2023 Festival Schedule

Link to: 2023 Prologue Schedule

PROLOGUE EVENTS

(APRIL 1 – MAY 5)

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ALL WEEKEND
PROGRAMS

(MAY 6 & 7)

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ADULT
PROGRAMS

(MAY 6 & 7)

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YOUTH
PROGRAMS

(MAY 6 & 7)

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 PRINTABLE PDF
PROGRAM

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    Amerie: You Will Do Great Things

    Amerie

    Saturday, May 6 - 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM

    Berkeley Public Library - Children's Room

    Someone, somewhere, must have told Amerie to dream big, because she certainly has—this multi-talented dynamo has made a name for herself in the realms of music performance, songwriting, and book publishing. Inspired by her own family history and family stories, Amerie's debut picture book takes readers on a journey through the imagination, showing children how their identities can give them strength and singularity. This mesmerizing, uplifting reading is the perfect way to kick off your family's book festival weekend! Ages 4–8. Click here to read more.

    Book signing information: Folio Books, at the venue

    • History & Biography
    • Race

    Seen and Unseen: New Glimpses of Japanese Incarceration

    Elizabeth Partridge in conversation with Maggie Tokuda-Hall

    Saturday, May 6 - 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM

    Berkeley Public Library - Community Meeting Room

    Photographs are a way of documenting the world—but what if they only capture part of the story? Or what if the things they show aren't allowed to be shared? Through stories, artwork, and illustration, Elizabeth Partridge and her illustrator Lauren Tamaki raise important questions about who's allowed to tell what stories, and how; about the ways in which history is shaped and remembered; and about how those in power shape narratives to suit their own ends. Partridge will be in conversation with Maggie Tokuda-Hall, who tells yet another story of Japanese incarceration—this one about her grandparents' courtship in Minidoka. All ages. Click here to read more.

    Book signing information: Folio Books, at the venue

    • Writing & Publishing

    The Art of Brevity: A Flash Fiction Writing Workshop

    Kim Culbertson, Grant Faulkner

    Saturday, May 6 - 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM

    Berkeley Public Library - Teen Room

    If you've dreamed of writing fiction but don't know where to start, may we make a suggestion? Start with a (very) short story! Pack your pencils and your creativity—we can't wait to see what you dream up! Click here to read more.

    Book signing information: Folio Books, at the venue

      Special All-Day Event: Where’s Waldo? Scavenger Hunt

      Saturday, May 6 - 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

      Berkeley Public Library

      That tricky Waldo has been hiding in plain sight for more than thirty-five years—now he's in Berkeley and sneaking around our book festival! Can you find him? Search upstairs, downstairs, and behind bookshelves to see if you can spot Waldo in the Berkeley Public Library! Fill out a card with your finds, and you might win a prize! Click here to read more.

        Free Comic Book Day @ the Library!

        Saturday, May 6 - 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

        Berkeley Public Library - 3rd Floor

        Events all day at the Central Library 3rd Floor. Click here to read more!

          Story Time: Imagine That!

          Tiffany Golden, Mary Robinette Kowal, Nina LaCour, and Monica Wesolowska

          Saturday, May 6 - 11:45 AM - 12:30 PM

          Berkeley Public Library - Children's Room

          Have you ever wished you could fly or live in outer space? In this story time session all about the power of the imagination, you can! Settle in to hear some great stories—and let your imaginations soar! Ages 3–7. Click here to read more.

          Book signing information: Folio Books, at the venue

          • Science Fiction & Fantasy

          Middle Grade: Cast a Spell

          Marti Dumas, Claire Kann, Claribel A. Ortega, and Alexandra Overy, moderated by Cinnamongirl Olivia and Cinnamongirl Serena

          Saturday, May 6 - 12:15 PM - 1:00 PM

          Berkeley Public Library - Teen Room

          This one’s for the potion makers, spellcasters, and broom riders! In this session, a coven of bewitchingly talented authors gather over a bubbling cauldron of stories. Ages 8–13. Click here to read more.

