James Preller

Children’s author James Preller '83 will be the keynote speaker for SUNY Oneonta’s third annual New Critics: Undergraduate Literature and Composition Conference on Saturday, April 21. The conference will feature 37 student presentations on literary topics ranging from jazz poetry to Shakespeare’s “King Lear” from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Hunt College Union. Preller will speak at 4:15 p.m. in the Butternut Room.

A 1983 graduate of SUNY Oneonta, Preller is the author of more than 80 books for children, including the popular Jigsaw Jones mystery series. Other acclaimed titles include “Six Innings,” which was named a 2009 ALA Children’s Notable Book and selected by Booklist as one of the 2008 Top Ten Best Sports Books of the Year; “Bystander,” a 2009 Junior Library Guild Selection that addresses the topic of bullying in middle school; and “Along Came Spider,” which was named to the New York Public Library’s list of “100 Books for Reading and Sharing.”

Organized by the Parnassus English club, the conference will feature student presenters from SUNY Oneonta and more than a dozen other colleges, including Bard, Hartwick, SUNY Oswego, Skidmore, Vassar and Louisiana State University. Presenters will read their critical papers during 11 student-chaired panels encompassing topics such as Irish Literature, 20th Century Literature and Film, and Contemporary Issues. Each panel will be followed by a question-and-answer period. More information is available from Dr. Bianca Tredennick at Ext. 2395 or Bianca.Tredennick@oneonta.edu. A conference schedule is available on the English department website.