UPCOMING EVENTS
INDIE BOOKSTORE DAY AT OLD TOWN BOOKS
Special author storytime with puppets and crafting! Join local author Gabriella Aldeman as she shares her irresistibly sweet picture book, Squawk of Spanish, about a boy who finds his Spanish-speaking voice with the help of his abuela’s pet, a talkative parrot named Lorito. Following the puppet storytime, Gabriella will lead children in making wiggly/fidget "bookworms" and stay to sign copies of her books.
Date: Saturday, April 26 | 9:30am.
Location: Old Town Books Jr. |130 S. Royal Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Looking for a fun and interactive author visit for your elementary students? I offer two distinct presentations. For younger elementary students, I talk about my author’s journey and what it takes to make a book. We also read one of my picture books with an SEL focus. For older elementary students, I present on the power of reading, writing, and revising.
Past Events
Let’s celebrate Paula! Story time begins at 11am followed by a short Paula-themed craft, book signing, and plenty of cake (and stickers).
Date: Saturday, July 15.
Location: Scrawl Books. 11911 Freedom Dr, Reston, VA 20190.
PAULA’S PATCHES STORY TIME EVENT IN WINCHESTER, VA
Join me for some story time fun! Story time begins at 11:30 am followed by a Paula-themed craft and book signing (and stickers).
Date: Saturday, July 22.
Location: Winchester Book Gallery. 7 North Loudoun Street, Winchester, VA 2260
Acompáñenme a celebrar el lanzamiento de mi nuevo libro. Habrá story time en inglés, una manualidad relacionada al libro y más. También estaré firmando copias. ¡Obtengan su copia en Hombre de la Mancha Kids!
Fecha: jueves, 3 de agosto.
Location: Hombre de la Mancha Kids, Sucursal de San Francisco. Calle 71, San Francisco. Panamá, Panamá
PAULA’S PATCHES STORY TIME AND CLOTHING DRIVE EVENT
We are partnering with the Committee for Helping Others (CHO) for a story time and clothing drive. CHO is a volunteer organization that focuses on those in need of aid in Vienna and other local communities. All clothing donations during the event will go directly to CHO. To learn more, visit their website here.
Date: Saturday, August 19.
Location: Bards Alley Bookshop. 110 Church St NW, Vienna, VA 22180
PAULA’S PATCHES STORY TIME EVENT IN HERNDON
Join me for some story time fun! Story time begins at 10 am followed by book signing (and stickers).
Date: Wednesday, August 23.
Location: A Thousand Stories. 750 Center St, Herndon, VA 20170
PAULA’S PATCHES STORY TIME AT THE LIBRARY!
Join me for some story time fun! Story time begins at 11 am. Books will be available for purchase at the event through Bards Alley Bookstore.
Date: Saturday, September 16.
Location: Patrick Henry Library. 101 Maple Ave E, Vienna, VA 22180
KidFest is a day-long, activity-filled event for kids of all ages and their grown-ups. On Saturday, October 7th, 50+ authors and illustrators will be in attendance from 11am – 4pm, meeting their fans and signing books that are available for purchase throughout the day.
Date: Saturday, October 7.
Location: 110 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960
The AASL National Conference is the only national conference dedicated solely to the needs of school librarians and their roles as educational leaders. I’ll be there with Teachers Created Materials signing copies of Paula’s Patches.
Date: Saturday, October 21 (9am)
Location: Tampa Convention Center. 333 S. Franklin Street in Tampa, FL
This year's theme is "Librarians are Essential for Student Success!" School Librarians empower students to think, create, share, and grow. I’ll be one of the local authors in a panel presenting on school visits.
Date: Thursday, November 2
Location: Westfields Marriott Hotel in Chantilly
SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY STORY TIME EVENT
Join me and other local authors for some story time fun! Paula’s Patches story time begins at 10:30 am followed by a Paula-themed craft and book signing (and stickers).
Date: Saturday, November 25.
Location: Hooray for Books! 1555 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314
I’ll be participating in World Read Aloud Day this coming February 7, 2024!
WRAD is an annual celebration organized by Lit World and Scholastic. Schools and libraries have free opportunities to connect with authors for 20-minute virtual read-alouds of their books.
Please click below to sign up for a time slot. Spaces are limited and I’d love to connect with you and your students!
[NOTE: THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT]
Hello, Philly! Join me for a story time event at Julia de Burgos Bookstore. I’ll be reading my book Paula’s Patches and hosting a craft activity. Light refreshments will be served. And don’t forget to bring your gently used items to join the clothing swap!
Date: Saturday, April 13 | 10am.
Location: Julia de Burgos Bookstore 2600 N. 5th Street Philadelphia, PA 19133
Note: The book is in English, but I’ll be presenting in English and Spanish. All are welcome!
Pick up your stuffy from its sleepover and join me for a story time event—we’ll be reading Paula’s Patches and making pillows for your stuffy!
Date: Saturday, April 27 | 10:30am.
Location: Bards Alley |110 Church St NW, Vienna, VA 22180
Note: This event is free. Materials for the stuffy pillow will be provided. Participating in the stuffy sleepover is not required to attend story time & craft. Please RSVP
Vienna Moms Spring Storybook Festival
Join us at the Vienna Town Green with the Vienna Moms group for their storybook festival, featuring story times and crafts with four local authors. All ages are welcome to attend! Stop in for just one or all of our story times and crafts!
Date: Saturday, May 11 | 10am-12pm.
Location: Vienna Town Green
Join SLJ and authors like me on July 25th for the fourth annual SLJ Picture Book Palooza, an all-day, free virtual celebration of authors and artists from around the world, who bring picture books to life. Register for a day dedicated to picture books, with a schedule that includes keynotes, author panels, and illustrator spotlights.
