Annual Kids’ Literary Festival in Mt. Airy this weekend

This weekend, the Big Blue Marble Bookstore will be hosting their annual Kids’ Literary Festival. Attendees will be treated to authors, books, improv games, raffles, a pizza and pajamas bedtime stories party, a Harry Potter party and much more!

The list of authors includes a variety of Philly’s well-established and up-and-coming children’s book authors. Headliners include multi-award winning author/illustrator David Wiesner and “SkippyJon Jones” creator Judy Schachner.

Wiesner was awarded the Caldecott Medal three times — for “Tuesday” in 1992, “The Three Pigs” in 2002, and “Flotsam “in 2006. His most recent book about felines and aliens, “Mr. Wuffles,” is a 2014 Caldecott honor book.

Schachner is most famous for her somewhat controversial, but wildly popular character SkippyJon Jones. The little Siamese-who-would-be-a-Chihuahua is full of adventure and epic rhyming. Schachner’s most recent book, “Bits & Pieces,” provides readers with a follow-up to her 1999 classic, “Grannyman.”

Beyond the headliners, the schedule is packed with wonderful local authors and activities for the littlest literati. Other authors include: Philadelphia’s Galen Longstreth and Margaret Hager, and Bucks County residents (author and childrens performer) Chryssa Smith and Richard McLaughlin/Eco Man.

Weekend Schedule:

Friday, May 16

10:30 a.m. – Festival Storytime with Grace (Ages 0-5)

6:30 p.m. – Improv Games with Grace Gordon. ALL AGES

7 p.m. – Pizza pajama party featuring bedtime stories and activities from the new book Bedtime Math. Wear your PJs and bring your favorite bedtime story to read aloud! (All ages)

Saturday, May 17

10:30 a.m. – There Are Bugs in the Woods! with Galen Longstreth, author of “Yes, Let’s”and Dr. Margaret Hager, author of “Bugs for Kids.” (Ages 3-8)

11:30am – Reading and activities with Chrysa Smith, author of the Early Reader Series “Poodle Posse” (Ages 5-10)

1 p.m. – Reading with Judy Schachner, author of “Bits & Pieces” and the SkippyJon Jones series of picture books. (Ages 3+)

2 to 3:30 p.m. – Bookmaking and crafts with Grace (ages 4+)

3 to 5 p.m. – Middle Grade Author Roundtable, hosted by Jana Herko with guests Jill Santopolo (author of the series “Sparkle Spa,” “Alec Flint Mysteries,” and “Follow Your Heart”), Shawn Stout (author of the series “Penelope Crumb” and the “Not-So-Ordinary Girl”), and University of Pennsylvania professor Kathleen DeMarco Van Cleve, author of “Drizzle.” (Ages 8-14)

6:30 p.m. – Improv Games with Grace Gordon. ALL AGES

7:00 p.m. – Harry Potter party! Family fun and activities for longtime fans and for kids just entering the Potter realm, with a film showing of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” (All ages)

Sunday, May 18

10:30 a.m. – Reading and Songs with author/performer Richard McLaughlin, aka EcoMan, as he shares his book about bullying. (Ages 2-10)

12 p.m. – Reading with David Wiesner, multi-award-winning author/illustrator. (All ages)

2 p.m. – David J. Smith, author of “If the World Were a Village: A Book about the World’s People,” shares his new book: “A Mind-Bending New Way of Looking at Big Ideas and Numbers.” (Ages 5+)

3 to 5 p.m. – Bookmaking with Grace: Writing exercises, editing support, cover making and binding. Leave the workshop with a finished book! (Ages 8+)

3 to 5 p.m. Taking It Deeper: A workshop for young poets who want to grow their poetic voice, with Elliott batTzedek, MFA and Big Blue Marble poet-in-residence (Ages 12+)