Lucy F. DeMarco Fund for Youth Literature
September 16, 2024: YA NOVELIST CANDICE ILOH
candice iloh is the award-winning author of young adult novels, Every Body Looking, Break This House, Salt the Water. A 2020 National Book Award Finalist and 2021 Printz Honoree, iloh is a first-generation Nigerian-American writer whose books center home. In 2018, they were awarded a Critical Breaks residency with Hi-ARTS to develop and perform a one-night-only stage production of ADA: On Stage, a multi-media one-person-show, introducing the audience to in-progress themes of their now critically-acclaimed debut novel. They are a proud alum of the Rhode Island Writers Colony and their work has earned fellowships from Lambda Literary, VONA, Kimbilio Fiction and, most recently, The PEW Center for Arts & Heritage for 2023-2025. iloh is a former high school creative writing teacher who has previously taught young people of every age, from pre-K through high school. Their debut picture book, EMEKA: EAT EGUSI! will be published by Simon & Schuster in 2026.
November 9, 2023: A READING BY RAJ HALDAR
Raj Haldar's first children's book, P is for Pterodactyl has been nothing short of a phenomenon – spending 26 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List (peaking at #1) since its release in November 2018, with over 500,000 copies sold to date.
But, for close to a decade, Raj has been better known for his critically-praised music under the moniker, Lushlife. In that time he has amassed a fervent global fan base and released award-winning music videos that highlight his erudite lyrics.
As the official DJ to the Philadelphia Eagles, he has been tasked with programming a new, cutting edge musical experience for fans in the stadium at home games for the last five seasons. As a composer, Raj's music a constant fixure on Nick Jr. and has been featured in the Lonely Island film, Pop Star, Netflix / Dreamwork's animated series Kipo and Andrew Niccol's ANON with Clive Owen among many others.
Raj's recent early reader chapter book series Word Travelers is in development for television with Mainframe Studios. His latest children's book entitled, This Book is Banned hit shelves this September 2023, and has been buzzed about as the first kids book to offer a lighthearted entrypoint to understanding the serious issues around book banning and censorship.
Raj lives on the Upper West Side of Manhatten with his wife and two daughters. His work has been featured by The Washington Post, Interview Magazine, NPR, VICE, Pitchfork, Funny or Die, Village Voice, Mental Floss, BBC, SPIN, and many more.
March 29, 2023: YA AUTHORS IN CONVERSATION ABOUT CRAFT
Ever considered writing a YA novel? Join three celebrated special guest YA authors for a panel event and conversation on writing craft specific to a young adult audience. #1 New York Times bestselling author and Penn alumna Chloe Gong, National Book Award finalist Candice Iloh, andaward-winning author of more than a dozen books for kids and teens Anica Mrose Rissi, hosted by Penn faculty Nova Ren Suma. Open to the Penn community and to the public. Book signing to follow.
Chloe Gong is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights and its sequel Our Violent Ends. She is a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where she double-majored in English and International Relations. Born in Shanghai and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, Chloe is now located in New York pretending to be a real adult.
Candice Iloh is a first generation Nigerian-American writer, dancer, and author of the 2020 National Book Award finalist and 2021 Printz Honoree, Every Body Looking. They have performed their work arounds the country, most notably at Nuyorican Poets Café in New York City; the Women in Poetry & Hip Hop celebration at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore; and as part of the Africa In Motion performing arts series at the National Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C. Competitively, Iloh has advanced to the final rounds of the Graffiti DC Slam, Beltway Poetry Slam, and 11th Hour Poetry Slam. Candice is currently writing their third novel, Salt the Water, while touring their second, Break This House (Out May 24, 2022). They live and work in Philadelphia with their cats Maxinne and Charlie.
Anica Mrose Rissi is the award-winning author of more than a dozen books for kids and teens, including the Anna, Banana chapter book series; the middle grade collectionHide and Don’t Seek: And Other Very Scary Stories; the picture book Love, Sophia on the Moon; and the young adult novel Nobody Knows But You. Her next book, Wishing Season, a middle grade novel set on the Maine island where she grew up, comes out in June 2023 and is available for preorder now. Anica’s essays have been published by The Writer and the New York Times, and she plays fiddle in and writes lyrics for the band Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves. She currently lives near Princeton, New Jersey, with her very good dog, Sweet Potato.
