

An annual fall tradition will not happen this year: the Savannah Children’s Book Festival.

For 14 years, the Savannah Children’s Book Festival has brought talented children’s authors to Forsyth Park to inspire and ignite young readers and writers.

Past authors and illustrators who attended the festival include: Mo Willems, Kwame Alexander, Kate DiCamillo, Lois Lowry, Carmen Agra Deedy, Jane O’Connor, Christopher Paul Curtis, Marc Brown, Ted Arnold, David Ezra Stein, Peter Brown, Tad Hills, Judy Schachner, Rosemary Wells, Victoria Kann, James and Kimberly Dean, Anna Dewdney, Laura Numeroff, Bruce Degen and more.

That is a beyond impressive array of talent — all who were in our city answering our kids' questions, signing their books, laughing at their stories, and sparking the love of reading in our children.

But this year, the well-attended festival is not happening and the festival’s future overall is at risk. The reasons for this vary depending on which organization you ask.

Live Oak Public Libraries, which organized the festival, says the children’s book festival isn’t happening because of lack of funding.

“Live Oak Public Libraries will not present Savannah Children’s Book Festival in 2018 because grant funding was not available from the primary sources that supported SCBF in prior years,” said Sarah Collier, library communications coordinator.

That primary source of funding was an $85,000 grant from the city of Savannah Department of Cultural Affairs.

Why wasn’t the grant funded?

“Since the city of Savannah modified their funding priorities and processes, and no longer funds one-day festivals, such as Savannah Children’s Book Festival, LOPL did not apply for the city of Savannah Department of Cultural Affairs grant,” Collier said.

However, the city of Savannah says that is not the case. City spokesperson Michelle Gavin said funding some events is still a possibility, but it depends on several factors. Organizations such as Live Oak Public Libraries need to apply, show why the event helps meet the city’s strategic needs, be approved by a committee, and fund 50 percent of the event.

But the differing reasons don’t mean much to kids and their parents. This does: The festival isn’t happening.

Cancelling a popular, longtime kids’ festival that celebrates the written word is a sad message for our city to send.

The festival’s “very existence is a 14-foot x 48-foot billboard for literacy,’’ said Georgia author Deedy, who has presented at the festival for more than a decade. “When your city throws a party to celebrate the importance of books and reading, the message is loud and clear that these things matter.”

Deedy, author of “The Library Dragon,” “Martina the Beautiful Cockroach” and “Growing Up Cuban in Decatur, Georgia,” recalls signing a book for a little boy at the festival many years ago. He returned as a pre-adolescent with the same book in tow.

“It was wrecked; the binding was cracked, the cover was worn, a few pages were torn and taped. He handed it to me and said, "I'm sorry it's so beat up. I used to take it everywhere with me when I was little. It was the first book I ever owned. Would you mind signing it again?" Deedy said. “Boy howdy, would I.”

That's what a children's book festival is meant to do; introduce tens of thousands of children to books and the people who create them, Deedy said.

And make more readers.

“Savannah is a generous city,’’ Deedy said. “For over a decade, it has invited some of the finest children's illustrators and authors in the country. And the city has done so at no cost to parents, grandparents, and the children that crowd its tents, stages and book stands. It is a festival with a heart.”

Please, city of Savannah, let’s show some heart — and brains — and keep our children’s book festival.

Contact Anne Hart at anne@southernmamas.com. Follow her on Instagram @southernmamas.

 

How to help

Share your support of the Savannah Children's Book Festival. Ask for the festival to be funded in 2019. Send your comments to: • Savannah Mayor Eddie DeLoach at edeloach@savannahga.gov • Event organizer Live Oak Public Libraries at communications@liveoakpl.org

• Join Save the Savannah Children’s Book Festival on Facebook at bit.ly/2PFn9WV
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