AT THE CHILDREN’S PAVILION
ELEVEN amazing authors will be featured. Their work covers a broad spectrum including picture books, chapter books, science and ABC’s. There are mysteries, music, horses and humor. Several of the authors have bilingual books. Stop by the Children’s area to find Clark the Shark, Johnny Big Ears and the Peachtree Kids. Meet these characters and their creators anytime during the Bookfest .
At 11:00 children can volunteer to participate in skits with author Jennie Chadwick. Then at 1:00 author Bruce Hale will share a bit about his experiences as a writer, a jazz musician and being raised by wolves!!!! Listen for songs, look for dogs, watch for Billy the Pig, the stinkiest cowboy in town all day long, at the Children’s Pavilion.
The interactive Children’s area will have something for everyone in the entire family. Magic Jack will offer balloon sculptures plus amazing magic throughout the day. Free popcorn will be available. Grab a Bookfest coloring book and try out the word search or draw a picture from your favorite story. Be ready to create a bookmark,or a musical instrument, play some games and even explore the ocean ecology. See you there!!! See more about the authors HERE
LYNDA BULLA
Lynda Bulla grew up in southern California and has resided in a small farming community of Fresno County for over 50 years. She lives with her husband and many dogs on a ranch where the open fields have inspired her stories. Lynda worked for Fresno County Library at the Tranquillity Branch for over 10 years, she was a substitute teacher and is now a real estate broker and owner of Kerman Land Co., Inc. She has a B.A. in liberal studies from University of California, Fresno. It was during her return to college in 1980 that she discovered her love for writing. Lynda and her husband have 3 children and 7 grandchildren. Each of Lynda’s 7 books is dedicated to a grandchild. She calls her stories “dialog starters” as she hopes that adults and children will read them together and talk about the special message that the story holds.
NATY OSA
The author, Naty Osa, was born in Segovia, Spain. She now makes her home in Chico, California. She has written three children’s picture books – all three illustrated by her son, Javier Dura. “Billy the Pig: the Stinkiest Cowboy in Town,” “Grandma’s Lost her Head,”–which is also available in Spanish, “La abuelita ha perdido la cabeza,” and “The Last Orchard.”
JENNIFER TORRES
Jennifer Torres is the author of “Finding the Music,” a bilingual picture book, inspired in part by the Stockton community, and published this spring by Lee & Low Books. Her middle-grade novel, “Stef Soto, Taco Queen,” is due out from Little, Brown in winter 2016. She works at University of the Pacific where she coordinates the Beyond Our Gates outreach initiative. Before joining Pacific, Jennifer worked as a reporter for The Record newspaper, covering education, diversity, children and families. Originally from Southern California, she has lived in Stockton for the past 10 years with her husband, David, and daughters Alice and Soledad.
JOHN PAUL PADILLA
John Paul Padilla was born in December 11, in Los Angeles, California. He was raised in several cities within the state, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and is currently residing in the Central Valley of California. He went to several schools throughout California and graduated from Turlock High School. Upon graduating, he continued his schooling at Cal State Stanislaus University with the intent of becoming an elementary school teacher to teach third graders! He currently works as an office administrator. He is active in the International Who’s Who in Poetry and is a Distinguished Member of the International Society of Poets. John has modeled, has been dancing for the past fifteen years, and has written and recorded songs for Nashville artists years ago. He has previously published Wings to Cross an Ocean, an inspirational poetry book that encourages personal growth and happiness. John Paul was inspired to write Johnny Big Ears, the Feel Good Friend based on his own childhood experiences with teasing and his time spent observing students while he was a para-professional in an elementary school. He has two book mascots, which accompany him to several events to help him educate and teach kids about bullying. Both of his books are now out in Spanish.
BRUCE HALE
Raised by wolves just outside Los Angeles, Bruce Hale is the author of over 35 seriously funny books for kids. His popular series includes School for S.P.I.E.S., Clark the Shark, and the best selling Chet Gecko Mysteries. His book, The Malted Falcon, was an Edgar Award finalist, and his Snoring Beauty was one of the Oprah’s Recommended Reads for kids. A Fulbright Scholar in storytelling, Bruce is a popular speaker, both nationally & internationally.
