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.

Meet the Author José Pablo Iriarte

Meet author José Pablo Iriarte as we discuss Mayor Buddy’s Book Club latest read, Benny Ramirez and the Nearly Departed. There will be a virtual Q&A with the author. Recommended for ages 8-12.

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.

Upcoming Sunshine State Author Series Events

Mayor Buddy’s Book Club

Benny Ramirez and the Nearly Departed - Session 1

Registration Required

Wednesday September 17 4:00pm

Online

Event Categories: Authors, Books, Writing

Meet author José Pablo Iriarte as we discuss Mayor Buddy’s Book Club's latest read. There will be a virtual Q&A with the author. Recommended for ages 8-12.

Learn more>

Mayor Buddy’s Book Club

Clementine Fox and the Great Island Adventure - Session 1

Registration Required

Wednesday November 19 4:00pm

Online

Event Categories: Authors, Books, Writing

Engage in a lively discussion and fun activities with Mayor Buddy's Book Club. Recommended for ages 8-12.

Learn more>

Mayor Buddy’s Book Club End of Book Party

Clementine Fox and the Great Island Adventure - Session 2

Registration Required

Wednesday December 17 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>

More Sunshine State Author Series Events >

2025-26 Sunshine State Readers Jr

The fastest tortoise in town / Howard Calvert illustrated by Karen Obuhanych.

Calvert, Howard, author.

GEORGE the Flybot and the lost camera on Mount Everest / by Nessa Bellido Schwarz illustrated by Jason Fruchter.

Schwarz, Nessa Bellido, author.

How this book got red / words by Margaret Chiu Greanias picture by Melissa Iwai.

Greanias, Margaret Chiu, author.

Luigi, the spider who wanted to be a kitten / Michelle Knudsen illustrated by Kevin Hawkes.

Knudsen, Michelle, author.

The man who didn’t like animals / words by Deborah Underwood pictures by LeUyen Pham.

Underwood, Deborah, author.

Mavis the bravest / by Lu Fraser illustrated by Sarah Warburton.

Fraser, Lu, author.

Orris and Timble : the beginning / Kate DiCamillo illustrated by Carmen Mok.

DiCamillo, Kate, author.

Penny Lu porcupine / Katie Gilstrap illustrated by Maribel Lechuga.

Gilstrap, Katie, author.

The quacken / written by Justin Colón illustrated by Pablo Pino.

Colón, Justin, author.

Rise of the green flame / written by Bernard Mensah illustrated by Natasha Nayo.

Mensah, Bernard (Children's author), author.

Scare school diaries. Welcome to scare school / by Jarrett Lerner.

Lerner, Jarrett, author, illustrator.

The spotless giraffe / Peter Millett [illustrations by] Alison Hawkins.

Millett, Peter, author.

Squirrel-ish / story and pictures by Bambi Edlund.

Edlund, Bambi, author, illustrator.

We are definitely human / a book by X. Fang.

Fang, X., author, illustrator.

Wildfire rescue / written by Rekha S. Rajan illustrated by Courtney Lovett.

Rajan, Rekha S., author.

2025-26 Sunshine State Readers Gr. 3-5

The adventures of Invisible Boy. 1 / by Doogie Horner.

Horner, Doogie, author, artist.

Always, Clementine / Carlie Sorosiak.

Sorosiak, Carlie, author.

The Amazon / Roland Smith.

Smith, Roland, 1951- author.

Benny Ramírez and the nearly departed / José Pablo Iriarte.

Iriarte, José Pablo, author.

The Callers / Kiah Thomas.

Thomas, Kiah, author.

Clementine Fox and the great island adventure / Leigh Luna.

Luna, Leigh, author, artist.

Dogtown / Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko with illustrations by Wallace West.

Applegate, Katherine, author.

Futureland : battle for the park / written by H. D. Hunter illustrated by Khadijah Khatib.

Hunter, H. D., author.

Legends of Lotus Island. The Guardian test / by Christina Soontornvat illustrated by Kevin Hong.

Soontornvat, Christina, author.

Lightningborn / Julie Kagawa.

Kagawa, Julie, author.

The lost library / Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass.

Stead, Rebecca, author.

The mystery of locked rooms / Lindsay Currie.

Currie, Lindsay, author.

Peril at Price Manor / Laura Parnum.

Parnum, Laura, author.

Trex / Christyne Morrell.

Morrell, Christyne, author.

The wild journey of Juniper Berry / Chad Morris & Shelly Brown.

Morris, Chad, author.

2025-26 Sunshine State Readers Gr. 6-8

Brick dust and bones / M. R. Fournet.

Fournet, M. R., author.

Confessions of a class clown / Arianne Costner illustrations by Billy Yong.

Costner, Arianne, author.

Control freaks / J. E. Thomas.

Thomas, J. E. (Children's author), author.

Curlfriends. New in town / Sharee Miller coloring by Luke Healy.

Miller, Sharee (Illustrator), author, illustrator.

The fire, the water, and Maudie McGinn / Sally J. Pla.

Pla, Sally J., author.

The firefly summer / Morgan Matson.

Matson, Morgan, author.

The first state of being / by Erin Entrada Kelly.

Kelly, Erin Entrada, author.

Fowl play / Kristin O’Donnell Tubb.

Tubb, Kristin O'Donnell, author.

Heroes : a novel of Pearl Harbor / Alan Gratz.

Gratz, Alan, 1972- author.

The lost year / Katherine Marsh.

Marsh, Katherine, author.

Mid-Air / by Alicia D. Williams illustrated by Danica Novgorodoff.

Williams, Alicia, 1970- author.

Play the game. The hoop con / Amar Shah.

Shah, Amar (Screenwriter), author.

Shinji Takahashi and the mark of the coatl / by Julie Kagawa.

Kagawa, Julie, author.

Simon sort of says / Erin Bow.

Bow, Erin, author.

Skyriders / Polly Holyoke.

Holyoke, Polly, author.

Florida Teens Read

All the fighting parts / Hannah V. Sawyerr.

Sawyerr, Hannah V., author.

Another first chance / Robbie Couch.

Couch, Robbie, author.

The bad ones / Melissa Albert.

Albert, Melissa, author.

Bring me your midnight / Rachel Griffin.

Griffin, Rachel, 1985- author.

Going dark / Melissa de la Cruz.

De la Cruz, Melissa, 1971- author.

The kill factor / Ben Oliver.

Oliver, Ben (Science fiction writer), author.

Pieces of me : a novel / Kate McLaughlin.

McLaughlin, Kate, 1971- author.

Ready or not / Andi Porretta flats by Matt Aytch Taylor.

Porretta, Andi, author, llustrator.

Rez ball / Byron Graves.

Graves, Byron, author.

Star splitter / Matthew J. Kirby.

Kirby, Matthew J., 1976- author.

Stars and smoke / Marie Lu.

Lu, Marie, 1984- author.

Sunrise nights / Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro.

Zentner, Jeff, author.

Swimming in a sea of stars / Julie Wright.

Wright, Julie, 1972- author.

Twelfth knight / Alexene Farol Follmuth endpaper art by Little Chmura.

Follmuth, Alexene Farol, author.

Wander in the dark / Jumata Emill.

Emill, Jumata, author.

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Mayor Buddy’s Book Club

Mayor Buddy’s Book Club End of Book Party

2025-26 Sunshine State Readers Jr

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