Local bookworms gear up for annual Brooklyn Book Festival

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for Brooklyn bookworms.

For the 12^th year, the Brooklyn Book Festival will once again host a series of events for readers of all ages.

Starting Monday, September 11 with Bookend events that precede the main weekend of activity (Saturday, September 16 and Sunday, September 17), over 300 beloved authors will be in attendance, enthralling readers who will have the opportunity to take part in dozens of special events that include Children’s Day, Festival Day and more.

“There’s simply no way to fully absorb all that is happening at this year’s Brooklyn Book Festival,” said Chair of the Brooklyn Literary Council Johnny Temple. “From our stalwart stars like Colson Whitehead and Joyce Carol Oates to first-timers like Hisham Matar and Marita Golden and hundreds of other beloved authors, the literary bounty gathering in the Borough of Kings has the power to both reflect and impact our city, nation and world.”

The festival is presented by the non-profit Brooklyn Book Festival, Inc. and the Brooklyn Book Festival Literacy Council.

The over 60 Bookend events reflect the literary diversity of the five boroughs.

“Every day of Brooklyn Book Festival Week is a literary love fest,” said Festival Co-Producer and Bookend Events Co-Chair Carolyn Greer. “There are Bookend events for everyone—from parties, screenings and book launches to political discussions and colloquies on comics—in unique and wonderful locations from Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal, Greenwood Cemetery and Prospect Park Zoo to Harlem’s Schomburg Center, the LES’s Metrograph Cinema and WeWorks event spaces citywide!”

On Saturday, September 16 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at MetroTech Commons, kids rule the day as the Brooklyn Book Festival will host Children’s Day.

Readers ages two to 11 will be able to meet some of the most famous kids’ authors who will present their books and host readings, performances, workshops and music.

The day’s talent will include award-winning and New York Times bestselling authors and illustrators such as Alexandra Bracken, Maira Kalman, Eric Morse, George O’Connor and Jacqueline Woodson.

“The Brooklyn Book Festival Children’s Day celebrates the childhood reading experience at every age—the comfort of being read to, reading your first book on your own, devouring a thrilling series in grade school, being captivated by a classic. A book well-loved is never forgotten,” said Liz Koch, co-producer of the festival and Children’s Day committee member. “Saturday’s many activities offer a lively, interactive opportunity for children to be not only readers, but creators.”

Festival Day, the week’s biggest event, will take place on Sunday, September 17.

The day’s numerous events, will take place at Brooklyn Borough Hall on 14 stages, making it arguably New York City’s largest free literary event. Thousands are expected to stroll through the vibrant outdoor Literary Marketplace, hosting more than 200 independent booksellers and publishers. This year’s festival themes include pressing contemporary social and literary topics from refugees and immigration to music writing, science fiction and the always relevant topic of love.

This year’s slate of authors represents nations and cultures the world over. According to the Brooklyn Book Festival, they include: Australia (Ali Cobby Eckermann), Bolivia (Rodrigo Hasbún), Brazil (Fernanda Torres), Canada/Trinidad (André Alexis), Colombia (Santiago Gamboa), Haiti (Kaiama L. Glover, Yanick Lahens), India (Avinuo Kire), Jamaica (Erna Brodber, Kei Miller), Kenya (Peter Kimani), Kosovo/Finland (Pajtim Statovci), Libya (Hisham Matar), Madagascar (Naivo), Norway (Jostein Gaarder, Karl Ove Knausgård and Maja Lunde), Pakistan (Sorayya Khan), Poland (Wioletta Greg), South Korea (Young-ha Kim) and Switzerland (Pascale Kramer).

“Reading is fuel for the mind, body, and spirit,” said Borough President Eric Adams. “The Brooklyn Book Festival brings together book lovers from all across the city and the country, and I am excited for another diverse group of authors to entertain, educate, and enrich us. This year’s edition features a cornucopia of talent and vision including some of our borough’s brightest literary stars. I welcome Brooklynites and visitors from near and far alike to come and enjoy the wonderful written word, and maybe even a graphic novel or two.”

For a full schedule, visit www.brooklynbookfestival.org.