author events
HanuCon Announcement!
On Sunday November 22nd, 2026, from 9am-3pm, I’ll be a special guest at HanuCon, a family-friendly pop culture convention which is taking place at Chizuk Amuno Congregation in Baltimore, Maryland!
HanuCon brings together fans of comics, animation, movies, television, gaming, collectibles, cosplay, and more for an exciting day of entertainment and interactive experiences.
Designed for fans of all ages, HanuCon features celebrity guests, voice actors, artists, authors, panel discussions, autograph and photo opportunities, vendors, gaming, and hands-on activities. Whether you’re a lifelong collector, a casual fan, or introducing the next generation to your favorite fandoms, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
And it’s all happening in my hometown of Baltimore.
Here’s the official guest announcement from the folks at HanuCon:
GUEST ANNOUNCEMENT!
Arie Kaplan is coming to HanuCon 2026!
We’re thrilled to welcome USA Today bestselling author, comic book writer, screenwriter, and pop-culture historian Arie Kaplan to HanuCon on Sunday, November 22!
Arie is the author of the Hanukkah-themed graphic novel The Day I Became a Potato Pancake — a PJ Library selection for Fall 2026 and recipient of the Grinspoon Jewish Story Award.
Comic fans may also know Arie as the author of From Krakow to Krypton: Jews and Comic Books, an acclaimed exploration of the incredible Jewish history behind the comic book industry. His writing credits span some of pop culture’s biggest names, including Star Wars, MAD Magazine, Archie, Looney Tunes, Batman, The Simpsons, LEGO Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and more!
And yes, Swifties — he’s also the bestselling author of 96 Facts About Taylor Swift.
A Baltimore native, Arie is coming home for HanuCon — and we can’t wait to welcome him!
Sunday, November 22, 2026
Chizuk Amuno Congregation & Schools
Tickets and more HanuCon guest announcements coming soon!
For more info, check out the HanuCon page on the Chizuk Amuno site.
Formula One, Taylor Swift, and “Will Eisner Week” Event
Today’s a busy day! Why? Well, for one thing, today two of my books came out from Penguin Random House. One of those books is 96 Facts About Formula One. The other one is 96 Datos Sobre Taylor Swift, which is the Spanish-language edition of my USA Today bestselling book 96 Facts About Taylor Swift. I wrote both books, they were both illustrated by Risa Rodil, and the Taylor Swift book was translated into Spanish by Ariela Rudy Zaltzman.
Here’s the official publisher description of 96 Facts About Formula One:
Packed with fun facts, quick quizzes, and bonus pages for journaling, this is a must-have for anyone wanting to know more about some of F1’s most famous drivers, including Charles Leclerc, Jamie Chadwick, Lella Lombardi, Lewis Hamilton, Marta García, and Max Verstappen.
96 Facts About Formula One is available HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.
Here’s the official publisher description of 96 Datos Sobre Taylor Swift:
¡El libro de datos y diario definitivo para fans de Taylor Swift! Lleno de datos curiosos, cuestionarios cortos y hojas en blanco para escribir, es un libro que todos y todas las Swifties deben tener.
And here it is in English:
The ultimate fact book and journal for fans of Taylor Swift! Packed with fun facts, quick quizzes, and bonus pages for journaling, this is a must-have for any Swiftie.
96 Datos Sobre Taylor Swift is available HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!! At 7pm EST today, Tuesday March 3rd, 2026, I’ll be appearing on an online panel discussion, as part of Will Eisner Week. The panel is called “The Comics vs the Fascists – A Will Eisner Week 2026 Event.” The event is FREE, but you have to register, which you can do by emailing comicssymposium@gmail.com
Here’s a description of the “Comics vs. the Fascists” panel:
When fascism threatened the world in the 1930s and ‘40s, comics creators rushed to counter its threat, including through their characters actions. Will Eisner (with The Spirit), Joe Simon and Jack Kirby (with Captain America), and Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster (with Superman) were among the prominent writers and artists who used their four-color platforms to combat fascists both at home and abroad. Today, shining a spotlight on the way these creators rose to the challenge, and what lessons may be learned for the present, is an expert panel including:
- Karen Green (Columbia University Curator for Comics and Cartoons)
- Dean Haspiel (The Red Hook)
- Arie Kaplan (From Krakow to Krypton: Jews and Comic Books)
- Charles Kochman (Abrams ComicArts)
- Danny Fingeroth (Will Eisner Studios) moderator
More info about the event can be found HERE.
Reminder: Astoria Bookshop Storytime Event on Sunday Sept 21st!
Just a quick reminder: This coming Sunday, September 21st at 11:30am, I’ll be doing a special Sunday Storytime event at Astoria Bookshop. Specifically, I’ll be reading from my new children’s book Pumpkin Spice, which is out now from Penguin Random House.
Here’s the official description of the event from the Astoria Bookshop site:
Special Sunday Story Time: PUMPKIN SPICE with author Arie Kaplan
Sunday Sep 21st, 2025
11:30 AM-12:15 PM
Family Events
Join us every other Sunday for family storytime! On September 21st we welcome a special guest reader, author Arie Kaplan, with his board book Pumpkin Spice.
A delicious celebration of fall that hits all the senses, complete with a recipe for a homemade pumpkin spice blend! Little ones will love cozying up with this board book and learning all about the delights of autumn.
Stroller parking is available at the front of the store and near the register. Our restroom has a changing table. If you have any accessibility requests, please contact us at least 3 days in advance at events@astoriabookshop.com. Click the RSVP button to get an email reminder.
For more info, click HERE.
And Astoria Bookshop’s address is:
36-19 30th Street (just off 36th Avenue)
Astoria, NY
USA 11106
Pumpkin Spice was written by yours truly and illustrated by the wonderful Monique Dong. The book is out now from Penguin Random House. It’s available at bookstores everywhere, as well as HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.
Here’s what critics are saying about Pumpkin Spice:
“Dong’s warm, cheerful illustrations enhance the cozy fall vibe…A lightly enjoyable seasonal pick that will find a place in fall displays.”—School Library Journal
“Rich with sensory detail, Pumpkin Spice makes a great introduction to fall for little bookworms.”—Bookstr
“Teachers who teach in early education classrooms will want to add this delightful board book to their collection of fall picture books.”—HubPages
And to see all of the other books I’ve written for Penguin Random House (which don’t involve pumpkins, or gourds of ANY kind, for that matter), click HERE.
Also, here’s a photo of me, which was taken by Carl Kelsch. I’ve included it here so that you can see what I look like. If you’re at Astoria Bookshop on September 21st and the person reading from Pumpkin Spice looks nothing like this, it’s probably not me. Or it’s my understudy. (I mean, in a perfect world, authors WOULD have understudies, right?)
