To arrange a speaking engagement, please contact Erin Patterson at erinmeipatterson@gmail.com.

 
 

2024

Monday, April 1
New York City, NY
Yale Club
Matt and Sy will be in town to receive a national award to be announced! Stay tuned!

Saturday, April 20th
Keene NH, 12 Emerald St, Keene, NH 03431
The Toadstool Bookshop
Matt will be speaking and signing the re-release of Freshwater Fish of the Northeast at 4pm.

Monday and Tuesday, April 22-23
Stoughton, MA
Stoughton has selected Sy’s book The Soul of an Octopus (and its companion books for children) as an all-town read—and will be hosting both Sy and Matt the next day to talk about their turtle books!
Stay tuned for details.

Saturday May 4
Lakeville, MA
Matt will be speaking at the GNSI New England Chapter’s 2024 Annual themed art exhibit from 11-1. Stay tuned for more details.

Saturday, May 11th
Peterborough, 12 Depot St, Peterborough, NH 03458
The Toadstool Bookshop 11am
Matt will be speaking and signing the re-release of Freshwater Fish of the Northeast at 11am.

Monday, May 13
Guilford, CT
Guilford Free Library
Lana Ferguson Literary Festival
Matt and Sy will talk about The Book of Turtles in an afterschool program for children 4:30-5:30
Meeting Room of the Guilford Free Library
And later that evening, the two will offer an adult presentation on their adult title, Of Time and Turtles.
TBA

Wednesday, May 15th
RI
Matt will be speaking for the Tropical Fish Society
of Rhode Island. More details to come soon!

Saturday, May 18th
Matt will be speaking at the NH Fish & Game’s “Lets go Fishing” Banquet. More details to come soon!

Sometime between Friday June 28-July 2
San Diego, CA
American Library Association Awards
Sy and Matt will be in town to accept an award for The Book of Turtles, which has been named a Sibert Honor book. Stay tuned for details!

2023

Tuesday, Sept. 19
Hancock, NH
Harris Center for Conservation Education
King’s Highway
Matt and Sy will share stories and images from their new book Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell, followed by a screening of a short, brilliant film on Turtle Rescue League by filmmaker Liz Klein. Human stars of the book Alexxia Bell and Natasha Nowick will join us.
Book sale and signing follows!
7-8 p.m.

Thursday, September 21
Boston, MA
New England Aquarium IMAX theatre
As part of the aquarium’s annual lecture series, Matt and Sy will share stories and images from their new book Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell. 
6:30 p.m.     

Friday, Sept. 22
South Portland, Maine
Books A Million
430 Gorham Road
Matt and Sy will discuss their new book Of Time and Turtles, with book sale and signing afterwards.
6 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 23
Peterborough, NH
Toadstool Bookshop, 1 Depot Square
Matt and Sy will be discussing, reading from, signing  Of Time and Turtles
11 a.m.

…and later that same day:

Nashua, NH
Balin Books
375 Amherst St, 101 A
Matt and Sy will discuss their new book Of Time and Turtles, with book sale and signing afterwards.
2 p.m.

Sunday, September 24
West Lebanon, NH
Books A Million
200 South Main Street
Matt and Sy will discuss their new book Of Time and Turtles, with book sale and signing to follow.
2 p.m.

Tuesday, September 26
Concord, NH
Gibson’s Bookstore
45 Main Street
Matt and Sy will discuss their new book Of Time and Turtles, with book sale and signing afterwards.
6:30 p.m.

Thursday, September 28
Belfast, Maine
Left Bank Books
109 Church Street
Matt and Sy will discuss their new book Of Time and Turtles, with book sale and signing afterwards.

Sunday, October 1
Exeter, NH
Water Street Books
125 Water Street
Matt and Sy will discuss their new book Of Time and Turtles, with book sale and signing afterwards.
3 p.m.

Saturday, October 14
Boston MA
Boston Book Festival
Copley Square
Time TBA
More info here: https://bostonbookfest.org/

Friday, October 20
Providence, Rhode Island
Books on the Square
471 Angell Street
Matt and Sy will discuss their new book Of Time and Turtles, with book sale and signing to follow.
An evening event, TBA

Saturday, October 21
East Sandwich, MA
Titcomb’s Bookstore
432 MA 6-A
Matt and Sy will discuss their new book Of Time and Turtles, with book sale and signing to follow.
TBA

Sunday, October 22
Shirley, Ma
“A Conversation with Sy Montgomery” sponsored by Friends of the Ayer Library and Trustees of the Hazen Library
Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road, Shirley, Ma.
After a brief presentation on her new book, Sy will be interviewed by a host to be announced.
10 a.m. brunch (optional)
12:10-12:45 Sy’s talk and interview
12:45-1:15 audience Q and A
1:15-2 book sales and signing
For tickets: https://tickets.bullrunrestaurant.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=1087

Tuesday, October 24
Foster City, California
Foster City Library
6 – 8 p.m.

Thursday October 26
Santa Barbara, California
500 Ninos Drive
Santa Barbara Zoo welcomes back Sy and Matt to share images and stories from their fall title, Of Time and turtles, Book sale and signing afterwards.
Evening, more TBA

Friday, October 27
Seattle, WA
Third Place Books/Ravenna branch
2504 20th St SE
Matt and Sy discuss and read from their new book, with sale and signing to follow.
7 p.m.

Saturday, October 28
Bainbridge Island, WA
Eagle Harbor Book Co.
157 Winslow Way East
Matt and Sy discuss and read from their new book, with sale and signing to follow.
6:30 p.m.

