Rolling, careening, whooshing. How much fun can a stroller be? A lot when Dad feels a rollicking stroller ride is the fastest way to good spirits. Join Matt Ringler for a fun day of strollercoasting through the city.
A son in search of his missing father and powerful magician. A bloodthirsty pirate accidentally set loose in today’s world. A powerful damsel to the rescue of a prince who falls from the sky. Come hear New York Times bestselling author David Levithan (The Mysterious Disappearance of Aiden S.) in conversation with Theo Gangi (Kingston and Magician’s Lost and Found), Victor Piñeiro (Time Villains) and Eisner Award-nominated author Nadja Spiegelman (Blancaflor: The Hero with Secret Powers) about the journeys their characters face as each one embarks on a daring and thrilling adventure.
Come print wood type on a Kelsey letterpress with Dikko Faust of Purgatory Pie Press. Travel back in time using real antique wood type and make your own BKBF Children’s Day souvenir print.
All ages of children can learn and enjoy yoga! Join children’s author and yoga instructor Lauren Hoffmeier for two fun yoga sessions, plus a live reading of her debut book, Mula and the Fly. Hear about Mula the sleepy tiger who dreams of tumbling, hopping and standing on her head and the Fly who makes her dreams come true. Photo opportunities and book signings are also included.
Mad! Sad! Excited! Everyone has emotions. In Big Feelings, popular children’s book author Alexandra Penfold brings kids of all backgrounds and abilities together with the message that “big feelings are welcome here.”
Join muralist and children’s book author Katie Yamasaki as she reads her most recent book, Dad Bakes. Then everyone joins in to create a mural using collage. Get ready to work with colorful construction paper, markers, and glue.
A mystery grandfather. An abandoned building. A fire-breathing demon girl. An intergalactic lunchbox. Come hear NYT bestseller Karina Yan Glaser (The Vanderbeekers Make a Wish) in conversation with acclaimed author Torrey Maldonado (What Lane?), and NYT bestelling authors Michael Buckley (Finn and the Intergalactic Lunch Box), and Sayantani DasGupta (Force of Fire) talk about risks their characters take, and the twists and turns that result in each of their middle grade novels.
If You Come to Earth by Sophie Blackall
Sophie Blackall’s latest picture book, If You Come to Earth, opens with the magical words “Dear Visitor from Outer Space.” The Caldecott Award-winning author-illustrator then takes readers around the world in this gorgeously drawn tribute to the Earth, its diverse people and landscapes, and the children that make it such a special place—especially for someone from another planet.
It’s an epic battle between good and evil, and you get to decide who wins—and who the contestants are! Will you create an evil skateboarding vampire hamster or a brave bunny with hypnotic ears? Award-winning author Carole Lindstrom (We Are Water Protectors) will help you create your very own characters as amazing illustrators Veronica Mang (Secret Spy Society: The Case of the Missing Cheetah) and John Patrick Green (The InvestiGators) draw them into existence.
A books-to-music show featuring professional trumpeter and author, Augie Haas, (Little Augie and His Trumpet) and family music artist, Flor Bromley singing songs from Akashic Books LyricPop series, 59th Street Bridge Song (Paul Simon) and Strawberry Swing (Coldplay) with the singing Emcee, Mary Kate Petsky, joining the fun with a version of the series book, Good Times Roll (The Cars).
Author Esther K Smith and illustrator Jane Sanders, creators of Making Books with Kids, will highlight simple projects and show you how to fold, cut, and pop your own book. Then draw or write your story.
Have you seen Gordon? Or any of his friends? We need your help to find them! Ruth Chan will read Have You Seen Gordon? to introduce you to the cast of characters. Then follow the clues and embark on a little adventure around the Brooklyn Book Festival’s grounds to find the whole gang. When you’re able to spell out Gordon’s secret message, he’ll have a little prize waiting for you!
Raakhee Mirchandani’s Hair Twins follows a father and daughter on their hair adventures—everyday, Papa devotedly styles his daughter’s hair from braiding to buns. This charming and playful picture book celebrates Sikh heritage and a family tradition.
