The 9th annual Orange County Children’s Book Festival entertained book lovers of all ages. The event was a spectacle with over 100 authors, illustrators, exhibitors, live entertainment, storytellers, animals and food vendors. Thousands of people braved the heat for a day of learning and fun at the book festival. From pop-up books to petting zoos, young adult novels to illustrating classes, the Orange County Children’s Book Festival had something for everyone.
Exhibitors, authors, illustrators and storytellers at the OC Children’s Book Festival
Some festival goers beat the heat with snow cones, while others took to the shade of the petting zoo. For some, the high temperature was not a deterrent for the hula-hoop contest.
Some people beat the heat with a snow cone.
The live entertainment was divided between five stages – the main stage, teen and young adult stage, storyteller stage, learn to draw illustrator stage and animal stage. Even basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made an appearance to promote his book, “What Color is my World?” Abdul-Jabbar wasn’t the only star to appear. Sid the Science Kid performed on the main stage three times during the festival.
Illustrators Barry Chung and Neil Klayman read “Boris ate a Thesaurus” at the illustrator stage.
Aside from all of the entertainment, there were books for sale too. For festivals patrons trying to score a great deal on new books, several tents were set up across the festival grounds that sold books at a discounted rate. Many of the authors and illustrators were on-hand to provide personal insight and inspirations about their stories and creations.
One of many booksellers at the Orange County Children’s Book Festival.
Each year the Orange County Children’s Book Festival gets bigger and better. The event was free for visitors and would not have been possible without the dozens of volunteers. Next year will be the 10th year of the festival and is already scheduled to return to Orange Coast College on Sunday, September 29, 2013.
Gitty Daneshavri reads from her book “Monster High: Ghoulfriends Forever”
The book festival is so much more than just a great opportunity for today’s authors, illustrators and story tellers to teach kids to love and read books. The book festival can create moments of inspiration for the authors, illustrators and storytellers of tomorrow.
Young book festival patrons learn illustration techniques.