Sunday, 29 October
Powell’s Books
1005 West Burnside St.
(This is Powell’s flagship location downtown, with over one million books!)
Matt and Sy discuss and read from their new book, with sale and signing to follow.
7 p.m.

Friday, November 3
Jaffrey, NH
“Stories to Share” First Friday series
Jaffrey Civic Center, 40 Main Street
Matt and Sy will speak about their new book Of Time and Turtles, with a book sale and signing afterwards. The event will be both live and virtual and free of charge.
5 p.m.

Wednesday, November 8
Boston, MA
“From Head to Heart: Caring for the Environment through Science, Stories and Action,” a conference for librarians and teachers for grades 3-8
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
Sy will join a panel of speakers talking about her books for children. Books will be available for sale and signing afterwards.
More information to come

Thursday, November 9
New York City

The Society of Illustrators

Museum of American Illustration
128 E. 63rd St
This will be the opening reception for “The Original Art”, a show celebrating the best children’s books published in the US each year–for which a painting by Matt Patterson in The Book of Turtles. The show runs from October 26-January 2024. Details and ticket purchase for the opening here: https://societyillustrators.org/event/oa2023-exhibit/
6 p.m.

Friday, November 17
Mesa, Arizona
I will be the banquet speaker at the TTPG conference.

Spring 2023

Tuesday, May 2
Hancock, NH
Harris Center for Conservation Education
King’s Highway
6:30 p.m.
Celebrating publication day for The Book of Turtles, a picture book written for people of all ages and illustrated by wildlife artist extraordinaire Matt Patterson, both will speak about these beloved but surprising shelled wonders, show images, answer questions, and offer books for sale and signing. At least one actual turtle will be on hand for you to meet.

Saturday, May 6
The Toadstool Bookstore
12 Depot Square
Peterborough, NH 03458
11 a.m.
Sy and wildlife artist Matt Patterson will be discussing, reading from and answering questions about their new picture book, The Book of Turtles. Books will be available for sale and signing.

Sunday, May 7
Concord, NH
Grappone Conference Center
70 Constitution Ave.
Pope Memorial SPCA’s “Pause for Compassion” Brunch fundraiser for the animals.
Join Sy and Matt for a special powerpoint presentation on their new book, The Book of Turtles and a preview of the fall title! While you’re there, pick up a copy of the new book and get it signed and personalized by both author and artist.
For tickets: https://www.popememorialspca.org/animal-brunch
9:30 a.m. social hour
10:30 brunch
11 a.m. speaking program
With book signing and sale after.

Saturday, May 13
Townsend, Ma.
Townsend Public Library
12 Dudley Road
11 a.m.
Sy and wildlife artist Matt Patterson will be discussing, reading from and answering questions about their new picture book, The Book of Turtles — with at least one live turtle making a star turn as well. Books will be available for sale and signing.

Tuesday, May 16-Thursday, May 19
Port Angeles, WA
Sy is this Spring’s Writer in Residence for Peninsula College, and will be celebrating publication of her new book, The Book of Turtles, along with wildlife artist Matt Patterson! These college events will be free and open to the public as well as to students and faculty:

–Tuesday:
Pirate Union Building PUB, Room J-47
Peninsula English faculty facilitates a 10:30 a.m. class discussion with Sy and Matt of their collaboration, and about writing and illustrating in general.
10:20 a.m.

–Wednesday:
Lower Elwha Heritage Center
Sy and Matt will discuss and read from, and sign and personalize copies of their new title, The Book of Turtles
10 a.m.

And later that same day:

–Port Townsend Campus
PC Learning Center at Fort Worden State Park
Sy and Matt discuss, read from, and sign and personalize copies of The Book of Turtles
3:30-5 p.m.

–Thursday:
Pirate Union Building PUB, Little Theater
Studium Generale presentation: “From Ermines to Octopuses, from Tree Kangaroos to Turtles: A Writing Life Among Animals”
With words and images, Sy introduces some of the animals who have guided her peripatetic life as an author.
12:35-1:35

The talk will be followed by a screening of the film “My Octopus Teacher” from 1:45-4.

Friday, May 19
Poulsbo Library Community Room
700 NE Lincoln Road, Poulsbo , WA 
Friends of the Library Luncheon
Sy and Matt will present words and images from their new book, and afterwards sign and personalize books for the Friends of the Library. This event is invitation-only.
11:30 AM

And that same evening…

Silverdale Library
3650 NW Anderson Hill Road
Suite 101, Silverdale , WA
Sy and Matt will read from and discuss their new book, The Book of Turtles, and introduce their fall title, On Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell
Free. Public welcome.
5:30 PM

Sunday, May 21
Lake Forest Park, WA
Third Place Books
17171 Bothell Way
Sy and Matt will share words and images from their new book—and give a preview of the fall title. Afterwards, both will sign and personalize books for folks.
11 a.m.

Monday, May 22
Ojai, CA.
9 a.m.
Matt and Sy will talk turtles in a school presentation for Turtle Conservancy

Tuesday May 23
Santa Barbara, CA
Discovery Pavillion
Santa Barbara Zoo
Come celebrate World Turtle Day at the zoo! Matt and Sy will be sharing images and stories from their new book, turtles will be on hand, and you’ll meet the good folks at the Santa Barbara Zoo and the Turtle Conservancy who are working to preserve endangered turtles!
7 p.m.

Friday, May 26
Portsmouth, NH
Nahcotta gallery
110 Congress Street
Original paintings for The Book of Turtles, with book sale and signing by both the artist and author.
5-7 p.m.