Visit the exhibit hall, chat with authors and publishing teams, download digital galleys & resources, and be prepared to be inspired as you build your collection, one picture book at a time.
Date: Thursday, July 25 | My panel on Creating Memories is at 3:35pm
Help me celebrate the release of my new book, SQUAWK OF SPANISH!
Join me at 11am for a parrot-themed craft, reading, book signing, and plenty of cake (stickers and bookmarks).
Date: Saturday, August 17
Location: Scrawl Books. 11911 Freedom Dr, Reston, VA 20190.
SQUAWK OF SPANISH STORY TIME & CRAFT
Join me at Bards Alley for a story time event! I’ll be reading my sophomore picture book Squawk of Spanish after leading a craft for kids to create their own parrot friend, using them to squawk along with the book!
Date: Sunday, August 25 at 2pm
Location: Bards Alley. 110 Church Street Northwest Vienna, VA
SQUAWK OF SPANISH STORY TIME & CRAFT
Join me at Solid State Books in Washington, DC for a story time event! I’ll be reading my new picture book Squawk of Spanish after leading a craft for kids to create their own parrot puppets. We’ll be using them to squawk along with the book!
Date: Saturday, September 7 at 10:30am
Location: Solid State Books at H Street. 600F H St NE. Washington, DC
SQUAWK OF SPANISH STORY TIME & CRAFT
Join me at A Thousand Stories Herndon for a story time event! I’ll be reading my new picture book Squawk of Spanish after leading a craft for kids to create their own parrot puppets. We’ll be using them to squawk along with the book!
Date: Saturday, September 14 at 11am
Location: A Thousand Stories Herndon. 750 Center St, Herndon, VA 20170
SQUAWK OF SPANISH STORY TIME & CRAFT
Join me at People’s Book for a story time event! I’ll be reading my new picture book Squawk of Spanish after leading a craft for kids to create their own parrot puppets. We’ll be using them to squawk along with the book!
Date: Sunday, September 15 at 9:30am
Location: People’s Book. 7014 Westmoreland Ave Suite A, Takoma Park, MD 20912
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH STORY TIME
Tracey and I will be doing a dual language story time in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month!
Date: Saturday, September 21 at 11am
Location: Scrawl Books. 11911 Freedom Dr, Reston, VA 20190.
SQUAWK OF SPANISH AT THE LIBRARY
Join me at my local library for a story time event! I’ll be reading my new picture book Squawk of Spanish after leading a craft for kids to create their own parrot puppets. We’ll be using them to squawk along with the book!
Date: Saturday, September 28 at 11:00 am
Location: Patrick Henry Library. 101 Maple Ave E, Vienna, VA 22180
Latinx Kidlit Book Festival: Bilingual Storytime & Meet the Authors Event
This is a free, live bilingual story time event in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, with live read alouds from Mariana Rios, Arlene Abundis, Nydia Armendia, and me Gaby Aldeman.
Date: Friday, October 11 at 1:00pm.
Location: Stream online here (YouTube)
VIRGINIA LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 2024 CONFERENCE
This year's theme is "Welcome to the Libraratory!” I’ll be one of the local authors in a panel presenting on school visits.
Date: Thursday, October 17
Location: Norfolk Waterside Marriott, Norfolk, VA
HERNDON CHILDREN’S BOOK FESTIVAL
Join me and a host of local children’s book authors (from picture books to middle grade) at the festival! There will be food trucks, vendors, and entertainment.
Date: Saturday, October 19 from 11am to 4pm.
Location: 750 Center St, Herndon, VA
SCHOOL VISIT WITH READERS TO DREAMERS
Readers To Dreamers ® is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was founded by Corinne Jolley and Aichuan Kwong. Because of their background in education and passion for representation in literacy, they created this organization to be the bridge between schools and children's book authors and illustrators.
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH (NCTE) CONFERENCE 2024
Honored to have been invited as a panelist for this year’s NCTE Conference in Boston, MA. I’ll be participating in three panels and signing books at the Latinx Kidlit Book Festival booth #233 on Friday, November 22 at noon. See you there!
Join us at Pure Green Vienna for a story time with local authors Gabriella Aldeman and Leah Moser.
The story time is free to attend, and all attendees will receive a 20% discount on Pure Green's menu. A Bards Alley bookseller will be on-site to sell copies of each book during the hour.
Date: Saturday, December 7, 2024 - 10:00am
Location: Pure Green Vienna is located at 136 Maple Ave West
Get your signed children’s books just in time for holiday gifting! Join us at Scrawl Books on Wednesday, December 11 from 6-8PM as we welcome a whole host of local kidlit authors!
Date: Wednesday, December 11, 2024 | 6:00 to 8:00pm
Location: Scrawl Books | 11911 Freedom Drive | Reston, VA 20190
I’ll be participating in World Read Aloud Day this coming February 5, 2025!
WRAD is an annual celebration organized by Lit World and Scholastic. Schools and libraries have free opportunities to connect with authors for 20-minute virtual read-alouds of their books.
Please click below to sign up for a time slot. Spaces are limited and I’d love to connect with you and your students!
PANEL ON WRITING & PUBLISHING KIDLIT
Join us at Bards Alley as local kidlit authors Gabriella Aldeman, Alyssa Colman, and Leah Moser lead a presentation and discussion on writing and publishing for kids. Learn about their experiences in the publishing world, and get recommendations and resources to help you in your writing and publishing journey. This event is an informative discussion geared toward adults interested in writing or the publishing industry.
Date: Thursday, March 20 from 6:30 to 8pm
Location: Bards Alley. 110 Church Street Northwest Vienna, VA