ATLANTA, Ga, (June 11, 2018) — Attendees to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Decatur Book Festival (DBF) will celebrate blockbuster book Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone’s 20th anniversary publication in the United States. The Kidnote is 5 p.m. Fri., August 31 at Decatur High School’s Performing Arts Center at 310 North McDonough Street. Ticket information for the free event will announced at a later date.
The 2018 Kidnote event features a star-studded group of popular middle grade and YA authors, including local authors – New York Times best-seller Becky Albertalli (Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda, The Upside of Unrequited and Leah on the Offbeat); Laurel Snyder (author of the critically acclaimed Orphan Island and award-winning Charlie & Mouse series), and Nic Stone, a New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin, as well as Tony DiTerlizzi, co-creator of the popular Spiderwick Chronicles series.
“The group will be discussing and exploring how J.K. Rowling’s Sorcerer’s Stone changed the literary landscape for both readers and writers,” said Diane Capriola, DBF manager of children and teen programming.
“To add to the magic, there will be Harry Potter trivia, a costume contest and even more mischief. At this year’s Kidnote, we solemnly swear that we are up to no good!”
The following is a brief highlight of events. The full calendar will be posted on decaturbookfestival.com.
CHILDREN’S
What makes you special? This year’s Saturday parade theme is Let It Shine! Come out and show the world as children’s picture book author Angela Diterlizzi leads us to the Children’s Stage to celebrate her newest book, Just Add Glitter!
Calling all Jedis! The Force is with us on Sunday as we march to the Children’s Stage led by Adam Rex, creator of the new picture book, Are You Scared, Darth Vader?
Caldecott Award illustrator Yuyi Morales launches her picture book, Dreamers, at this year’s DBF. In Dreamers, Yuyi tells her own story of arriving in the US from Mexico and how books and libraries carried her and her young son in that time of transition.
Roshani Chokshi and Jennifer Cervantes join forces as part of Disney’s new Rick Riordan Presents! imprint to bring new and diverse mythologies to those readers who are ready to move beyond the Greek myths and explore Indian and Mayan folklore.
Debut middle grade author Henry Lien presents Pea Sprout Chen, Future Legend of Skate and Sword, an adventurous and original tale of a young girl finding her place at an elite school that combines ice skating with martial arts.
Jeanne Birdsall returns to the festival to share Penderwicks at Last, the final volume in the much beloved series about four charming sisters and the bond that they share.
As a bookend to the weekend’s celebration of the Sorcerer’s Stone, DBF is excited to announce that the popular Wizard Rock group, Harry and the Potters, will close out the festival on Sunday with a performance on the Children’s Stage. In 2002, brothers Paul and Joe DeGeorge formed Harry and the Potters, the first Wizard Rock band. Since then, they have performed all over the world, helped to form the Harry Potter Alliance, and were featured in the 2008 documentary, We Are Wizards.
YOUNG ADULT
Debut young adult authors Alexa Donne (Brightly Burning) and Claire Legrand (Furyborn) bring two of the most highly anticipated YA fantasy reads of 2018 to the DBF Teen Stage.
In her sophomore follow up to the critically acclaimed When Dimple Met Rishi, Sandhya Menon presents From Twinkle, with Love, a delicious and delightful romantic comedy that will have you rooting for happily ever afters.
Perennial festival favorite Jason Reynolds shares For Every One, a poem that was originally presented at the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington DC.
The Walking Dead meets the Civil War in Justina Ireland’s Dread Nation, a novel that explores the timely topics of racism and oppression through original and fantastical world-building.
Launched in 2006, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Decatur Book Festival (DBF) brings more than 300 nationally and internationally known authors, children’s and young adult writers and illustrators, and tens of thousands of readers together for a weekend of fun and discovery. Held every Labor Day weekend in Downtown Decatur, the DBF is the largest independent book festival in the country. The DBF hosts author events throughout the year and sponsors The Decatur Writers Studio. For more information, visit decaturbookfestival.com, “like” Decatur Book Festival on Facebook or follow @DBookFestival on Twitter.