Monday, October 4, 2010

Keeping Novello Alive

For years my children and I enjoyed attending Novello, the book festival that the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library held in downtown Charlotte. After they were too old to attend, I often worked the SCBWI booth which provided "word play" activities for children and information about writing for their parents. When my children were young Novello had been a one-day event; gradually it grew to encompass several weeks of programs and lectures from famous authors and speakers.

Due to budget cuts, this much-loved annual event was not scheduled this year. Fortunately, two Charlotte literacy lovers; former librarian Pat Siegfried, and UNC professor Mark West, have stepped up to the plate and led a grass-roots effort to keep Novello alive.

Although you might have missed last weekend's events for adults, it is not too late to put the children's events on your calendar for this Saturday, October 9. The line-up includes several North Carolina authors who are members of the SCBWI-Carolinas region. I have added web links for the authors who are either part of our region or whose books I have read. Although only one title is listed by their name, most of these authors have published several children's books. They are donating their time and energy to talk about books and inspire young readers. Books will be available for sale; stock up for birthdays or holiday gifts!

All events take place at ImaginOn, 300 E. Seventh St. Here is the schedule:

Picture Books

11 a.m.: Tameka Brown  Around Our Way on Neighbors' Day
Judy Stead 12 Days of Christmas in North Carolina
Gail Haley A Story, A Story
Sherry Neidigh, illustrator of Count Down to Fall  (her books make wonderful presents for grandkids!)

Noon: Kelly Starling Lyons One Million Men and Me 
Gloria Houston The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree
Carole Boston Weatherford Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom

Junior fiction and young adult:

11:15 a.m.: Stephanie Tolan Surviving the Applewhites
 Melissa Thompson Keena Ford series
Eleanora Tate Celeste's Harlem Renaissance

Young adult mystery/suspense
 12:15 p.m.: Caroline B. Cooney Face on the Milk Carton
 Mark de Castrique Death on a Southern Breeze

Young adult
1:15 p.m.: Carrie Ryan The Forest of Hands and Teeth
 Karon Luddy Spelldown
Joyce Hostetter Blue, Comfort, Healing Water  (my co-author of Talking Story!)
 P.B.MacEnulty Alixandra's Wings

Novello Festival Press panel
 1:30 p.m.: Introducing the press's first bilingual children's book, "Wings and Dreams: The Legend of Angel Falls," by Irania Macias Patterson, illustrated by Catherine Courtlandt McElvane.
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Novello is back to being short and sweet. But who can deny that good things often come in small packages? Make a point to bring your children to ImaginOn this Saturday. This is a unique opportunity for your children to meet local authors and illustrators who are passionate about reading and writing. 

It almost makes me wish my kids were little again.


4 comments:

Write2ignite said...

I am going to do my very best to make it there. I think all these folks are great and I'm proud of all of them. WAY TO GO, Y'all!

hugs,
Donna

Joyce Moyer Hostetter said...

Thanks, Carol. See you there.

Bonnie J. Doerr said...

Thanks for mentioning Novello, Carol. And a huge shout out to our SCBWIC authors who will be there. Wish I'd known about it sooner.

Kelly said...

Thanks so much for your support! Look forward to seeing you.

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