BOOK FEST Kids is BACK!
book fest Kids 2026 | June 7th
SAVE THE DATE
We’re excited to bring nwa book fest Kids back!
June 7th | 10 AM TIL 7 PM
The Apollo ON Emma | Springdale AR
Children’s AUTHORS
About the event
BOOK MARKET
We’re bringing together a market of local publishers, authors, and independent bookstores to make finding your family’s new favorite book a breeze!
Author Readings
We will be highlighting a variety of children’s authors! These authors will range across all different genres and come from self-published, indie-published, and traditionally published paths. Stay tuned for more details!
Maker’s market
Browse our Maker’s Market full of local makers. From food to jewelry to gift items, there’s something for everyone.
Story times
We’re kicking off the day with story times led by Arkansas-based children’s book authors. Stay tuned for details!
AND MORE
Stay tuned for more surprises as we get closer to event date! It’s going to be a blast.
schedule Coming Soon!
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Join local author Ashley Franklin for storytime full of mermaid magic. Ashley will be reading from her book The Little Mermaid: Make A Splash.
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Arkansas comic authors and illustrators Zeke Peña, Sean Fitzgibbon, Kyle Stück, and Michael Sweater will be discussing the graphic novel and comic genre in a panel discussion moderated by Adam Fall.
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Join Melissa Cooper, co-author of Benny in the Garden, for a storytime centered around growing your own food, accepting when things don't turn out like you thought they would.
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Ayana Gray, New York Times-bestselling author of Beasts of Prey, will be joining Oklahoma-based Cherokee Author, Andrea L. Rogers, for a discussion on fantasy and speculative fiction for young audiences. Join us for a conversation with New York Times-bestselling author Ayana Gray and award-winning Cherokee author Andrea L. Rogers as they delve into the imaginative worlds of fantasy and speculative fiction for young audiences.
Discover how these authors bring immersive, magical adventures to life and craft fantastical narratives that mirror our reality, offering young readers profound insights into their own lives and the world around them.
This panel will be moderated by Bri Loëb. -
2:15 – Jeff Ayers, Skate the Thief
2:30 – Madison Mouser, These Shallow Waters
2:45 – Ty Carlson, The Bench
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Join Jeremy Billingsley, Andy Davidson, John Hornor Jacobs, and Curtis Harrell for a panel discussion about the scarier-side of Arkansas fiction. This conversation will be moderated by horror-podcaster Trevor Williamson.
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4:00 – Jalissa Carter, Wedlope: Wine Infused Poems for Weddings & Elopements
4:15 – Connie Cottingham, 100 Things to Do in Bentonville and Rogers Before You Die -
We're inviting a local authors, educator, and publisher for a panel for those aspiring authors in attendance. H.A. Flynn, Jane Blunshi, and Casie Dodd will be here to answer all your questions. This panel will be moderated by Brody Parrish Craig.
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Non-Fiction/Memoir authors Alice Driver, Toni Jensen, and Jess Gutierrez will be rounding out NWA Book Fest 2024 with a discussion about the craft and importance of telling true stories in Arkansas. This panel will be moderated by Clint Schaff.
