The Decatur Book Festival boasts extensive offerings for young readers, all free, this weekend.
Highlights include:
FRIDAY
- Jon Scieszka, author of "The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales" and the brand-new "Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor," opens the proceedings with the "Kidnote" address at 5 p.m. Friday at Agnes Scott College's Presser Hall. No ticket required, but seating is first come, first served.
SATURDAY
- Whistle Blower Parade, 9:30 a.m. Saturday, led by Kebbi Williams and Music in the Park. Parade lines up on the DeKalb County Courthouse's south lawn (556 N. McDonough St.) and proceeds to the Children's Stage. Participants are encouraged to bring kazoos, tambourines, drums and homemade instruments.
- "The Jedi Council": Tom Angleberger and Tony DiTerlizzi discuss their independent work to bring the story of Luke Skywalker to a new generation (10 a.m. Saturday, Decatur Recreation Center Gym).
- "Great Books for New Readers" panel discussion, with Jon Scieszka, Jennifer L. Holm, Tom Watson and Mike Lane (12:15 p.m. Saturday, Children's Stage).
- Maggie Stiefvater, author of the best-selling "Shiver" trilogy, previews the stand-alone follow-up, "Sinner" (1 p.m. Saturday, Teen Stage).
- Maya Van Wagenen, author of "Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek," a humorous memoir of her eighth-grade year in which she followed advice from a vintage guide for teenagers that she found in a pile of old books (2 p.m. Saturday, Teen Stage).7 Stages presents a scene from
- "Fml: How Carson McCullers Saved My Life" and a reading from McCullers' "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" (4 p.m. Saturday, Teen Stage).
SUNDAY
- "Wizard of Oz" Parade, in which kids of all ages are invited to dress up as their favorite "Oz" character. Parade lines up on the DeKalb County Courthouse's south lawn and proceeds to the Children's Stage (11:30 a.m. Sunday). There at noon, actors from Serenbe's Playhouse perform a scene from its production of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," with puppetry by Atlanta's Center for Puppetry Arts.
- Théâtre du Rêve presents a staged performance of an adaptation of Fanny Britt's children's graphic novel "Jane, the Fox and Me," featuring projected images and sound effects. A talk-back with actress Caitlin E. Roe follows (2:30 p.m. Sunday, art|DBF Stage, Decatur High School Performing Arts Center).
- 90-Second Newbery Film Festival. Screening a "best-of" selection from the annual video contest in which kid filmmakers create minute-and-a-half-or-less movies that tell the stories of Newbery Prize-winning books (3:45 p.m. Sunday, Decatur Library Stage).
- "Southern Drawl," a panel about authentic regional places that become almost characters in books by Elizabeth O. Dulemba, Tommy Hays and Deborah Wiles (3:45 p.m. Sunday, Children's Stage).
- Soul Food Cypher: Young free-style rappers showcase their talents (4 p.m. Sunday, Teen Stage).
- Eric Litwin, the musician-author of the "Pete the Cat" series, introduces the first in his "Nuts" series, "Bedtime at the Nut House" (5:15 p.m. Sunday, Children's Stage).
EVENT PREVIEW
AJC Decatur Book Festival
Friday through Sunday at more than 20 indoor and outdoor locations throughout downtown Decatur. Free. 404-471-5769, www.decaturbookfestival.com.
