Newsroom
The UNESCO City of Literature is pleased to join the Pearson Foundation in announcing a new annual area children’s literary festival. One Book Two Book – A Celebration of Children’s Literature in the City of Literature will take place January 13-15, 2012 in the Iowa City community. UNESCO City of Literature Board Vice President, Josh Schamberger, chairs the festival efforts.
“This is an exciting day and one that we’ve looked forward to for many months. That is the announcement of this new festival dedicated towards tomorrow’s great story tellers” said Schamberger. “With the great support of the Pearson Foundation and volunteers from Pearson’s local Iowa City office, this is going to be a can’t miss weekend. I know my 6-year old is eager for it to arrive.”
One Book Two Book will begin on Friday, January 13 with the community welcoming the 2010 recipient of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature author Kathryn Erskine. Erskine received this award for her book, Mockingbird, featuring an eleven-year-old protagonist with Asperger’s Syndrome who must process a horrific event differently than anyone else. Mockingbird also received the American Library Association’s Best Fiction for Young Adults (2011) and International Reading Association Award (2011). Erskine will be the keynote speaker at the evening culinary experience rooted in great literature. The meal will include everything from ‘stinky cheese’ to ‘stone soup’.
Erskine will also read on Saturday, January 14th as the festival continues with an all-day Children’s Book Fair at the Sheraton Iowa City Hotel. Activities there are free and open to the public and will include readings by well-known Midwest and Iowa authors, story book character appearances, face painting, book making, Harry Potter exhibit, and a children’s adaptation film festival. The day will conclude at 4:00 PM with a complimentary showing of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs at the Englert Theatre.
One Book Two Book – A Celebration of Children’s Literature in the City of Literature will conclude on Sunday with a wintertime train excursion. The Reading on the Rails excursion will take young readers/authors and their families on a 40-minute ride between the University of Iowa library and North Liberty Community Library beginning at Noon. Both libraries have plans for an afternoon filled with programming and activities to greet passengers so riders are encouraged to mix & match their arrival and departure times. Storybook characters and hot chocolate will add to the winter train experience. Ticket prices for the train excursion are $10.00 per person.
Children’s Book Fair Schedule of Events
January 14, 2011 at the Sheraton Iowa City Hotel, unless otherwise noted
www.onebooktwobook.org
9:00-4:00 Children’s Book Fair opens
9:00-4:00 Book Drive all day
9:00-4:00 Funny Face Designs by Lori (charged per face)
9:30 Strolling Storytellers
10:00 Book Babies with Karen Gordon of the Iowa City Public Library – this special program features Mother Goose, action rhymes, baby games, music and more to help parents and infants bond and encourage early literacy and language aquistion.– Fair Main Stage
10:00 How to Train Your Dragon (2010) Rated PG – Iowa City Public Library
10:30 Popo the Puppet hosts Higgledy Piggledy Pop Mini Puppet Shows beginning with “The Runaway Tortilla” with ICPL’s Kidspectacular followed by “Popo’s Hullabaloo” with Deanne Wortman and Debbie Dunn of the Iowa City Public Library – Fair Main Stage
11:00 “All Aboard the Duplo Train” with Dan Daly. It’s full steam ahead with Brio train building, stories, and people-powered “Little Engine That Could.” – Fair Main Stage
11:30 Book Character Meet & Greet: Join Maisy, Corduroy, Madeline, Geronimo Stilton, the Wild Thing, Biscuit, and One-Minute stories with Hoolie Dingle, along with master puppet maker Lisa Belladonna Nyx, Mother Goose, and others. Take pictures, dress up in your favorite costume, and join the Wild Thing Rumpus and Parade. (Repeated at 3:00pm)
12:00 Shrek Forever After (2010) Rated PG – Iowa City Public Library
12:00 Kevin B.F. Burt – Fair Main Stage
1:00 Dan Wardell Reading/Performance – Fair Main Stage
2:00 Coraline (2009) Rated PG – Iowa City Public Library
2:00 Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre Young Artists will perform a one-act children’s opera. They will perform Herman the Horse: A Healthy Tail by Susan M. Yankee. It is written for children and uses familiar opera tunes to tell the story
about Herman, a race horse, who finds out that by eating well and exercising he can run faster! – Fair Main Stage
2:30 Illustration demonstration
3:00 Strolling Storytellers
3:00 Book Character Meet & Greet: Join Maisy, Corduroy, Madeline, Geronimo Stilton, the Wild Thing, and Biscuit, and One-Minute stories with Hoolie Dingle, along with master puppet maker Lisa Belladonna Nyx, Mother Goose, and others. Take pictures, dress up in your favorite costume, and join the Wild Thing Rumpus and Parade. (Also at 11:30am)
3:00 Harry Potter activities
4:00 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (complimentary tickets available inside the Children’s Book Fair) – The Englert Theatre
4:00 Children’s Book Fair ends
Please note: all events are tentative and subject to change
For more information on the One Book Two Book festival presented by the Pearson Foundation, ticketed events, ticket pricing, complimentary ticket instructions, please visit www.onebooktwobook.org or contact 2012 Festival Chair Josh Schamberger through the preceding information.
About the Pearson Foundation
The Pearson Foundation is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that aims to make a difference by promoting literacy, learning, and great teaching. The Pearson Foundation does this by collaborating with leading businesses, not-for-profits, and education experts to share good practice; foster innovation; and find workable solutions to the educational disadvantages facing young people and adults across the globe. For more information, visit www.pearsonfoundation.org.
About the City of Literature USA
In 2008, the newest chapter in Iowa’s 80 year history of literary traditions was Iowa City’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature, the first City of Literature in the United States and the third in the world (after Edinburgh, Scotland and Melbourne
Australia). The City of Literature USA’s mission is to celebrate and support literature on a local, regional, national and international level, connecting readers and writers through the power of story.
UNESCO Creative Cities Network is designed to promote the social, economic and cultural development of cities. Appointed cities promote their local creative scene, share experiences and create new opportunities through activities based on creative
tourism.
From: Jeanette Pilak, UNESCO City of Literature USA
319.356.5245 or jeanette@cityofliteratureusa.org
www.cityofliteratureusa.org
Contacts: Jill Hugunin, PEARSON
319.339.6527 or jill.hugunin@pearson.com
Joshua Schamberger, Iowa City/Coralville Area CVB
319.337.6592 or joshua@iowacitycoralville.org
Josh Sabin, Iowa Northern Railway
319.297.6000 or jossabin@iowanorthern.com
More info: Visit www.onebooktwobook.org
