2025 Superstar Speaker #3

It’s an exciting day! Emma Walton Hamilton is reporting live from Picture Book Summit Headquarters. It appears her sensors have located our final Superstar Speaker just in time for today’s Early Bird registration launch!

Let’s go straight to Emma for the full report…

Superstar Speaker #3 Announcement

Superstar Speaker Jason Chin was revealed yesterday and joins Susan Verde in this year’s online Picture Book Summit lineup for October 4, 2025. Who is rounding out this list of picture book superheroes?

Thank you, Emma, for that report. This news is BIG! We’re ecstatic to welcome our third Superstar Speaker….

Caldecott Medalist, Coretta Scott King Honoree, and

New York Times Bestseller

VASHTI HARRISON!

Vashti is ready to point you in the right direction on your writing path at Picture Book Summit 2025 with:

Be Bold, Be Brave:

Charting Your Creative Journey with Purpose

Every journey needs direction. Traveling through her books and career, Vashti Harrison will share her steps for building a creative compass to navigate the Picture Book world with confidence. Discover how to find your creative North Star—the goals, themes, and passions that shape your work—and infuse your picture books with bold storytelling and strong artistic vision. Beyond the manuscript, learn to structure your career with purpose, aligning projects with long-term aspirations. Whether you’re starting out or leveling up, this talk will help you stay bold, brave, and focused on your creative path.

Get to know Vashti Harrison:

Vashti Harrison is a celebrated writer, illustrator, and filmmaker. Winner of the 2024 Caldecott Medal for her picture book BIG, she is the first Black woman to ever receive this esteemed award in its 85-year history. A powerful and emotional tale of self-love and instant New York Times bestseller, BIG was also selected for Coretta Scott King Honors in both writing and illustration. Harrison is the creator of Little Leaders, Little Dreamers, and Little Legends, the #1 New York Times bestselling children’s collection of biographies about trailblazing women and exceptional men in black history.

Vashti Harrison’s artistic talent shines through in the numerous and notable collaborations she has illustrated, including Andrea Beaty’s I Love You Like Yellow, Matthew Cherry’s Hair Love, and Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic’s Hello, Star. Harrison’s dedication and talent have been recognized with prestigious accolades, including a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor for Lupita Nyong’o’s Sulwe, as well as two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Literary Work for Children.

Click to check out just a few of Vashti’s books:

Summit Day will be a supersonic and we invite YOU to join us. Early Bird tickets are now available for $100 off!

Picture Book Summit 2025

Big, Bold, & Brave: Supercharge Your Picture Books!

October 5, 2024

Early Bird Registration is now open!