Children’s Alley to offer storytelling, readings, arts & crafts during the Street Fair weekend, Nov. 22-24; Book Fair runs Nov. 17-24!
Miami, Oct. 18, 2019 — Whether you are the parent of a child just learning their ABCs or a teenager searching for the hottest fantasy series, Miami Book Fair (MBF) the largest and most comprehensive community-rooted literary gathering in the country, has something to offer. For 36 years, the Fair has been committed to fostering a love of reading in children while nurturing the next generation of engaged world citizens.
This year, as in years past, MBF will present one of the best gatherings of children’s and youth-oriented authors in the country. From fantasy to mystery, to romance, history and picture books, there is something for children of all ages and book sessions carefully curated by age and school grade.
This year’s highlights include Karamo Brown, one of the five stars of Netflix’s Queer Eye, and his son Jason “Rachel” Brown, co-authors of I Am Perfectly Designed, written for children up to third grade. This exuberant celebration of loving who you are, exactly as you are, is an empowering ode to modern families, in which a boy and his father take a joyful walk through the city, discovering all the ways in which they are perfectly designed for each other. Fairgoers will have a chance to meet the authors on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 10 a.m., in Room 3210 (Bldg. 3, Second Floor).
MBF is proud to host David Yoon, author of one of the most popular books this year, Frankly in Love, a novel for students grades nine to 12, that follows the story of Frank, a young man of Korean descent desperate to be with his white girlfriend. Without his parents’ knowledge, Frank fake-dates his friend, who is in a similar bind. But now he’s left wondering whether he really knows anything about love—or himself. Saturday, Nov. 23, at 5 p.m., in the MDC Live Arts Lab (Bldg. 1, First Floor).
Also, not to be missed, is Kwame Alexander and Kadir Nelson‘s presentation of The Undefeated, a book for children of all ages nominated for a 2019 National Book Award, which is a poem and love letter to black life in the United States. Alexander and Nelson, who is also the creator of this year’s MBF official poster, will be joined by singer-songwriter Randy Preston on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 12 p.m., in Room 2106 (Bldg. 2, First Floor).
Generation Genius gathers the Fair’s literacy and learning programs for children and teens, and presents them all under one banner. All year long, MBF’s Generation Genius programs such as Read to Learn Books for Free distribute thousands of children’s books around Miami-Dade County, and the Generation Genius Authors program at the MBF is no different.
MBF’s celebrated Generation Genius Authors program in Children’s Alley continues its promise to engage thousands of young minds with author presentations, live music, performances, and much more! Children of all ages can enjoy:
• On Friday, Nov. 22, Generation Genius Authors Field Trips will bring nearly 9,000 students from all over Miami-Dade County to the Fair to meet their favorite authors and receive free books!
• Tweens and Teens will find a weekend author lineup of in fantasy, action, and graphic novels, including: 2019 National Youth Poet Laureate, Naomi Shihab Nye (Voices in the Air); comics author George O’Connor (Olympians: Hephaistos); Mexican author Duncan Tonatiuh (Soldier for Equality: José de la Luz Sáenz and the Great War);Mystery author Maureen Johnson (Truly Devious and Truly Devious #2: The Vanishing Stair); Fantasy writers Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me #5: Defy Me) and Stephanie Garber (Caraval #3: Finale); The Hate U Give author Angie Thomas (On the Come Up); to name a few.
• Wembly Wordsmith returns to his Author Tent in Children’s Alley to present non-stop author readings with some of the best writers in children’s literature, including: Jamaica Kincaid’s first picture book (Party: A Mystery); Liz Braswell (Stuffed); Cedella Marley, daughter of singer Bob Marley (Get Up, Stand Up); Edwidge Danticat (My Mommy Medicine); popular author of the Darth Vader and Son series Jeffrey Brown (Rey and Pals); and much more.
