Johnstown, PA (Nov. 4, 2015) – Whether you are the parent of a young child or remain a kid at heart, you are bound to be familiar with the hugely popular Arthur adventure books and PBS television series of the same name. The mishaps and adventures of the 8-year-old aardvark have inspired children and parents to read together for 40 years! The Learning Lamp is thrilled to welcome Marc Brown, the award-winning author/illustrator and creator of Arthur, to the 2016 Children’s Book Festival of Johnstown.
Brown is a household name and has been entertaining generations of young readers with his relatable stories featuring Arthur the Aardvark. Marc enjoys speaking to children, students, educators, parents, and all who are interested in his work. Not only does he speak about his career as an author-illustrator, but he frequently discusses the importance of reading to young children and is considered by many to be one of the prominent voices in the push to make literacy a priority in families and children’s lives.
The Children’s Book Festival will be held April 8-10, 2016 at BOTTLE WORKS in Johnstown. Brown will deliver two presentations and sign books at the festival on Saturday, April 9, 2016. He will also be the keynote speaker for the festival’s inaugural Saturday Night Author Workshop. The panel discussion will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 9, and is designed to provide published and aspiring authors and illustrators of children’s literature valuable information and tips for finding their own success in the publishing industry.
“Last year, the Book Festival was a huge hit with the community, spotlighting the importance of reading to over 2,600 children and their families,” said Ingrid Kloss, director of development at The Learning Lamp. “This year, we knew we had to really pull out all the stops and recruit a top caliber author to headline the festival. Festival-goers won’t be disappointed come April.”
Now in its eighth year, the Children’s Book Festival of Johnstown aims to provide families of children in grades PreK – 6 in Western Pennsylvania with a FREE, interactive and engaging literary experience that inspires kids to read, encourages parents to read to their children and gives them access to new and used books to build home libraries of their own. And every child who comes to the Book Festival walks away with a free book from First Book.
In addition to Brown’s presentation, the festival will feature other nationally and regionally known authors, an art exhibit from local illustrators of children’s books, an interactive puppet show, a never before seen show by festival-favorite Zany Umbrella Circus, plus storytellers, arts and crafts activities, and new writing and illustrating workshops for older kids. The event also hosts new and used book sales, refreshments, and an annual bookmark contest. Winners of each age bracket receive a basket full of age-appropriate books.
The Learning Lamp is preparing to kick off its annual fundraising campaign that helps to bring renowned authors and illustrators such as Marc Brown to Johnstown at no cost to children and families! A $10,000 grant from the Grable Foundation in Pittsburgh helped to make Marc Brown’s visit possible. The Learning Lamp is also seeking corporate sponsors to partner with us in 2016. Additionally, the festival wouldn’t be possible without the help of countless volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Festival Coordinator Ingrid Kloss at ikloss@thelearninglamp.org.
For more information about the 8th Annual Children’s Book Festival of Johnstown, visit us on Facebook at facebook.com/CBFJohnstown/. For more information about Marc Brown, visit prhspeakers.com.
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Brown is a household name and has been entertaining generations of young readers with his relatable stories featuring Arthur the Aardvark. Marc enjoys speaking to children, students, educators, parents, and all who are interested in his work. Not only does he speak about his career as an author-illustrator, but he frequently discusses the importance of reading to young children and is considered by many to be one of the prominent voices in the push to make literacy a priority in families and children’s lives.
Now in its eighth year, the Children’s Book Festival of Johnstown aims to provide families of children in grades PreK – 6 in Western Pennsylvania with a FREE, interactive and engaging literary experience that inspires kids to read, encourages parents to read to their children and gives them access to new and used books to build home libraries of their own. And every child who comes to the Book Festival walks away with a free book from First Book.
