Tucson Festival of Books

Festival Hoopla

Stop by Worlds of Words for a preview of books by Tucson Festival of Books children’s and teen authors and to gather ideas and resources for educators and others.

Tucson Festival of Books logo with sponsors listed

At the Hoopla, you can:

✔️ Browse new books by authors and illustrators appearing at the festival.
✔️ Listen to brief book talks and introductions to the books and authors.
✔️ Gather info to introduce these books and authors to children and teens.
✔️ Sign up for author visits and find out how to conduct a successful visit.
✔️ Receive festival bookmarks, flyers and information.
✔️ Get a discount coupon to pick up festival books at the UA BookStores (Student Union).
✔️ Visit WOW’s new art exhibition, Critique to Support & Stretch: A Conversation between Juana Martinez-Neal and Molly Idle.

Free parking is available at the surface parking lot north of the intersection of First and Vine. Paid parking is available at the Second St. Garage next door to the College of Education. Located just off of the 2nd St. streetcar stop.

Event details may change.

To request disability-related accommodations that would ensure your full participation in this event, please email wow@email.arizona.edu or call 520.621.9340.

MTYT: Freedom in Congo Square

By Holly Johnson, PhD, University of Cincinnati and Samira Gaikward, doctoral student at the University of Cincinnati

To prepare for the Tucson Festival of Books, Worlds of Words focused on stories and ideas presented at the festival. Dr. Holly Johnson and Samira continue this conversation in their discussion of Freedom in Congo Square as they reflect upon a Festival panel’s topic: freedom.

Freedom in Congo Square Continue reading →

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MTYT: A Bike Like Sergio’s

By Dorea Kleker, University of Arizona and Maria Acevedo-Aquino, Texas A&M University-San Antonio.

In the third installment of February’s MTYT, Dorea Kleker and Maria Acevedo-Aquino discuss child agency as seen in the picturebook A Bike Like Sergio’s, written by Maribeth Boelts and illustrated by Noah Z. Jones.

A Bike Like Sergio's Continue reading →

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MTYT: I Got It!

By Dorea Kleker, University of Arizona and Maria Acevedo-Aquino, Texas A&M University-San Antonio.

In the second installment of February’s MTYT Dorea Kleker and Maria Acevedo-Aquino discuss the picturebook I Got It!, written and illustrated by David Wiesner. The focus this month is picturebooks published between 2016 and 2018 by authors and illustrators who are featured in the Tucson Festival of Books.

I Got It! Continue reading →

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Worlds of Words is Out of this World at 2019 Tucson Festival of Books

By Lacey Nehls, Project Management Intern, Worlds of Words

Take one giant leap into literature with Worlds of Words at the Tucson Festival of Books. WOW and the UofA College of Education engage festival goers of all ages to space-related literature and hands-on activities in Booth 330. The Tucson Festival of Books takes place Saturday, March 2 and Sunday, March 3.

WOW Tucson Festival of Books Activity Continue reading →

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MTYT: Alma and How She Got Her Name

By Dorea Kleker, University of Arizona and Maria Acevedo-Aquino, Texas A&M University-San Antonio.

TFOB
This month we discuss four picturebooks by authors and illustrators who will join us at the Tucson Festival of Books in March. We chose to focus on these authors’ and illustrators’ most recent picturebooks, all of which were published between 2016-2018.

Written and illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal, Alma and How She Got Her Name follows Alma as she learns the meaning of her very long name that respects her ancestors and heritage. As Alma’s dad tells her ancestors’ stories, she finds inspiration and learns they had similar interests. With a newfound appreciation for her name, Alma begins her own life story.

Alma and How She Got Her Name Continue reading →

Festival Hoopla

Tucson Festival of BooksBe in the know! Join us for a Festival Hoopla!

Stop by Worlds of Words for a preview of books by Tucson Festival of Books children’s and teen authors and to gather ideas and resources for educators and others.

At the Hoopla, you can:

✔️ Browse new books by authors and illustrators appearing at the festival.
✔️ Listen to brief book talks and introductions to the books and authors.
✔️ Learn about the storytellers appearing at the festival.
✔️ Gather info to introduce these books and authors to children and teens.
✔️ Sign up for author visits and find out how to conduct a successful visit.
✔️ Receive festival bookmarks, flyers and information.
✔️ Get a discount coupon to pick up festival books at the UA BookStores (Student Union).

Hope to see you on January 13.

Authors' Corner

Authors’ Corner: J.C. Cervantes on The Storm Runner

By Blaire Krakowitz, University of Arizona

Ancient Stories for a New Generation

J.C. Cervantes, New York Times author of The Storm RunnerIt has been said that no story is entirely original. All stories take ideas and inspiration from others and mold them into something new. Books connect stories from the past to experiences from the present, creating ties between the new and the old. Young Adult fiction embraces older stories and folklore, especially in recent years. Ancient mythologies have become a particularly popular source of inspiration, and for good reason. Myths explain how the world works. Comparisons between the ideas of cultures from the past to our current understanding of the world lend themselves to dynamic, creative exploration in fiction.

Rick Riordan’s young adult novels, including the ever-popular Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, bring modern twists on traditional mythologies into the YA mainstream. Riordan explores Greek, Egyptian and Norse myth works–only a few of the myriad of mythologies to grace world tradition. Riordan teamed up with Disney Hyperion to create the Rick Riordan Presents imprint to provide other authors with the opportunity to retell their own cultures’ myths. In the imprint’s first wave of rich stories emerges J.C. Cervantes’ engrossing, action-packed and ceaselessly charming take on Maya legends: The Storm Runner. Continue reading →

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MTYT: When Dimple Met Rishi

The Tucson Festival of Books celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and to honor that milestone, this month My Take/Your Take features four books by 2018 festival authors. We provide our personal take after reading the books, hearing from the authors in sessions and sometimes meeting the author in person. This week we give our take on When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon.

When Dimple Met Rishi Continue reading →