Students share their work during the 2025 Marquette-Alger Young Authors Conference at Northern Michigan University Monday. (Journal photo by Randy Crouch)

MARQUETTE — Students from more than a dozen Marquette and Alger County schools took a step into the literary world Monday during Marquette-Alger Young Authors Conference held on Northern Michigan University’s campus.

The annual event takes place over four days each May, with an author giving a presentation each year.

This year’s conference features award-winning children’s author and artist Adam Rex, whose more than 40 books have earned the author a place on the New York Times bestseller list and even had one of his books, “The True Meaning of Someday” adapted into a major motion picture, the 2015 animated film “Home.”

Each day of the conference will feature a presentation from Rex, as well as a writing workshop for the students as well as providing the student’s an opportunity to present their own writing.

“The Young Authors event is an unforgettable and deeply meaningful experience for our class,” said Victoria Hill, fourth-grade teacher at Superior Central. “It gave our students the chance to celebrate their hard work and creativity in a truly special way. Seeing their stories come to life, sharing them with others and participating in hands-on literacy helps our students see themselves as real authors with voices that matter.”

The event has taken place annually for nearly 40 years. While the conference takes place over four days, participation in the event goes throughout the entire school year and includes activities such as reading, researching, writing, illustrating and publishing the student-created books.

Hill says that hearing from the author is the cherry on top of the entire process.

“For many of the students, the highlight is seeing and hearing from a published author and sharing the writing process.”

For more information about the event, visit youngauthorsmqt.weebly.com

Randy Crouch can be reached at 906-228-2500. His email address is rcrouch@miningjournal.net.