Blue Willow Bookshop partnered with local educators and publishers to host the annual Bookworm Festival for Emerging Readers, which took place on February 3 at Garcia Middle School in Houston, Tex. Launched in 2014, the festival has developed into a fully bilingual event for early readers and their families. More than 600 people attended and had a chance to connect with authors.
Valerie Koehler, owner of Blue Willow Bookshop, said, “There’s a special kind of joy in seeing a young reader’s face light up when they recognize themselves in a book. We’re delighted to work with librarians and teachers on Bookworm and are so grateful to Aldine Independent School District for hosting.” Festival chair Melanie Scales added, “We are thrilled to provide this opportunity for families in the greater Houston area to share stories and celebrate community. What better place to host it than Aldine ISD, where more than 70% of students are of Hispanic descent and more than 45% of students are bilingual or English learners?”
We’ve gathered highlights from the celebration. Photos: Mary Cate Stevenson and Noah Nofz.
Seven children’s book creators attended this year’s Bookworm Festival: (back row, from l.) e.E. Charlton-Trujillo, Young Vo, Antwan Eady, Rhode Montijo; (front row, from l.) Liz Kleinrock, Dashka Slater, and Joanna Ho.
e.E. Charlton-Trujillo (r.), author of Lupe Lopez Rockstar Rules (Candlewick)—co-written with Pat Zietlow Miller and illustrated by Joe Cepeda—in conversation with moderator German Carmona.
Rhode Montijo (l.), author-illustrator of Skeletown: Sí. ¡No! (Little, Brown), and Dashka Slater, author of Escargot and the Search for Spring, illustrated by Sydney Hanson (FSG), presented their books—with Slater dressed as her snail character.
Antwan Eady (l.) speaking about his picture book The Last Stand, illustrated by Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey (Knopf).
Co-authors Joanna Ho (l.) and Liz Kleinrock discussed their picture book Eyes That Weave the World’s Wonders, illustrated by Dung Ho (HarperCollins).
Young Vo, author-illustrator of Gibberish (Levine Querido), greeting a reader.
Jarrett Pumphrey (l.), who illustrated The Last Stand with his brother Jerome, drove in from Austin to meet Eady in person.
