Children's Book Festival

This was one of my favorite days of the whole year last year!!!  Seriously, a BIG highlight.  SO SO fun.  How we have managed to live here for 3+ years and never been to this is beyond me.  Every year in Princeton they have this Children's Book Festival where more than 80 authors and illustrators of children's books come to read and sign their books.  I looked up all the participating authors and brought a large stack of books from home to be signed...and I bought a few too ;)  I loved meeting these authors and seeing all their different personalities.  

 Ame Dyckman.  She wrote one of my favorite books Boy + Bot.  She was extremely happy, energetic, and loud.

Helen Perelman wrote the Candy Fairies.  Rachel read a good number of them a couple of years ago.

 David Soman and Jacky Davis, authors of Lady Bug Girl

 Edward Hemingway.  There were a lot of authors that had fun little crafts for the kids to make.  And most of them had little freebies for the kids...bookmarks, stickers, buttons, pencils, candy.  So the kids really enjoyed it too.

 Sophie Blackall illustrated the Ivy + Bean books.   It was fun to watch her whip up a Bean real quick in Rachel's book.  Rachel devoured these books a few years ago.

 Pseudonymous Bosch.  Rachel and I are starting his Secret Series at the moment

 Jon Scieszka.  Tommy used to LOVE his truck town books and Rachel's a big fan of the True Story of the Three Little Pigs.  This guy was really nice and super funny!

 Greg Pizzoli

Tad Hills Duck and Goose.  I got Goose Needs a Hug for Lily, it is one of her favorite books right now.

 Peter Brown.  Caldecott Honor Illustrator

 Margery Cuyler wrote another one of my favorites Princess Bess Gets Dressed

 We ran into Rachel's 4th grade teacher at the festival

 Kevin O'Malley drew this for Rachel

 Dan Yaccarino wrote Doug Unplugged

And there were SO many more.  I could have stayed all day and bought a ton more books.  I'm already looking forward to the next one!