Aardvarks Reading Books: BEA 2013! (With a butt-load of GIFs and Pictures)

By Nora

Honestly, two years ago, I wouldn't have imagined myself going to Book Expo America, let alone wanting to go. I guess that all changed. My mom took me to BEA this year (for my birthday, which was in February, so this was highly anticipated) for Power Reader's Day on June 1st. It was AMAZINGLY FANTABULOUS. This was pretty much me, the whole time:

I won't give you the full play-by-play, but here was the day:

Woke up at five to catch the bus to New York City. Surprisingly, I wasn't very affected by that. I just kind of...didn't care. I guess it was just the excitement.
Took the taxi to the Javits Center.
Ate breakfast, charged phone. Breakfast was meh. Not the best, but whatever. As we were eating, there was a guy a few tables away from us who looked exactly like John Green. From behind. I looked over and had a mini heart attack before he turned around. And he was wearing a suit. John Green would probably have looked like this: (aha just kidding)
Noticed blisters from shoes before the floor even opened to the public. That was fun.
Checked out the Penguin Book Truck. Seriously, this truck is too cool. I want it.
Saw the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Truck. And did I mention that Jeff Kinney is probably opening a bookstore in a town near us? Like, how cool is that? Hey, Jeff Kinney. I know you want to hire me. *nudge nudge*
Floor opened.
Met Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston. Authors of Frozen.
Met Dan Krokos. Author of False Sight.
Met Elizabeth Norris. Author of Unraveling.
Met Kate Brian. Author of Hereafter.
Met my mom's boss.
Met Heather Terrell. Author of Relic.
SAW TAHEREH MAFI. I'M NOT KIDDING. She wasn't even signing or anything. Okay, there's actually a funny story behind this. So, a few weeks prior to BEA, I told my mom that Ransom Riggs (author of Miss. Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children) was going to be there, and I told her that I bet Tahereh Mafi would be there with him. She, of course, shot me down. THEN I SAW HER. OH MY GOD. So, while I was freaking out, my mom decides to tell Tahereh Mafi that I was stalking her.

Her

Met Sean Williams. Author of Twinmaker.
Met the girls from Tea Time, a weekly video show from Epic Reads (Harper Collins). Spun a wheel (woo!) and got a *book shimmy* shirt.
Met Laurie Boyle Crompton. Author of Blaze.
Watched about five seconds of Star Wars Shakespeare. What?! Yes, Star Wars characters reciting Shakespeare. But we could barely hear them, so we left.
Met Jessica Verdi. Author of My Life After Now.
Feet killing, tote bags digging into shoulders, we left BEA. Fell asleep on the bus. It was a long day.