Meet local authors, mingle with fellow book lovers and spend the day exploring the world of literature during the first Burlington County Book Festival!
More than two dozen authors are expected to participate in this special event this Saturday, June 3, from 11 AM to 4 PM, at the Burlington County Library, 5 Pioneer Boulevard. There will also be games, crafts, entertainers and more.
The event is hosted by the Burlington County Library System with support from the Burlington County Commissioners and the Burlington County Library Foundation.
“Burlington County was the first county library system created in New Jersey and it continues to be one of the finest in the nation,” said Burlington County Commissioner Deputy Director Tom Pullion, the liaison to the BCLS. “This festival will help promote reading, writing and literacy but also the important role our library system plays in our communities. It’s going to be a great event for book lovers, families and anyone looking for a fun Saturday afternoon.”
“The Burlington County Library System is a place for everyone to gather, learn and connect, and we’re excited to host the first Burlington County Book Festival to celebrate creativity and the enduring power of books and literacy,” added Burlington County Library Commission Chairman Jonathan Chebra. “Events like these help promote community and spark creative collaboration, ideas central to our library’s mission.”
During the festival, authors will discuss, autograph and sell their work. Books for adults, young adults and children in a wide variety of genres will be showcased, including mystery, fantasy, romance, historical fiction, nonfiction and more.
Visitors can browse and purchase book-related merchandise and the Friends of the Burlington County Library will be hosting a book sale.
Throughout the day, there will be games, crafts and fun activities for all ages, including a spectacular magic show at 11 AM and a book trivia competition at 3 PM. There will also be presentations and readings from several authors, including:
11:30 am – Larry Hanover, co-author of the Holocaust memoir Rebuilt from Broken Glass, in the auditorium
Noon – Ilene Beckerman, author of the runaway bestseller Love, Loss and What I Wore, presenting virtually in the Adult Services room
12:30 pm – Pulitzer Prize and Pushcart Prize nominee Faleeha Hassan, who has published 16 collections of poetry in Arabic that have been translated into more than 10 languages, in the meeting room.
1 pm – Rann Miller, freelance writer, former teacher and author of Resistance Stories from Black History for Kids, offering the keynote presentation in the auditorium
1:15 pm – Rosemary Benson, E.L. Copperman, Tina Gabrielle and Jane Kelly participating in an author panel in the meeting room
1:30 pm – Jay Cooper, illustrator and/or writer of more than 20 books for kids and contributor to the New York Times bestselling series The Last Kids on Earth, in the Youth Services area
2:00 p.m. - Meet with Fairy Tale Princess, Belle and Superhero Spider-Man
2:30 pm – Davon Loeb, author of the memoir The In-Betweens in the meeting room
3 pm – Ronnette Smith-Powell, founder of the New Jersey-based puppet company Nettie, Nana and Friends in the auditorium
The full schedule of activities and authors in attendance is available on the BCLS website at Burlington County Book Festival | Burlington County Library (bcls.lib.nj.us)