Inaugural Green Country Children’s Book Festival
Inaugural Green Country Children’s Book Festival at NSU draws hundreds of avid young readers
Students gather in the University Center at NSU to hear from authors during the Green
Country Children's Book Festival on Friday. From left, authors are Ally Carter, Brian
Young, Christina Soontornvat and Sarah Mlynowski.
More than 700 third, fourth, fifth and sixth grade students from Northeastern Oklahoma attended the inaugural Green Country Children’s Book Festival at Northeastern State University on Friday.
Students got to meet some of their favorite middle grade book authors, ask questions and leave with autographed books as NSU officials hope to inspire them to become lifelong readers.
“We see the Green Country Children's Book Festival helping communities by encouraging area children to get excited (or remain excited, if they are already readers) about books and reading,” NSU Research and Instruction Librarian Sarah Burkhead Whittle said.
Children’s authors in attendance at the inaugural children’s book festival included Ally Carter, Sarah Mlynowski, Christina Soontornvat and Brian Lee Young.
The idea to host a children’s book festival in Green Country actually came about following a conversation with library officials had with Carter back in 2018. Whittle said after inviting her to speak on campus they started talking about the possibility.
NSU Libraries agreed and while the pandemic delayed their plans, it never dampened their spirits of making this vision a reality.
“It took her [Carter] informed perspective for us to see what an ideal location we have to host students from our rural area for a free event, who otherwise may not be able to attend an event like this farther away,” Whittle said. “In a bigger picture, many research studies have shown the impact of reading and literacy on overall success in education. Thus, this persistence in being a lifelong reader and learner will serve them well as they pursue an education through high school and beyond to strengthen our communities with educated and informed individuals.”
Soontornvat said the festival definitely exceeded her expectations, adding she found it particularly meaningful to have such an event on a college campus. She said not only are the kids getting to meet their favorite authors and form connections but understand the importance of reading and education, which could later be at a college campus.
Young also enjoyed the festival, adding of the three he has been to so far, this one was unique.
“I think what makes this unique is that it’s focused on the kids as opposed to catering to the authors,” Young said. “It’s more about making sure the kids go home with a book which I think is really special.”
Whittle said library officials plan on making this an annual event and have already begun planning next year’s event. So far, she said they plan to feature Oklahoma author and Sibert Medal & American Indian Library Association winner Traci Sorell and Cherokee artist and illustrator MaryBeth Timothy. She added over the next year more guests will be announced.
The festival would not have been a success without support from the university and community partners. This includes funding support from the Tahlequah Community Fund to help with promotion and publicity and the NSU Foundation which enabled the libraries to purchase one book for each of the children attending the festival and covered authors’ travel expenses.
NSU Foundation Board of Trustees Chariman Chrissi Nimmo said the foundation unanimously voted to support the book festival. She said literacy is important and being able to connect kids with the authors of some of their favorite books is exciting and hopefully inspires them to be lifelong readers.
Nimmo’s daughter Mattie, a second-grade student at Cherokee Elementary School, was excited by the news that some of her favorite authors were coming to campus. At a brief reception for the donors and authors prior to the start of the festival, Mattie was able to meet the storytellers.
“It was very cool,” she said.
Jodeen Worth, secretary with the Tahlequah Community Foundation, said the nonprofit was also eager to support the book festival as they are always looking for ways to better youth in Green Country.
“This was perfect for what we like to find money for,” Jodeen Worth, secretary with the Tahlequah Community Foundation, said. “I think it’s a good thing for Green Country.”
NSU welcomed four children authors to present at the inaugural Green Country Children's
Book Festival at NSU on Friday. Pictured from left to right are: Ally Carter, Christina
Soontornvat, NSU Research and Instruction Librarian Sarah Whittle, Sarah Mlynowski and
Brian Young.