What an incredible week to be in San Francisco! ALA’s Annual Conference and Exhibition was a jubilant celebration of authors, illustrators, publishers, librarians, and of course, books! Where else in the world are there this many people excited about books? Nowhere. And in a nutshell, it was AWESOME! 
At this year’s conference, I had the opportunity to do a cooking demo, making Mollie Katzen’s super yummy carrot cake recipe from The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake. I have to say when I first heard of this I wasn’t sure if it was a joke because (just between you and me) I don’t bake. In fact, over the years, I’ve had a very good relationship with my friends Betty Crocker, Nestlé® Toll House®, and the Pillsbury® Doughboy® and I go way back. The thought of baking,[1] even pretend baking, in front of an audience was terrifying. Fortunately for me, Mollie Katzen’s recipe is so easy that even a bumbling baking novice like myself could do it. And I had a blast! With the headpiece microphone, I felt like a cross between Julia Child and Madonna. So Food Network, if you’re looking for an author who writes about food, but who can’t actually make the food, I’m your gal. Call me. We’ll talk! 🙂 (I also happen to know two charismatic Missing Food Investigators who would love to host a kids cooking show.)
Detective Wilcox and Captain Griswold enjoying the spotlight on the What’s Cooking @ALA Stage
Here are more photographic highlights:
Mug Shot: Me, and librarian extraordinaire, Beth Decker
Members of the Creston crew: Muon Van, Darlene Beck-Jacobson, Julie Downing, April Chu, me
Darlene Beck-Jacobson and Georgia Lyon
Simon Stahl and me
Dan Santat
me and Lane Smith
Marcia Goldman, Lola, and Marissa Moss
me and Debbie Ridpath Ohi
Jon Scieszka and me
Muon Van and April Chu
me and Cece Bell
Darlene Beck-Jacobson, Jacqueline Woodson, and me
It was a wonderful conference. And to all the superhero librarians who inspire fledgling readers and turn reluctant readers into avid readers from the bottom of my heart THANK YOU!!!
Wilcox, Griswold and I have already packed our bags for the next ALA conference. We can’t wait!
p.s. Darlene Beck-Jacobson, Marcia Goldman, Lola, and I also enjoyed a great visit to a wonderful bookstore, Book Passage.
**Please remember to support your independent bookstores. Thank you!
[1] While practicing the recipe, I learned one thing: grating carrots on a hand grater is a serious workout. You can avoid expensive gym fees by simply buying a bag of carrots and a hand grater.
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What an awesome time you must have had! So glad you were able to go to ALA. Maybe someday I’ll be able to join you. 🙂
Lauri, It was a blast! Fingers and toes crossed for next year. 🙂
You’re brave, Robin 🙂 It sure looks like you were all smiles!
Sarah, It was lots of fun! Before the conference, I can’t tell you how many times I practiced the recipe in front of my one loyal fan, Madeleine. 🙂 p.s. It’s very discouraging when the dog leaves the kitchen during the demo to take a nap.
So much amazing ALA energy – I love it!
It will be SO much simpler to demonstrate scrambled eggs for book #2. 🙂
BTW – my mom once had an emergency-room-worthy encounter with carrots and a hand grater. Her appetite for carrot cake is now much diminished! 😛
No kidding re the eggs! 🙂 Sorry to hear about your mom’s encounter with the hand grater. It’s a good thing you can buy already grated carrots these days. Whoever came up with that idea is a genius! 🙂
It looks like you had a blast. Let’s see if you can make a Religieuse for 12 at Xmas!!! 😋
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Francoise, how hard could it be? And the hospital is just down the road if something goes wrong. 🙂 xo
Oh my goodness, I would have loved to be a mouse in eaves for that cooking demonstration! I’m sure the MFI (I think I have that right!) must be very proud. =)
Thanks, Laura! Wilcox & Griswold were also on stage, and they were totally hamming it up for the audience. They handled the limelight like real pros. 🙂
They are professionals through and through. =)
So fun! You look like a real cooking pro there! And the stuffed Wilcox & Griswold are cute! Thanks for all the pics!
Thanks, Tina! 🙂
Lucky you! Thanks for sharing all the wonderful photos. You must have had a terrific time!
Pat, It was awesome! I hope you get a chance to go to one of the conferences. You would love it!
What fun, Robin! Congratulations to you and Wilcox & Griswold for handling everything like seasoned pros!!! It looks like everyone was having a complete blast!
Thanks, Kim! Wilcox, Griswold and I had a blast. I hope you get to go to one of the conferences. You would love it! 🙂
Death-defying storyteller, you are! I’m sure I’d have melted before finding the mark. Thanks for sharing all the pics!
Thanks, Julie! I have a feeling you’re terrific in front of an audience. 🙂
So much fun to have shared it all with you Robin! Thanks for posting these great photos! xo
Same here, Darlene! It was lots of fun. xo
Sounds like fun! 😀
Lots of fun! 🙂
Wow! The whole experience looks and sounds amazing! And look at you in all those celebrity photos 🙂
Susanna, You would have loved it! Incredible to be able to meet writers, illustrators, librarians, and publishers that I adore and to be able to ask them about a scene, character, or the last line of their book . . . . So much fun! 🙂
p.s. Terrific interview with Erik Weibel!