A Festival for Families

Children, teens and families will find a full schedule of free activities at the 2022 National Book Festival this Saturday, Sept. 3 — both in person and online!

The schedule is online and can be sorted by stage and by area of interest. This year’s festival offers three stages for young readers: Please Read Me a Story, KidLit and Young Adult. The schedule also includes book signings, hands-on activities and more. The Library’s education staff organized these recommendations for families to make the most of the festival.

In-Person, for Kids:

The children’s stages and family-friendly activities all take place in the expo hall on the lower level of the Washington Convention Center. This area will be full of activities for young people.

• Join a Conversation: Participate in a moderated conversation with authors on the two children’s stages on the Lower Level: Please Read Me a Story (ages 3-8, in Hall A) and KidLit (ages 8-12, in Hall B).
• Make and Create with the Library: Meet Library of Congress staff members and participate in hands-on activities on the expo floor – make a zine and a bookplate, browse titles from the children and teen stages, and more.
• Follow the Roadmap to Reading: Meet representatives of Library partner organizations from all 50 states and some U.S. territories sponsored by the Institute for Museum and Library Services.
• Stretch Out with Family Yoga or Settle in for Storytime: The Washington Post and other festival sponsors will host an array of family-friendly activities in the expo floor, including a family yoga activity.
• Have a ‘Supa Epic’ Time: Stop by the Scholastic booth and snap a picture in the “Dog Man and Cat Kid” photo booth and spin Dav Pilkey’s “Supa Epic” wheel for a chance to win a prize.
• Explore STEM with General Motors: Build and take home your very own battery powered electrical circuit and enjoy other Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) activities at the General Motors booth.

In-Person, for Teens:

• Join a Conversation: The Young Adult stage (ages 12-18) is on the second floor, Room 202, of the Washington Convention Center. Follow the link to find the schedule for that stage to hear moderated conversations with authors.
• Meet Other Teen Book-Lovers: The Library’s teen interns will host a table in the expo hall on the Lower Level where they will share their favorite resources at the Library and where teens can come to talk about the sessions with peers.

Online & Near You:                                        

For readers who can’t join the festival in person, the Library is partnering with libraries and community organizations across the country to host watch parties in the “Festival Near You.” Check the festival website for details on times and locations. Participating communities include: Patagonia and Globe, Arizona; Malibu and Westminster, California; Dover, Delaware; Gary, Indiana; Lafayette, Louisiana: Boston and Dennis Port, Massachusetts; Huntingtown, Maryland; Stratham & Exeter, New Hampshire; West Shokan, New York; Richmond, Virginia; and Winthrop, Washington.

Festival fans can also create their own watch parties from home. Download the festival poster and watch online. The Young Adult stage events will stream live on loc.gov/bookfest and the Library’s YouTube from 10 a.m. to 6:45 p.m., including:

• Lying Runs in the Family: E. Lockhart Talks About Her New Novel
• Magic to Haunt You: Innovative Novels by Latinx Writers with R.M. Romero and Rose Szabo
• Meet Me in the Winner’s Circle: Award-Winning Writers with Donna Barba Higuera, Darcie Little Badger and Malinda Lo
• You’re Such a Nightmare: Horror Novels with Tiffany D. Jackson and Ryan La Sala
• Rage Against the System: Teens Who Don’t Back Down with Samira Ahmed and Sabaa Tahir
• Love Me Like a Love Song: Fresh Takes on Romance with Ebony LaDelle and David Valdes
• What Happens Next in Sequelland? with Victoria Aveyard, Namina Forna and Chloe Gong
• Jason Reynolds Talks About His Latest Books

The Main Stage will be live-streamed as well, and young adult authors will also be featured on the Main Stage, including National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Jason Reynolds, here.