South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

Reeve Lindbergh Book and Poetry Festival features national, local authors, illustrators

The Lindbergh School District’s Reeve Lindbergh Book and Poetry Festival will bring nationally known authors and illustrators to the Lindbergh community, a district news release stated.

The festival will celebrate the written word and the illustrations that accompany it. The community is invited to attend the festival, where they can meet national and local authors and illustrators, starting Sun-day, Feb. 27, on the Lindbergh High campus, 4900 S. Lindbergh Blvd.

Author Reeve Lindbergh, the youngest daughter of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, will make a special appearance at the festival, which is named in her honor.

“Often the community doesn’t have access to meet these talented authors and illustrators,” Marietta Schwalbe, Lindbergh’s head librarian, stated in the release. “We are thrilled to open this festival up and invite everyone to come in and celebrate literacy with us.”

Authors and illustrators will conduct a series of presentations and book signings.

In addition, the younger crowd will enjoy face painting, a graffiti wall, puppetry and other hands-on activities, the release stated. Lindbergh students also will set up a coffee house featuring poetry readings by the students.

The visiting authors and illustrators include many familiar names: Jim Aylesworth, Lisa Campbell Ernst, Kate Klise, Constance Levy, Dorinda Nicholson, Shelley Pearson and June Rae Wood.

The festival also will feature St. Louis authors Susan Burney, David Fiedler, Kevin Horrigan, Shirley Kennett, Deborah Nelson-Linck, Rob Raines, Mark Sumner, Pam Vaccaro and others.

The community will have a second opportunity to meet three authors and illustrators Monday, Feb. 28, when a special book signing will take place from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Long Elementary School, 9021 S. Sappington Road featuring Kevin Hawkes, Lindbergh and Tracey Campbell Pearson, who has illustrated some of Lind-bergh’s books.

On Feb. 28 and March 1, the artists and writers also will visit Lindbergh schools, serving as authors- and illustrators-in-residence.

They will discuss their current books and what it means to be a writer with pupils and teachers.

The Book and Poetry Festival is the first of its kind in the St. Louis area and is offered free to the entire community, the released stated.

“Our goal is to excite and inspire all of the budding readers, authors and artists throughout the area,” Schwalbe said. “Our libraries are cultural centers, and we want to highlight our connections to literacy.”

For more information about the festival, call Schwalbe at (314) 729-2400, Ext. 7130.

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