Unshakeable Joy

My ALA photo album, 2026

“Mabel’s singular fascination takes center stage with illustrations that shift point of view and play with scale to capture her focus, anticipation, and unshakeable joy. A chair dragged into place, a long wait, a moment that feels entirely her own, until it opens outward to show that her joy is felt by many.”

-Jewel Davis, chair of the 2026 Caldecott Committee

The convention

Before ALA, I felt like a kid going back to camp—looking forward to seeing all of my kidlit friends again. My itinerary was packed this year, but I’m thankful for the time I got to visit with everyone (even if it was brief). I wish I’d thought of taking more photos, but I’m glad I managed to get a few snaps in before the weekend was over.

Jashar with… left top: Winsome Bingham; left bottom: Katie Yamaski; middle: Edel Rodriguez; right top: Drew Brockington; right bottom: Meg Fleming and Molly Idle

Jashar with (l-r) Jess Hannigan, Merrill Rainey, and Elayne Crain

Jon Klassen signing the Tundra booth, X. Fang at Merry Makers, Doug Salati signing his upcoming book Cow and Sow

left photo: Evan Munday poses with TOAD ON THE GO; top middle photo: Jashar with Tara Walker at the Tundra booth; bottom middle photo: Jashar Awan and Vikram Madan share their upcoming book THE SUN WANTS TO PLAY with Doug Salati; right photo: Kait Feldman in her handmade Mabel outfit

ALA was such an incredible experience! I can’t believe it was only a weekend long. I’m going to be thinking about it for a long time to come.

Celebrating the Caldecott honor

Calde-tats! This Committee tradition took me by surprise—I’m so honored to have Mabel immortalized in this way. (These are just the ones I got pics of!)

2026 Caldecott medalist Cátia Chien (center) with honorees Zeke Peña, Drew Beckmeyer, Angie Wang, and Jashar Awan

Congrats to my Caldecott cohort—I’m so proud to be among you!

2026 Caldecott committee with medalist and honorees

Thank you again to the Caldecott committee for honoring EVERY MONDAY MABEL! It was so nice to meet you all in person and celebrate children’s books together.

Mabel Table! (back row l-r: Justin Chanda, Kimberly Probert Grad, Erica Rand Silverman, Max Awan, Jashar Awan, Emily Eibel; front row l-r: Georgette Spratling, Celia Lee, Kimberly Alberts, Lucy Ruth Cummins)

Stimola fam celebrating Mabel

2026 Caldecott chair Jewel Davis presenting Jashar with the Caldecott honor for EVERY MONDAY MABEL

Team Mabel: Celia Lee, Erica Rand Silverman, Jashar Awan, Lucy Ruth Cummins

Thanks to Team Mabel—Celia, Lucy, Erica, Justin and the extended family at Simon & Schuster and Stimola Literary Studio! Thank you all for giving me the opportunity to tell stories and make art.

To my family—thank you for all the love, support, and inspiration. I couldn’t do it without you!

And thank you to all readers who picked up this book and found a space in their hearts (and shelves!) for a little girl who loves garbage trucks.

-JQA