Area school children who will participate in the 2025 Marquette-Alger Young Authors' Conference May 5-8 at Northern Michigan University visited NMU President Brock Tessman and his wife, Kristin, to read from their books. The students pictured with the Tessmans (from left) are: Callie Sundberg, Aspen Ridge, 5th grade; Brock Verville, Aspen Ridge, Kindergarten; Henry Dellangelo, Graveraet, Kindergarten; and Nora Morrison, Graveraet, 1st grade.
This year's featured guest is Adam Rex, author and illustrator of more than 40 books for kids. He most recently published Echo in March. His other titles include New York Times bestselling picture books like Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich and School's First Day of School, (with illustrator Christian Robinson). His work has been adapted for film and television.
According to its website, Marquette-Alger Young Authors began with an idea to build literacy and authorship within the community. It started with a handful of educators and 347 children in first through sixth grade. Over the past 39 years, the conference has grown to include 13 schools and about 3,000 children, pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.
The conference takes place over four days each May at NMU, but literacy activities extend throughout the whole school year. The activities involve reading, researching, writing, illustrating, sharing and finally publishing a book as a culminating project.
A day at the Young Authors' Conference consists of four events: the author presentation; a book-sharing session in which students celebrate their own writing; a writing workshop activity; and lunch at NMU's Northern Lights dining facility.