Saturday, November 10, 2012

Everything Looks Better in Underpants, or My Weekend at the 2012 Texas Book Festival (as Told in 15 Photos and 1 Video)




I am happy to see the Goddess of Liberty still
triumphantly reigns atop the Texas Capitol 
on this beautiful October weekend.
It's time once again for the Texas Book Festival.



IMG_5716
I spend most of my time (as I usually do) in 
the Children's Read Me a Story Tent.
This year, I hear Duncan Tonatiuh (Diego Rivera),
Bob Shea (Dinosaur vs. Santa), Don Tate (It Jes' Happened),
Liz Garton Scanlon (Think Big), Jon Klassen (I Want My Hat Back),
and Tad Hills (Rocket Writes a Story). Fabulous.



School children from the Austin area introduce the authors.
Look at this remarkable intro for author/illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh,
presented in the form of a big book,
modeled after his own book about artist Diego Rivera.



Anita Silvey, 
the Queen of Children's Literature.
I chat with her 
 twice during the festival
and wish I could talk with her every day.
And, of course, I buy a copy of 



Always happy to see book characters themselves
attending the festival.



A crazy-long line for crepes at the festival,
but it is worth the wait.



IMG_5738
Don't think the Texas Book Festival is just children's picture books;
I attend a few serious grownup panel discussions, too.
My favorite was this one, Will We Ever Get It Right? Our Education Crisis
with Michael Brick, Meira Levinson, and Paul Tough.



Expect long lines if you really want to get books autographed.




Shy Dav Pilkey (who would have thought it?!) 
really doesn't have to speak much
at this session with fellow authors Mac Barnett,
Jarret J. Krosoczka, and Lisa McMann. 

Everything looks better in underpants.


It takes Batman (Jon Scieszka) and two Robins (Adam Rex and Mac Barnett) 




How cool it is to listen to an author (Rosecrans Baldwin) relate 
his experiences living in Paris 
(Paris, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down)
while sitting in the gallery of the Texas Senate!



And, of course, I had to pop in to get a preview of 
author/illustrator Jon Klassen
who would be coming to speak at my school the very next day.
(More on that in another blog post soon.)



For the first time, I volunteer to be an author escort
at the festival and who do I get to escort around? 
Pop singer Jewel!
She has just published her first children's picture book.



What an amazing voice!



And what an amazing weekend I had!



To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that 
you (or a friend or family member) have taken, 
then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky at At Home With Books




What is the Sunday SalonImagine some university library's vast reading room. It's filled with people--students and faculty and strangers who've wandered in. They're seated at great oaken desks, books piled all around them,and they're all feverishly reading and jotting notes in their leather-bound journals as they go.
Later they'll mill around the open dictionaries and compare their thoughts on the afternoon's literary intake....

That's what happens at the Sunday Salon, except it's all virtual. Every Sunday the bloggers participating in that week's Salon get together--at their separate desks, in their own particular time zones--and read. And blog about their reading. And comment on one another's blogs. Think of it as an informal, weekly, mini read-a-thon, an excuse to put aside one's earthly responsibilities and fall into a good book. Click here to join the Salon.




28 comments:

  1. It looks like you had a great time at the Book Fest!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a great experience!! We don't have a Mississippi Book Festival...I've researched it before when others have shared their state book festival experiences. I'd love to attend one though in a neighboring state :) Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Come to ours. It's only a hour-long plane ride away. You won't be disappointed.

      Delete
  3. Looks like a fabulous time! Our local library puts on some pretty great programs (fortunately), but I don't think we have an Indiana Book Festival.

    Here's my Snapshot.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Our festival was started by former-librarian-former-First-Lady Laura Bush when her husband was Texas governor.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This looks fabulous. So glad you had such a good time! Maybe I will think about attending one of these in the near future. Thanks for sharing your weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And everything was free! (Well, except for the $250 I spent on books!)

      Delete
  6. It certyainly looks as if you had a fun time. My Snapshot is at http://goo.gl/CQuKI

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a fun event! And, yeah, crepes and Nutella would have me waiting in line for a long time too ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Looks like a great book festival! We have book fairs - mostly lots of books on sale but no authors. No crepes, either come to think of it.

    ReplyDelete
  9. That looks such a fantastic festival! So many great authors. What a great idea to volunteer too. I thought about that with Melbourne this year, but didn't get around to organising it. I can't believe Jon Klassen came to your school. How fabulous, can't wait to hear about that too. And you got to speak to Anita Silvey. Fantastic. I'm interested in any Paris book as you know, but I was really put off by the you're bringing me down bit. Can that be true? It doesn't fit with my Francophile dreams. And Nutella crepes! I'm planning on having my first one ever in Paris next year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't worry too much about the "bringing me down" part of the story. The author, after all, is living and working in Paris. How bad can it be?

      Delete
  10. That is amazing - can't believe you got to escort Jewel - so lucky! The rest of the festival looks fabulous too!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ordinary Words....what a great experience♫ Happy memories♥

    ReplyDelete
  12. Deb, this looked like so much fun! Glad u decides to share it with us. thanks

    ReplyDelete
  13. Wow, it all looks like so much fun!!! You got to meet Olivia and Captain Underpants in person? Lucky you!! And I would LOVE to hear Lisa McMann speak - I have loved all of her books. So glad you got to attend this fun event!

    Sue

    Book By Book

    ReplyDelete
  14. Looks like you had a fun day. My son would love to have met Dav Pilkey. Thanks for visiting my post earlier.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Great recap! You fit a lot into one day, and got so many great photos too! I just went to the Boston Book Festival for the first time, but didn't get any good author shots.

    ReplyDelete
  16. How envious I am. What a great weekend that must have book - good books, good authors, good weather, good fun. Who could ask for anything more. Thanks for sharing the fun.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Book events always make me feel so energized! Loved your story and photos....thanks for sharing.

    Here's MY SUNDAY SALON POST

    ReplyDelete
  18. I am so jealous!!1 Thank you for sharing!!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Looks like a wonderful adventure.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Such cool pics, looks like loads of fun. My boys loved the Captain Underpants series.

    ReplyDelete

I hope you will leave a comment so I know you have visited. If you stop by my blog, I will always stop by yours.

Note: Disqus commenting is only available on the web version of the blog. Please switch to the web version if you are using a mobile device.