There’s great excitement in the Informal Learning Office as the Library of Congress gears up for this year’s National Book Festival (NBF), one of our biggest annual events. The festival takes place on Saturday, August 12, 2023, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C., from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Attendance is free of charge; doors open at 8:30 a.m. Information about all the festival’s programs, participating authors and much more is available here. This post will share some particular highlights for young readers.
If you’re taking part onsite, plan your day with this schedule, which you can filter to reflect a particular interest. While we hope that local families will join us in person, there are also online participation options. This virtual guide can help you plan your online experience, including livestreamed sessions. Video of all programs will be available after the festival.
The theme of this year’s event, “Everyone Has a Story” is reflected in the diversity of the author lineup and the day’s programming. The list of authors by genre includes several categories geared towards young people, such as “For Teens and Adults”, “Young Adults,” “Middle Grade”, “Picture Books” and “Graphic Novels”. Just a few of the many family-oriented sessions on stage include:
- Picture Books:
- “Hot Dog” and “Stickler Loves the World”