          Book signing information: Folio Books, at the venue

          • Writing & Publishing

          One Story, Unlimited Possibilities: A Choose Your Own Adventure Workshop

          Lily Simonson

          Saturday, May 6 - 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM

          Berkeley Public Library - Community Meeting Room

          If crafting the perfect ending is the hardest part of writing a story, how do you come up with more than two dozen endings? How can you create your own game books? How can you keep readers moving forward through your story—or excited to start over again if they fall into a crevasse or get eaten by aliens? Find out how to choose your topic, map your story, and more! As for the endings . . . well, that will be up to you! All ages. Click here to read more.

          Book signing information: Folio Books, at the venue

          • Food
          • International

          Cooking the Books: A Celebration of Picture Books and Food

          Charlotte Cheng, Ying Chang Compestine, Shuli de la Fuente-Lau, Katherine Pryor, and Aliza Sokolow

          Saturday, May 6 - 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

          Berkeley Public Library - Children's Room

          Come hungry for this appetizing array of story time readings by authors whose new books are all about everyone's favorite topic: food! This mouthwatering, supersized session will also feature cooking demos—stop by any time for a taste (and maybe a tasty tidbit or two), or settle in and enjoy a veritable smorgasbord of great stories! Ages 4–10. Click here to read more.

          Book signing information: Folio Books, at the venue

          • Native American

          Middle Grade: The Magic of Story

          Brandon Hobson, Misa Sugiura, and Brian Young, moderated by Cinnamongirl Neve and Cinnamongirl Laila

          Saturday, May 6 - 1:30 PM - 2:15 PM

          Berkeley Public Library - Teen Room

          From breathtaking magic to adrenaline-pumping action, this session will take readers on a heart-pounding excursion through the thrills of adventure and the power of story. Ages 8–12. Click here to read more.

          Book signing information: Folio Books, at the venue

          With support from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria

          • History & Biography

          Picturing Lives: Picture Book Biographies

          Angela Dalton, Marni Fogelson, Susan B. Katz, and Emma Bland Smith, moderated by Amy Midanik-Blum

          Saturday, May 6 - 1:45 PM - 2:30 PM

          Berkeley Public Library - Community Meeting Room

          At a 2018 NYU symposium specifically devoted to the rise of children's picture book biographies, critic Leonard Marcus called the recent wave of new biographies "a vibrant publishing phenomenon," doing important work to address historical imbalances in representation—all while telling vital, surprising stories! In this session that's appropriate for parents, teachers, and young readers alike, we'll delve into this exciting world of picture book biographies, where early readers can learn about the lives of trailblazing artists and revolutionaries through a marriage of colors, shapes, and prose. All ages. Click here to read more.

          Book signing information: Folio Books, at the venue

          • International
          • Native American
          • Race

          Story Time: Family and Heritage

          Lisa Ferneyhough, Minnie Phan, Sandhya Prabhat, and Meera Sriram

          Saturday, May 6 - 2:45 PM - 3:30 PM

          Berkeley Public Library - Children's Room

          Come one, come all for a cozy picture book story time centered on family relationships and self-discovery! Bring your whole family to meet the creators of these touching tales. Ages 3–8. Click here to read more.

          Book signing information: Folio Books, at the venue

          With support from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and SACHI

          • Children & Families

          Musical Story Time

          Saturday, May 6 - 3:30 PM - 4:15 PM

          Berkeley Public Library - Community Meeting Room

          Local celebrities (and librarians!), Berkeley Public Library's Story Time Band will entertain the youngest festivalgoers and their grownups with a lively mix of live music, movement, and stories. Ages 2–6. Click here to read more.

            Bay Area Children’s Theatre

            Saturday, May 6 - 4:15 PM - 5:00 PM

            Berkeley Public Library - Children's Room

            Join Bay Area Children’s Theatre and internationally beloved “edutainer” Bri Reads for an afternoon of reading, music, and games! Ages 3–8. Click here to read more.

            Land Acknowledgment

            We acknowledge that we are gathering on the unceded ancestral lands of the Cochenyo-speaking people, known as Huchiun. We are committed to living our values by promoting the history of these people, recognizing that they are still here as vital members of our community, and creating a space where all literary voices are celebrated and all stories are honored.