The 2023 Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival
The 10th Anniversary of The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival
The 10th Anniversary of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival (CCBF) will take place on Saturday, September 30, from 10 am to 4 pm at the Chappaqua Train Station in Chappaqua, New York. This year’s Festival will be the largest one yet, with 180 authors in attendance and celebrity authors Mary Pope Osborne and Alan Gratz leading the charge. We look forward to introducing the community to new writers joining us this year, such as Alex Gino, and reconnecting with returning authors, such as Bryan Collier. Admission and parking are free, and the event will be held rain or shine (http://www.ccbfestival.org/).
In its tenth year, the annual festival, promoting community, inclusivity, and literacy, will have a dedicated banned book section, where we will display banned books by 30 of our attending authors. The table will also hold copies of a list of banned books available at the festival and where the authors can be found if families would like to meet them and support them. There will also be a sign explaining how attendees can purchase banned books for groups that provide banned books to readers. Some of the authors and their books to be showcased in our banned book area include Jerry Kraft’s New Kid, Kyle Lukoff’s Call Me Max, Maulik Pancholy’s The Best At It, plus 27 others that we can’t wait for visitors to have a chance to see.
We also will have authors covering different reading levels and multiple genres, including a larger selection of graphic novels than in years past, LGTBQ themes, and books that celebrate diversity. We will have author readings and special presentations, illustrator Demos, Book Signings, a bubble bus, and books for sale. This year, food will be available from gourmet food trucks and our local Chappaqua Farmers Market. CCBF will support literacy programs in area schools.
Some of our favorite authors returning this year include fan favorite Pinkalicious author Victoria Kann and Sonja Cherry-Paul, author of Stamped (For Kids), an adaptation of Ibram X. Kendi’s New York Times bestseller that introduces kids to the history of racism and antiracism in America.
We have several authors joining us this year who are new to CCBF, and we are so excited! Mary Pope Osborne, the author of The Magic Tree House series, is our headlining author. Also new to the festival is Alan Gratz, New York Times bestselling author of 19 children’s novels, and Maulik Pancholy, a well-known actor from NBC’s 30 Rock and award-winning children’s book author. Mr. Pancholy recently released his newest novel, Nikhil Out Loud, and his previous book, middle-grade novel The Best At It, is a Stonewall Honor Award winner.
Our tenth-anniversary celebration festival poster was created by popular and prolific author/illustrator Mark Teague. Mark is an author and illustrator of over 40 books, including the First Graders from Mars series and How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?
Joining as a sponsor to celebrate our 10th anniversary is KidLit TV, an educator-led organization that reinforces an appreciation of reading for children through its web-based television. Programming and videos that are seen in over 700,000 schools nationwide.
The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival is a grassroots, all-volunteer effort, with community members working together so children and teens can be inspired by their favorite authors. The festival gives kids and families a chance to meet and interact with the creators of their favorite characters and to appreciate that there is a real person behind the art and the words on the page.
For more information, visit http://www.ccbfestival.org/ or follow the CCBF at https://www.facebook.com/chappaquabookfestival/
