I’ve been a published kid-lit author since 2012, but I’m a late bloomer and a slow learner and an all-around dolt, so the first kid-lit book festival I’ve ever participated in was this past Saturday.
It was the Chesapeake Children’s Book Festival and it was awesome.
And I never would have signed on if fellow author and Facebook buddy Tim Young hadn’t invited me to apply. I’d never met Tim in person, but I knew he wrote a book that featured a capybara, so he was clearly a man of good character.
Only later did I realize that Tim is the reason why the Chesapeake Children’s Book Festival exists in the first place. He founded it. And the guy knows how to found a fine festival.
In the end I sold a bunch of books, became buddies with some wonderful authors and had a marvelous time.
Here are my five takeaways from the event:
1. I’ve never been to a kid-lit festival, but I knew enough to dress for success. I thought I was pretty clever to don a t-shirt of a capybara dressed as a pirate—until I met Phaea Crede who plugged her book Super Pizza and Kid Kale by dressing in a full-body pepperoni pizza onesie with matching headgear. It was amazing.
But that was only the beginning of Phaea’s amazingness; at about halfway through the festival, when Phaea’s onesie got too warm, she removed it to reveal an oddly tasteful pepperoni pizza dress underneath. If I admire anything more than Phaea’s writing, it’s her commitment to pizza-based activewear.
2. The festival organizers from the Talbot County Library had a marvelous way to drum up interest in the event. If a child signed up for the library’s summer reading program, he or she would receive a voucher for a free book. (Authors who received vouchers get reimbursed by the library.) All day long, kids slowly walked up and down the aisles holding their vouchers like Wonka Golden Tickets, meticulously weighing their every option before handing it over to The Chosen Author.
Lemme tell you, getting a voucher from a kid was a far greater honor than making a cash or credit card sale from a mom or dad. A voucher was 100% the kid’s decision. It mattered. (And I got a bunch of ’em! Yay!)
3. This festival marked the grand public debut of my Penguin stuffie! (In case you don’t know, Penguin is red because in Pirate & Penguin, Pirate paints Penguin to make the bird look more like a parrot.) It was sewn by Dahlia Walker, my son’s lovely and talented girlfriend. (Marry that girl, boy! She’s a keeper!)
I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love that bird. Penguin was also loved by the kids, one of whom attempted a birdnapping, which was quickly thwarted by yours truly. And, yes, I’m pressing charges! I don’t care if you’re in kindergarten, kid, you’re a thief and you’re goin’ to the hoosegow!
4. One part of the festival I was especially looking forward to had nothing to do with chatting with kids or selling books: I wanted to meet Nancy Tandon. I’ve known Nancy since 2012 when she appeared out of the ether with an offer to plug my first book, Sarah Gives Thanks, on her blog. I was grateful for the offer and Nancy and I have been bloggy pals ever since. But in all of the years since our first email chat, we’ve never met in person. Well, she was at the festival, plugging her own books, The Ghost of Spruce Point and The Way I Say It. I was kind of giddy about it.
I am pleased (but not surprised) to report that Nancy is happy, peppy, and about as lovely a person as I could’ve ever hoped to meet. And (also no surprise) she’s an incredible writer.
5. At the festival, my table was next to Mary Quattlebaum, a fantastic writer for National Geographic and the author of her own pirate picture book, Pirate Vs. Pirate. It was such a pleasure to chat with her. But it was even more of a pleasure to chat with her husband, Chris, who, over the course of the festival, became my marketing wingman. He would read my books and fall into boisterous hysterics. Then, with great enthusiasm, he would encourage everyone within earshot to buy my wares.
“He’s great!” “This is hilarious!” “Look at this book! It’s so funny!”
Chris singlehandedly sold every copy of Everybody’s Favorite Book (and made sure to buy his own copy). Mary, to her incredible credit, did not mind her husband’s divided loyalties in the least. She seemed to encourage them. And that, I think, is a big reason why I love writing kid-lit so much. Kid-lit authors understand more than any other writer that a rising tide raises all boats. We support and root for each other. We’re like-minded. We naturally become fast friends.
Wow, what a great day.
Hey, Look! A Writer Fellow! 
I read all this open mouthed, and then even got teary-eyed at the end. You! Mike! Got me teary-eyed! Yes you have to accept that this is a sweet sweet post. However, my first comment was going to be “your son has a girlfriend? “I remember when he was eight and, switching up the blog ballots! No surprise that his girlfriend is brilliant. Love the parrot. Love how you describe this kid lit festival. I’ve always wanted to go. But I never had the founder email me and ask me to attend!
I love being to say that I knew you when. Many many congrats and thanks for a really fun and uplifting post.
Teary-eyed! Holy crow. Thank you for the kind words, my friend.
I have to say that getting a festival founder to reach out like that is crazy unusual. I do recommend that you apply to a festival in your area. If your local kid-lit event is half as good as this one, you’re in for a real treat.
It sounds like a glorious day (in spite of the miniature thief), and paid off in spades, both in book sales and connections made. I wondered where you got that super cool penguin. That girl is definitely a keeper!
