Dive into some great books at the 2025 Brooklyn Book Festival. Kid-friendly programming abounds during Children's Day on Saturday, September 20.

Beloved authors appearing at Children’s Day include Nick Bruel, Rita Williams Garcia, John Patrick Green, Abby Hanlon, Ryan T. Higgins, Erin Entrada Kelly, Meg Medina, Jarrett Pumphrey, Ibi Zoboi, and more!

Here’s a preview of some of the exciting events happening on Children’s Day:

Storytime kicks off at 10:30am on the Picture Book Stage (for earliest readers) with David Ezra Stein, author of Interrupting Chicken series. Followed by a puppet show and interactive writing game with Stein! Enjoy readings from beloved writers and illustrators, including Ryan T Higgins, Ibi Zoboi, Greg Pizzoli, Hyewon Yum, and many more fan favorites and new authors. 

 In the Workshop Room, young readers can let their imaginations run wild with fun activities alongside author and illustrator James Yang in a collage workshop to create planets, stars, and the Ship of Imagination from his book, A Universe Big and Small. Join author jessica Care moore for a reading from Your Crown Shines, followed by a writing workshop. Jacqueline Tam, artist and illustrator of Powerful Like a Dragon, will present a demo on sumi ink techniques. 

 Plus, in the Makers & Creators Area young readers can unleash their creativity with Kristin Mahoney and paint acorns and create drawings based on what you might collect in your pockets; watch illustrator Steph Stilwell in action as she whips up drawings of your favorite foods and create your own art inspired by her book; read along with Sylvia Chen and learn how to use chopsticks; and engage in energetic play activities with author and children’s librarian Rachel G. Payne.

For middle school book fans: test your knowledge against middle grade novelists Grace Lin, Nick Bruel, and Craig Kofi Farmer in an interactive quiz game show; watch and guess as author-illustrators Debbie Fong, John Partrick Green, and Steve Behling play the party game classic Pictionary! hosted by Calista Brill; see illustrators Kay Healy and the Pumphrey Brothers draw a story in real time based on audience suggestions; and join authors Adam Gidwitz, Rita Williams-Garcia, Tiffany Jackson, and Peter Lerangis as they discuss inspiration and imagination.