3 authors to headline BYU symposium

PROVO — Three award-winning authors will headline the second annual Brigham Young University Midwinter Symposium on Books for Young Readers at the Provo City Library at Academy Square Saturday, Feb. 3.

BYU graduate Stephanie Meyer will kick off the symposium. Meyer wrote the New York Times best seller "Twilight," which earned the Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year award and was named on two American Library Association top-10 lists. She has also written a sequel, "New Moon," and is currently working on a third novel, "Eclipse."

Meyer will meet with fans Friday, Feb. 2, as a special "by reservation only" event, an "I Love Edward Cullen Party." Cullen is a main character in "Twilight" and "New Moon."

Following Meyer's remarks, Newbery Medal-winner Joan Bauer will discuss her contribution to the genre. Bauer's first novel, "Squashed," won the Delacorte Prize for a First Young Adult Novel, and her continued works include "Thwonk," "Sticks," "Best Foot Forward" and "Rules of the Road." The author has also earned the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Christopher Award and the Golden Kite Award.

Rosemary Wells will wrap up the symposium. With more than 60 books to her credit, Wells has told the stories of Max and Ruby, Noisy Nora, Yoko and others in pieces such as "Emily's First 100 Days of School," "Max and Ruby's Show-and-Tell," "Carry Me!" and "Yoko's World of Kindness: Golden Rules for a Happy Classroom."

The BYU Bookstore will also set up an annex on the second floor of the library during the symposium where the featured authors' books will sell for discounted prices.

The Midwinter Symposium on Books for Young Readers is sponsored by the BYU Department of Teacher Education, the Harold B. Lee Library, the BYU Bookstore, the BYU Division of Continuing Education and the Provo library.

Register by mail, by calling 422-8925, by visiting bfyr.byu.edu or at the BYU Harman Building. University credit available. Deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 26.