by Judy Y Faulkner

On a good day, there was an Ode to a Bad Day. On a dry day, there was a conversation about The Smell of Wet Dog. On a hot day, there was a lifeline of hydration provided by the free and heavily subscribed cans of Liquid Death (aka canned water). Of course there was an SCBWI SoCal booth, where authors and illustrators from the SoCal and LA regions gathered, chatted with kids and their families, and signed books throughout the day. And there were SCBWI members everywhere: strolling the grounds; giving readings at the Children’s Book World and Book Soup booths, and at the Story Time tent; and providing information on AAPI topics under the tent adjacent to the event organizers. There were baby carriages and dogs, sun hats and sandals, drums beaten, guitars plucked, and voices singing. There were stories shared—of Volcanoes and The Quiet Forest, of monkeyshines by a Monkey King and the World of Myths, and adventurous journeys Bye Land, Bye Sea. There was Ice Cream Everywhere, Ramen for Everyone, even Latkes for Santa Claus. There was a reminder that Mooncakes Mean Family. All that, and there was plenty more still to be discovered in the stacks of freshly signed books heading for good homes. If you weren’t at the Los Angeles Kids Book Festival this year, plan to come next year. Whatever the weather, this event is hot!

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Photo of Three Authors and an Admirer by Eliana Offsay; other event photos by Judy Y Faulkner; event graphic by the Los Angeles Kids Book Festival