James R. Hannibal, Jane Suen, Kimberly Dana, Lynn Slaughter, and Sheila Sobel explore the craft of writing for readers ages 9 to 12. They discuss voice, theme, and the importance of sparking curiosity and imagination during this formative stage of reading development.
How Place Creates Character
Characters do not exist in a vacuum. This session explores how environment shapes personality, values, and choices, and how the right setting can naturally create characters who feel deeply rooted and impossible to separate from their world.