New York Times bestselling author Rio Cortez and acclaimed illustrator Lauren Semmer take us through a colorful and rhyming celebration with dozens of stories about Black history, culture, and people in The ABCs of Black History.
Want to watch a story come to life right before your eyes? Join us as acclaimed author Colleen AF Venable (Katie the Cat Sitter) spins a wacky tale that graphic novelists Mika Song (Apple of My Pie) and Veronica Agarwal (Just Roll With It) will sketch live—and you can make suggestions for every funny, weird, and totally silly thing you want to happen!
All ages of children can learn and enjoy yoga! Join children’s author and yoga instructor Lauren Hoffmeier for two fun yoga sessions, plus a live reading of her debut book, Mula and the Fly. Hear about Mula the sleepy tiger who dreams of tumbling, hopping and standing on her head and the Fly who makes her dreams come true. Photo opportunities and book signings are also included.
Caldecott Award-winner Brian Floca’s newest picture book Keeping the City Going is a tribute to essential workers who kept on working. There goes the bus driver, here comes the mail truck, the garbage is still being picked up, throughout the year. Celebrate the workers who kept the city going.
Come hear Steve Light read his book Road Trip. Learn about a wonderful place called Whiskers Hollow and draw along with Steve as he shows how he draws the characters from the book as well as answer any questions.
Author of blockbuster mega-hit Wonder R.J. Palacio talks about her new book, Pony, a modern classic about a boy on a courageous quest to rescue his father. #1 New York Times bestselling author Gayle Forman’s debut middle grade book, Frankie and Bug, is about an unexpected friendship, and how to be an ally. Together, they’ll discuss how their characters dig deep to discover themselves within our world.
We Are Water Protectors, winner of the Caldecott Medal, celebrates water in our life and draws on Indigenous-led movements to save the environment that sustains us. Join author Carole Lindstrom as she reads from her bold and lyrical book, a rallying cry to protect the earth’s water.
Jump start your autumn with some jump scares and great gags! In this workshop, 826NYC facilitators and teen leaders will take young writers on a storytelling journey to create their own spooky or silly fall-themed stories. Whether you want to turn that frown to fright or fun, this workshop has it all!
Join Harmonica Sunbeam of Drag Queen Story Hour NYC for stories and songs for kids of all ages. Through storytelling and creativity, DQSH teaches children about gender diversity and all forms of difference to build empathy and give kids the confidence to express themselves however they feel comfortable.
Yoomi the cat is excited for what she thinks will be a perfect day in Koreatown with her dad. Things don’t go as planned, with tricky mishaps along the way, but Yoomi ends up having an exciting, adventure-filled day where she visits family, and tries some delicious dishes (recipe included!).
Join the creators of the picture book biography Make Meatballs Sing: The Life & Art of Corita Kent for an exciting workshop melding poetry and artmaking! Author Matthew Burgess and illustrator Kara Kramer lead a lively session of making and creating in the spirit of Corita, inspired by her boldness and sense of fun, her philosophies on PLORK (play + work) and creativity, and her wondrous Pop Art, which invites us to see the world with fresh eyes and imagine new possibilities.
Join in the fun with Canticos and Encantos, where stories come to life and kids learn through play! Catch our roaming puppet performance, then head to the stage to hear Susie Jaramillo read her book, La Bamba, in English and Spanish. Afterward, singer and songwriter Flor Bromley will perform the song for kids to sing along! Stick around for the chance to have your books signed by Susie, artist, entrepreneur, and creator of Canticos, a bilingual preschool publisher.
Watch, laugh and cheer as artists Lucy Ruth Cummins (Vampenguin) and Ruth Chan (Thank You, Neighbor) presides over the year’s most dynamic live action drawing competition featuring Steve Light (Road Trip! A Whiskers Hollow Adventure), Nina Mata (Everything Grows), Dasha Tolstikova (The Bad Chair), Ruth Chan (Thank You, Neighbor), and Gracey Zhang (Lala’s Words).
