Saturday, November 8, 2014, the Bozeman Public Library Foundation will present its seventh annual Children’s Festival of the Book from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Bozeman Public Library. This one-day, free and open to the public event will feature the dynamic duo of New York Times best-selling author Amy Krouse Rosenthal and the prolific Charise Mericle Harper, both boasting large portfolios of popular and creative children’s books.

In the morning, Rosenthal will present Books! Ideas! Potato Chips! enthralling children ages 3-11 years with her humor, creativity and warmness - all characteristics that have brought her national success.  Rosenthal’s creations include Plant a Kiss, Duck! Rabbit! and Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons, all of which are New York Times best sellers. She also has books for adults, including Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life and her latest, Encyclopedia of Me: My Life from A to Z.  Amy and her family live in Chicago.

Charise Mericle Harper follows with her quirky and entertaining presentation Everything Is My Friend Or Not.  Harper, originally from Vancouver, Canada, started drawing and making books as a child. She had a comic strip in a number of newspapers and has made comics forNickelodeon Magazine. Her books include Go! Go! Go! Stop!, Cupcake, and the hugely popular Just Grace series. She lives with her family in Westchester, New York.  In the afternoon, Amy and Charise will appear as a duo for Beckoning Lovely Together.
Local talent, Young Adult author Janet Fox, will talk about her creative work during Making Magic with Words and will co-lead a writing workshop with Bozeman author Michele Corriel Putting your Best Foot Forward: First lines, first pages, first chapters for ages 12 and up. Fox’s written works include Sirens, Forgiven, Faithful, and Get Organized Without Losing It. Corriel will also moderate A Chat with Local Authors, featuring Fox and regional authors Kent Davis, fantasy fiction writer, and Connie Bergum, artist and illustrator from Helena.

Inspired by the Montana Festival of the Book, the goal of the Bozeman Children’s Festival of the Book is to celebrate children’s literature, inspire children of all ages, and instill a life-long love of reading.  There will be kids’ crafts, book sales by the Country Bookshelf, signings, and a chance to meet all the participants.

Sponsors for the Festival include Humanities Montana, Quilting in the Country, and First Security Bank.  For more information and the program schedule, please visit childrensfestivalofthebook.wordpress.com.