On May 8th, join Penguin Random House, Library Journal, and School Library Journal for our Spring 2025 virtual book and author festival, a free day-long event celebrating reading, authors, and librarians everywhere! Enjoy a day packed with author panels and interviews, book buzzes, virtual shelf browsing, and adding to your TBR pile.  

You’ll hear from many of your favorite authors, whose work runs the gamut from Picture Books to Young Adult titles to the best new Fiction and Nonfiction for adults. There is something of interest for every reader. Attendees will also have the opportunity to check out the virtual exhibit hall, access eGalleys, and enter to win prizes and giveaways.  

Join the conversation on X! #PRHBookFest 

All live sessions will be on Zoom. Make sure to log in to your work or personal Zoom account before the day starts to avoid having to log in for each session. 

The Virtual Environment is optimized for 1024 X 768 screen resolution. Joining the environment with a cell phone is not recommended. Please make sure your computer and browser are up to date. Chrome tends to work best. The event platform does not support IE11 + Windows 7 or older versions. 

CE certificates are available in the event environment for all keynotes and panels, whether you view them live or on-demand. Certificates are not provided for sponsored content. 

If on the day of the event you find that you are unable to access the environment or join a session, please know that sessions will be available for on-demand viewing within 24 hours, and the entire event will be accessible for three months from the event date. 

By registering for this event or webcast, you are agreeing to Library Journal Privacy Policy and Code of Conduct Policy and agreeing that Library Journal may share your registration information with current and future sponsors of this event. 

Having trouble registering? Contact the Event Manager. 

10:00 – 10:25 AM ET | The Exhibit Hall Opens / Visit the Booths

10:25 – 10:55 AM ET | Opening Keynote with Holly Jackson, Not Quite Dead Yet (Bantam).
Moderator: Jane Jorgenson, Branch Supervisor, Madison Public Library, Madison (WI)

TWO CONCURRENT PANELS

11:00 – 11:50 AM ET | Group Reads
Create conversation and foster communication with novels that are perfect book club selections.

Janelle Brown, What Kind of Paradise (Random House)
Michelle Huneven, Bug Hollow (Penguin Press)
Kyra Davis Lurie, The Great Mann (Crown)
Jason Mott, People Like Us (Dutton)
Lisa Smith, Jamaica Road (Knopf)
Moderator: Andrienne Cruz, Librarian, Azusa City Library (CA)

11:00 – 11:50 AM ET | Endless Possibilities
Enjoy an exciting mix of dark-fantasy, near-future, and first-contact stories in these eclectic novels.

Ayana GrayI, Medusa (Random House)
Jayson Greene, UnWorld (Knopf)
SenLinYu, Alchemised (Del Rey)
Mark Waddell, Colin Gets Promoted and Dooms the World (Ace)
Daniel H. Wilson, Hole in the Sky (Doubleday)
Moderator: Ashley Rayner, Librarian at NORC, University of Chicago (IL)

TWO CONCURRENT PANELS

11:55 AM – 12:45 PM ET | The Magic of Love
Romantic novels take readers to college and to the furthest reaches of the galaxy, showcasing the endless bounds of love.

Erin A. Craig, A Land So Wide (Pantheon)
Ebony Ladelle, You've Got a Place Here, Too (Delacorte Press)
Annie Mare, Cosmic Love at the Multiverse Hair Salon (Ace)
Mia Sosa, When Javi Dumped Mari (Putnam)
Ariel Sullivan, Conform (Ballantine Books)
Moderator: Anjelica Rufus, Reference Librarian, Prospect Heights Public Library District (IL)

11:55 AM – 12:45 PM ET | Personal Stories
True tales of family and relationships reveal the complexities of daily life.

Sasha Bonét, The Waterbearers (Knopf)
Sophie Elmhirst, A Marriage at Sea (Riverhead)
Gabrielle Hamilton, Next of Kin (Random House)
Julian Brave Noisecat, We Survived the Night (Knopf)
Moderator: Clair Quaintance, Director of the Library & EdTech, Regis (NY)

THREE CONCURRENT PANELS

12:50 – 1:40 PM ET | Generations Unfolded: Celebrating Family Narratives and Traditions
Discover the importance of celebrating and honoring the stories that connect us across generations with these picture book authors who bring intergenerational stories to life.

