Hudson Children’s Book Festival
I’ve been curious about this book festival for years. A one day event in Hudson, NY, it is the place to go to see children’s authors and illustrators.
The event is held at Hudson High School. In one gym, they have a exhibitor hall with tables for local services and organizations. Hudson Area Library was there, with their summer brochure complete. I remarked on them getting it done so early. “When you have a deadline like the book festival, it gets done.” Good point. I like that their brochure is also a form to bring in to register for events, a last page tear-out.
They had costumed characters roaming the area- Ladybug Girl and Bad Kitty were the ones I saw.
Young volunteers wearing blue festival shirts were doing many tasks around the festival. It looked like it was a real coordinated effort with the school, community and festival.
The cafeteria was serving food, and they had an outdoor booth selling popcorn and cotton candy. In their auditorium they had live musical performances.
This festival was definitely for author fans- a chance for one-on-one interactions with favorite authors and get books signed. In another gym, over 77 authors and illustrators had tables, including bestselling authors like Jason Reynolds, Kwame Alexander, Jane Yolen, Jacky Davis and Mark Teague. They signed books for fans young and old, which the fans then purchased at the check out area. In two corners of the room, authors read from their works.
I ran into a teacher from our school and my former boss. I now have new authors to contact to do library programs (though many of these authors are not local). My husband and son enjoyed themselves for about an hour, and then they were ready to leave. I think it would have been a different experience if there was an author there that one of them idolized. My husband said that he could have gotten gifts for children he knew, but didn’t want to wait in the very long check-out line. Some of the authors helpfully put the prices of their books on their table, so that there would not be sticker shock at the register.
As a librarian, I’m reluctant to buy books for myself, and I’ve stopped getting signed books for others because I’ve realized that much of the significance of having a signed book is the memory of the interaction with the author while he or she was signing it. This festival is an excellent opportunity for children to have that special experience.
We then spent a pleasant afternoon in downtown Hudson, having lunch at Mexican Radio. Hudson is full of fancy antique stores (which we didn’t visit because my son is the proverbial bull) and the Spotted Dog book store.
OMG, Jane Yolen and Mark Teague?! I should have taken KB. Although she was not very impressed the last time she met an author…but I think the author-illustrator duo of the dinosaur books would have been more exciting. Maybe it would just have been expensive…I would want them to sign the books we have, not buy them again. Was that an option? I suppose the authors have to get paid somehow for being there.