The Fourth Annual Savannah Children’s Book Festival will take place on Nov. 17 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Forsyth Park in Savannah. Celebrate the joy of reading, the power of the written word and the magic of storytelling with children’s book authors and illustrators from around the country.

The festival also features dozens of local authors, arts and crafts, food, a variety of entertainment, an international tent, costumed characters (including Amelia Bedelia, Pippi Longstocking and the Berenstain Bears), a “teen scene” and more.

The Savannah Children’s Book Festival is presented by Live Oak Public Libraries and the City of Savannah’s Department of Cultural Affairs. Major sponsors are the Live Oak Public Libraries Foundation and Gulfstream Aerospace.

Headlining this year’s festival is Sonia Manzano, best known as “Maria” on Sesame Street. A first-generation American of Latino descent who has positively affected the lives of millions of parents and children since the 1970s, Sonia will receive the first TIER Children’s Literature Award (teach, inspire, and empower through reading) from Live Oak Public Libraries.

The winner of 15 Emmy Awards for her work on “Sesame Street,” she is also a talented children's book author. Her titles include "No Dogs Allowed" (2004) and "A Box Full of Kittens" (2007).

Other outstanding and award-winning authors and illustrators coming to Savannah to appear at the festival are:
Bruce Degen, illustrator of “The Magic School Bus” book series
Carmen Agra Deedy, author of “The Library Dragon”
Nancy Yi Fan, 13-year-old author of the bestseller, “Swordbird”
Daniel Kirk, author/illustrator, “Library Mouse” and “Dogs Rule!”
Katie Davis, author/illustrator, “Who Hops?” and “Scared Stiff”
Cynthia DeFelice, author of “Weasel” and “Bringing Ezra Back”
Charles Ghigna, children’s author and poet, a.k.a. “Father Goose”
Vicki Cobb, author of the series, “Where’s the Science Here?”
Michelle Knudsen, author of “The Library Lion”
Julia Gorton, illustrator of “Robots Slither”
Margarita Robleda, author, singer, and storyteller from Mexico
Rachel Sumner, children’s recording artist
Joanna Maddox, storyteller

The festival will again welcome to the event the annual Tellabration, which brings professional storytellers and storytelling enthusiasts from around the region. This year’s Tellabration features Bess Chappas of the Savannah Storytellers and author of “Kiki and the Red Shoes”; B.J. Abraham, a member of the National Storytelling Network and Southern Order of Storytellers; and the White Bluff Elementary School Story Stagers.

Also on the schedule are J'miah Nabawi and the Savannah International Story-fest; Dana Taylor with “Sign-Dancing: Learning American Sign Language Through Music and Movement,” the fun and educational Mad Science show, “Read It Loud” and the Savannah Friends of Music.

The rain location for the event is the Bull Street Library, 2002 Bull St.

For more information on the festival, call (912) 652-3661 or visit www.savannahchildrensbookfestival.org or  www.liveoakpl.org.


Coastal Writers Circle Authors and Illustrators:
Jack Weaver, “Uga Hunkers Down in Athens Town”
Phyllis Limbacher Tildes, “Apples”
Nancie Clark, “The Forgotten Tunnel”
Jacqui Anderson, “Alphonso’s Adventures: How Elephants Lost Their Tusks”
Polly Cooper, Emmeline Cooper, Laura Lawton, “Savannah Safari: A Self-guided Walking Adventure Through the Enchanting Historic District to Discover Architectural Treasure”
Sharon Saseen, “Patience and the Flower Girl”
Delores B. Nevils, “Amadeus the Leghorn Rooster”
Mr. Robert Cooper, “Three Proud Princesses”
Pat Andres, “Maggie: A Savannah Dog”
Doug Paul, “One Wizard Place: Sentinel”
Mary Cunningham, “Cynthia’s Attic: the Missing Locket”
Bess Chappas, “Kiki and the Red Shoes”
Alan J. Levine, “The Adventures of Short Stubbly Brownbeard”
Leisa Eman, “Pugsley’s Imagination”
Haley O’Hayer, “Wings”
Grace Reddick, “Ashley’s Unforgettable Summer”
Karen Petit, “The Mystery of the Screecher Creature”
Shannon Greenland, “The Specialists: Model Spy”
Annette Laing, “Don’t Know Where, Don’t Know When”
Suzanne Aviles, “Oglethorpe’s Children”
Nancy Raines Day, “Flamingo’s First Christmas”
Mac and Renee Newell, “Scampering through Savannah”
Holly Moulder, “Eyes of the Calusa”
Audra George, “Vagabonding”
Ami Blackford, “Quest for the Dragon Stone”
Charlotte Sauers, “The Bee in Bonnie Bondelle’s Bow”
Ron Daise, “Little Muddy Waters”
Patty Smith Roberts, “The Adventures of Lion Cub”
Mark Tenniswood, “Thank You God, for Onions”
Antoinette Dunham, “I Can Do It All by Myself”
Sara Harell Banks, “Remember My Name”
Audilee Boyd Taylor, “Where Did My Feather Pillow Come From?”
Chris Blaine, “Read Me a Story”
Peter and Sandy Loose-Schrantz, “Bongo’s Very Own Piano”
Argentina Grader, “Ali Gator’s Tale of Golf”
Catherine Varnedoe, “Together on the Mountain”
Melanie Chrismer, “Phoebe Clappsaddle & the Tumbleweed Gang”
Bernice and Andy Tate, “The Wormleys”
Franklin P. Smith, “The Christmas Book”
Ken and Liz Aucoin, “Jake and Friends Encounter Hurricane Katrina”
Didi Rummel, “Why are We?”
Cheryi Deich, “The Messy Monkey Tea Party”
Carole Marsh, Georgia 2007 Author of the Year, “The Ghost of Pickpocket Plantation”
Chris Auer, “The Littlest Magi”
Lisa Yaldezian, “500 Presents for Penelope Potts”
Maureen Barry, “Miss Fairfield’s Farm Beauty Pageant”