BATON ROUGE — Award-winning children's author and illustrator David Ezra Stein will be the featured guest for the East Baton Rouge Parish Library's 49th Annual Author-Illustrator Program scheduled next month.

The annual program—to be held Thursday, Oct. 8 and Friday, Oct. 9—offers opportunities
for students, families, educators, librarians and children's literature enthusiasts to hear from a nationally recognized author and illustrator.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Stein developed a love of books and storytelling at an early age. Encouraged by beloved author and teacher Pat Cummings, he decided to pursue a career in children's books. Before becoming a full-time author and illustrator, Stein worked as a window display artist, puppeteer and puppet builder, illustrator and New Yorker cartoonist.

Stein's first book, Cowboy Ned & Andy, was published in 2006, and he has since published more than 20 picture books. Interrupting Chicken received a 2011 Caldecott Honor, while Leaves won the Ezra Jack Keats Award and was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, a Kirkus Reviews Editor's Choice and a School Library Journal Best Book. Pouch! was named a 2010 Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book. His latest books include Wake Up, Grouchy Bear! and the forthcoming Interrupting Chicken Raises Her Wing.

All events are free and open to the public. A selection of books will be available for purchase. Cash and checks only. Autographs are limited to books purchased at this event.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Library's Author-Illustrator Program was founded in 1978 by Dr. Patsy H. Perritt, former professor in the Louisiana State University School of Library & Information Science; John Richard, former Library Director; and Dianne Brady,
former head of Children's Services.

For more information about the 49th Annual Author-Illustrator Program, visit ebrpl.com or call (225) 231-3760 .

The 49th Annual Author-Illustrator Program will feature three free events:

Virtual School Visit
Thursday, October 8, 10–10:45 a.m.
Students in grades K–5, including homeschool students, are invited to a virtual presentation with Stein. Registration is required at //ebrpl.co/stein.

Meet the Author
Thursday, October 8, 7–8 p.m.
Families and children's literature enthusiasts are invited to meet Stein and hear about his work as an author and illustrator. Stein will be joined by his wife and creative partner, Miriam Kessler, a puppeteer, for a special puppet show. An autograph session will follow. Registration is not required.

Behind the Writing
Friday, October 9, 8:30 a.m.–noon
School media specialists, educators, librarians, and children's literature enthusiasts are invited to go behind the scenes of Stein's creative process. Stein and his wife and creative partner, puppeteer Miriam Kessler, will also perform a puppet show. An autograph session will follow. Registration is required at //ebrpl.com/events.