Savannah Children’s Book Festival set for November 18-20

Savannah, GA—November 1, 2004—To celebrate children’s literature and the joy of reading, Live Oak Public Libraries is hosting the first Savannah Children’s Book Festival on Saturday, November 20, at Forsyth Park. This exciting event celebrates National Children’s Book Week by bringing national authors and illustrators to our city to interact with educators, parents and especially children.

Special programs featuring children’s literacy advocate and author Jim Trelease will be held Thursday, November 18, 7 p.m. at Trustee’s Theatre (216 E. Broughton St., 525.5051) and Friday, November 19, 10 a.m., Armstrong Atlantic State University Fine Arts Theatre (927.5277).

The festival is set for Saturday, November 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Forsyth Park (rain location - Bull Street Library). Festival organizers promise a fun-filled day of programs by well-known children’s authors and illustrators and other activities that celebrate children’s books.

The schedule includes:
Gayle Ross
Cherokee storyteller/author
"How Turtle’s Back Was Cracked: A Traditional Cherokee Tale"
Jim Trelease
National children’s literacy advocate and author
"The Read-Aloud Handbook"
Eric Kimmel
Caldecott honoree, storyteller and author
"Anansi & the Moss-Covered Rock" and "Hershel & the Hanukkah Goblins"
Walter Mayes
"Giant" storyteller, literacy advocate and author
"Valerie & Walter’s Best Books for Children: A Lively, Opinionated Guide"
Kevin O’Malley
Author and illustrator
"Miss Malarkey Doesn’t Live in Room 10" and "Velcome"

"Gran’daddy Junebug"
Internationally-known African-American storyteller and recording artist
Jerdine Nolen
Author
"Harvey Potter’s Balloon Farm" and "Thunder Rose"
Elizabeth Levy
Author
"Keep Ms. Sugarman in the Fourth Grade" and "My Life as a Fifth Grade Comedian"
Sharon Draper
Author, 1998 Coretta Scott King Award winner
"Forged By Fire" and "Tears of a Tiger"
Eileen Christelow
Author and Illustrator "Five Little Monkeys
Jumping on the Bed"

Also scheduled to appear at the festival are author Vonda Skelton, John English (recording artist for children), local favorite Magic Marc, popular storyteller J’miah Nabawi and Angela Beasley’s Puppet People.

Children will also enjoy special story times, mask-making sessions, bookmark crafts and costumed book characters. In addition, The Home Depot is sponsoring workshops throughout the day for children to make projects to take home.

Partnering with the Live Oak Public Libraries Foundation to sponsor the event are: the City of Savannah Department of Cultural Affairs, Georgia Humanities Council, Clear Channel Communications, Gulfstream, Host South, Melaver Inc., Savannah Morning News, Georgia Ports Authority, Planter’s Inn, Target, Chatham Steel, Coke, Krispy Kreme, Savannah Electric, T-Shirts Plus, Wachovia, Armstrong Atlantic State University, Barnes & Noble, Chick-fil-A, Dippin’ Dots, Ezra Jack Keats Foundation, Home Depot, Primary Art Supply, Savannah College of Art and Design and the Telfair Museum of Art.

For more information, call 652.3666 or go to www.liveoakpl.org.

 

Courtesy of Live Oak Public Libraries Foundation