I’m one of these people who just can’t wait to bite into the chocolaty center of a Tootsie Pop, the creamy middle of a sugary doughnut, the gooey core of a caramel bar. So imagine my reaction when I was offered the chance to participate in BookFest PA, a book festival tucked into the heart of The Central PA Festival of the Arts. Sweet!
And what do you get when you combine arts enthusiasts with avid readers? Some quite extraordinary people who, while varying in age, background, and interest, have come together to celebrate the power of the imagination.
Nothing short of a little slice of heaven.
Between 10 am and 5 pm on July 16, thousands of folks browsed the BookFest PA tent to share words and stories, and to meet some very talented writers and illustrators. (Yes, I was admittedly fan-gushy to be in such lovely company.) I’m thrilled to say that Dragon “moved into” many a new, loving home that day! There is nothing more heart-squishy than watching a child hug your book.
In addition, I was honored to present When a Dragon Moves In during a late morning story time inside Schlow Library. Our young audience became artists themselves, drawing pictures of their own “perfect sandcastles” – which I‘m sure are now proudly displayed on refrigerators across the nation! Each child received the highly regarded “Dragon” sticker for his/her work, as well as a bookmark. And of course, the Dragon himself made an appearance!
A standing ovation – and a ton of thanks – to the organizers and volunteers of this amazing event. This was only the second year for BookFest PA, but with the success and smiles it brought to so many, I know I’m not the only one looking forward to many more!
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I wish we had your book last week. We build numerous sand castles for our grandchildren and would have loved to have read this book to them. Oh, for sure, they will hear it on a winter night as we dream about the beach next summer.
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