debut Young Adult novel, Forever is Now will be out May 23, 2023. Mariama’s poetry has appeared in a number of magazines and journals, including Buzzfeed News Reader, Bodega Magazine, and Prelude Magazine, and she is the author of the poetry chapbook The Lucky Daughter (2016). She is a Bread Loaf Writers' Conference Alum, a Voices of Our Nation Arts Alum, a Literary Death Match Champion and she holds a Masters in Education from Lesley University and a Masters in Fine Arts in Poetry from San Francisco State University. Mariama calls many places home, but currently lives in Kentucky with her wife, her little sausage dog, Henry, and an abundance of plants. When Mariama is not writing, she works as the Director of the Professional Learning Series at University of Kentucky’s College of Education. You can find her on Twitter @marilock and on Instagram/TikTok @forblackgirlslikeme.

Featured Session Speakers:

Shannon Stocker is a fierce advocate for those with disabilities. She’s written picture books such as the 2023 ALA Schneider Family Book Award winner, Cybils Award finalist, Anna Dewdney Read Aloud Honor book, Comstock Read Aloud Award winner, and contender for the Maryland Black Eyed Susan Award and the Vermont Red Clover Book Award, LISTEN: HOW EVELYN GLENNIE, A DEAF GIRL, CHANGED PERCUSSION (Dial/Random House and Penguin UK), CAN U SAVE THE DAY (Sleeping Bear Press, 2019), and WARRIOR: A PATIENT’S COURAGEOUS QUEST (Sleeping Bear Press, 2023). She’s also a frequent contributor to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, and she has several unannounced projects in the queue, including her debut YA novel! Shannon currently serves as SCBWI social co-director for Louisville and is a 12x12 ninja. In her spare time, she advocates for children with cancer (her daughter is a warrior) and, as a Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy patient and medical school graduate herself, she sits on the board for the RSD Foundation. Cool facts: Shannon survived a coma, and once performed two songs, including one original, as part of an opening act for Blake Shelton. The proud word nerd lives in Louisville KY with her husband, two children, too many critters, and a hidden stash of dark chocolate. Shannon is rep’d by Allison Remcheck of Stimola Literary Studio.

Stacy Nockowitz is a retired middle school librarian and former language arts teacher with 30+ years of experience in middle grade education. She holds Masters Degrees from Columbia University and Kent State University, and is an MFA candidate in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her debut middle grade novel, The Prince of Steel Pier (Kar-Ben), won the 2022 National Jewish Book Award for Middle Grade Literature and was named a Sydney Taylor Book Award Notable Book for 2023. The Prince of Steel Pier was a PJ Our Way selection for October 2022, and Stacy received a PJ Library Author Incentive Award in 2020. Find her on Twitter @snockowitz or visit www.stacynockowitz.com.

Session Information 

Food:

Coffee and light breakfast will be provided. Lunch will be on your own.

Cost:

• $20 for Supporting Members
• $35 for Geographic Members
• $55 for Individual Members