Whether it's the The Poky Little Puppy, The Saggy Baggy Elephant or The Jolly Barnyard, the Little Golden Books have been delighting children for generations. A special exhibit of original illustrations from the books with the famous golden spine will be on display at the Provo City Library this summer and will kick off the BYU Books for Young Readers Symposium.
The Books for Young Readers Symposium (bfyr.byu.edu) will be Thursday and Friday, July 16 and 17, at the Provo City Library, which is a symposium co-sponsor. Symposium attendees will be able to see the Little Golden Books exhibit the day before it opens to the public on Thursday, July 16. The exhibit, called "Golden Legacy," runs through September 23.
Speakers at this two-day symposium on children's literature will share details on their creation process, including their inspirations and how they get started, and preview new projects. The authors speak for more than an hour and then take questions from the audience. Several of the authors will be on hand for book signings and attendees will get a discount to the BYU Store.
This year's featured authors and illustrators include:
- Caldecott Medal-winning author and illustrator Jon Klassen (This Is Not My Hat and I Want My Hat Back)
- Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese, Boxers & Saints and Avatar: The Last Airbender)
- Newbery Medalist Clare Vanderpool (Moon Over Manifest and Navigating Early)
- Marilyn Singer (Mirror Mirror; Rutherford B., Who Was He? and A Strange Place to Call Home)
- Sara Zarr (Sweethearts and The Lucy Variations)
- Leonard S. Marcus (Golden Legacy: How Golden Books Won Children's Hearts, Changed Publishing Forever, and Became an American Icon Along the Way)
"It's rare to get this many authors - six award winners - together at one conference," said Emilee Barrett, Books for Young Readers Symposium organizer. "It's not a huge conference, and anyone who loves children's literature will enjoy the opportunity to get to know these wonderful authors."
The "Golden Legacy" exhibit was organized by the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature, Abilene, Texas. It includes 57 masterpieces of original illustration chosen from the vast Random House archive from books such as Tootle, Home for a Bunny, Five Little Firemen, The Color Kittens and I Can Fly.
How to Register for Books for Young Readers Symposium
- Online: bfyr.byu.edu (online registration closes July 12)
- By Phone: Call 877.221.6716, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., weekdays
- In Person: BYU Harman Continuing Education Building (770 E. University Pkwy, Provo, UT 84602), between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., weekdays
- By Mail: Fill out the Registration Form and mail it with full payment to:
- Brigham Young University
Books for Young Readers
120 Harman Continuing Education Building
Provo, UT 84602
- Brigham Young University
Ticket Prices:
- Full Symposium: $205
- For Credit: $242
- Thursday Only: $155
- Friday Only: $125
- Students (full-time, undergraduate): $30 (includes Thursday dinner)
- Students (full-time, undergraduate): $15 (Symposium only)
- Thursday Dinner and Lecture Only: $21
- BYU Employee (and spouse): BYU Benefits will cover the registration fee for eligible individuals as if the participant is taking/auditing a 1-credit summer term class.
