Description
The Field Family Teen Author Series connects Philadelphia students in grades 7-12 with celebrated contemporary authors.
Participation is coordinated with schools in the greater Philadelphia area, is free for all who attend, and every student gets a free copy of the featured book.
Made possible through a generous endowment from the family of Marie and Joseph Field, this program brings renowned authors to Philly, creating unforgettable experiences that can spark a lifelong interest in reading, learning, and storytelling.
What Makes Our Teen Author Series Special
When students meet authors who write about characters like them or tackle issues they face, literature becomes more personal, relevant, and real. Students benefit from:
- Access to Authors
Students go beyond reading the works of award-winning, best-selling and emerging authors. They meet them, question them, and connect with them in meaningful ways. - Community-Centered Approach
Events take place in neighborhood library branches as well as at Parkway Central, maximizing accessibility for students from every corner of our city. - Complete Experience
Every participating student receives a free copy of the featured book in advance, allowing them to come prepared for rich discussions and deeper engagement. - Interactive Learning
Each one-hour session combines an author presentation followed by a Q&A, giving students the chance to explore themes, writing processes, and the stories behind the stories. - Expertly Curated
Books are thoughtfully selected with guidance from the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Youth Services Program staff to select works that resonate with teen experiences and interests.
Sherine Hamdy | Landing in Place: A Graphic Novel
Sherine Hamdy is a medical anthropologist who teaches courses on comics, Middle East culture, and literary anthropology at the University of California, Irvine. She is the author of Our Bodies Belong to God and co-creator of the graphic novel Lissa. She co-edits ethnoGRAPHIC, an academic series that publishes works integrating ethnography and comics for the University of Toronto Press. Born in New York to Egyptian parents, she grew in Port-au-Prince, Haiti; Bamako, Mali; and Mexico City, Mexico. She currently lives in Irvine, CA, with her husband and two daughters.
Ready to bring this program to your students?
Contact
Contact teenauthors@freelibrary.org for early access to event lineups and RSVP information
Stay Connected
Follow our updates, photos, and highlights on the Author Events social media channels and the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation’s platforms.