Calling all fans of the multi-award-winning book, ‘Wonder’ for an Afternoon with R. J. Palacio and Kevin Sylvester (2021)

Kids who love horses and adventure are sure to love R.J. Palacio’s newest novel Pony. A modern classic about a boy on a quest to rescue his father, with only a ghost as his companion and a mysterious pony as his guide, Pony is an enthralling adventure that will show readers how to choose courage. With the poignant depth of War Horse and the singular voice of True Grit, this is one of those rare books poised to become an instant classic for readers of all ages.

R. J. Palacio is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Wonder, which has sold over 12 million copies worldwide, inspired the Choose Kind movement and was made into a blockbuster movie starring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, and Jacob Tremblay. Palacio’s other bestselling books include 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne’s Book of Precepts, Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories, the picture book We’re All Wonders, and the graphic novel White Bird, which is currently being filmed as a major motion picture starring Gillian Anderson and Helen Mirren. Palacio lives in Brooklyn with her husband, two sons, and two dogs.

“Reader, beware. Once you open Pony, R.J. Palacio’s astonishing new novel, your life will no longer be your own. From the first pages, I fell under the thrall of the remarkable Silas, a boy as wise as he is brave, who converses with the living and the dead, and who carries the weight of the past even as Pony carries him to rescue his father. I gave up on food, drink, paying my bills. Nothing seemed more important than finding out what happened to Silas in this utterly absorbing, beautifully written book.” –Margot Livesey, author of Eva Moves the Furniture and The Boy in the Field

Kevin Sylvester has written and illustrated more than thirty books for kids. His latest novel is The Fabulous Zed Watson! Co-written with his kid Basil, it’s the story of a non-binary kid who goes on a cross-continental adventure in search of the greatest monster book of all time! It’s on the short-list for the 2021 Governor General’s award. He also has a new series, The Hockey Super-Six. These highly illustrated books tell the stories of six nerdy kids who get zapped with radiation and turn into super hockey players. Books 1-3 are out now from Scholastic.

Attendees joined Raquel and Kevin as they discuss Raquel’s fabulous new book, in an afternoon that was sure to inspire young and old alike!

Tcket included a copy of Pony and the chance to win a signed copy of both Pony and Wonder!

Photography Contest

A contest was hosted for ages 8-14. Entrants were to take a black and white photograph of their pet (or friend’s pet!) The contest was judged by professional photographer, Sabrina Leeder and the winning photograph was published on blueheronbooks.com!

Pony is a historical adventure set in the 1800s. Silas takes off on a journey to rescue his father with his equine guide, Pony — a peculiar horse with a bone-white face and dark hair. We wanted to see what your adventure companion would look like if they were on a journey with Silas! Entrants were encouraged to upload a vintage style black and white photo of their favourite pet (or your friend’s pet!) to Facebook and/or Instagram, tag @bookdrunkardfest and use the hashtag: #bdfpony. Contest closed November 14, 2021.