PHOTO RELEASE:
Monday, June 26, 2017
Contacts:
David Estrada
DEstrada@council.nyc.gov
Laura Dolan
ldolan@getodemilly.com
212-686-4551
PHOTO RELEASE:
NYC Council Member Carlos Menchaca celebrated literature in the community with Brooklyn Book Festival “Meet-the-Author” event for students and FREE Family Book Fair at PS24 in Sunset Park on June 23
Family Book Fair took place after exciting in-school activities with A-List authors.
The Brooklyn Book Festival presented a full-day of literary celebration at Brooklyn’s PS 24 on Friday, June 23 with author and illustrator visits at the school for students during the day and a fun-filled Family Book Fair in the evening for children and families from the school and the Sunset Park community.
The festivities were brought to the community thanks to support from NYC Council Member Carlos Menchaca.
“Books entertain, educate and broaden horizons. I invited the Brooklyn Book Festival to create a literary experience in Sunset Park for students to enjoy meeting authors and illustrators so they know that books are written by real people—people who were children once like them. We all want all children to be readers, but let them understand that they can be the authors and illustrators, too! The evening is planned so families from the community can enjoy literary fun—because I think that children and parents reading together is where the magic is!” said Council Member Menchaca.
IN-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES/AUTHORS (during school day): The school day programs for students included author and illustrator visits for grades 1 – 5 including: Brian Floca, the 2014 Caldecott Medal winner for Locomotive; Jason Fry, author of more than 30 books and short stories set in the Star Wars galaxy; George O’Connor, author and illustrator of the Olympians; a popular series of graphic novels about Greek mythology; Jorge Aguirre (Dragons Beware) and Katy Wu. Copies of books signed by these authors and illustrators were donated to the classrooms attending the programs and also to the school library.
FREE FAMILY BOOK FAIR/AUTHORS (6-8pm): The Community Book Fair took place that evening from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and was free and open to the public with fun activities and programs planned. Renowned author / illustrator Raúl Colón (Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes) started the evening off, and his reading was followed by an illustrator draw-off contest with Kat Fajardo (Gringa), Matt Loux (The Time Museum series), John Patrick Green (Hippopotamister) and Isabel Roxas (Let Me Finish).
Activities included yoga for kids with author and certified children’s yoga instructor, Lara Hocheiser (My Yoga Workbook); making origami with illustrator Naoko Stoop (Shine); creating mini comic books with graphic novelist Sara Varon (President Squid); and the Reading Rug, with Troupe, actors reading aloud and performing children’s classics: Hena Kahn’s Golden Domes and Silver, Chunhua Liu’s How the Moon Became Beautiful, an illustrated Chinese Folk Story, Dr Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat, and more.
The Brooklyn Book Festival is the largest free literary event in New York City, presenting an array of national and international literary stars and emerging authors. The Festival includes a week of Bookend Events (9/11-9/17) taking place throughout New York City, a lively Children’s Day (Saturday 9/16) and a celebratory Festival Day (Sunday 9/17) with more than 300 authors and 200 booksellers.
Brooklyn Book Festival Co-Producer Carolyn Greer said, “We’re thrilled that Council member Menchaca asked us to organize a literary celebration in Sunset Park. It’s so important to bring the festival’s literary events out into our communities. Everyone is invited to join us at Brooklyn Book Festival, September 11-17, and families are particularly welcome to come to Children’s Day on Saturday, September 16!”
In that spirit, this fall, the Brooklyn Book Festival will provide free bus transportation to PS24 families to attend Children’s Day in Downtown Brooklyn.
Photo Captions:
• 070: NYC Council Member Carlos Menchaca and BKBF staff talk with students and workshop authors Naoko Stoop (right sitting at table) and Sarah Varon (left sitting at table) at Brooklyn’s PS24 in Sunset Park welcome top authors in collaboration with Brooklyn Book Festival. (Photo by Jasmina Tomic)
• 277: Top Authors and illustrators take the stage at Brooklyn’s PS24 in Sunset Park at in-school event sponsored by NYC Council Member Carlos Menchaca and presented by The Brooklyn Book Festival. (Photo by Jasmina Tomic)
• 573: Top Authors and illustrators Kat Fajardo, Isabel Roxas, Matthew Loux, John Patrick Green take the stage at Brooklyn’s PS24 in Sunset Park at in-school event sponsored by NYC Council Member Carlos Menchaca and presented by The Brooklyn Book Festival. (Photo by Jasmina Tomic)
• 695: Kids and Families of Brooklyn’s PS24 in Sunset Park celebrate reading and literature at Family Book Fair event sponsored by NYC Council Member Carlos Menchaca and presented by The Brooklyn Book Festival. (Photo by Jasmina Tomic)
NYT Bestselling Graphic Novel Author George O’Connor (Kapow! and The Olympians series) joined NYC Council Member Carlos Menchaca at Sunset Park’s PS24 on Friday, June 23 for in-school reading. A Family Book Fair followed that evening. Events were sponsored by Council Member Menchaca and the Brooklyn Book Festival. (Photo by Liz Koch).
