Recently, a museum held a private preview, an author gave a reading on a baseball field, a festival took place in the Bronx, a new children’s museum opened its doors for visitors, a festival celebrated Italian and American illustration, and an author commemorated Holocaust Survivor Day.

Soul, Sound, and Voice

On June 18, the Erice Clare Museum in Amherst, Mass., held a private preview for its new exhibition honoring late children’s author and illustrator Jerry Pinkney. Soul, Sound, and Voice: The Art of Jerry Pinkney highlights the influence of music on the Caldecott Medalist’s life and career. The exhibit opened to the public on June 20 and showcases 76 works, including original art. At the preview, guests were invited to take an early look at the exhibition and to meet Pinkney’s family, who attended the event. Here, (from l.) associate curator Isabel Ruiz Cano with Andrea Davis Pinkney, Jerry’s son Brian Pinkney, and Jennifer Schantz, executive director of the Carle, enjoying the festivities.

Batter Up!

Author David LaRochelle (l.) took to the pitch on June 21 as part of the Reading Tree program at CHS Field in St. Paul, Minn. The program is hosted by the Saint Paul Saints baseball team and promotes literacy and summer reading. LaRochelle was invited as the featured children’s author to read his picture book Mr. Fox’s Game of "NO!”, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka (Candlewick), on the field to a group of students, alongside pitcher Ricky Castro (r.).

In the Boogie Down Bronx

The ninth annual Bronx Book Festival took place on June 20, drawing attendees to the Andrew Freeman Home in the Bronx, N.Y., for a day of panels and book signings with authors. Here, New York native and rapper Maiya the Don (l.) speaks with children’s author Tiffany D. Jackson.

STREAM of Consciousness

kidSTREAM Children’s Museum held its grand opening on June 21 in Dr. Camarillo, Calif. Guests were invited to explore the 21,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor space. The museum—which is focused on science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, and math—offers young people a place to explore via immersive exhibitions such as the STREAM gallery and makerspace, featured here, and more.

Building Bridges

The inaugural Zig Zag Festival, a celebration of Italian and American (and Italian American) illustration and design, took place at various cultural venues in New York City from June 8 to June 12. The events were curated by Hamelin Associazione Culturale in Bologna and Brooklyn-based author-illustrator and designer Steven Guarnaccia, in collaboration with the Bologna Children’s Book Fair and the Italian Cultural Institute of New York and a number of partners. Here (from l.), Maria Russo (Union Square & Co.), Elena Pasoli (Bologna Children’s Book Fair), Maddalena Lucarelli (Fatatrac), Debbie Bibo (Debbie Bibo Agency), Kirsten Hall (Catbird Agency), Tara Walker (Tundra Books), and Giulia Rizzo (Terre di Mezzo) took part in a panel at the Society of Illustrators on June 9, titled “Picture Books in Transition.” The discussion focused on the cross-pollination between Italian and American children’s book publishing, and some of the artists who have found creative and commercial success in both countries.

In Remembrance

On June 4, author Elisa Boxer gave a presentation to a group of 13 Holocaust survivors in Buffalo, N.Y., in honor of Holocaust Survivor Day. Boxer read from his picture book The Tree of Life: How a Holocaust Sapling Inspired the World (Rocky Pond), illustrated by Alianna Rozentsveig, about a group of Jewish children imprisoned in a concentration camp who work together to keep a small tree alive. The event was coordinated by the JCC of Greater Buffalo and the Holocaust Education Resource Organization.