Nova Ren Suma is the author of A Room Away from the Wolves and the #1 New York Times bestselling The Walls Around Us, both finalists for an Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Novel. She also wrote the novels Imaginary Girls, 17 & Gone, and Dani Noir and is co-editor of the story & writing craft anthology FORESHADOW: Stories to Celebrate the Magic of Reading & Writing YA. She has an MFA in fiction from Columbia University and has taught creative writing at the University of Pennsylvania and Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in Philadelphia.
November 21, 2021: ZACHARY SERGI AND JENNIFER YU: WRITING FOR YOUNG ADULTS
In honor of Homecoming Weekend at Penn, alumni writers Zachary Sergi (C'10), author of Major Detours (Running Press Kids, 2021), and Jennifer Yu, (C'16), author of Four Weeks, Five People (Harlequin Teen 2017) and Imagine Us Happy (Harlequin Teen 2018), will join us at the Kelly Writers House — in the Class of 1942 Garden, under a covered tent — for a reading of their work, followed by a conversation about YA fiction. What special approaches do writers take when they write for young adults? How do authors craft narratives that appeal to teens? And what are the challenges — and rewards — of YA writing?
Queer writer Zachary Sergi grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and studied Creative Writing at Regis High School and the University of Pennsylvania. He is a television and fiction writer currently living in Los Angeles, where he writes his Interactive Novels and lives with his husband. Zachary is currently writing new Interactive Series, promoting his YA debut, MAJOR DETOURS , and working on his second novel for Running Press Teens.
Jennifer Yu is the author of the young adult novels FOUR WEEKS, FIVE PEOPLE (2017) and IMAGINE US HAPPY (2018). When not writing, you can find her weeping intermittently about the Boston Celtics, photos of the Earth from outer space, and the etymology of the word disaster. She has lived in Kansas, Boston, and Los Angeles, though these days she is mostly living out of her 2018 Toyota Corolla LE as she hikes her way across the Mountain West.
February 26, 2020: THE SENSIBLE NONSENSE PROJECT
Help us honor the humor, pathos, and enduring wisdom of children's books through a celebration of The Sensible Nonsense Project, curated by Arielle Brousse. Six community members will share stories about their favorite books from childhood, what those books taught them, and how those lessons continue to influence their adult lives. Stay on after the readings for a delicious reception inspired by after-school snacks, and to get more information about how you, too, can participate in the project. In the meantime, visit The Sensible Nonsense Project at sensiblenonsense.us.
February 27, 2019: THE SENSIBLE NONSENSE PROJECT
Help us honor the humor, pathos, and enduring wisdom of children's books through a celebration of The Sensible Nonsense Project, curated by Arielle Brousse. Six community members will share stories about their favorite books from childhood, what those books taught them, and how those lessons continue to influence their adult lives. Stay on after the readings for a delicious reception inspired by after-school snacks, and to get more information about how you, too, can participate in the project. In the meantime, visit The Sensible Nonsense Project at sensiblenonsense.us.
February 12, 2018: SENSIBLE NONSENSE
Join us for a celebration of The Sensible Nonsense Project — Arielle Brousse's ongoing digital round-up of essays about children's literature — and help honor the humor, pathos, and enduring wisdom of kid's books! Six speakers will share stories about their own favorite childhood books, what those books taught them, and how those lessons continue to influence their adult lives. Stay on after the readings for a delicious reception inspired by after-school snacks, and to get more information about how you, too, can participate in the project. In the meantime, visit The Sensible Nonsense Project at sensiblenonsense.us.
February 22, 2017: SENSIBLE NONSENSE
Join us for a celebration of The Sensible Nonsense Project, edited by Arielle Brousse, and help us honor the humor, pathos, and enduring wisdom of children's books! Six speakers will share stories about their own favorite childhood books, what those books taught them, and how those lessons continue to influence their adult lives. Stay on after the readings for a delicious reception inspired by after-school snacks, and to get more information about how you, too, can participate in the project. In the meantime, visit The Sensible Nonsense Project at sensiblenonsense.us.
