Good news for NYC parents who flock to the Brooklyn Book Festival each year—for the first time, your little bookworms can enjoy an entire day dedicated to the books they love, too! To mark its 10th anniversary, the festival will kick off with the first annual Children's Day on Saturday, September 19 from 10am–4pm. Families with an appetite for picture books, chapter books, YA titles and beyond are invited to meet authors and illustrators at fun story time events and book signings, find new stories on sale from various book stores in NYC and mingle with fellow book-lovers in downtown Brooklyn. The lineup also includes tons of family entertainment, including puppet shows, music and a live draw-off, so find the full schedule online and check out our picks of the top events, below!
Pop-Up Books Youngsters ages 6 and up can create their own eye-popping tomes with instruction from Esther K Smith, the author of How to Make Books, Magic Books & Paper Toys and the forthcoming Making Books With Kids. Parents will lend a helping hand to craft mini pop-up books from a bookmark, then the kids can try their hand at making a unique version of the project. 11am at NYU Workshop Spot (5 MetroTech Center, 4th floor), free.
Readers Theatre of Mystery and Magic Bookworms who can't get enough of fantasy and tales about magic will dig this live performance, where well-known authors read short scripts adapted from their novels. Moderated by Adam Gidwitz, authors Chris Grabenstein (The Island of Dr. Libris), Tracey Baptiste (The Jumbies), Emily Jenkins (Toys Go Out) and Sarah Mylnowski (Upside Down Magic) will share snippets of stories about mysterious places, creatures from the dark woods and magic-gone-wrong through expressive theatre, inviting the audience to participate along the way. 1pm at Young Readers Stage (MetroTech Commons), free.
A Subway Adventure Author Nadja Spiegelman hosts a fun-filled event at the New York Transit Museum, inspired by her newest book, Lost in NYC: A Subway Adventure. Kids ages 6–12 will get quizzed on subway trivia, jump in on an art project and hear a live reading. Grab a copy of the new book, filled with maps, photos and facts about NYC, and have the author sign it following the event! 1:30pm at the New York Transit Museum, free with museum admission.
Alice in Wonderland Reading Honor the 150th anniversary of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by sitting in on this interpretive reading, put on in partnership with The Lewis Carroll Society of North America. Kids will love watching as costumed characters bring The Mad Tea Party scene to life. 11am at Brooklyn Public Library, free. 1pm and 3pm at Brooklyn Expo Center (79 Franklin St, Brooklyn), $10.
Illustrators in Action This exciting draw-off between impressive illustrators will keep kids on the edge of their seat! Watch artists including Kevin Sherry (Monsters on the Run), Diana Wege (A Day with Bonefish Joe), George O'Connor (If I Had a Triceratops), Aimee Sicuro (Bright Sky, Starry City) and Frank Morrison (Little Melba and her Big Trombone) duel on stage, armed with just their writing utensils. 3pm in the NYU Auditorium (5 MetroTech Commons).