Sunshine State Author Series

Since 2017, the Sunshine State Author Series has offered opportunities for kids and teens to meet and learn from their favorite authors featured on the annual Sunshine State readings lists. Each featured writer in this series has written a book that has been on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award or Florida Teens Read lists.

Orange County Library System would like to make connections between local schools and popular children's and young adult authors. Please let us know if you are interested in partnering with us on an author visit (either virtually or in-person), by completing the Author Visit Request form.

Meet the Author Natalia Sylvester

Meet Natalia Sylvester, award-winning author of the Florida Teens Read book “Breathe and Count Back from Ten.” Recommended for ages 13-17.

Mayor Buddy's Book Club

By encouraging leisure time reading and creative expression, Mayor Buddy’s Book Club improves literacy in our community by making reading fun! All ages are welcome to participate.

Sunshine State Author Series

The Sunshine State Author Series brings top-notch writers of children’s and young adult literature to Orange County for public readings, writing workshops and visits with students to spark interest in reading. Each featured writer has written a book that has been on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award or Florida Teen Reads lists.

Sunshine State Reading Challenge

Have fun in the Florida sun this school year by participating in a Sunshine State Reading Challenge! Recommended for grades K-12. Please ensure your Beanstack account has a school grade associated with it to participate.

Upcoming Sunshine State Author Series Events

Meet the Author Natalia Sylvester

Sunshine State Author Series

Registration Required

Wednesday October 2 7:00pm

Online (Virtual Room - EPD)

Event Categories: Authors, Books, Writing

Meet Natalia Sylvester, award-winning author of the Florida Teens Read book "Breathe and Count Back from Ten." Recommended for ages 13-17.

Learn more>

Mayor Buddy’s Book Club End of Book Party

The Cursed Moon - Session 2

Registration Required

Wednesday October 16 4:00pm

Orlando Public Library (Library Central - First Floor)

Event Categories: Authors, Books, Writing

Orlando Mayor Buddy's Book Club is celebrating the completion of their latest book! Recommended for ages 8-12.

Learn more>

Mayor Buddy’s Book Club

The Aquanaut - Session 1

Registration Required

Wednesday November 20 4:00pm

Online

Event Categories: Authors, Books, Writing

Engage in a lively discussion and fun activities with Mayor Buddy's Book Club. There will be a Q&A with the author. Recommended for ages 8-12.

Learn more>

More Sunshine State Author Series Events >

2024-25 Sunshine State Readers Jr

Awesome orange birthday / written by Mitali Banerjee Ruths illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel.

Ruths, Mitali Banerjee, author.

Carina Felina / Carmen Agra Deedy & Henry Cole.

Deedy, Carmen Agra, author.

Don’t eat bees : (life lessons from Chip the dog) / written by Dev Petty illustrated by Mike Boldt.

Petty, Dev, author.

The duck never blinks / Alex Latimer.

Latimer, Alex, author, illustrator.

Evergreen / Matthew Cordell.

Cordell, Matthew, 1975- author.

Got your nose! / written by Alan Katz illustrated by Alex Willan.

Katz, Alan, author.

The greatest in the world / Ben Clanton.

Clanton, Ben, 1988- author.

Henry, like always / by Jenn Bailey illustrated by Mika Song.

Bailey, Jenn, 1965- author.

Mr. S / Monica Arnaldo.

Arnaldo, Monica, author, illustrator.

My pet feet / Josh Funk illustrated by Billy Yong.

Funk, Josh, author.

Our incredible library book : and the wonderful journeys it took / written by Caroline Crowe illustrated by John Joseph.

Crowe, Caroline, author.

Out of the blue / by Robert Tregoning illustrated by Stef Murphy.

Tregoning, Robert, author.

Rick the rock of Room 214 / Julie Falatko illustrated by Ruth Chan.

Falatko, Julie, author.

We are going to be pals! / Mark Teague.

Teague, Mark, author, illustrator.

Worm and Caterpillar are friends / written and illustrated by Kaz WIndness.

