Book Expo

Book Expo - over 1000 booths of books and book related items finished up yesterday in NYC.  It was smaller than last year, taking up only one level of the Jacob K. Javits Center but it was still the biggest collection of the publishing industry in America.  Every major publishers was represented in some way and 1000s of Advanced Reader's Copies and book galleys, as well as trade edition books, stationery, and gadgets were handed out to bookstore owners, booksellers, book bloggers, librarians and book lovers of every shape, size, sex, and age.

I love everything Book Expo - the authors, the books, the displays, the stationery, the books, the stickers and the toys, oh and the books.  Since I usually go under the auspices of the library, I feel duty bound to see as much and do as much in one day as I can.  Some year, I intend to stroll.  I will not rush through the aisles with a list of must-dos.  I will pause and admire and talk and page.  If I can possibly afford it, I will go both days.  I will attend more talks and lectures.

The Guys from Guys Read held a panel and were hilarious.  I hope they put the trailer for their first collection online.  Oh, wait here.  I'll go check.  Yeah!  Here it is.  I LOVE book trailers.  Watching this trailer while some of the people in it are actually right there in the room with you is even funnier.  So order the book. (I know I will.)  Oh, and I know that Kate DiCamillo is not a Guy but she and Jon Scieszka collaborated on a story.  The way Jon told it the story sounded quite droll.

And I got a copy of Adam Rex's Fat Vampire ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), signed by the author.  He wrote The True Meaning of Smekday and wrote and illustrated Tree Ring Circus - among other titles.


Jeff Kinney was on stage with the Guys Read panel and he was signing copies of the movie diary Wimpy Kid book.  Alas, I didn't get a ticket.  I did get some other great ARCs which lucky Summer Reading Club members will be able to earn as their very own.  Rosemary Wells wrote a great time-travel book for middle grade readers, The Blue Comet, that centers on Lionel trains.  Ah, Lionel trains!  Time Travel!  Bank robberies, kidnapping and the Great Depression!  I managed to finish THAT ARC in double quick time. 

Well,  I have some serious, serious reading to do this Memorial Day weekend.   Enjoy the three day weekend.  I'll be back next week.

I didn't take my camera this year but here's a picture of me and Andrew Clements from an earlier trip to Book Expo.