Making Waves at TLA 2025
The Texas Library Association Annual Conference in Dallas this year proved to be an incredible opportunity to connect with librarians, educators, and book lovers from across the Lone Star State. With approximately 5,000 attendees gathering from April 1-3, our team at NorthSouth Books was thrilled to share our passion for diverse, bilingual, and quality children’s literature.
Read on for more highlights and images from the conference.
Booth Highlights
Our corner booth next to the author signing area drew constant traffic! We loved engaging with all of the librarians, school librarians and educators who stopped by and sharing some TLA-exclusive goodies. Our TLA team this year consisted of associate publicist, Gelsey Phaneuf, senior editor Alex Robertson, and publishing assistant Marian Hernandez.
Ediciones NorteSur in Dallas
Our Spanish language program shone brightly at TLA! We were honored to have two of our talented translators, Mariana Llanos and David Bowles join us, connecting directly with librarians who serve Spanish-speaking communities. Ediciones NorthSur received overwhelming support and for that we are so thankful. Our senior editor, Alex Robertson, and translators engaged in meaningful conversations about bringing bilingual children’s literature to all young readers.
Panel, Signings and a Sparkly Special Guest
The “2 is Better Than 1: Better Bilingual Books for Kids” panel featuring Baptiste Paul and Mariana Llanos was standing room only. The panel included John Parra, Rhode Montijo and Jamie Ofelia. Moderator Nayeli Gonzalez, a bilingual librarian, asked insightful questions and the audience was very engaged. It was a wonderful time to highlight the importance of bilingualism and accessibility in children’s literature.
In addition to the panel, Baptiste Paul, Mariana Llanos, and David Bowles delighted fans with book signings. Lines of eager attendees snaked around aisles as they patiently waited their turn!
Rainbow Fish even made an appearance drawing his own personal ocean of fans.
The Van Show featuring Baptiste Paul!
In an exciting surprise, Baptiste Paul was invited to appear on The Van Show! This popular puppet interview program features a charming blue monster who chats with authors about their books and creative process. Baptiste recorded a delightful segment that will air soon—keep an eye on The Van Show site to catch this fun interview when it releases.
Looking ahead
Despite challenges facing libraries today, we were inspired by the positive energy and dedication of everyone we met. TLA proved even more engaging than expected, and we’re already looking forward to next year!