Kids can meet and learn from an acclaimed author and illustrator duo at this year’s Children’s Festival of the Book, held Saturday, November 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Story Mill Community Center. New York Times-bestselling book creators Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham will lead kids’ workshops and author talks at the festival, with other hands-on activities and playtime rounding out the free, daylong celebration presented by the Bozeman Public Library.

 
Hale and Pham created the kid-favorite Real Friends and Princess in Black book series, plus the Kitty-Corn picture book series for younger children. Pham also illustrated Bear Came Along, the Links to Literacy book given to all Bozeman School district first graders this fall by the Bozeman Schools Foundation.

 
Now in its 14th year, Children’s Festival of the Book was created to inspire local children to develop a joy of reading, art, and self-discovery through children’s literature. The festival encourages kids to interact with nationally renowned children’s authors and artists to gain confidence in their reading and creative abilities.

 
"When children connect with writers and artists, they understand that the art and books they love are created by real-life people just like them,” explains Ellie Newell, Bozeman Library’s Head of Youth Services. “Children's Festival of the Book aims to empower and inspire children to tell their own stories and create their own art."

 
Story Mill Community Center is hosting this year’s event due to scheduled renovations at the Library, which have temporarily closed adult and teen library collections. The Library’s children’s room will remain open throughout construction, however.
 
This year’s Children’s Festival of the Book sponsors include Country Bookshelf, Humanities Montana, Northwestern Energy, Foothills Veterinary Hospital, Western Café, Opportunity Bank, Bridger Children’s Dentistry, Dino Drop-In Learning Center, and Montana Town & Trail. The event is also funded by supporters of the Bozeman Public Library Foundation.

 
“We’re incredibly grateful to this year’s sponsors for helping us continue to offer this much-loved annual program,” notes Bozeman Public Library Director Susan Gregory.
 
For more information, please call Ellie Newell, Head of Youth Services, at 406-582-2420.