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Join us for a reading and talk about the creative and publishing process behind Jessica Walker’s debut YA graphic novel, The Secret Astronomers. Find out how an illustrated story of friendship, grief, and a secret got woven into the pages of an actual astronomy text book as we hear from Jessica and Viking senior editor Kelsey Murphy.
Moderated by Caron Levis, assistant professor/chair; author of Ida, Always.
About the Book:
The Secret Astronomers is a fascinating, highly illustrated, epistolary novel. When a recent transfer student starts keeping her diary in the oldest textbook at the Green Bank High School library, the last thing she expects is to receive a response. Thus begins a sweeping tale of unlikely friendship and long-buried secrets between two secret pen pals at a rural West Virginia high school.
“Some books map bold new territory in form, at the expense of story. Some trod well-worn paths to tell an excellent story. It’s the rare book that sails into uncharted waters of form to also tell a brilliant story, and this is one. This is a compelling, stirring, rural Appalachian coming-of-age tale worthy to stand with the finest.” —Jeff Zentner, award-winning author of In the Wild Light
“A wholly original novel that celebrates connection in unlikely places.” —Kirkus Reviews
Presented by the Creative Writing Program at The New School for Social Research.
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Jessica Walker is a multidisciplinary artist, illustrator, filmmaker, and educator. She is an associate professor of integrated design at Parsons and has exhibited films, books, and 2D media in solo and group shows in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, and Australia. Her work is housed in the permanent collections at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Research Library, Yale University Haas Family Arts Library, and the University of Washington Art Library. She is also the illustrator of Baby Feminists and Baby Feminists Too.
Kelsey Murphy is a senior editor at Viking. She joined Penguin Random House as an editor in 2018. She graduated from New York University with degrees in dramatic literature, film studies, and theater history and a minor in creative writing. Kelsey edits picture books, middle grade, and young adult fiction and nonfiction, as well as select graphic novels.
She is particularly interested in middle grade and young adult fantasy, sci-fi, thrillers, mysteries, magical realism, contemporary realism, horror, romance, genre-blending projects, historical and sports nonfiction, and more, with a blend of literary and commercial appeal. Kelsey’s always looking for projects by underrepresented creators. She is the editor of The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin; Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen; The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers by Adam Sass; Be Real, Macy Weaver by Lakita Wilson; Inaugural Ballers by Andrew Maraniss; as well as the Brotherband and Royal Ranger series by John Flanagan; and Wonka by Sibeal Pounder. When not reading or writing, Kelsey can sometimes be found watching every movie in the Criterion Collection.
