Kelli Panique – Top 10 Picture Book Summit Moments
Wow! Ten years of Picture Book Summit. I guess it’s true what they say that time flies when you’re having fun. I hope you’ve been enjoying our team’s top 10 lists this week. If you missed any of them, you can find Emma’s here, Katie’s here, and Julie’s here.
When this journey started, I was a picture book novice to say the least. Katie and Julie asked me to come onboard because I had experience in customer service and online conferences. (Back then we still had to explain what a web room was and how it worked. THAT was my job!) As that background person, my memories skew a little differently from the rest of the team, so if you’re a lover of behind-the-scenes peeks, I think you’ll enjoy my Top 10 List.
1. It worked!
Mac Barnett was our last Superstar Speaker of the day at our very first Summit. Once he logged in and his camera and mic worked. It was a HUGE sigh of relief for me and the rest of the behind-the-scenes team. (Shout out to Aaron and Kristin!) Then there was the surge of adrenaline realizing that WE DID IT! That Summit was immediately followed by online toasts and celebratory beverages! (In fact, all Summits are immediately followed with this kind of celebration!)
2. “Do you want to see my studio?”
Yes, please! When Julie and I did our tech check with the late beloved Tomie DePaolo, he offered to take us on tour of his studio. First off, Tomie was just a big beautiful light in this world. Even through a video screen, his smile lit up the room and his eyes twinkled in that special way of someone who is truly happy to see you. So, he loaded up his laptop and took us round his studio and gave us the grand tour. He laughed and giggled as he showed us around. It was such a special moment and Julie and I could not believe our luck! I still have the email he wrote me after the Summit signed with x’s and o’s. He was a gem of a human being.
