A.S. King: PICK THE LOCK (with Paula Willey)

A frequent request around the shop: “What would you recommend for a young reader approaching adult fiction?” A.S. King is perfect for this, and especially her newest novel, PICK THE LOCK, which tells of teenage Jane’s bizarre and brilliant journey to reconnect with her mother by breaking out of her shell and composing a punk opera.

We’re delighted that beloved Baltimore librarian and longtime advocate for inclusive books and programming Paula Willey will join King in conversation.

We hope you’ll join us on September 23rd to meet the author, hear her talk about PICK THE LOCK, and have your book signed.

Click here to RSVP!

Click here to order PICK THE LOCK!

A.S. King is the bestselling and award-winning author of many acclaimed books for young readers. Her novel Dig and the anthology The Collectors both won the Michael L. Printz Award, and her novel Ask The Passengers won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. The New York Times called her “one of the best YA writers working today.” In 2022, she was awarded the American Library Association’s Margaret A. Edwards Award for her significant contribution to YA literature. King spends many months of the year traveling the country talking to teenagers about writing, mental health, and succotash. She lives in Pennsylvania.

Paula Willey (she/ella) is a Baltimore librarian, currently working as a buyer for the national children’s literacy nonprofit First Book. Co-author of  The Passive Programming Playbook: 101 Ways to Get Library Customers Off the Sidelines, Paula reads hundreds of books a year looking for just the right titles to appeal to, educate and entertain the students served by First Book’s network of Title I teachers and others serving low-income communities. She also writes and speaks on inclusive library programming, media literacy, service to people with justice system involvement, and the appeal of horror fiction to children and teens.