The District 58 Author Fest Book Signing and Photo Opportunity is back again this year on Friday, April 26. The favorite annual event is sponsored by the Downers Grove Area Council of PTAs with support from the Education Foundation of District 58 and the Downers Grove Junior Woman’s Club. The event is open to the community and will be held 5-7 p.m. at Anderson’s Bookshop, 5112 Main St., Downers Grove.
The event will feature three children's authors – Greg Pizzoli, Jasmine Warga and Kate Hannigan.
Earlier in the week, all District 58 1st, 3rd, and 5th graders will meet with one of the three authors to hear insights about the writing/illustration process. Small groups of students will also meet the author during a special lunch/discussion as part of Author Fest.
Twenty percent of every book purchased for the book signing at Anderson's will come back to the PTA Council to be used for future district-wide programming, including Author Fest.
About the Authors:
Greg Pizzoli: Greg Pizzoli is the Three-time Theodor Seuss Geisel Award-winning creator of the Baloney and Friends graphic novel series, as well as the author and illustrator of the picture books The Watermelon Seed, Good Night Owl and The Book Hog. He also writes nonfiction for kids, including the New York Times Best Illustrated title Tricky Vic, and PIZZA! A Slice of History.
He studied English Literature at Millersville University before volunteering for the AmeriCORPS Volunteers in Service to America program. After two years as a VISTA volunteer, Greg earned his Master of Fine Art (MFA) in Book Arts and Printmaking from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Pizzoli taught silkscreen for seven years at UArts before leaving to pursue making picture books full-time. Pizzoli works in a studio he shares with his wife Kay Healy, who is a printmaker and author. They live in South Philadelphia with their two daughters.
Jasmine Warga: Jasmine Warga is the New York Times-bestselling author of middle-grade novels Other Words For Home, The Shape of Thunder, and A Rover’s Story. Other Words For Home earned multiple awards, including a John Newbery Honor, among others; and The Shape of Thunder was a School Library Journal and Bank Street best book of the year. Her latest novel, A Rover’s Story, was an instant New York Times bestseller, an Indie Next List, a Junior Library Guild selection, and was named a best book of the year by Publishers Weekly and The Washington Post. Jasmine is also the author of a young adult novel, My Heart and Other Black Holes, which has been translated into over twenty different languages. Jasmine grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and studied art history and history at Northwestern University in Evanston. She briefly taught 6th grade science before going on to get her MFA in creative writing from Lesley University in Boston. She quickly discovered that writing for kids and teens was the perfect combination of her dual interests in storytelling and working with kids.
Kate Hannigan: Kate Hannigan is an award-winning author of fiction and nonfiction for young readers. Her newest titles include the nonfiction picture book Josephine and Her Dishwashing Machine, which tells the story of the little-known female inventor Josephine Cochrane who not only invented the modern dishwashing machine but also ran her manufacturing company. It was named to the Illinois Reads 2024 list of recommended books. Another "inventor" book, Blips on a Screen, has been nominated to the 2025 Illinois Bluestem Award list. Kate's new nonfiction graphic novel World War II: Fight on the Home Front was named a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection. Her historical mystery The Detective's Assistant was awarded the prestigious Golden Kite Award for best middle grade and twice optioned for film. Kate lives in Chicago with her three fabulous kids, two noisy but lovable dogs, and one wonderful husband.