Level Up!

Join Oregon SCBWI Level Up! for a powerhouse panel discussion with three highly acclaimed writers. YA author April Henry, MG author Deborah Hopkinson, and PB author Leslie Barnard Booth will share their knowledge and expertise on the topics of hooks, story arcs, and character development. Learn from the best as they answer questions about their thought processes and work habits. ⭐ April Henry is the New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award winning author of 30 mysteries and thrillers for teens and adults. She makes up for a peaceful childhood in an intact home by killing off fictional characters. There was one detour on April's path to destruction: when she was 12, she sent a short story about a six-foot tall frog who loved peanut butter to noted children's author Roald Dahl. He liked it so much he showed it to his editor, who asked April if she could publish it in her international children's magazine. ⭐ Deborah Hopkinson is the award-winning author of more than eighty-five books for young readers. Her most recent middle grade novel, THE PLOT TO KILL A QUEEN, was an Oregon Book Award finalist and included on ALA's 2025 Rise: A Feminist Book Project List. Her picture book, ON A SUMMER NIGHT, was named the 2025 Margaret Wise Brown Prize honor book. Forthcoming middle grade novels include TAKE COVER: HOW I SURVIVED THE BLITZ WITH A LOST GIRL, SOME GHOSTS, AND A DOG NAMED SMOKE (Scholastic 2026) and LUCKY'S HOME FOR LOST AND STARVING DOGS (Knopf 2027). ⭐ Leslie Barnard Booth writes lyrical picture books about science and nature. Her books include ONE DAY THIS TREE WILL FALL, a Kirkus Best Book of the Year, ALA-ALSC Notable Children's Book, and National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) Outstanding Science Trade Book; A STONE IS A STORY, a Bank Street Best Book of the Year, Crystal Kite Award Winner, and NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book; and, most recently, I AM WE: HOW CROWS COME TOGETHER TO SURVIVE. Leslie grew up in Washington state, among giant trees and rugged mountains. Thanks to her kids, she has relearned what children seem to know intuitively: that every snail, stone, and clump of moss is full of wonder, if only we take the time to look. Visit her at lesliebarnardbooth.com. ⭐ This one-hour webinar will take place Tuesday, September 16, at 7 pm. A recording will be available for 30 days afterwards. Don’t miss it! Registration closes September 13th.