FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Press Contacts:
Beth Parker
Beth Parker PR
beth@bethparker.com
Kathy Daneman
Kathy Daneman Public Relations
718-778-0285 | kathy@kathydaneman.com
Brooklyn Book Festival Children’s Day
5th Anniversary!
Saturday, September 21, 2019
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Award-winning and bestselling children’s book authors and illustrators are set to wow young fans with readings, workshops and performances on Saturday, September 21
Young Adult authors will appear at BKBF Festival Day on Sunday, September 22, in Downtown Brooklyn at Borough Hall
BROOKLYN, NY—Thursday, August 22, 2019—The BKBF Children’s Day celebrates its 5th anniversary this year with an exciting lineup of authors, illustrators, workshops and activities for kids ages 2 to 11, including a costume parade, a scavenger hunt, bookmaking, bilingual programs and more. Taking place Saturday, September 21, 2019 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at MetroTech Commons in Downtown Brooklyn, this event celebrating kid lit boasts nearly 50 authors of picture books, chapter books and graphic novels. Writers at Children’s Day will include bestselling authors Mo Willems, Jon Scieszka, Karina Yan Glaser, Peter Lerangis, Booki Vivat, Nick Bruel, Emily Jenkins, Sayantani DasGupta, and award-winning authors and illustrators Grace Lin, Grammy award-winning musician and author Dan Zanes, Ibi Zoboi, among many more. Booksellers will line the outdoor Children’s Marketplace of Books where authors will sign books for their fans throughout the day.
Authors will read, perform, sing, and play music to bring beloved books to life at the Picture Book Stage at MetroTech Commons. Be sure to head over to see: Caldecott Medalist Grace Lin (A Big Mooncake for Little Star), NYT bestseller Sherri Duskey Rinker (Three Cheers for Kid McGear; Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site), Steve Light (Mama Tiger, Tiger Cub), Anika Aldamuy Denise (Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré), Dan + Claudia Zanes (Dan Zanes’ House Party!), Vashti Harrison (Hair Love), Raúl the Third (Vamos! Let’s go to the Market), Julie Falatko (The Great Indoors) with illustrator Ruth Chan, Oge Mora (Thank You, Omu!) and Rhett Miller (No More Poems! A Book in Verse that Just Gets Worse).
The Young Readers Stage will feature a wide range of incredible talent: National Book Award finalist Ibi Zoboi (My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich), Karina Yan Glaser (The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue), Hilda Eunice Burgos (Ana María Reyes Does Not Live in a Castle), Peter Lerangis (Throwback), Emily Jenkins (Upside Down Magic: The Big Shrink), Josephine Cameron (Maybe a Mermaid), Jerry Craft (New Kid), Torrey Maldonado (Tight), Jon Scieszka (AstroNuts Mission One: The Plant Planet), Booki Vivat (Frazzled #3: Minor Incidents and Absolute Uncertainties), Nick Bruel (Bad Kitty: Kitten Trouble), Lamar Giles (The Last Last-Day-of-Summer), Molly Brooks (Sanity and Tallulah), Rivka Galchen (Rat Rule 79), and Sayantani DasGupta (Game of Stars).
Kids can join the creative fun at the Festival’s Art Spot, where hands-on events with authors and illustrators include science-focused projects with Oddot Tinkeractive, a watercolors demonstration with Elisha Cooper (River), making papercut creations with Lorraine Nam (Look Up With Me: Neil deGrasse Tyson: A Life Among the Stars), and a lesson in contemporary astrology and celestial drawing with Michelle Tea and Mike Perry (Astro Baby).
Young creators can also attend one-of-a-kind interactive presentations throughout the day including learning cartooning basics and making your own comics with cartoonist Ivan Brunetti (Comics: Easy as ABC), superhero themed costume making with Raakhee Mirchandani (Super Satya Saves the Day) followed by a costume parade, poster making with illustrator Raúl Colón, creator of the Festival’s 2019 art poster, and creating pop-up art with illustrator JoonHee Yoon.
“The Brooklyn Book Festival Children’s Day marks its 5th anniversary of presenting beloved authors and illustrators whose books make childhood reading a magical experience. A book well-loved is always revered, and we hope young readers will discover that book at Children’s Day plus enjoy the unique experience of meeting and even creating projects with their favorite author,” said Liz Koch, Co-Producer of the festival.
