5 Miami Book Fair Events I'm Looking Forward To

I was pretty excited to learn that Miami Book Fair would be both an in-person and online event this month. For those of you who don't know, it will be held November 14th through 21st, with a ton of events happening in both downtown Miami and on your computer the weekend of November 19th through 21st. You can see the full schedule at MiamiBookFair.com. As I count down the days until the fair, I thought I'd share a few of the online events I'm excited about. Click the links to learn more.

10. Soman Chainani Presents Beasts & Beauty: Dangerous Tales: New York Times bestselling author Soman Chainani respins old stories into fresh fairy tales for a new era and creates a world like no other. These stories know you. They understand you. They reflect you. They are tales for our times. So read on, if you dare. Moderated by M-DCPS educator Jessica Rebhan.

9. Murder She Wrote: Four YA Thrillers: Gossip Girl meets Get Out in Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, where two students struggle against an anonymous bully whose sick prank quickly turns into a dangerous game. In Holly Jackson’s As Good As Dead: The Finale to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, the conclusion of the series, Pip wonders whether her anonymous online stalker is something more sinister. In You’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManus, three old friends relive an epic ditch day, and it goes horribly – and fatally – wrong. And in Katie Zhao’s How We Fall Apart, students at an elite prep school are forced to confront old secrets when their ex-best friend turns up dead. Moderated by Ismery Pavon, YA book reviewer and Miami Book Fair program coordinator.

8. Bunkmates, Besties, Boyfriends: Three Irresistible Romances: In Sarah Dass’ Where the Rhythm Takes You, Reyna’s childhood best friend and first love comes roaring back into her life as a VIP guest at her family’s seaside resort in Tobago. A Brazilian teen pop star’s public image takes a dive after a messy public breakup – until she’s set up with a swoon-worthy fake boyfriend in Like a Love Song by Gabriela Martins. In Raquel Vasquez Gilliland’s How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe, a “merch girl” on an influencer’s tour bus gets a new bunkmate, who is grumpy, combative, and also the hottest guy she’s ever seen. Moderated by Alli Hoff Kosik, the SSR Podcast.

7. Brendan Kiely Presents The Other Talk: Reckoning With Our White Privilege: Talking about racism can be hard, but … Most kids of color grow up talking about racism. They have “The Talk” with their families – the honest talk about survival in a racist world. But white kids don’t. They’re barely spoken to about race at all – and that needs to change. Because not talking about racism doesn’t make it go away. Not talking about white privilege doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Brendan Kiely’s The Other Talk: Reckoning with Our White Privilege begins this much-needed conversation for white kids. In an instantly relatable and deeply honest account of his own life, Brendan Kiely offers young readers a way to understand one’s own white privilege and why allyship is so vital, so that we can all start doing our part – today. Joining are Brian Knowles and Lisa Seymour, School District of Palm Beach County.

6. Singing Even in the Dark Times: Four YA Authors on Historical Fiction: In Tahereh Mafi’s An Emotion of Great Delight, Shadi tries to navigate her crumbling world in the wake of 9/11 by soldiering through, until one day, everything changes, and she explodes. In One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite, two sisters embark on a journey to honor the memory of their social activist sister, killed under mysterious circumstances, using an heirloom copy of The Negro Motorist Green Book as their guide. Cane Warriors: A Novel by Alex Wheatle follows Moa, a 14-year-old slave who gets caught up in Tacky’s War, the most significant slave rebellion in Jamaican history, paying homage to freedom fighters all over the world. Moderated by Safon Floyd, executive editor at Callisto Media.