At Children’s Alley, imagination takes center stage with seven Fun Rooms: Royal Caribbean’s Ocean of Adventures; Tot Time Play and Learn; Tinker, Make, Innovate! The Rhythm Factory; Healthy Bodies and UHealth Jackson Teddy Bear Care, Happy Kids; The Paintbox 2019: Home is Where the Heart Is; and One World Many Stories. At the Fun Rooms, children will explore digital worlds through virtual reality, sing-a-long, dance, play instruments, make healthy choices, enjoy interactive story readings and performances, explore diverse cultures, and much more. Every child that explores all the Fun Rooms in Children’s Alley will have the opportunity to take home a free book.
Ongoing roving and pop-up performances will be taking place throughout Children’s Alley all weekend long. As such, Cirko Teatro will present the hilarious local favorite El Show de Enriqueta y Agapito. Where’s Waldo? A Scavenger Hunt at Miami Book Fair! will lure fair goers to join the festival-wide search for the world’s most famous missing person in red and white stripes. Visitors can join Encantos Media to read and color with books from their award-winning baby brand Canticos and sample the cultural wonders of the world in their Tiny Travelers Book Series, while marveling at their Day of the Dead-inspired collection Skeletitos. Conecta Miami Arts brings to life beloved children’s fairytales from around the world with bilingual immersive theatre pieces that celebrate friendship, courage, and the wildest imaginations, and Florida International University College of Arts, Science & Education Mobile Steam Festival puts the spirit of discovery in children’s hands with air-propelled rockets, marine-focused VR goggles, human electricity circuits, and more.
Dance is also an integral part of MBF’s Children’s Alley. Back this year — and only available on Friday, Nov. 22 — is the popular PATH (Preserving, Archiving, & Teaching Hip Hop, Inc.) a participatory and unique experience centered around the five main creative elements of Hip Hop – Bboy/Bgirl Dance, DJ, Graffiti Art, MC/Rap, and Knowledge. Performances continue Saturday and Sunday with acclaimed b-boy dance crew, the Flipside Kings, a collective of artists that includes dancers, graffiti/visual artists, musicians, and educators who embrace breakdancing as an art of storytelling and self-expression.
Musical acts include DJ Brian Jones; Musicall, which brings two orchestras out of the concert hall to play at MBF joined by a children’s choir; students from Guitars Over Guns, an organization that combines music education and mentorship with professional musicians to help youth overcome hardship; the South Florida Center for Percussive Arts, who will teach children about rhythm through fun and interactive percussion workshops and games; young musicians from the Homestead-Miami Mariachi Conservatory (HMMC), Florida’s premier Mariachi music school, and El Bosque Encantado, presented by Colombian Latin Grammy-nominated band Colectivo Animal, which reminds us of the wisdom of life as seen through ancient animal legends inspired by an indigenous worldview.
Children’s Alley will kick off on Friday, Nov. 22, at 9 a.m. and will continue through Sunday, Nov. 24. Children ages 0-12 receive free admission all weekend, and teens ages 13-18 get in for the discounted rate of $5.
Generation Genius Authors, Read to Learn Books for Free, and Children’s Alley are made possible by the generous support of Royal Caribbean, The Batchelor Foundation, Meredyth Anne Dasburg Foundation, Peacock Foundation, UHealth Jackson Children’s Care, The Children’s Trust, Publix Super Markets, Inc., Alvah H. & Wyline P. Chapman Foundation, Early Learning Coalition, Florida Dairy Farmers, Wells Fargo, FPL, , Miami Country Day School, The Cowles Charitable Trust, Parents Latina, Los Tweens & Teens, Miami Kids and Family Life.
For Miami Book Fair information, please visit www.miamibookfair.com call 305-237-3528 or email wbookfair@mdc.edu. Follow the Miami Book Fair on social media @miamibookfair #MiamiReads, #MiamiBookFair2019 #MBF2019
Miami Book Fair media contacts: Lisa Palley, 305-642-3132 lpalley@bellsouth.net or Deyanira Navarrette, 305-495-7168, deyanavarrette@gmail.com