Weshoyot Alvitre, Brave (Penguin Young Readers)
Marcus Bridgewater, See Marcus Grow (Penguin Young Readers)
Laekan Zea Kemp, Dream for the Land (Random House Children's Books)
Carole Boston Weatherford, Family Feast (Random House Children's Books)
Moderator: Allison Tran, Library Services Manager, City of Irvine (CA)

12:50 – 1:40 PM ET | Suspense and Surprises
Gripping plots and harrowing tales with plenty of unexpected twists feature in these crime selections.

Chris Chibnall, Death at the White Hart (Pamela Dorman Books)
Karen Parkman, The Jills (Ballantine Books)
Victor Suthammanont, Hollow Spaces (Counterpoint)
Jennifer Trevelyan, A Beautiful Family (Doubleday)
Mary Watson, The Cleaner (Crown)
Moderator: Allie Stevens Gosselink, Director, Calhoun County Library (AR)

12:50 – 1:40 PM ET | Star-Crossed & Spellbound

From swoony first kisses to heart-tugging twists, these standout YA romances capture all the magic, mess, and meaning of falling in love. Join Melissa Henderson (The Sacred & the Divine), Yueh Yang (The Omen Girl), and Ingrid Ochoa (The Kiss Bet Vol. 2) as they share a first look at their genre-blending stories of love, identity, and the paths we take to find both.
Moderator: Melissa Thom, Teacher Librarian, Bristow Middle School, West Hartford (CT)

1:45 – 2:15 PM ET | Lunch Keynote with Kiese Laymon, City Summer, Country Summer (Penguin Young Readers)

TWO CONCURRENT PANELS

2:20 – 3:10 PM ET | The Making of An Audio Original: Press Play on SOUNDTRACK by Jason Reynolds

Go behind the scenes of the making of the highly anticipated new audiobook original from beloved, bestselling author Jason Reynolds! Joined in conversation with his two PRH Audio producers, Dan Zitt and Brian Ramcharan, they’ll discuss how SOUNDTRACK, a full cast production with an original score, came to life in the studio from concept to casting, and beyond! Tune in and hear more about Reynold’s newest literary work about New York City teens whose talent and love of music lift them to unexpected heights.
Moderator: Sarah Hashimoto, Editor, Library Journal

2:20 – 3:10 PM ET | Rooted in History
Learn about past events in new ways as authors bring history to life.

Heather Clark, The Scrapbook (Pantheon)
Chanel Cleeton, The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes (Berkley)
Vaishnavi Patel, Ten Incarnations of Rebellion (Ballantine Books)
Patrick Ryan, Buckeye (Random House)
Maggie Stiefvater, The Listeners (Viking)
Moderator: Mandi Harris, Children's Librarian and University of Washington Information School Doctoral Student

THREE CONCURRENT PANELS

3:15 – 4:05 PM ET | A Culinary Celebration: In Conversation with DK’s Cookbook Creatives

Join some of DK’s most beloved and well-known cookbook authors as they engage in a Q&A-style discussion with one another about their bestselling titles and the experiences that got them there. Panelists include B. Dylan Hollis, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Baking Yesteryear and the forthcoming Baking Across America; Asma Khan, author of Monsoon and beloved chef known for her focus on empowering women in the culinary world; Danny Freeman, author of Danny Loves Pasta and the forthcoming Italianish; and Arnie Segovia, author of ArnieTex and pitmaster known for his authentic Tex-Mex recipes.
Moderator: Ron Block, Branch Manager, Cuyahoga County Public Library System (OH)

3:15 – 4:05 PM ET | Between the Panels: Middle Grade Graphic Novels
Explore graphic novels that transport readers to familiar—and sometimes hilarious—new worlds.

Calista Brill, Creaky Acres (Penguin Young Readers)
Liz Montague, Camp Frenemies (Random House Children's Books)
Akeem S. Roberts, What Happened to the Naked Mole Rat (Penguin Young Readers)
Cassidy Wasserman, On Guard (Random House Children's Books)
Moderator: Yesica Hurd, Librarian, Berkeley Public Library

3:15 – 4:05 PM ET | Small Presses, Big Scares
From mystery thriller to debut horror, these books will be the perfect additions to your summer scares reading recommendations.

Donna Freitas, Her One Regret (Soho Crime)
Thomas Maltmann, Ashes to Ashes (Soho Press)
J. H. Markert, Spider to the Fly (Crooked Lane Books)
Peter Rosch, What the Dead Can Do (Crooked Lane Books)
Leila Siddiqui, The Glowing Hours (Soho Press)

4:10 – 4:40 PM ET | Closing Keynote with Elizabeth Lim, A Forgery of Fate (Random House Children's Books) and Katherine Harrison, Executive Editor at Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers.