Pennsylvania’s only Children’s Book Festival kicks off this month with a call for students to get creative and design and submit bookmarks that represent their favorite bedtime story. The bookmark contest is part of the annual event hosted by The Learning Lamp that connects children and families to top-selling, critically acclaimed children’s authors, illustrators, and storytellers. The bookmarks will be on display at the 14th annual festival, which takes place April 15 and 16, 2023 at Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center in Johnstown’s historic Cambria City neighborhood.
“The bookmark contest is a Children’s Book Festival favorite,” said Kerri Belardi, director of communications for The Learning Lamp. “Children share their creativity through their bookmark designs and often bring family and friends to the festival to see their work!.”
The bookmark design contest is divided into four age brackets:
Division #1: Grades Pre-K & K
Division #2: Grades 1 & 2
Division #3: Grades 3 & 4
Division #4: Grades 5 & 6
A winner in each division will receive a prize package that includes a personal library of books. Winning entries are selected by popular vote of those attending the festival.
Teachers can also win a set of books for their classroom by submitting student-created bookmarks for their class. Any child in preschool through grade six, including children who are homeschooled, can take part. One bookmark entry per child will be accepted. Visit https://thelearninglamp.org/for-families/childrens-book-festival/ for a printable entry form. Completed bookmarks can be dropped off or sent to The Learning Lamp at 2025 Bedford St., Johnstown PA, 15904. The deadline to submit is Friday, March 31, 2023 by 4 p.m.
The Children’s Book Festival is a organized by The Learning Lamp and is FREE to families. The event offers quality, interactive literary experiences that inspire children to read, write and draw, and encourage families to read together. Highlights of the weekend include visits from:
Bruce Hale – an award-winning author and illustrator who is passionate about inspiring reluctant readers to open books—and actually read them! Hale has written and/or illustrated over 70 funny books for children, ranging from picture books like the Clark the Shark series and Snoring Beauty, to middle-grade series like Chet Gecko Mysteries, Class Pets, and the Monstertown Mysteries.
Janet Tashjian – author of many best-selling middle-grade books, including the My Life as a Book, Einstein the Class Hamster, and Sticker Girl. Accompanying Janet will be her son, Jake, who illustrated Einstein the Class Hamster, and the My Life as a Book series that focuses on teaching kids with reading disabilities vocabulary words in a fun and entertaining way.
Keith Graves – award-winning author and illustrator of many hilarious picture books for children. Graves’ titles include: Chicken Big, Frank was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance, Puppy!, The Monsterator, and many more. Keith’s epic middle-grade novel, The Orphan from Awkward Falls, is a spooky tale that is funny and loaded with creepy illustrations. Keith is also co-president of an animation studio called Graverobber Productions. Graverobber is busy making a cartoon version of Chicken Big, among other things.
Mr. Boom Boom – Music will fill the festival as Mr. Boom Boom of Music Play Patrol takes the main stage. His musical take on storytelling through the beat of a drum will have both kids and parents drumming, clapping, and dancing along. Throughout the two-day event, Mr. Boom Boom will teach kids a musical form of storytelling that promises to be a blast!
The festival includes arts and crafts activities, writing and illustration workshops, new and used book sales, refreshments and more! Plus, every child who comes to the Book Festival walks away with a free book thanks to The Learning Lamp’s partnership with the First Book National Book Bank.
For more information on the Children’s Book Festival of Johnstown, call 814-262-0732 extension 245 or visit thelearninglamp.org or like and follow our Facebook page at facebook.com/CBFJohnstown/.
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The Learning Lamp is a nonprofit organization with a mission to engage all children in the support they need to succeed. We deliver high quality programs that are affordable and accessible to families of all income levels. In 2021, The Learning Lamp served 28,160 youth/adults from 51 school districts and 69 other schools and organizations in 19 Pennsylvania counties. Our programs include: child care and preschool, after school programs, tutoring, SAT prep, online learning, credit recovery, alternative education and specialized classrooms for at-risk students, trauma support groups for children/families, temporary staffing, and grant writing and project consulting for schools.
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