Windness, Kaz, 1974- author, illustrator.

2024-25 Sunshine State Readers Gr. 3-5

The Aquanaut : a story / by Dan Santat.

Santat, Dan.

The big sting / Rachelle Delaney.

Delaney, Rachelle, author.

Bound for home / Meika Hashimoto.

Hashimoto, Meika, author.

The cursed moon / Angela Cervantes.

Cervantes, Angela, author.

Finally seen / Kelly Yang.

Yang, Kelly, author.

The girl who built a spider / George Brewington.

Brewington, George, author.

The good sports league : The ultimate goal / by Tommy Greenwald illustrated by Lesley Vamos.

Greenwald, Tommy, 1962- author.

The grip / by Marcus Stroman written with Samantha Thornhill.

Stroman, Marcus, 1991- author.

Home away from home / Cynthia Lord.

Lord, Cynthia, author.

Manatee summer / Evan Griffith.

Griffith, Evan, author.

Penny draws a best friend / Sara Shepard.

Shepard, Sara, 1977- author.

Race to Fire Mountain / Remi Blackwood illustrations by Alicia Robinson.

Blackwood, Remi, author.

The shelterlings / by Sarah Beth Durst.

Durst, Sarah Beth, author.

Treasure in the lake / Jason Pamment.

Pamment, Jason, author.

When sea becomes sky / Gillian McDunn [illustrations by Yaoyao Ma Van As]

McDunn, Gillian, author.

2024-25 Sunshine State Readers Gr. 6-8

Adrift / Tanya Guerrero.

Guerrero, Tanya, author.

Fake / Ele Fountain.

Fountain, Ele, author.

Falling short / Ernesto Cisneros.

Cisneros, Ernesto, author.

Girl in white / Lindsay Currie.

Currie, Lindsay, author.

Hear me / Kerry O’Malley Cerra.

Cerra, Kerry O'Malley, author.

How to stay invisible / Maggie C. Rudd.

Rudd, Maggie, author.

Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts / Erika Lewis.

Lewis, Erika, 1968- author.

The mystery of the Radcliffe riddle / Taryn Souders.

Souders, Taryn, 1977- author.

New dragon city / Mari Mancusi.

Mancusi, Mari, author.

Over and out / Jenni L. Walsh.

Walsh, Jenni L., author.

Ride on / Faith Erin Hicks colors by Kelly Fitzpatrick.

Hicks, Faith Erin, author.

Roll for initiative / Jaime Formato.

Formato, Jaime, author.

The Ruby code / Jessica Khoury.

Khoury, Jessica, 1990- author.

The superteacher project / Gordon Korman.

Korman, Gordon, author.

Florida Teens Read

Accountable : the true story of a racist social media account and the teenagers whose lives it changed / Dashka Slater.

Slater, Dashka, author.

Breathe and count back from ten / by Natalia Sylvester.

Sylvester, Natalia, author.

Chaos theory / Nic Stone.

Stone, Nic, author.

Dear Medusa / Olivia A. Cole.

Cole, Olivia A., author.

The do-over / Lynn Painter.

Painter, Lynn, author.

The drowned woods / Emily Lloyd-Jones.

Lloyd-Jones, Emily, author.

Four for the road / K.J. Reilly.

Reilly, K. J. (Writer of young adult fiction), author.

In Nightfall / Suzanne Young.

Young, Suzanne, author.

Midnight at the Houdini / Delilah S. Dawson.

Dawson, Delilah S., author.

The name she gave me / Betty Culley.

Culley, Betty, author.

Promise boys / Nick Brooks.

Brooks, Nick, 1989- author.

Queen bee : an anti-historical Regency romp / Amalie Howard.

Howard, Amalie, author.

Remember me gone / by Stacy Stokes.

Stokes, Stacy, author.

Seven percent of Ro Devereux / Ellen O’Clover.

O'Clover, Ellen, author.

You’re not supposed to die tonight / Kalynn Bayron.

Bayron, Kalynn, author.

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