Tucson Festival of Books

True to Self: Fit In or Stand Out?


Finding the courage to be true to yourself at the risk of standing out instead of fitting in to escape notice is an important issue for young children. Memorable characters such as Pout-Pout Fish and Itty Bitty Betty Blob join a friendly whale named Moby and a child who finds grandness in small things.


Panelists
Brittany Cicchese

Brittany Cicchese is an artist and writer with years of experience working in public libraries. She illustrated “The Kitten Story: A Mostly True Tale” by Emily Jenkins and “No More Señora Mimí” by Meg Medina....

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Deborah Diesen

Deborah Diesen is the author of many children’s picture books, including The New York Times bestselling "The Pout-Pout Fish." She loves playing with words, rhymes, and rhythms. She has worked as a bookseller, a bookkeeper, and a reference librarian....

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Lars Kenseth

Lars Kenseth is a cartoonist whose work has appeared in MAD, Esquire and The New Yorker. He has also served as a television writer for shows on Adult Swim and Netflix. "Call Me Moby" is his debut as an author/illustrator; he also illustrated "Space: The Final Pooping Frontier....

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Micah Player

Micah Player is the author of “This Is a Moment” and the award-winning illustrator of many beloved children’s books, including “Chloe Instead.” His newest book is "Itty Bitty Betty Blob Makes a Splash....

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Books:
Tiny Worlds
A Story about Appreciating the Small Things
Brittany Cicchese
Children
Candlewick Press
January 2026
ISBN 9781536236521
32 pages
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The Pout-Pout Fish
Deborah Diesen
Children
Square Fish
August 2025
ISBN 9780312674816
32 pages
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Call Me Moby
Lars Kenseth
Children
Balzer + Bray
February 2026
ISBN 9781250408747
32 pages
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Itty Bitty Betty Blob Makes a Splash
Micah Player
Children
Astra Publishing House
August 2025
ISBN 9781662640926
48 pages
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Itty Bitty Betty Blob
Micah Player
Children
Astra Publishing House
June 2024
ISBN 9781662640148
40 pages
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