Aug. 21, 2023 — From Telling Tales Festival
Three outstanding children’s authors headline this year’s Telling Tales Festival along with a wide range of diverse presenters that will inspire, engage, and entertain audiences from tots to teens.
“Hamilton Public Library is excited to continue to partner with Telling Tales Festival to deliver engaging programming that fosters a delight of reading among all ages,” said Cindy Poggiaroni, HPL Director of Collections and Program Development. “This year’s ‘Stories Help Us Grow’ theme resonates with HPL and its commitment to reduce barriers and create inspiring learning experiences accessible to all families throughout the community.”
David A. Robertson is a fan favourite at Telling Tales. This two-time Governor General’s Literary Award winner has presented a part of the virtual festival, and now local audiences will have a chance to see him in person. David, a member of the Norway House Cree Nation living in Winnipeg, will present his latest book in The Misewa Saga, The Stone Child. Often called “Indigenous Narnia,” The Misewa Saga is a fresh take on the portal fantasy that focuses on Indigenous stories and culture.
Also hailing from Western Canada is two-time Giller Prize-winning novelist Esi Edugyan, best known for her adult novels Half-Blood Blues and Washington Black. Edugyan was selected as chair for the 2023 Booker Prize jury. Esi is making her children’s literature debut at the Festival with her picture book Garden of Lost Socks, a whimsical story about friendship, curiosity, and the magic of a vibrant community. Touching on themes of community and inclusion, this story is perfect for younger readers.
Fans of Canadian children’s literature will recognize Marie-Louise Gay as the Stella and Sam series author. Marie-Louise Gay has received numerous awards for her written and illustrated works in both French and English, including the 2005 Vicky Metcalf Award, multiple Governor General’s Awards, and multiple Janet Savage Blachford Prizes, among others. She returns to the Festival this year with her new book, Hopscotch. This heartfelt picture book touches on the feelings of being the “new kid” and trying to fit in.
“Telling Tales Festival provides a unique chance to bring together authors of the most exciting fall releases in Canadian children’s literature,” shares Heather Kanabe, Telling Tales Executive Director. Heather continues, “The Festival has become the kick-off to the literary season and this year we have partnered with local literary festival GritLIT to bring host Jessica Rose and authors Marie-Louise Gay, Sarah Raughley, David A. Robertson, and Kevin Sylvester together for a writer’s chat about how to break into the Canadian children’s lit space on Saturday, Sept 16 at 3:45 p.m.”
Rounding out the lineup are Ambreen Butt-Hussain, Andrea Curtis, Andrew Larsen, Anoosha Syed, Brittany Luby, Charlene Chua, Christopher Steininger, Erin Bow, Keltie Thomas, Kenneth Oppel, Kevin Sylvester, Linh Nguyen, Nadia L. Hohn, Richard Scrimger, Sarah Raughley, S.K. Ali, Vikki VanSickle, and Yolanda T. Marshall along with local storytellers, musicians, and artists.
Families, children, and book lovers of all ages can explore the beautiful grounds of Royal Botanical Gardens, Hendrie Park, while experiencing the best in today’s children’s literature. Held on September 16th and 17th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily–the event is free with registration.
Details on presenters, presentations, publications, and registration links can be found at tellingtales.org.
