BROWARD COUNTY, FL - Parents, educators, librarians, storytellers, authors and illustrators are invited to Broward County Library's 36th Annual Conference on Children's Literature, held from 9AM to 5PM on Friday, September 22, 2023 at the African American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC), 2650 Sistrunk Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311, 954-357-6282.

The Annual Conference on Children's Literature is a free, day-long professional development opportunity led by engaging authors and visual artists. It is open to anyone interested in the power of stories for families and children.    

Attendees will meet featured guests and are eligible to receive one of their signed books as a raffle prize. Register now to qualify for a free lunch as part of the program. 

Award-winning guests include:  

• CreativeSoul Photography, comprised of Regis and Kahran Bethencourt, whose published works celebrating Black children include Crowned, Glory and The Me I Choose to Be. 
• Jenny Torres Sanchez, whose newest book, Lots of Love, is the 2023 selection for Jumpstart's Read for the Record. She is the author of young adult books. 
• Vanessa Garcia, PhD is a Cuban American, screenwriter, playwright, novelist and journalist/essayist who has written and won awards for Sesame Street. 
• Zuhirah Khaldun-Diarra is a strategic communications leader with experience at national and international nonprofit and mission-driven organizations. 
• Chantel Acevedo is the author of the middle-grade novels and is a professor of English at the University of Miami, where she directs the Master of Fine Arts program.

In conjunction with the Conference, AARLCC is proud to announce the promised gift of an original work of children's book art from CreativeSoul Photography founders Kahran and Regis Bethencourt, to be included in the Library's permanent Ashley Bryan Art Collection.  

The 2023 Conference on Children's Literature is generously funded by the Broward Public Library Foundation and Children's Services Council of Broward County. This program is presented through collaborations and partnerships with Broward Reads: The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading; Jumpstart for Young Children and Miami Book Fair. Books will be available for sale through Conference on Children's Literature book provider Books & Books.

For additional information, contact Kimberly White, Youth Services Coordinator, at kiwhite@broward.org  or 954-357-7470. 

About Broward County Libraries
Broward County Libraries Division, named 2020 and 2015 Library of the Year by the Florida Library Association, was founded in 1974 and is one of the largest and busiest library systems in Florida. Broward County Libraries Division's 37 locations provide convenient access to a full range of innovative and cost-effective services that satisfy the changing needs of the people of Broward County for information, education and recreation. Visit our website, Broward.org/Library, or follow Libraries on Facebook and X.