Photos: Children's Authors Become Rockstars

Eight children's authors signed books and gave talks about their work at . Each year hundreds of kids flock to the school to meet some of their favorite authors.

This is the 10th year Orion has hosted the annual and some locals would not miss it for the world. Jo Ann Arneson, a librarian from Menlo Park, has not missed a festival since it started.

Arneson says she enjoys hearing the well thought out questions children ask authors. The festival also marks the first Saturday of February.

In the three months leading up to the festival, students at Orion do research on their favorite authors and read their books. Some children even make posters and collages for the authors.

"Authors are treated like rockstars," says Sharon Levin, the co-founder of the event. Children even show up early to get books autographed.

Authors have even asked Levin in advanced if they can display their work in the coming years.

Levin says the Bay Area is a great place to host a festival like this. She estimates that nearly 2,000 children's authors live in the area.

The festival was at first aimed at encouraging enrollment at Orion, which was in danger of closing, says Levin. Now the school has reached its capacity.

Levin says the festival probably is not the sole reason for high enrollment, but a huge factor. When she asks parents how they found out about Orion, most of them tell her it was through the festival.

Even with tablets on the horizon Levin feels the festival will thrive. There's something about the feel of a book that will keep alive.

This year's featured authors were: Shirin Yim Bridges, Elizabeth Gomez, Bruce Hale, Jennifer Holm, Thacher Hurd, Elisa Kleven, Teri Sloat and Deborah Underoowd.

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