Keynotes

Candace Fleming is the author of more than fifty books for children and young adults, including the 2021 Sibert Medal-winning Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera, as well as the 2021 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award-winning The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh. A recipient of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, she is also the three-time winner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award, and a four-time winner of the Sibert Honor.  Her most recent titles are The Enigma Girls, Narwhal, Unicorn of the Arctic and Death in the Jungle which garnered eight starred reviews and was named a 2025 Kirkus Prize finalist.

Page & Palette will be selling a limited supply of Candace Fleming books in the vendor hall on Monday.

Amanda Hunt, also known as TheNextGenLibrarian, is a middle school library media specialist for grades 6–8 in Texas and serves as the Secondary Lead Librarian for her district. With over 15 years of experience as a school librarian across elementary and secondary campuses, she is a passionate advocate for literacy, access, and student engagement through libraries. Amanda serves on the ALA Council for Education and the AASL Standards Committee for the upcoming 2025 edition. She is the co-chair of the TxASL Social Media Committee, past TxASL Councilor, and currently secretary/treasurer for TLA’s Leadership Round Table. Her committee work includes YALSA’s Margaret Edwards Award, ALA’s Amazing Audiobooks, and the Texas Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List. A frequent speaker and presenter, Amanda has keynoted state library conferences in Georgia and New Hampshire. She is also a Google Certified Trainer, Apple Teacher, and Adobe Creative Educator. Follow her online: @TheNextGenLibrarian