Brooklyn Book Festival Unveils Exciting Lineup for Children’s Day 2024
Families in NYC are in for a treat this month as the Brooklyn Book Festival announces its full schedule for Children’s Day! Taking place at Brooklyn Commons in MetroTech on Saturday, September 28, from 10am to 4pm, Children’s Day promises to be full of fun and educational activities for kids and their families, including a special appearance by the crime-biting canine himself, Dog Man!
Designed to inspire a love for reading and creativity, the event offers opportunities for children to engage directly with authors and illustrators. The day will feature workshops, performances, storytelling sessions, literary games, book signings, and a Children’s Book Market. Best of all, the event is free and open to the public.
Picture Book Stage
The Picture Book Stage will feature a lineup of award-winning authors who will bring their stories to life with performances and activities aimed at younger children. Starting at 10:30am, the stage kicks off with comedy writer Bess Kalb, reading from her humorous and heartwarming book Buffalo Fluffalo. Children will learn about self-acceptance and community through the fluffy, huffing Buffalo.
At noon, rapper and author Raj Haldar will perform his book This Book Is Banned. This clever picture book explores the idea of banned books, teaching children about the power of ideas and free expression in a fun and engaging way. Lian Cho’s Oh, Olive! follows at 12:30pm, with a story about embracing creativity and being true to oneself, culminating in a coloring activity for young artists.
Additional performances on the Picture Book Stage include Cesaria Feels the Beat by Denise Rosario Adusei, a joyful story about deafness and friendship set to the rhythms of Carnival, and Animal Albums from A to Z by Cece Bell, a musical journey through the alphabet inspired by classic album covers.
Young Readers Stage
For children ages 6-11, the Young Readers Stage offers interactive events that will captivate young readers and give them an opportunity to have their favorite books signed! Starting at noon, the Adventures Close to Home panel will bring together authors like Hilda Eunice Burgos (Bodega Cats: Picture Purrfect), Tracey Baptiste (Moko Magic: Carnival Chaos), and Sarvenaz Tash (The Queen of Ocean Parkway), who will share stories of adventure and mystery.
At 1:00 pm, get ready for some laughs with the Mad Libs: Graphic Novel Edition! event. Audience members will help authors Booki Vivat and Gale Galligan create live illustrations from their wild and funny suggestions. The fun continues at 2:00 p.m. with Are You Smarter Than an Author?, an interactive quiz show where kids and adults can test their knowledge of science and mythology against a panel of middle-grade authors.
The stage wraps up at 3:00pm with Draw Me A Story, a unique event where illustrators Ruth Chan and Liz Montague will bring audience-inspired stories to life with live illustrations, guided by emcee John Hendrix.
Creative Workshops
In addition to author readings, Children’s Day will feature hands-on workshops and art stations where children can explore their creative talents. The Makers and Creators Area will host several interactive workshops led by illustrators and authors. One such workshop is the Build Your Own Pop-Up Card session with author-illustrator Cat Min at noon, where kids can design dynamic pop-up cards inspired by Min’s book The Little Toymaker.
At 1:00pm, kids can unleash their creativity by designing a miniature mouse book with Margaret McCartney and Jodi Levine, authors of Mousetown, while at 3:00pm, C.G. Esperanza will lead a sneaker-design workshop, where participants can customize their own kicks with colors and stickers, inspired by his book Kicks in the Sky. To see the full line-up schedule, visit the website.
Children’s Book Market
And you won’t want to miss the Children’s Book Market. Featuring over 40 local and international publishers, the marketplace will be a hub for discovering new books and engaging with the world of children’s literature. Families can browse books from independent publishers like Enchanted Lion Books, Caribbean Reads, and Brooklyn-based ¡CHAU, LUNA!, offering a wide selection of books in various languages and genres.
Children’s Day is part of the larger Brooklyn Book Festival, New York City’s largest free literary event, which runs from September 22 through September 30. In addition to Children’s Day, the festival includes Bookend Events throughout all five boroughs. Whether your child is a budding reader, a young artist, or simply loves a good story, this event is sure to inspire and entertain.
Psst…Looking for more educational art activities for kids? Check out Groundswell Mural Project!
