Junior Lit Chat

Junior Lit Chat: Meet Author and Illustrator Dan Santat at Jax Book Fest

Junior Lit chat with Dan Santat

Dan Santat is the author and illustrator of over a hundred books for young people including the New York Times–bestselling book After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again). Though he's probably best known for The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, the magical story of a would-be imaginary friend who sets off on a journey looking for the child he's destined to befriend!

Junior Lit Chat: Get a Free Book and Talk to Children's Book Author Emily Jenkins

Junior Lit Chat with Emily Jenkins Upside Down Magic

It's never easy when your magic goes wonky. For Nory, this means that instead of being able to turn into a dragon or a kitten, she turns into both of them at the same time -- a dritten! A two-time Boston Globe/Horn Book Award Honor winner and recipient of the Sydney Taylor Book Award, author Emily Jenkins is a favorite with children for her humor and sensitivity. Join the Junior Lit Chat Tuesday, September 5 from 6-6:30 p.m. at Southeast Library (intended for kids ages 5-12). A limited number of copies of Harry Versus the First One Hundred Days of School will be given away to participants, first come, first served.

Junior Lit Chat and Book Giveaway with Ruth Lewis

Junior Lit Chat with Ruth Lewis

Jacksonville is covered with all kinds of cool animal statues – jaguars, turtles, manatees and more! It can be really exciting when you spot one "out in the wild." While running to see a big blue statue of a manatee, three-year-old James was so excited that he got stuck in the mud and needed to be rescued by his grandmother. Hear this fun, true story with local author Ruth Lewis on August 4 at Beaches Branch Library. She'll also about family outings, real-life manatees, and more (intended for children ages 5 - 12).

Junior Lit Chat with Andrea Davis Pinkney

Junior Lit Chat with Andrea Davis Pinkney

Andrea Davis Pinkney is the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of nearly 50 books for young readers, among them The Red Pencil and A Poem for Peter, as well as several collaborations with her husband Brian Pinkney, including Sit-In and Hand in Hand, which received the Coretta Scott King Book Award. Join us for a Junior Lit Chat with Andrea Davis Pinkney, Friday, June 16, from 4:30-5 p.m. live at the Brentwood Library. Intended for kids, ages 5-12. The first 50 kids in attendance will get a FREE copy of A Poem for Peter to take home. A reception and book signing will follow.

Jax Book Fest returns to the Main Library in 2023

Jax Book Fest 2023 returning to the Main Library September 22-23 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Jax Book Fest is back and better than ever! Join us for not one but two bold, bookish days - back-to-back this September 22-23 at the Main Library! This year, we're adding a WRITER'S DAY on Friday with FREE workshops on writing and self-publishing, networking opportunities with local writer's groups and so much more! Plus, we've got an awesome lineup of bestselling and local authors on Saturday for the MAIN EVENT! 

Help Your Kids Capture Their Big Ideas and Tell Their Story

Bigger Better Story Ideas: Junior Lit Chat Author Talk with Patricia J. Murphy

March 27 - April 1 is Celebrate Reading Week in Jacksonville! As an adult who loves reading, you already know the power of stories! You also know how important it is for everyone, but especially for children, to see themselves reflected in the pages of the books they read. Books can be mirrors for a child wondering where they fit in. They can also be windows, giving them a look at the lives of others. When we all have the power to tell our own stories, in our own voices, that's really something special.

Patricia J. Murphy is an award-winning children's author and a passionate literacy advocate who believes in giving children the tools they need to capture their big ideas and share them with the world.

Meet an Award-Winning Author of 45 Nonfiction Books for Kids

Junior Lit Chat with Jennifer Swanson

Sticky feet that climb anything. Trunk-like robotic arms. Super-sensitive hearing. What is this? Some kind of new superhero? No! These are all examples of REAL technology made with bionics/biomimicry. In this fun and interactive presentation by children’s science author Jennifer Swanson, you will get an inside look at many awesome inventions being created by engineers right now! Be one of the first 30 children at the event and receive a FREE copy of Beastly Bionics to keep!

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