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Words & Pictures Festival sure to instill love of local literature

25 authors, illustrators will share, discuss work with readers of all ages

By Scott Hewitt, Columbian staff writer
Published: October 12, 2018, 6:05am
2 Photos
Vancouver’s Brian Tashima, right, has written several celebrated science-fiction adventure stories about a boy whose autism is a superpower — all inspired by Tashima’s teenage son, Torin, left.
Vancouver’s Brian Tashima, right, has written several celebrated science-fiction adventure stories about a boy whose autism is a superpower — all inspired by Tashima’s teenage son, Torin, left. (The Columbian files) Photo Gallery

It shouldn’t be a surprise that childhood readers tend to grow into adults with busy, successful brains. According to the National Education Association, stuffing your child’s environment full of books, reading as a family activity and independent childhood reading all help build vocabulary, curiosity, insight, motivation and a strong sense of self. And early readers go on to greater socioeconomic success than early non-readers.

Those are the facts. The softer truth, according to Scholastic, the purveyor of affordable books for students, is that childhood reading is “a crucial component in the development in a curious mind, a gentle spirit and a loving and empathetic heart.” Meanwhile, there’s been a recent buzz in literary circles about banishing the guilt grown-ups feel when enjoying — really, really enjoying — books aimed at their children. (Raise your hand if you know your Harry Potter trivia just as well as your kids do. See all those hands?)

Grown-ups who want to pass their love of books to their children should hurry over to the Cascade Park Community Library on Saturday for the second annual Words & Pictures Festival, a gathering of 25 local authors and illustrators who write and create for children — and adults, too. (The emphasis is on literature aimed at young people, but some of the presenters are the creators of grown-up graphic novels, detective mysteries, sci-fi and fantasy adventures.)

The event is free, with readings and art demonstrations ongoing throughout the day. Books will be available for purchase through Barnes & Noble. Here’s the whole schedule:

If You Go

What:Words & Pictures Festival.

When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Where: Cascade Park Community Library, 600 N.E. 136th Ave., Vancouver.

Admission: Free.

 Learn More: FVRL.LibraryMarket.com/Events/Words-and-Pictures-Festival

Picture book and middle-grade creators in the Children’s Area:

• 12:30 p.m., Gretchen Brandenburg McLellan.

• 1 p.m., Stephanie Campisi.

• 1:30 p.m., Peter McCleery.

• 2:30 p.m., Stephanie Shaw.

• 2 p.m., Barry Deutsch.

Adult and young adult creators in the Conference Room:

• 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., graphic novels and comics with Barry Deutsch, Becky Hawkins and Sloane Leong.

• 12:30 to 1:15 p.m., readings by Curtis Chen, Cal Spivey, David Levine and Jessie Kwak.

• 1:15 to 2 p.m., readings by Heidi Mason, Randal Houle, Sheryl Scarborough and Brian Tashima.

“Not a Pipe Publishing” presentation and readings, Fireside area:

• 2 to 3 p.m., “The Year of Publishing Women” with Benjamin Gorman; readings by Mikko Azul, Karen Eisenbrey, Benjamin Gorman, Debby Dodds and Heather Ransom.

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