DIANE STELLHORN
www.amazon.com/Diane-Stellhorn
After many horse-crazed years, my dreams came true. I bred, raised, trained (with professional help), rode for pleasure and showed Arabian horses for 40 years. I was a 4-H horse leader. Now, as a retired elementary teacher living with Multiple Sclerosis, my passion of horses is expressed by writing and sharing my book with other horse lovers. Zig, Zag and Zoom through the Horse Alphabet is available on Amazon.
PATRICIA NEWMAN
Patricia Newman writes for children curious about the fascinating, weird, and sometimes scary world around them. She is an award-winning author of several books and magazine articles, including PLASTIC, AHOY! INVESTIGATING THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH, a Green Earth Book Award winner, a Junior Library Guild Selection and one of Bank Street College’s Best Books of the Year; EBOLA: FEARS AND FACTS, a Junior Library Guild Selection; NUGGET ON THE FLIGHT DECK, a California Reading Association Eureka Honor Book; and JINGLE THE BRASS, a Junior Library Guild Selection that celebrates railroading lingo popular during the age of steam. Newman is a frequent speaker at schools, libraries and conferences and shares her passion for reading, writing, research, and learning new things. She lives in Northern California where she writes with her dog under her feet. Visit her at www.patriciamnewman.com.
KATHY GORMAN
I am a reading intervention teacher. I also support new teachers who are clearing their teaching credentials. I hold a Master’s Degree in Reading and Language Arts and a Reading Specialist Credential. My professional writing experience includes; How Far is Heaven? published by HBE Publishing, Remembering the California Missions: a Curriculum Guide, and it’s companion student workbook, published by Craven Street Books, phonics based and sight word based picture books created for use in my classroom, proposals for educational awards and grants, and professionally published personal memoirs about my family, profession, and friends. I am a member of SCBWI.
JENNIE CHADWICK
Jennie Chadwick has been writing seriously for about 5 years. It all started when she used to make up-funny stories for her two girls when they were little. As her girls got older they said she should write these silly stories down, for other kids. So one day she did! Her kids books are action/ adventure for 6 to 10 year olds. Jennie has received unique acknowledgements from bookstores and schools, where she held book signings. The kids always seem to gravitate to her silly readings! Jennie says, “I love watching and working with kids, they help me keep the silliness in my grown up life. Laughing and playing, that’s a kids job! My job is to write books that kids like and can relate to.” Jennie grew up and makes her home in Modesto, CA.
MICHELLE A.B. MCKENZIE
Michelle A.B. McKenzie is an attorney turned children’s author with a passion for children’s literacy. She is the author of Beavers’ Big Problem and Beavers’ Big Discovery, lighthearted and lively critter tales for young children and early readers up to age ten. Both stories are silly and entertaining vocabulary builders that focus on overcoming adversity. Beavers’ Big Problem is about what happens when the clopzip on the main gizmo breaks at the Far Away Land Ice Cream Factory. Beavers’ Big Discovery finds the critters of the Far Away Land preparing for the Great Rodent Festival. Full of vocabulary and zany fun, these books are sure to delight preschoolers, young readers (K-4) and parents alike. Find them on Amazon! Ms. McKenzie lives in rural San Joaquin County with her husband, son and their extended family of critters, including horses, cats, a dog and an action-packed dairy goat. Check out www.sillycritterstories.com, which features children’s puzzles, games, fun facts and reading comprehension tests to go with the books. You can also follow Mrs. McKenzie on Facebook at Silly Critter Stories for Kids.
VALERIE MURPHY
Valerie Murphy has had a passion for storytelling since she was a little girl. Now a mother of three, she is the author of Children’s Book Of Poems Schmoems, The Gumshoes: A New Town, Oh Joy, which recently received an honorable mention from San Francisco Book Festival, and the newly completed second book in the series, The Gumshoes: Rogues Hollow Crossing. Valerie is currently working on her first young adult novel which she hopes will bring awareness to Cystic Fibrosis, her son was diagnosed with the devastating disease with in 2006.
