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2024!

February 14, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Martha Swan, Exec. Director
mswan12993@gmail.com
518-744-7112

ADIRONDACK FAMILY BOOK FESTIVAL BOASTS STELLAR LINEUP, RECEIVES AWARD OF DISTINCTION

(Westport, NY) — The Adirondack Family Book Festival (AFBF) returns to the John Brown Farm State Historic Site on August 17, 2024, with a stellar lineup of award-winning children’s and YA authors and illustrators again this year. 

Now in its third year, the Adirondack Family Book Festival is a cherished community event, presented by John Brown Lives! (JBL!) and numerous community partners, that cultivates an expansive sense of belonging and safety, of well-being, connectedness, and the joy of reading. In the unhurried natural setting of the John Brown Farm, readers of all ages hear from and mingle with beloved authors and artists.

The festival has also garnered statewide recognition by the Museum Association of New York (MANY) for engaging the community and building new audiences.

“We are thrilled to once again be a part of this wonderful community event. The list of authors is diverse and very impressive,” said Bambi Pedu, Director of Lake Placid Public Library. “I am looking forward to hearing their stories.”

Local author Kate Messner is also thrilled with this year’s lineup, noting that the festival “already has a reputation among authors and illustrators, thanks to our organizing team’s care and enthusiasm and Lake Placid’s warm summer welcome.”

Excited to have five new titles for this year’s events, Messner will be joined by fellow North Country authors Maxwell Eaton III, Amy Guglielmo, and Loree Griffin Burns. They will be joined by authors and illustrators from all over the country, including New York Times bestsellers, prestigious award winners, and family favorites.

The 2024 roster also features Jason Chin, Brian Floca, Meredith Ireland, Rajani LaRocca, Kelly Starling Lyons, Kekla Magoon, Kayla Miller, Sharee Miller, RaĂşl The Third, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Lauren Tarshis, and Jasmine Warga.

For author bios and a festival schedule, go to https://adirondackfamilybookfestival.com/

“We are doubly-honored this year to host these amazing authors and to receive the MANY Engaging Communities Award of Distinction for the festival itself,” said JBL! Executive Director Martha Swan. 

“We couldn’t do it without the best festival volunteers, partners and sponsors one could hope for or without the support of the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation and the site staff at the John Brown Farm.”

The Engaging Community award celebrates organizations across New York State that use exceptional and resourceful methods to engage their communities and build new audiences. One of fifteen Awards of Distinction recognizing unique leadership, dedicated community service, and transformational visitor experiences and innovative programs, it will be presented at MANY’s 2024 annual conference “Giving Voice to Value” in Albany in April. 

To learn more about MANY and the Awards of Distinction, visit: https://nysmuseums.org/annualconference 

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Rain or Shine, Festival Divine!

Despite a last minute venue change due to weather, the second annual Adirondack Family Book Festival was another spectacular event, bursting at the seams with energy and engagement! Thank you to Lake Placid Middle/High School for keeping everyone warm and dry. Next year’s date is Saturday, August 17 2024. Mark your calendars!

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2023 Draft Schedule!

There may be some minor adjustments, but the schedule for the 2023 Adirondack Family Book Festival has been announced! It looks like another fantastic combination of personalities and topics.

TimeTitleAgePresenters
9:30Festival grounds open with browsing/book sales
10:00Welcome & Land Acknowledgment
(in Main Festival Tent)		AllMartha Swan, José Barreiro
10:30-
11:00		Teamwork on the Page: The Magic of Collaborative Picture BooksPicture BookLesa Cline-Ransome, James Ransome, Grace Lin, Kate Messner
11:15-
11:45		Sharpen Your Pencils: An Interactive Workshop and Q&A with IllustratorsAllMax Eaton, Grace Lin, James Ransome
12:00-
12:30		Honeybees, Sushi, and Art: Imagining the Possibilities in Picture Book NonfictionPicture BookLoree Griffin Burns, Debbi Michiko Florence, Amy Guglielmo, Angela Kunkel
12:45-
1:00		Scribbling Ideas: What’s in your Writer’s Notebook?AllKalynn Bayron, Loree Griffin Burns, Emma Otheguy
1:15-
1:45		Lights, Camera, History! Bringing the Past Alive for ReadersMiddle GradeSarah Albee, José Barreiro, Lisa Cline-Ransome, Kate Messner
2:00-
2:30		Just like a Friend: Three MG Novelists Share Secrets of Character CreationMiddle GradeDebbi Michiko Florence, Emma Otheguy, Phil Stamper
2:45-
3:15		Unputdownable: The Latest Page Turners for Teen ReadersYoung Adult
Kalynn Bayron, Francesca Padilla, Phil Stamper
3:15-
4:00		Browsing/Book SalesAll
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2023’s Line Up

What better way to celebrate National Children’s Day than to share the Adirondack Family Book Festival’s 2023 presenters! We are so excited and grateful to be hosting these accomplished authors and illustrators: Sarah Albee, Jose Barreiro, Kalynn Bayron, Lesa Cline-Ransome, Loree Griffin Burns, Maxwell Eaton III, Debbie Michiko Florence, Amy Guglielmo, Angela Kunkel, Grace Lin, Kate Messner, Emma Otheguy, Francesca Padilla, James Ransome, and Phil Stamper. For more details, check out the Author & Illustrator page.

