SU Hosts Children's and Young Adult Literature Festival

SALISBURY, MD---Salisbury University’s Children's and Young Adult Literature Festival features something for everyone, from avid readers and aspiring illustrators to film buffs and environmental advocates.  Events are Wednesday-Thursday, April 15-16, on the SU campus.

“If you are looking for free activities for the whole family to enjoy, this year’s festival is the place to be,” said Dr. Ernie Bond of SU’s Teacher Education Department.  “It not only features world renowned authors and illustrators, but also two film screenings and the fifth annual Green Earth Book Awards.  We are extremely excited.”

Events begin Wednesday, April 15, with author lectures from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. in the Teacher Education and Technology Center, Room 153.

Wednesday evening features an Environmental Literature Festival at 6 p.m. in Holloway Hall Auditorium.  It includes an environmental writing presentation by Caldecott honorees Betsy and Ted Lewin, who have together written or illustrated some 60 books such as Click, Clack, Moo and Pepe the Lamplighter.

This year’s six Green Earth Book Award winners and 11 honorees are also saluted, and several will speak on an author panel about environmental writing.  Given annually by the Newton Marasco Foundation, the award is the first prize in the nation to laud environmentally-friendly children’s literature.

Another highlight is a screening of the short animated film Varmints, adapted from a Green Earth Book Award picture book.  Varmints was nominated for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award—England’s equivalent of an Oscar.  The film has not yet been released in the United States, so viewers of this advanced screening will be among the first in the nation to enjoy it.  The evening concludes with an environmental fair in the Great Hall, as well as a book signing and reception in the Social Room.

The film festival fun continues Thursday, April 16, in the Wicomico Room of the Guerrieri University Center with a screening of The Spiderwick Chronicles and a visit by series author Holly Black.

Introduced by Dr. Elsie Walker, SU English faculty and co-editor of Literature/Film Quarterly, the fantasy film adaptation is shown at 4:30 p.m. It’s followed by a second screening of Varmints at 6:30 p.m., introduced by Dr. David Johnson, SU English faculty and co-editor of Literature/Film Quarterly. Author Holly Black will speak at 7:30 p.m. and will be available to sign books.

Community members are also invited to view a “Global Warming Portfolio Exhibit” in the Atrium Gallery of the Guerrieri University Center or the Environmental Children and Young Adult Literature Collection in TETC, Room 226.

Wednesday events are sponsored in part by the Newton Marasco Foundation, while Thursday events are sponsored in part by the Eastern Shore Regional Library and SU’s Student Office for Activity Planning (SOAP).  Other support comes from SU, Constellation Energy, Comcast, APPI and Delmarva Recycling.  For details about the festival call 410-543-6509 or visit the SU Web site at www.salisbury.edu.