It was more fun than I dreamed it would be. And you are sure right about Dahlia’s penguin being super cool. She should totally open up an Etsy shop; she’d have a kid-lit author waiting list a mile long.
OH WOW!! Good for you! What a treat to meet all of those awesome authors and have such a great day! ❤ And WAIT, WHAT? Your son has a girlfriend???? How'd that happen? He's only 12 or something, right??? Where does the time go?
Congratulations on such wonderful success Mike. I am proud for you and of you. I feel it an honor to call you one of my bloggy friends. 🙂
I am honored and delighted to call you my bloggy friend, too, Kimber!
And, YES, my son, sneakily and without warning, turned17! I’m certain he crept through a wormhole and skipped an entire decade at some point. Clever boy.
Oooooh!! So that’s what happens?? A wormhole makes perfect sense! 🤣 I can’t believe mine will be 36 next month! W h a…??
36?! See? The wormhole theory holds up.
so much fun!!
Can i have the penquin/parrot?
she could make a fortune selling them….
You may not have MY penguin/parrot (a.k.a. Ground Parrot), Boo, but if you wanna work out a deal with Dahlia to get one of your own, I’m not gonna stop you!
lol
A splendid time was had by all. Much success to you, Mike.
Thank you, my friend!
What a fabulous write-up! I’m not surprised that you and your books were a big hit! Who can resist your humor????? I know I can’t. Congrats on selling lotsa books and meeting your BESTEST fans!
Thanks, Jil! There’s no doubt that you’ll be a big hit at festivals, too! Don’t wait a decade like I did to find out!
A festival all about kids and books—I’m in! The Golden Ticket voucher is such a great idea. We definitely have to do a book fest together someday, Mike.
I do so hope that happens, my friend. But you’ll need to move closer to the East Coast to make that plan a reality! You up for it?
How about we meet halfway? Got any connections to a Kansas Kid Lit Fest?
Well, THAT’S a state I’ve never contemplated going to…
You’d be surprised at how many lit festivals there are in the Sunflower State. Maybe if we write a story starring Kansas we can get a free invite!
Tell ya what; you work on the first draft of that Kansas story, okay? 😉
And I will be counting on you to have a pirate marooned in the Midwest.
That pirate would be a pretty terrible sailor to have his ship end up 1,000 miles inland.
Well, if chose a penguin as his parrot maybe his sailing skills aren’t so wunderbar.
How fun, Mike. I was especially impressed with the kid vouchers. That’s so wonderful that they got to walk around, evaluate the choices, and make their own “purchase.” It sounds like you had a great day in every way!
The voucher things was brilliant. The kids didn’t take their purchasing power responsibility lightly, either. They took their time and weighed every option.
🙂
That’s so so lovely, Mike! Very happy for you. You make me want to write little kid books too!
There is no doubt in my mind that you would be a natural kid-lit author. Seriously, you should consider giving it a go.
Awh, thanks, Mike. If inspiration hits!
This sounds so fun! Tell me you have a capybara plush on the way….
I already have a capy plush! Lizzy Mason, the lovely and talented marketing person at Page Street Kids, send it to me last fall. You can barely see it in the top photo next to my capy book.
Great!!
This post brought me joy from beginning to end. As a child I devoured books and was often caught with a flashlight under the covers long after bed time. I can actually feel how those kids must have felt with their voucher in hand touring the choices. Of course your “Pirate and Penguin” would be the one I would relinquish it for as I’m pretty sure it’s the only one I haven’t purchased yet.
It’s wonderful to see how much you enjoyed this.
Aw, thanks for the kind words, Michelle. And, hey, if you ever do buy a copy of Pirate & Penguin, let me know. I’ll send you a signed bookplate and a couple of penguin buttons!
Sorry I’m so late getting here, Mike, but SO GLAD I finally found time to stop by. What a wonderful experience you had, and I loved reading your comments. You made me feel like I was there, too, and you also made me laugh. (Which you usually do!) I’m truly happy you had such a good time and made lots of sales, as well. Hope you’ll be doing more of these in the future.
Thanks for sharing, and big hugs to you, your family, and all your new book-writerly friends! 🤗🤗🤗
I’m always delighted to give you a chuckle or three, Marcia!
I will be doing my dog ‘n’ pony show at another festival in October. We’ll see how it compares to Chesapeake.
You realise you’re going to have to have another plug for “Pirate and Penguin” on September 19th, don’t you 😁
P/S Re “Pirate and Penguin,” Amazon Australia says, “This item will be released on September 12, 2023.”
I will write up an Australia-specific post for the appointed date!
Awesome 😁☠🐧
That is an awesome festival format to engage the kids! I loved this recap of all the shenangians!
Hey, Mike 🙂 It’s been SOoooo long since I’ve kept up with ANYthing KidLit and wanted to see what was up with you. I really miss all the fun I had being involved and that’s not my life anymore, certainly not now or anytime soon. I hope you’re all happy and well! 😀 oxox