2014 AJC Decatur Book Festival Announces Stellar Children's Program

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Decatur Book Festival presented by DeKalb Medical has put announced its lineup for kids and teens attending the festival.

The country’s largest independent book festival will include children’s activities and teens activities, including the designated Children and Teen’s Stages, the third annual Kidnote Address, two festival parades and a special screening of the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival winners.

Diane Capriola, Children and Teen’s Programming Manager for the festival and owner of the Little Shop of Stories in Decatur, said it feels great to working on the lineup for children and teens.

“This year’s schedule is as exciting and diverse as ever,” Capriola said in a news release. “We will truly have something for every young festival-goer.”

This year’s Kidnote Address will be given by Jon Scieszka, author of “The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales.” Scieszka will bring his new book, “Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor,” to Agnes Scott College’s Presser Hall on Friday, Aug. 29. The event begins at 5 p.m. No tickets are necessary but seating will take place on a first come first serve basis.

Festival parades will take place on Saturday, Aug. 30 ,and Sunday, Aug. 31.

The “Whistle Blowers Parade” takes place Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Kids are encouraged to bring whistles, kazoos and other instruments to join in the march to the Children’s Stage.

On Sunday at 11:30 a.m., attendees can dress up as characters from “The Wizard of Oz” and follow the procession to the Children’s Stage again. There, actors from SErenbe Playhouse and puppets from Atlanta’s Center for Puppetry arts will perform scenes from the story.

Authors and illustrators at the Children’s Stage this year include: Tom Angleberger, Mac Barnett, Kimberly and James Dean, Angela DiTerlizzi, Tony DiTerlizzi, Jennifer Holm, Molly Idle, Mike Lane, Peter Lerangis, Eric Litwin, Loren Long, Jude Watson, William Wegman and Deborah Wiles.

Authors and illustrators at the Teen Stage, at MARTA plaza, include: Adele Griffin, Ellen Hopkins, Kazu Kibuishi, Lauren Myracle, Jandy Nelson, Stephanie Perkins, Andrew Smith, Maggie Stiefvater and Len Vlahos.

Festivities will also include a special screening of the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival winners. The contest challenged kid filmmakers to create 90-second clips retelling the plots of Newbery-winning books. The show will take place at the Decatur Library Stage on Sunday, Aug. 31 at 3:45 p.m.

The Decatur Book Festival takes place over Labor Day Weekend, Aug. 29 to 31, in downtown Decatur Square.

>>AJC Decatur Book Festival Logo. Photo from Decatur Book Festival Facebook page