Sunny weather following days of rain and a strong lineup of authors and illustrators drew thousands of people to the Sixth Annual Boston Book Festival on Saturday, October 25, in Boston’s Copley Square. In addition to an outdoor exhibit area with close to 50 booths/tents, a special children’s track of programming with a keynote by Rick Riordan and panels on middle grade and YA books, as well as a costume parade judged by Anna Dewdney, author of the Llama Llama series, drew families from as far as away as Connecticut and western Massachusetts.
In the festival program, BBF organizers announced that they are planning a spinoff festival at the end of the school year just for kids. Hubbub will take place in Copley Square on June 20, 2015.
A long line stretching around Trinity Church for the Kids Keynote with Boston author Rick Riordan (The Blood of Olympus, Disney-Hyperion). Some people drove for hours to hear him speak. Photo: Judith Rosen.
Over a thousand people filled Trinity Church for Riordan’s keynote. Photo: Judith Rosen.
Riordan presigned books before his talk so that he could spend time talking with kids afterwards. Photo: Mike Ritter, Ritterbin Photography.
Llama, star of the Llama Llama series, and fans getting ready for the costume parade. Photo: Judith Rosen.
The man with the yellow hat and Curious George were among the storybook characters featured in the parade. Photo: Mike Ritter, Ritterbin Photography.
Panelists at Middle Grade: Masters of Fantasy: (from l.) Cassandra Clare and Holly Black, coauthors of The Iron Trail (Scholastic Press); Soman Chainani, author of A World Without Princes (HarperCollins); Gregory Maguire, author of Egg and Spoon (Candlewick); and moderator Roger Sutton, editor-in-chief of the Horn Book. Photo: Judith Rosen.
Usborne Books & More was one of several children’s publishers exhibiting at the festival. Photo: Judith Rosen.
