The Southern Festival of Books October 11 - 13, 2013

I attended the Southern Festival of Books for the first time this weekend. The festival was held in downtown Nashville on the Legislative Plaza. This year was the 25th anniversary of the festival, which is pretty cool. The whole festival is free and open to the public. Authors and illustrators from the South and other parts of the U.S. speak to crowds of fans. They tell about what they are working on now, what they have just finished, and answer questions from all those readers who love their books.

I went to the festival with three friends: Ms. Goins from Porter Elementary, Ms. Dickenson from Eagleton Elementary, and Ms. Reynolds from Walland Elementary. We drove down Saturday morning and came back home Sunday evening. I took photos of the authors and illustrators we saw. I'm sad to report that we didn't get to meet Rick Riordan. The line for his session was wrapped completely around the block!

 Author Kevin Henkes: Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, Chrysanthemum, and his latest chapter book - The Year of Billy Miller

 I found Waldo!

Philip and Erin Stead: the husband & wife team who won a Caldecott for A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Nathan Hale: graphic novel creator of books like Rapunzel's Revenge

Marc Tyler Nobleman: author of Bill the Boy Wonder and Boys of Steel

James L. Barry: illustrator for the the Warriors manga series

Susan Verde: author of The Museum

Daniel Kirk: author and illustrator of the Library Mouse series

Andrea Beaty: author of Doctor Ted, Firefighter Ted, and Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies

Jessica Young: author of My Blue Is Happy

Drew Daywalt: author of The Day the Crayons Quit

 Matthew Kirby: author of Cave of Wonders (Infinity Ring #5) and The Clockwork Three

Margaret Peterson Haddix: author of Just Ella, The Missing series,  and Into the Gauntlet (39 Clues #10)

Deron Hicks: author of Secrets of Shakespeare's Grave and The Tower of the Five Orders

 I also found the Diary of a Wimpy Kid van and had my picture taken with Greg Heffley, sort of.