The Savannah Children's Book Festival

I can't tell you how tickled I was to be invited back to the Savannah Children's Book Festival hosted by the Live Oak Public Library again this year.
     It is such a treat for my husband and I to drive down, visit friends, and hang out with all the book-loving folks in Savannah! This year, I went down a day early to visit with three elementary schools! (Which I spoke about in yesterday's post.)
     Then Friday night, the library hosted its low-country boil with some of the best shrimp I've ever had! They encourage all of us to write on the walls of the library. This year, I added a dragon, hanging out near one of my earlier books, GLITTER GIRL AND THE CRAZY CHEESE.

     Saturday, the weather was absolutely perfect for the book festival. My bud Janet drove us over to Forsyth Park where the crowds gathered - 40,000 all said. They meandered about, listening, reading, laughing and playing. It makes for the most bucolic and relaxing atmosphere!
     I was "on" at 11:00 and 1:00 and got a nice-sized crowd each time. Heck, I was having so much fun, I think it was contagious. Every time I looked up, my crowds were bigger. They were each organic, happy affairs.


     Best of all, some of the kids from the schools I'd been to on Friday dropped by. They read right along with me, happy to know the inside track. So cute!
     And I loved it when they got interested in my drawing. They ooooed and ahhhhed and made me smile.

     After the appearances, I was asked to hang out in the signing booth with the other authors doing their thing that weekend. It was a nice group to be a part of!
      Book festivals are one of my favorite things about being a children's book creator, because it's not all about me. I get to hang out with my peeps - other authors and illustrators - like Daniel Powers (and his wife, Silke), Alan Katz, Carmen Deedy, Shana Corey, Michael White (and his wife, Tracy), and Victoria Kann (Pinkalicious).
      We did dinners, ate shrimp, bought pralines, and generally enjoyed the beautiful city of Savannah. What a TREAT!
      A great big thank you to the organizers of the festival - the great folks of the Live Oak Public Library and their volunteers. I hope to return soon!