Area teachers, librarians, and book lovers are invited to the University of Findlay’s Mazza Museum for its 30th annual Summer Conference Monday to Wednesday, July 15 to 17. 

The three-day conference features educational and engaging presentations from some of the top authors and illustrators in the picture book industry. 

Ben Sapp, director of the Mazza Museum, is proud of the vast network of people who have connected throughout three decades of conferences.

“Over the years, Mazza has hosted nearly 450 internationally-known artists and authors of children’s picture books,” he explained. “They have enriched the lives of more than 8,000 book lovers from 40 states and five countries. Many attendees have returned time and again, forming lasting friendships with artists, participants, and Mazza staff. So, please join us for one, two, or all three days.”

This year’s conference includes nine keynote speakers, along with door prizes, autograph opportunities, a fully-stocked gift shop, and book sale.

Among the guest speakers are Matthew Reinhart, an award-winning children’s book author, illustrator, and paper engineer. He is the creator of the best-selling blockbuster pop-up guides for Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Transformers, Frozen, and Legos.

The artist has worked for DC Comics, Disney, HBO, and other companies, creating complicated and fascinating structures for pop-up books and promotional materials. Many of his intricate paper masterpieces are part of Mazza’s collection and displayed in the Laiho Gallery.

The conference also features three winners of the Caldecott Medal, the prestigious honor by the American Library Association, recognizing artists of the most distinguished picture books. Those three guest speakers are:

Cozbi A. Cabrera was born in Brooklyn to Honduran parents. The author/illustrator received her bachelor of fine arts degree from Parsons School of Design. Her joy in making things is reflected in her poetic text, textile collage and acrylic illustrations, and cloth dolls. Her most recent book is “Me and Mama.”

Micha Archer earned a bachelor’s degree in multicultural education, then taught kindergarteners for 15 years. She is known for her work with handmade stamps, layered collages, lush and vivid colors. Her sense of color and pattern is influenced by architecture, folk art, and crafts discovered in her world travels. Her most recent book is “Wonder Walkers.”

Cindy Derby attended theater school where she trained to be a performer and puppeteer. Also a self-taught painter, she makes her own paintbrushes. Her book “How to Walk an Ant” was named one of the Most Astonishingly Unconventional Children’s Books of 2019.

Other keynote speakers are Mike Curato, Charlie Mylie, Brianne Farley, Susanna Chapman, and Zahra Marwan. For more information on speakers and the schedule, visit https://conference.mazzamuseum.org/.

Conference attendees also can attend daily breakout sessions led by area teachers and librarians offering techniques for using picture books in fun, educational ways.

Sapp also noted that during Wednesday’s breakout sessions, many illustrators and authors from the first conference will be participating via Zoom along with author/illustrator Denise Fleming joining in person.

To register for this year’s Mazza Summer Conference, visit the registration page online https://conference.mazzamuseum.org/. Those who attend are eligible to receive three hours of graduate or undergraduate credit.