The BYU Books for Young Readers Conference took place on July 9–10, 2026. Among the participants was a mother-daughter duo, Mamie and Hannah Hammer, who this year attended not only as lovers of books but also helped welcome authors to the conference. The Hammers attended the conference for the first time last year when Hannah was introduced to it through working as a TA on campus at BYU. Upon learning about the conference, she reached out to her mother to see if she would be interested in attending it with her. She was.
Books had always been a shared interest for the family. Mamie had always collected books for her children and even built a library in their home. So when they attended the conference for the first time last year, they looked forward to the opportunity, but there was some skepticism. Mamie tended to favor classic literature and was unsure how she would feel about attending a conference centered on contemporary authors.
Her concerns quickly disappeared. “I have to say that it was so inspiring. I absolutely loved it,” Mamie said.
That initial experience also led to an unexpected opportunity. While Hannah and Mamie were waiting in line to have books signed, conference coordinator Mikayla Johnson approached them and asked them if they would be interested in being hosts for authors at the next year’s conference, and they both agreed.
The hosting role gave them an opportunity to get to know and help work with the visiting authors. Mamie hosted Chad Morris and Shelly Brown, while Hannah hosted Ann Dee Ellis. For Mamie, preparing to host consisted of diving into their books headfirst. Once she learned which author she would be working with, she went to the library, checked out their books, and read them.
“I was so impressed,” Mamie said of Morris and Brown's work. She also expressed an appreciation for their ability to craft stories that are appealing to middle school readers while still incorporating important life lessons. While she was nervous about interacting with authors she admired, Mamie found that all of them were personable and easy to talk with.
Hannah had a similar experience. She said working with Ellis gave her an opportunity to hear about the author’s journey and learn more about her books and the processes involved in making them. “They're real people; honestly, most of them didn't set out in their lives to be authors,” Hannah said. “And it was just so inspiring to hear their story and to hear that. They went through a lot of rejection.”
For both mother and daughter, the conference gave them a new perspective from hearing these authors' journeys. It also reminded them that everyone has a story to tell and provided valuable insights about the importance of education. “Especially with education. I feel like books and telling stories are like, I feel like as people, we connect the most to stories,” Hannah said.
What began as a mother-daughter outing became a wonderful opportunity for both of them. Through these experiences, they were able to connect with authors, librarians, and fellow book lovers as well as have a bonding experience. “People should just go to the conference,” Hannah said. “They don't have to be necessarily a librarian or an educator or whatever; it's a very inspiring and empowering experience and a very connecting experience.”