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Tips for Families for the National Book Festival

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Parents and caregivers, we hope you’re looking forward to the National Book Festival! Here are a few tips to guide you:

Where and How to Access:

Girl looks at screen that reads "National Book Festival"
A young National Book Festival visitor watches an animated version of the festival poster on one of the convention center’s digital displays, September 1, 2018. Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress.
  • The children and teen author videos will be available at the “Stages” tab on the virtual festival platform. You can also find all of the children and teen programs on the Library’s YouTube channel.
  • Registration is required to participate in live Q&A, to view the festival booths, or participate in other programs on the virtual festival platform. Registrants must be 13 or older. If you would like younger children to participate, please register together to navigate the festival with them. Registration is available here.
  • Get more advice for navigating the festival in this webinar and in this PowerPoint presentation for teachers.

What to Do During the Festival Sept. 25-27:

  • Authors were all asked about their inspiration as well as their thoughts on American ingenuity, the theme of this year’s festival. Prep younger kids with a conversation about the meaning of ingenuity. What makes someone or something creative, inventive, resourceful? This blog post has additional ideas for discussions around the term.
  • Join a live conversation! Your kids can ask questions of their favorite author in live chat Q&As Check the schedule here or the schedule tab within the virtual festival platform for details.
  • Stop by the “Explore the Library of Congress” tab on the virtual festival platform to find a section on “Activities for Families” with handouts, videos, and other resources for kids and families from around the Library.
  • Take a road trip through the Roadmap to Reading! Stop by the Discover State Reads tab on the virtual festival platform and pull over at a book that looks interesting to you. Once you’ve learned a bit about it, see if it makes you want to explore other reads on the road. These suggestions come from Centers for the Book from around the country.
  • The Learning Guide to the Festival provides some thinking questions for kids to use to explore the author videos and more suggestions for exploring the festival.

Can’t join the festival this weekend? You can find all of the author videos at loc.gov/bookfest throughout the year!

Comments (3)

  1. Disappointed that you failed to mention the Road to Reading and the Great Reads from Great Places. Road to Reading features all the states & territories with fun activities for children. Each State selected a youth book for Great Reads from Great Paces. You can learn about 14 of those books featured here
    buff.ly/2RIChWi

  2. I want to share the New York Selection for the National Book Festival’s Great Reads from Great Places. It is Jennifer Thermes Manhattan: Mapping the Story of an Island.

    Rocco Staino
    Director
    Empire State Center for the Book

    • Thanks for your note, Rocco, and for sharing the NY selection. The Roadmap to Reading will be prominently featured on the “Learning Activities” guide mentioned here. It should be up online soon.

      Families, you can find the Roadmap to Reading and state selections on the “Discover State Reads” tab on the festival website.

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