Now in its third year, the 21st Century Children’s Nonfiction Conference will take place in New York City for the first time, June 12–14. The event brings together publishers, authors, and educators for three days of lively panels, informative presentations, and in-depth workshops on topics varying from ebooks and apps to literacy standards and social media. While many of the presentations are geared toward writers and developers hoping to learn more about the industry, the gathering offers sessions of interest to both librarians and classroom teachers. The conference site the hosts its list of “six powerful reasons to attend.” Below, you’ll find ours:

1. On Friday, June 12 a panel comprised of Hallie Warshaw (Zest Books), Betsy Bird (New York Public Library), Jason Wells (Abrams), Ted Levine (Kids Discover), and Daniel Nayeri (Workman Publishing) will consider “New Trends in Publishing.”
2. How are print products adapted for digital delivery? What are the differences between ebooks, apps, and electronic games? What skills are needed to produce digital nonfiction products? Author/illustrator Roxie Munro will be joined by Levine to address these questions in a workshop titled “The Digital World of E-Books, Apps, and Gamification.”
3. Saturday, June 13, brings the award-winning author and illustrator team of Lesa Cline-Ransome and James Ransome (Words Set Me Free; Satchel Paige; Helen Keller; Young Pele; and other titles) to the event discussing their collaborative process and creative approach from research to finished project.
4. Susannah Richards from Eastern Connecticut State University will examine teaching history and social studies through a literacy lens in a presentation titled “On the Road to Relevance.” Among the topics she will address are how educators can use narrative nonfiction to connect students to the past and using the social studies standards to develop critical thinking skills.
5. Each year, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) in partnership with the Children's Book Council (CBC) selects and publishes the “Outstanding Science Trade Book List,” a list of recommended titles that offer “science content and build literacy skills.” Dr. Juliana Texley, a past president of NSTA, will talk about the list’s book selection criteria and process and the organization’s valuable resource for educators: an online, searchable database of 10,000 teacher-reviewed books.
6. In a session titled “Breaking the Boundaries: New Voices, New Formats, New Ideas for Today's Nonfiction,” authors Heather Montgomery and Melissa Stewart will discuss how the world of children’s nonfiction is evolving and where it can go. Participants will get a chance to practice some “out-side-of-the-box thinking, try an exercise to see where voice can take [them], and experiment with visual thinking tools.”

For more information on the event and to register, visit the conference website.