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2023 Authors & Illustrators

Participation in the Adirondack Family Book Festival is by invitation only. Authors & illustrators who would like to be considered for future events may fill out this form to submit information for the festival committee to consider. Our group selects invited authors based on a list of criteria to best serve the community and the festival’s mission. Our goal is to feature a wide variety of traditionally published authors and illustrators who have a significant body of work for children and young adults. Many of our authors and illustrators create books for multiple age groups. Diversity and inclusion are core values, and we welcome creators from traditionally marginalized groups. Our 2023 festival is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, August 19. 

Adirondack Family Book Festival Interest Form

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A Perfect Day!

The first annual Adirondack Family Book Festival was a resounding success! A huge heartfelt thank you everyone who attended, participated, volunteered, and contributed (no matter how small) to make the event truly special. We can’t wait to start working on next year’s Festival!

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BOOKS!

Have you ever heard about a book and thought Wow, that sounds amazing! I would buy that right this very minute if I could ? Well, at THIS SATURDAY’S Adirondack Family Book Festival, there will be instant gratification available.

Lake Placid’s very own The Bookstore Plus will be on site ready to go with a selection of Festival participant’s books. They will be accepting cash, check or any credit card via Square. If you haven’t checked out their physical location on Main Street, add it to your list of Lake Placid to-dos. The wide array of Adirondack books, puzzles, art supplies, and tote bags is impressive.

Pro tip: After purchasing your new favorite book, get it signed by the author!

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Meet an Author!

Have you ever met an author of a book you read? It is like meeting a movie star! You might even get tongue tied or say something totally weird. But nothing fazes authors and they will answer any question you have with kindness and humor. Listening to them speak about what inspires them to write, read, create, and make the world a better place really opens your eyes to your own possibilities!

When the authors are not participating in presentations (see schedule here), they will be available to meet, talk to, AND sign books in the tent adjacent to the welcome area.

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Schedule

After months of advertising a 10:00 am start time and a schedule “subject to change,” we have a made a change in order to include two more exceptional speakers! Grounds will still open at 9:30, but presentations will now begin at 9:45 instead of 10:00 am.

TimeTitleAgePresenters
9:45A Dream RealizedAllMartha Swan
9:50-
10:00		Writing on the SpectrumAllBenjamin Giroux
10:00-
10:30		The Art of Stories (and Stories of Art!):
Three Author-Artists Share Their Books and Process		Picture BookJason Chin, Max Eaton,
Amy Guglielmo
10:40-
11:10		Hidden History:
Three Nonfiction Authors Share the Stories
Behind Their Books		Middle GradeTracey Baptiste, Kekla Magoon,
Kate Messner
11:20-
11:50		Laughter and Tears:
Books that Share Stories of Families,
Yesterday and Today		Picture Book/Middle GradeLaura Ruby, Kyle Lukoff,
Calvin Alexander Ramsey
12:00-
12:30		Let’s Build a Character!
An All-Ages Writing Workshop with Kekla Magoon		AllKekla Magoon
12:40-
1:10		Making Space for Stories:
Three Poets Share Their Novels in Verse		Middle GradeJoe Bruchac, Rajani LaRocca,
Linda Sue Park
1:20-
1:50		Searching for Jumbies:
Meet Caribbean Monsters with Tracey Baptiste		Picture Book/Middle GradeTracey Baptiste
2:00-
2:30		Bite-Sized Read-Alouds:
A Book Tasting for Hungry Readers
(Each author will give a three-minute reading!)		Picture Book/Middle GradeRajani LaRocca, Laura Ruby,
Joe Bruchac, Kyle Lukoff, Linda Sue Park,
Kate Messner, Jason Chin
2:40-
3:10		Truth in the Fiction:
The Power of Authenticity in Novels for Teens		Young AdultKekla Magoon, Laura Ruby
3:20-
3:50		Youth Voices:
A New Generation of Readers and Creators		AllYouth Panel
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Benjamin Giroux

Benjamin Giroux is the author of the Kirkus Reviews Star children’s book “I am odd, I am new” which they listed as one of the best picture books of 2021. Benjamin was only 10, in 5th grade, when he wrote his iconic viral poem about his life on the spectrum, that has inspired millions around the globe to embrace their differences and celebrate what makes them unique. Benjamin was made Poet Laureate of both the town of Plattsburgh NY, and Beekmantown school district. Ben is also the face of the National Autism Awareness anti-bullying campaign. Through the inspiration of his poem, Ben is now a award winning song writer as the song and music video I AM ODD by BRM won multiple awards in film festivals around the world. Ben will be a high school senior this year, and is currently working on a new children’s book series that talk about acceptance, anxiety, body shaming, and autism that is being shopped by his agent. 

Benjamin , Plattsburgh NY Poet Laureate, is excited to be part of the Adirondack Family Book Festival as a guest speaker. When Ben was 10, he wrote a I AM poem for a school assignment. Fearing it wasn’t any good, and not wanting to read it in front of his classmates, his father posted it to the National Autism Association Facebook page. Within 24 hours, his words were shared around the world. Ben’s poem inspired people to embrace their uniqueness and to celebrate being odd, or different. Ben’s poem has been translated in 20 different languages, has been made into award winning songs, and has been turned into a Kirkus Reviews Star Children’s book, that was named one of the best picture books of 2021, published by Schiffer Publishing. Ben loves to hang out with his 2 pet corn snakes which have inspired him to write a children’s book series that follow his pet snake Monty through adoption, to school adventures and vet visits, all while talking about anxiety, body shaming, depression and acceptance. Ben loves attending elementary schools and reading his book to students and engaging them in conversation about bullying, autism, acceptance and the importance of being kind. you can find Benjamin online at his website benjamingiroux.com, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.Â