Erin Entrada Kelly (she/her/hers)
Erin Entrada Kelly is the author of the Newbery Medal–winning novels "Hello, Universe" and "The First State of Being," which was also a finalist for the National Book Award. She received a Newbery Honor for "We Dream of Space." Kelly's books include "Blackbird Fly," "The Land of Forgotten Girls," "Those Kids from Fawn Creek," the Marisol Rainey books and "Felix Powell, Boy Dog," which she also illustrated. "At Last She Stood" tells the story of Filipino World War II guerrilla fighter Josefina Guerrero.
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Awards: National Book Award, Newbery Honor Book, Newbery Medal
Communities: Asian American, Mixed Race
Writing Middle Grade Novels for Today's Readers
Today's readers are asking for shorter and more interactive books. Erin and Jasmine have a new series, The Last Resort, which uses interactive elements accessed by smartphones. They talk about this series plus other recent books they are publishing and how they are considering today's readers in these books.
Education Room 351 (Seats 46, Wheelchair accessible)
Sat, Mar 14, 10:00 am - 10:55 am
Children
Signing area: Signing Area - Children (following presentation)
Panelists:
Erin Entrada Kelly,
Jasmine Warga
Moderator: Dima Masri
Sponsor: Session made possible courtesy of Southside Community School
Back to the Future: Traveling through Time
Travel through time with three best-selling authors who explore the excitement and dangers of time travel. Erin Entrada Kelly won the 2025 Newbery for her book about a boy from the future who drops into the life of a bullied boy, while Ernesto Cisneros takes a grieving boy back in time and Margaret Peterson Haddix introduces a new series about a network of time travelers.
Education Room 211 (Kiva) (Seats 200)
Sat, Mar 14, 1:00 pm - 1:55 pm
Children
Signing area: Signing Area - Children (following presentation)
Panelists:
Ernesto Cisneros,
Margaret Peterson Haddix,
Erin Entrada Kelly
Moderator: Moanikeala Kanae
Sponsors: Session made possible courtesy of Bookmans Entertainment Exchange, HarperCollins Children's Books
WWII: War and Resistance
Three critically acclaimed authors offer compelling World War II novels of war and resistance set in different regions of the world. Daniel Nayeri and Erin Entrada Kelly set their books in the less familiar settings of Iran and the Philippines, while Sara Pennypacker sets her book in the French resistance.
Education Room 353 (Seats 92, Wheelchair accessible)
Sat, Mar 14, 4:00 pm - 4:55 pm
Children
Signing area: Signing Area - Children (following presentation)
Panelists:
Erin Entrada Kelly,
Daniel Nayeri,
Sara Pennypacker
Moderator: Ruth McKoy Lowery
Sponsor: Session made possible courtesy of Helios Education Foundation
Celebrating 100 Years of HarperCollins
Celebrate the 100th anniversary of HarperCollins Children's Books and their goal to publish the best in books for children. Join bestselling authors to explore their love of books, their stories of how they became authors, and their experiences as authors. This is a celebration not to miss!
Education Room 211 (Kiva) (Seats 200)
Sun, Mar 15, 11:30 am - 12:25 pm
Multigenre
Signing area: Signing Area - Children (following presentation)
Panelists:
Katherine Applegate,
Raúl Third,
Tiffany D. Jackson,
Erin Entrada Kelly,
Cynthia Leitich Smith
Moderator: Lisa Morris-Wilkey
Sponsors: Session made possible courtesy of Bookmans Entertainment Exchange, HarperCollins Children's Books
Books:
The First State of Being
Children
HarperCollins Publishers
March 2026
ISBN 9780063337329
272 pages
Buy now
At Last She Stood
How Joey Guerrero Spied, Survived, and Fought for Freedom
Children
HarperCollins Publishers
January 2025
ISBN 9780063218901
208 pages
Buy now