Other features include:
Mo Willems: Willems, the recipient of this year’s BoBi Award, will be the featured speaker at a special morning coffee reception for educators. He will then take to the stage to regale children with an animated reading of his books including The Pigeon Has To Go To School! and a sneak preview of his upcoming book, Who is the Mystery Reader? An Unlimited Squirrels Book. Pre-signed books will be available for sale following the event. His friends Elephant & Piggie will be on the Festival grounds to greet children that day.
At the Children’s Day perennially popular Illustrator Smackdown, Ruth Chan (The Great Indoors) and Lucy Ruth Cummins (Truman) will preside over competing illustrators who battle with pen and marker. Taking the stage: Elisha Cooper (River), Jessie Sima (Spencer’s New Pet), Jerry Craft (New Kid), Ivan Brunetti (Comics: Easy as ABC), Yuko Katakawa (Let’s Scare Bear), Esmé Shapiro (Alma and the Beast), Jay Cooper (The Pepper Party Family Picks the Perfect Pet), and Nina Mata (She’s Got This).
Rick Riordan Presents: With a video introduction from Rick himself, Riordan’s new imprint introduces readers to a new generation of diverse heroes who find power in their vibrant cultural backgrounds with bestselling authors Roshani Chokshi (Aru Shah and the Song of Death), J. C. Cervantes (The Fire Keeper), and Carlos Hernandez (Sal and Gabi Break the Universe).
92Y Musical Theater presents a musical preview of this season’s Theater for Young Audiences series focused on fairy tales, and an excerpt from the Page to Stage production of Jenna Gavigan’s Lulu the Broadway Mouse, a charming story about a little mouse with big dreams.
Never Grow Up — The Netherlands has a rich history of children’s book authors and illustrators. As part of the Festival’s focus on international authors, join author and artist Mylo Freeman as she reads from her Princess Arabella series and demonstrates painting in color. Plus, a screening of the charming Dutch-Flemish short Mr. Paper Goes Out for a Walk.
Additional highlights on Children’s Day include:
—READy, Spin & Win Wheel: Take a spin and win a prize. Every reader is a winner.
—BKBF Poster Photo Op: Take your picture alongside the boatful of readers in the official BKBF life-size poster cutout, illustrated by Raúl Colón.
—Where’s Waldo: Join the festival-wide search for the world’s most famous missing person.
—Yoga Under the Trees: Young readers can stretch and pose with Mariam Gates (Good Night Yoga).
Dozens of children’s book publishers will be featured in the outdoor Children’s Marketplace of Books with graphic novels, picture books, bilingual books, young reader and chapter books, and literary puzzles. Official Children’s Day booksellers—Bank Street Books, Barnes & Noble, and Stories Bookshop + Storytelling Lab—will have books for sale by all attending authors.
Teens and Young Adult readers can enjoy a full slate of programming the next day on Sunday, September 22, with an array of bestselling, award-winning and acclaimed authors including Sarah Dessen, Akwaeke Emezi, Jenny Han, and Scott Westerfield, among others.
The Brooklyn Book Festival attracts tens of thousands from around the world to experience spirited discussions between emerging and iconic writers and a lively Literary Marketplace. This fall’s week-long festival begins on September 16 with eight weeknights of literature themed “Bookend” programs presented all over New York City. The flagship 14-stage Brooklyn Book Festival takes place Sunday, September 22. On festival day, 300 writers of beloved works of fiction and nonfiction, poetry and graphic novels will participate in panels, readings and other creative performances of their work.
About the Brooklyn Book Festival
The Brooklyn Book Festival was launched in 2006 to address the need for a major free literary event that embraced the diverse constituencies of New York City. The Festival’s mission is to celebrate published literature and support the literary community through programming that connects New York City readers with local, national, and international authors, publishers, and booksellers. To this end the festival develops original programs that are hip, smart, and diverse and collaborates to present free and low-cost programming includes the Festival Day, the Bookend Events, and the BKBF Children’s Day.
BKBF Children’s Day is presented by the non-profit Brooklyn Book Festival, Inc. and the Brooklyn Book Festival Literary Council. The Festival extends appreciation and thanks to its new and longstanding supporters: Brookfield Properties and J.P. Morgan Chase, the Brooklyn Eagle, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and City Council Member Stephen Levin, Con Edison, Disney, Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, Dutch Culture USA, KinderCare, Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, National Endowment for the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, and NYU. Media sponsors are abc7NY and WNYC.
Be sure to visit www.brooklynbookfestival.org or check out the official Facebook page, follow the Festival on Instagram (@bkbookfest) and on Twitter (@BKBF). A 2019 Festival press kit, including images from previous festivals, is available here.
