When elementary teacher Amanda Miller heard that the illustrator of one of her favorite children's books, Thunder Rose, was coming to Urbana, she knew her plans for the weekend.

"You're my favorite illustrator," Miller said as she handed a copy of We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball to author and illustrator Kadir Nelson to sign. "Something about [his illustrations] just strikes me."

Nelson presented and signed copies of his work at the Champaign Public Library and The Urbana Free Library on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009 as part of the second annual Youth Literature Festival sponsored by the College of Education and the Chancellor's Lincoln Bicentennial Committee.

The theme of this year's festival, "Abraham Lincoln: Teaching and Learning About the Greatest President" was part of the Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration. The festival featured Kadir Nelson and Deborah Hopkinson, both authors of popular books about Abraham Lincoln.

In addition to these presentations and signings, the College hosted a symposium for educators that focused on how to teach students of all ages about Lincoln, and what lessons they can learn from the legendary president.

Violet Harris, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and co-chair of the festival, said this year's event was a continuation of the success of last year's inaugural festival, and the overall theme shaped the event.

In his presentation, "Lessons from the Past: What Every Citizen Can Learn from Abraham Lincoln," Associate Professor of Educational Policy Studies, Christopher Span showed educators how Lincoln's quotes can be used to encourage students to examine what certain ideals meant in Lincoln's time, and how to apply these concepts to current issues. Specifically, Span shared quotes from Lincoln regarding democracy, freedom, education, honesty and respect. He said this exercise was applicable to almost any grade.

"At each level, we can ask how we can be responsible members of society, and how we use the past as a reflective lens," Span said.

Other speakers at the symposium included Elizabeth Pleck, Professor in Human and Community Development and Gender and Women's Studies; Susan Noffke, Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction; children's author Deborah Hopkinson; Sandra Yamate of J.D. & Publisher, Polychrome Publishing Corporation in Chicago; Urbana District 116 teachers Tiffany Clark and Matt Buckles and keynote speaker Wilma King, Professor of African American History at the University of Missouri at Columbia.

Harris said the symposium was a learning experience for everyone, and she cannot wait to get started planning next year's third annual Youth Literature Festival, which she said will feature Illinois authors and illustrators.

Youth Literature Festival 2008

Make a Slam Dunk With Your Writing!

February 14, 2009
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
The Lewis Auditorium, Urbana Free Library (Ground Floor)

For children in grades k-5. Get ready for the first annual Youth Literature Festival's Writing Contest, "Make a Slam Dunk with Your Writing", when you come to this workshop! Through interactive games, writing prompts, and brainstorms we'll supercharge our imaginations for writing magic. For more
information about the Youth Literature Writing Contest visit http://youthlitfest.education.illinois.edu/contest.

First Youth Literature Festival Sparks Excitement in East Central Illinois

Ten-year-old Fallynne Moores woke up Saturday morning and went with her mother to hear author Robert San Souci recall tales of hidden monsters and killer ants, featured in his “Short & Shivery” series. Those tales echoed Moores’ literary tastes, as “scary stories are my favorite,” said the bespectacled 5th-grader.

San Souci was one of more than 20 authors and illustrators who journeyed to East Central Illinois Oct. 2- 4 to participate in the area’s first Youth Literature Festival.

Organized by the University of Illinois College of Education, the event brought authors and illustrators, many with national followings, into 44 local schools on Thursday and Friday. Those in-school readings and activities included more than 2,000 participants. On Saturday, the event culminated in an all-day celebration with activities such as puppetry, storytelling, musical performances, poetry readings and book signings, which spanned various venues across town.

After San Souci’s folktales talk at the Douglass Branch Library, the pony-tailed Moores accompanied her mother to the festival’s central location on the U of I South Quad. Under the activities tent, children could craft bookmarks, design word searches or race each other at the word synonym game. Moores’ big brother challenged her to a synonym game duel; she agreed, scribbling “tiny,” “little,” and “miniature” on the giant easel after the moderator read the word “small.”

The Moores siblings comprised part of the 1,200 who attended the free event, according to co-organizer Violet Harris, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the College of Education. In addition, the event garnered more than 400 volunteers.

Nearly two years ago, Mary Kalantzis, Dean of the College of Education, proposed the literature festival in hopes of uniting the campus and local communities. She noted the Children’s Literature Festival at Keene State College in New Hampshire and sought to incite similar excitement in the Champaign-Urbana community. Thus far, the response has been positive.

“The Dean is excited about the initial feedback and results,” Harris said. “(She) is anxious to bring people together to discuss when the next festival will be held and how it will be configured. The school visits were an enormous hit.”

Ann Bender, College donor and festival volunteer, escorted San Souci to Thomas Paine and Leal elementary schools. She agrees that those visits not only energized the students but also the visitors.

“Following (San Souci’s) presentation, he visited several classrooms,” Bender said. “As we were leaving both schools we heard children in the hallways and on the playground saying, ‘that’s our author!’ While driving back to the hotel, he commented several times about how well-behaved the children were at both schools and how well-prepared they were.”

To continue the spirit of the festival, a children’s writing contest will soon be announced in cooperation with WILL AM/FM/TV. In addition to WILL, several community businesses partnered with the College of Education on everything from offering performance space to donating publicity flyers.

“Your community is very lucky to have this,” commented author Jennifer Holm after her presentation at Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School in Urbana.

With two years of planning behind them, the committee is already looking to future festivals, learning from this inaugural event. Next time around, planners look to have more visiting authors’ books on hand and hope to bring authors together for roundtable discussion.

“There is nothing more important than funding programs of authors and illustrators meeting with inspiring young people,” said award-winning author Ashley Bryan.

After watching the ventriloquist, Moores ventured over to Janet Wong’s tent, as the author recited poetry. Moores and her brother later wrote letters to co-organizer, Harris, detailing their favorite events—notably the activities tent. Participants and organizers alike say they hope the event’s success paves the way for future festivals.

“I think this Youth Literature Festival appeals to the minds and promises of the young students,” said Joyce Carol Thomas, author of more than 50 books. “They will become readers and teachers. You have given them paths of opportunity.”

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