If your kid loves to read—or you wish they loved it as much as you do—then this is the week you've been waiting for.
Children's Book Week is celebrated across the country with book signings, storytelling and much more.
Here's a sampling of what's happening at bookstores, toy stores and libraries in the Atlanta area May 2-8:
Little Shop of Stories
133A East Court Square, Decatur, Ga. 30030; 404-373-6300. www.littleshopofstories.com
Children's book authors and illustrators will be on hand to meet and greet book lovers.
7 p.m. Wednesday, May 4: Mike Lowery — "Doodle Adventures: The Search for the Slimy Space Slugs!"
7 p.m. Thursday, May 5: John Bemelmans Marciano and Sophie Blackall — "The Witches of Benevento" series
7 p.m. Friday, May 6: Terra Elan McVoy — "This is All Your Fault," "Cassie Parker"
5 p.m. Sunday, May 8: Young adult book panel, featuring Cecilia Ahern — "Flawed"; Anna Banks — "Of Neptune"; Harriet Reuter Hapgood — "The Square Root of Summer"; and Marie Rutkoski — "The Winner's Kiss."
FoxTale Book Shoppe
105 East Main St., Woodstock, Ga. 30188; 770-516-9989. www.foxtalebookshoppe.com
4:30 p.m. Monday, May 9: Brian Lies — "Bats at the Beach,"Bats at the Library" — will discuss his new picture book, "Gator Dad."
Brilliant Sky Toys and Books
220 Johnson Ferry Road, Sandy Springs, Ga. 30328; 404-851-2980 and 3497 Northside Parkway, Atlanta, Ga. 30327, 404-841-0826. brilliantskytoys.com
To encourage kids to give back to their communities and help those in need, Brilliant Sky will give 10 percent off all children's book purchased now through Sunday, May 8. For every children's book sold, the store will donate a new book to the Mary Hall Freedom House, a local family shelter.
Legoland Discovery Center Atlanta
3500 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, Ga. 30326; 404-848-9252. www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/atlanta/
Kids who love Legos can take part in building something entirely different — a love of reading for other kids. Through Sunday, May 8, Legoland is holding a book drive to benefit Everybody Wins Atlanta, a local nonprofit dedicated to improving literacy for underprivileged children. Families that bring two or more new or gently used children's books will receive a complimentary bookmark and a voucher good for one free child ticket with the purchase of an adult ticket.
Library events
College Park Branch
3647 Main St., Atlanta, Ga. 30337; 404-762-4060. www.afpls.org/college-park-branch
At 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 4, children ages 4-6 are invited to meet children's book author Lake Kelly. Reservations are required and can be made by emailing kimara.mason@fultoncountyga.gov.
Kirkwood Branch
11 Kirkwood Road, Atlanta, Ga. 30317; 404-377-6471. www.afpls.org/kirkwood-branch
Starting at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 7, kids who check out two or more library books will receive a free comic book, while supplies last.
Northwest Branch
2489 Perry Blvd., Atlanta, Ga. 30318; 404-613-4364. www.afpls.org/northwest-branch6
This branch will be celebrating all week with a variety of children's titles on display. Among the picture book selections are: "Lemonade in Winter: A Book About Two Kids Counting Money," by Emily Jenkins; "Fancy Nancy and the Fabulous Fashion Boutique," by Jane O'Connor; "Beatrice's Goat," by Page McBrier; and "My Rows and Piles of Coins," by Tololwa M. Mollel.
