Rhode Island may be the smallest state, but it boasts one of the best book festivals in the nation.  Thousands of people visit the Book Festival each year to meet acclaimed authors and illustrators from all corners of the country.  These authors and illustrators will travel to Providence this October for the opportunity to be featured in The Rhode Island Festival of Children’s Books and Authors, hosted by Lincoln School in Providence.

Excitement is already building in the greater Providence area in anticipation of welcoming this year’s impressive roster of writers, including: Caldecott award winning authors Grace Lin, Carole Lindstrom and Chris Van Allsburg, Newbery honor award winning author Shannon Hale, Coretta Scott King Award winner as well as four-time Caldecott honor recipient Bryan Collier, Rhode Islands own Jeanette Bradley, Kelly Murphy and Jamie Michalak, as well as fan favorites Ellen T. Crenshaw, Josh Funk and Kah Yangni. Authors give talks throughout the day, sign their books, and enjoy spending time with their fans, old and new.

Young readers and their parents will have the chance to meet and talk with the authors, have their books personally signed, participate in bookmaking and other crafts, and view a special performance. The Festival—Saturday, October 14, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm at Lincoln School, 301 Butler Avenue, in Providence—celebrates the unique joy that can only be found by opening the pages of a book.

“This event brings literature to life not only for our students, but for students across Rhode Island and neighboring Massachusetts—we’ve even had people come from as far as New Jersey to take part in the day,” says Meagan Lenihan, Lower School Librarian at Lincoln School. “Our goal is to inspire a love of reading and books that will last a lifetime.”Admission is $5. For a full listing of performances and activities, visit www.lincolnschool.org or call the school at 401.331.9696, extension 3135.

Lincoln School is an independent college preparatory school for girls where high academic and ethical standards challenge students from Nursery through Grade 12 to nurture their special talents and interests.