Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Each fall booklovers flock to the National Book Festival on the Mall. The September event is an opportunity to hear authors and illustrators speak about their work, have children meet favorite storybook characters, and explore genre fiction. This year the event will take place on the National Mall on September 24 and 25, 2011. Here in Montgomery County, booklovers are very fortuate. They can have an early dose of bookfair festivities at the May 21 Gaithersburg Book Festival, "A celebration of books, writers and literary excellence."
In its second year, the Festival features talks and book signings by authors, writing workshops, a coffee house with singers and poets/songwriters, a Children's Village and a panel discussion about the future of the written word. Take a look at the festival program to decide how you want to spend your Festival Day on the grounds of the Gaithersburg City Hall. It's a perfect time for kids, 'teens and grown-ups to make a summer reading plan or gather suggestions for a new or ongoing book group.
To get ready for the Festival, look at the photos and videos from last year or read an entry from this year's short story contest for high school students. MCPL can help booklovers prepare for the Festival, too. The Reader's Cafe page can help you decide which authos's presentations you may want to attend. Read or listen to a book by one of the featured authors. This year's featured authors include novelists, Elizabeth Berg, Thomas Kaufman, Rita Mae Brown and Stephen Hunter. Share a book or audio book with a child. Children's authors will include Mary Downing Hahn, Kathryn Erskine and Mary Amato.
A volunteer committee plans and organizes the festival. Sponsors include our own Friends of the Library, Montgomery County Maryland, Inc., the Maryland State Arts Council, the Writer's Center, the City of Gaithersburg, local radio stations and retailers.
Grab your sunscreen, a pen for autographs and get ready to collect ideas for summer reading!!
Barbara M.
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