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LBF Offers Special Fun Just For KidsCould you use some help in introducing a child to the adventures of reading? Bring the youngster to the sixth annual Louisiana Book Festival on Saturday, October 4. It all takes place in the heart of Baton Rouge at the State Library of Louisiana, Louisiana State Capitol, Louisiana State Museum and nearby locations. More than 150 authors and panelists will present their books, chat with fans and sign their books from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Many of these literary professionals gear their work toward children. In addition to getting to hear and meet authors, the Louisiana Book Festival will have an abundance of other children’s activities and events, all of which are free and open to the public. “The Louisiana Book Festival promotes the joy of reading and literacy for the whole family. Whether you’re honing your reading skills, looking for the latest in Louisiana poetry, or trying to find a great recipe, we want to make the book festival accessible, fun and engaging for everyone,” said Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu, whose office in the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism oversees the State Library. As a special coup for the young readers crowd, for the first time the winner of the Louisiana Writer Award hails from the world of children’s literature. Award-winning author and illustrator of best-selling children’s books William Joyce was named by the Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana. Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu will present Joyce with his award during ceremony at the State Capitol at 10:00 a.m. In addition to its regular book selling tent, Barnes & Nobles Booksellers will have a place just for kids to shop for their favorite books. Barnes & Noble, Jr. will be set up next to the Young Reader’s Pavilion in front of the State Library. The daylong celebration of books will be topped off with a 6:00 p.m. performance of The Sound of Books! by the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra on a stage in front of the State Capitol with David Torns conducting the orchestra through a medley of popular music that originated from books. “It’s one of those events where parents go with their kids to spend a few hours, and before they know it, the day is gone, just because it’s so much fun,” said State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton. “The Louisiana Book Festival offers a number of attractions for our younger book lovers. In addition to the ever-popular Children’s Pavilion, the kids also get a kick from the Sound of Books! concert.Children may also attend a ballet performance by Mid City Dance Project. They will perform Journeys: The Stories of Hans Christian Anderson,” said Hamilton. Navigating the festival has been made as easy as possible for adults with children. Most of the organizers predict the Storytelling Tent will once again be one of the most popular spots for children. New this year include kids musical entertainer Phil Melancon. As a special treat, there will be race cars displayed on the steps of the State Capitol with race car story times in front of the State Capitol. Award-winning Louisiana singer/songwriter Johnette Downing will present My Aunt Came Back from Louisiane, a rhyming picture book offering children a tour of the Louisiana traditions of many beautiful towns and cities of the state. Pre-teen and teenage readers are invited to listen to Lesley M. M. Blume talk about her popular book Tennyson. Blume will also be participating in the discussion Paranormal Activity: The Dark Side of Fiction, which is actually geared more toward mature audiences. Rick Kelley will bring his award-winning, interactive, energetic and extremely fun performance to the Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Award Ceremony where he will present Don’t Just Sit There, Read Something! Also making an appearance will be Cool Motorcycle Dude Troy Austin, along with his cool motorcycle, where he will read one of the LYRCA winning books, Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude, written and illustrated by Kevin O’Malley and illustrated by Carol Heyer and Scott Goto. Aside from storytelling, book presentations and book-related arts and crafts activities for youngsters, several programs are specifically designed to get children interested in creating their own stories. The Writing Enrichment Tent will feature two programs designed to encourage youngsters in their writing efforts, including Emergent Literacy Projects for ages 3 to 5, and Writing Enrichment Projects for ages 4 to 9. Hamilton said those activities are a perfect addition to the book festival. “The idea is to encourage young talent and create a whole new generation of Louisiana writers,” she said. The Louisiana Book Festival is co-sponsored by the Louisiana Center for the Book; the State Library of Louisiana; the Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism; Office of Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu and the Louisiana Library Foundation. The Louisiana Book Festival is made possible in part by a grant from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. Complete information on the 2008 Book Festival is available online at www.LouisianaBookFestival.org or by calling (225)-219-9503. ### |
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