Meet Chris Grabenstein and celebrate his new graphic novel, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. This bestselling book is now a full color, fun-packed graphic novel in which a group of game-loving kids must solve every clue to find the hidden escape route out of the town’s new library. Visual clues and book covers are embedded into the panels.
Chris will introduce his new book and process of writing, invite children to solve puzzles, and answer questions.
Host: Kathy Short, UArizona Regents Professor and Director of WOW.
Panelist: Chris Grabenstein
Co-Sponsor: Tucson Festival of Books
Chris Grabenstein is the bestselling author of the Lemoncello series, the Smartest Kid series, the Dog Squad series, the Wonderland series, the Haunted Mystery series, and The Island of Dr. Libris. He loves to write fast-paced, fun, and funny pageturners for kids. In his head, he’s still twelve years old–maybe ten.
Imagination Fridays is co-sponsored by the Tucson Festival of Books and Worlds of Words/University of Arizona and will occur from 1-1:45 p.m. once a month on a Friday from September to December with a different author or illustrator. Add some excitement to Fridays with world-renowned children’s authors and illustrators to promote new books and encourage children as readers, writers and illustrators.
Meet Raúl the Third, presenting his newest ¡Vamos! book. ¡Vamos! Let’s Go Read is a joyful story about literacy as Little Lobo and his friends visit a book festival at the local library, each hoping to find the book of their dreams. Bilingual celebration of Mexican American culture and books.
Raúl the Third will introduce his new book, share his process of writing and illustrating, invite children to sketch along with him, and answer questions.
Host: Kathy Short, UArizona Regents Professor and Director of WOW.
Panelist: Raúl the Third
Co-Sponsor: Tucson Festival of Books
Raúl the Third is an award-winning author/illustrator of the ¡Vamos! series and the illustrator for the Lowriders series by Cathy Camper. He is the co-creator of Strollercoaster and Stuntboy. He grew up between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, México, and now lives in Boston.
Imagination Fridays is co-sponsored by the Tucson Festival of Books and Worlds of Words/University of Arizona and will occur from 1-1:45 p.m. once a month on a Friday from September to December with a different author or illustrator. Add some excitement to Fridays with world-renowned children’s authors and illustrators to promote new books and encourage children as readers, writers and illustrators.
Meet Joanna Ho, the author and illustrator of Say My Name. Names reveal generational ties and histories, weaving an intricate tale of the past. Names — and correctly saying them — are important. Each one carries the hopes, dreams and traditions of those that came before us. Six captivating kids of Chinese, Tongan, Persian, Diné, Mexican and Ghanaian descent proudly celebrate their names, languages and cultures. Joanna Ho’s lyrical story explains how saying a person’s name is the only way we can truly know another.
Joanna will share her new book and process in creating the story, invite children to participate in an activity and answer questions.
Host: Kathy Short, UArizona Regents Professor and Director of WOW.
Panelist: Joanna Ho
Co-Sponsor: Tucson Festival of Books
Photo by Katie Heiner
Joanna Ho is the bestselling and award-winning author of many books for children, including
Eyes that Kiss at the Corners,
Playing at the Border, and
Say My Name. She is a writer and educator with a passion for anti-bias, anti-racism and equity work. She has been an English teacher, a dean, the designer of an alternative-to-prison program, a creator of educator professional development, and a high school vice principal. She lives in the Bay Area, where she survives on homemade chocolate chip cookies, outdoor adventures, and dance parties with her kids.
Imagination Fridays is co-sponsored by the Tucson Festival of Books and Worlds of Words/University of Arizona and will occur from 1-1:45 p.m. once a month on a Friday from September to December with a different author or illustrator. Add some excitement to Fridays with world-renowned children’s authors and illustrators to promote new books and encourage children as readers, writers and illustrators.
Meet Adam Rex, the author and illustrator of The Story of Gumluck the Wizard, a new early chapter book series. In this absurdly silly and heartfelt book, a wee wizard is on a quest to become a helpful hero by doing the bidding of rude, ungrateful townspeople. Narrated by a sarcastic raven, this noodlehead tale introduces a goofy magical kingdom along with questions about truth and lies.
Adam will share his new book, his process in creating the story, invite children to create their Gumluck adventure, and answer questions.
Host: Kathy Short, UArizona Regents Professor and Director of WOW.
Panelist: Adam Rex
Co-Sponsor: Tucson Festival of Books
Adam Rex is the New York Times best-selling author and illustrator of Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich, On Account of the Gum, Are You Scared Darth Vadar and The True Meaning of Smekday (made into the animated movie Home). He is the author of Oh No, The Aunts Are Here and Pluto Gets the Call, and the illustrator of Chu’s Day. He has also created art for games like Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. He lives in Tucson, Arizona with his cat, dog, son and wife. Visit him at https://www.adamrex.com/ or follow him on Twitter.
Imagination Fridays is co-sponsored by the Tucson Festival of Books and Worlds of Words/University of Arizona and will occur from 1-1:45 p.m. once a month on a Friday from September to December with a different author or illustrator. Add some excitement to Fridays with world-renowned children’s authors and illustrators to promote new books and encourage children as readers, writers and illustrators.
By Aika Adamson, Worlds of Words
Worlds of Words and the Tucson Festival of Books partner to bring excitement and fun to children with our limited series, Imagination Friday. Watch as an author or illustrator appears virtually to discuss their books live with children in classrooms and at home. These bestselling creators do a brief presentation, lead activities and answer questions. This periodic webinar series occurs during the school day on Fridays from 1:00-1:45 PM from September to December 2023 so teachers can share in their classroom. You must register for the webinars to attend and will receive a link to click on and join each webinar. The webinar will be recorded and those who register will receive that link to watch the recording if unable to join us live. Registration links are on the Tucson Festival of Books and on Worlds of Words. Registration is free! Continue reading →
By Mary L. Fahrenbruck, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
Each week in November, WOW Currents will feature an online resource that teachers and families can access to support literacy instruction in their virtual learning spaces. This week’s post features Imagination Friday hosted by Worlds of Words: Center of Global Literacies and Literatures and Tucson Festival of Books. WOW offers many amazing resources for teachers and families, and Imagination Friday is no exception. Continue reading →
Meet Chris Grabenstein and celebrate his new graphic novel, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. This bestselling book is now a full color, fun-packed graphic novel in which a group of game-loving kids must solve every clue to find the hidden escape route out of the town’s new library. Visual clues and book covers are embedded into the panels.
Chris Grabenstein is the bestselling author of the Lemoncello series, the Smartest Kid series, the Dog Squad series, the Wonderland series, the Haunted Mystery series, and The Island of Dr. Libris. He loves to write fast-paced, fun, and funny pageturners for kids. In his head, he’s still twelve years old–maybe ten. 
Meet 
Michalea Goade is an enrolled member of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. Her Tlingit name is Sheit.een and she is of the Kiks.á Clan (Raven/Frog) from Sheet’ká. She works as an illustrator with Indigenous authors and tribal organizations in the creation of beautiful and much-needed books. Her recent books include I Sang You Down the Stars, 
