By: Isaiah S. Showell, Follow South Jersey Multimedia Journalist/’What’s Good’ Host
HADDONFIELD, N.J. – South Jersey, if you were looking for a great place to encourage reading among local youth, then the South Jersey Children’s Book Festival was the place for you.
Haddonfield Middle School’s gymnasium was complete with vendors and, of course, local authors with their original IP on display. Rory Lucey writer and illustrator of the book S.C.R.A.M. Society of Creatures Real and Magical says he enjoys making influential characters kids hopefully love.
“Ultimately once I’m done making them it’s not mine anymore,” said Lucey. “I’m protective of the characters but I also recognize others will have their own relationship with them.”
Liz Montague wrote the book Maybe An Artist, and she says her target audience are kids who are reluctant to read because that’s exactly how she was growing up.
“I’m dyslexic so I was a very reluctant reader,” said Montague. “I hope to touch everybody but them specifically, all the kids who think it’s not for them and there’s no characters they can relate to.”
This event also held panels for authors to discuss the highs and lows of being an author waiting to be published and reevaluating why they became authors to begin with. The event was headed up by Megan Atwood who encouraged authors that there is no wasted writing. Atwood is one of the board members for this annual event and looks forward to the activities for the third annual children’s book festival next year.
The South Jersey Children’s Book Festival was definitely What’s Good in South Jersey!
Watch the episode below.
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