POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — More than 100 authors and illustrators of children’s and young adult books will be at the 2024 Poughkeepsie Book Festival Saturday.
The annual free family event for ages 17 and under is where readers can find books of all kinds — storybooks, chapter books, picture books and graphic novels, both fiction and non-fiction.
Organized by the Poughkeepsie Public Library District, the festival will be held at Dutchess Community College’s Falcon Hall from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The festival is an opportunity for children to find a deeper connection with books, and for the authors to make a personal connection with their readers, according to a spokesperson.
The Friends of Poughkeepsie Public Library District is sponsoring free book vouchers that will be available to visitors to the festival age 17 or younger. Each child may receive one voucher, which is valued at $15, for the purchase of books at the festival. Some restrictions apply.
One of the authors who will be appearing at the festival is award-winning James Ransome of Rhinebeck, whose “Uncle Jed’s Barbershop” received the Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration and was featured on “Reading Rainbow.”
During a phone interview, he said he’s looking forward to returning to Poughkeepsie, which is just down the road from Rhinebeck, and seeing the young readers, talking to them and personalizing their books.
“I lived in Poughkeepsie for 10 years,” he said. “This is home for me, and a bunch of my friends are coming to the festival.”
Ransome said his goal in attending the festival is to introduce his books to an audience of young people and encourage them to read.
“There are so many different types of artwork and authors,” he said. “The big chains don’t often sell these types of books.”
Ransome said that the festival is also a chance to meet people who have collected his books over the years and to meet teachers and librarians.
“It’s a win-win for me,” he said.
In addition to young people and their families meeting and interacting with the authors, there will be activities, crafts and other sorts of fun at the festival.
Volunteers from the Leadership Experience Opportunity (LEO) Club from Spackenkill High School and Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC), as well as other local youth groups, will be helping to put on the festival.
Parking at Dutchess Community College will be available in Lot D at 95 Cottage Road in Poughkeepsie.
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The 2024 Poughkeepsie Book Festival is made possible in part by the Friends of the Poughkeepsie Public Library District, Merritt Bookstore, Highway Displays and Dutchess Community College.
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