From NORTHWEST OHIO TEEN BOOK FESTIVAL
The Northwest Ohio Teen Book Festival returns for a second day-long event on Saturday, March 18 with an array of authors, literary experts, and speakers in panels, workshops, keynote, scavenger hunt, and escape room.
The Northwest Ohio Teen Book Festival will take place on Saturday, March 18 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Rossford Junior/Senior High in Rossford, OH. Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. and the optional scavenger hunt will begin at that time. Doors to the keynote presentation will open at 9:30 a.m. with four breakout sessions and author signings following. The festival is free and open to everyone.
Presented by the Gathering Volumes and JustWrite Ohio and sponsored by Lexus of Toledo, Taylor Automotive Family, Master Fluid Solutions, Rossford Association of Classroom Teachers, Meijer, and The Buzz Book, the book festival will kick off with a scavenger hunt leading to the keynote presentation by Natalie D. Richards.
“Richards’ latest thriller, ‘Seven Deadly Secrets,’ was the inspiration for the scavenger hunt, while her upcoming title, ‘Four Found Dead,’ is both the prize for some for completing the scavenger hunt, and the inspiration for popcorn being added to the free lunch for all attendees,” explained Denise Phillips, a festival committee member and owner of Gathering Volumes. “We also have a custom designed ‘Alice in Wonderland ‘themes escape room, after the popularity of last year’s library themed escape room.”
The festival planners worked hard to ensure that the festival was accessible for everyone. The event is free, and lunch will be provided for free for all participants. Additionally local businesses have provided sponsorships so that the festival can cover the costs of busing students to the festival and schools can still apply for a bus sponsorship on the festival’s website. The committee also worked to ensure that the authors and books featured at the festival would be both doors into the realities of others as well as mirrors that reflect the lives and interests of the reader participants.
“The committee has designed the book festival to be unique from other festivals,” adds Phillips. “After the keynote presentation we move on to 4 breakout sessions and the participants can choose seven options per breakout. We have worked to ensure there are options for everyone, so aside from the traditional panel discussions, we also have interactive sessions such as a poetry slam, an escape room & board game room, writing workshops, and graphic novel workshops. Of course, the day ends with the authors signing books.”
The programming includes:
8:30 a.m. – Doors open: Registration, Scavenger Hunt, Book Sales
9:30 a.m. – Welcome, Natalie D. Richards’ “Four Found Dead” giveaway, Keynote Doors Open
9:45 a.m. – Author Introduction & Keynote Introduction, Keynote
10:50 a.m. – Breakout Session 1
- Author Discussion: How Do Books Get Translated?
- Writing Workshop: Creating Characters for Comics
- Author Discussion: Hugs and Kisses
- Author Discussion: Ways to Get Published
- Author Discussion: Tough Stuff
- Writing Workshop: How to Create a Pitch for Your Book
- Poetry Workshop: Collage Poetry
- Board Games with Authors
- Escape Room: Can You Save Alice?
11:40 a.m. – Breakout Session 2
- Author Discussion: How to Create Suspense in a Novel
- Writing Workshop: How to Draw Another’s Idea
- Author Discussion: What’s It Like to Win an Award
- Author Discussion: Middle Grade Literature
- Writing Workshop: Finding the “Write” Words for Your Story
- Lunch
- Board Games with Authors
- Escape Room: Can You Save Alice?
12:30 p.m. – Breakout Session 3
- Author Discussion: Fantastic Worlds
- Writing Workshop: Pitch War
- Author Discussion: How to Write About Physical/Mental Health
- Author Discussion: Writing for Adults & Teens
- Writing Workshop: Write Now!
- Poetry Workshop: SLAM Poetry
- Lunch
- Board Games with Authors
- Escape Room: Can You Save Alice?
1:20 p.m. – Breakout Session 3
- Author Discussion: The Real World
- Slam Poetry
- Author Discussion: Creating a MysteryAuthor
- Discussion: Putting Faith in Your Writing
- Author Discussion: How to Break a Reading Slump
- Poetry Workshop: SLAM Poetry
- Lunch
- Board Games with Authors
- Escape Room: Can You Save Alice?
2:00 p.m. – Announcements & Raffle Prizes
2:30 p.m. – Author Signings
3:30 p.m. – Closing
Shelley Bertsch, Teacher, Librarian, Book Club Advisor, and Speech and Debate Coach at Rossford Junior/Senior High , and committee member for the Northwest Ohio Teen Book Festival, adds, “I’m so happy to be a part of an organization that is bringing the power of the written word to teens in Northwest Ohio. It is more important than ever that students can read critically and for pleasure. That they see themselves in a story, and to know that they are not alone.”
For more information about the Northwest Ohio Teen Book Festival including the participating authors, schedule for the day, and how to register, you can check out their website at https://nwoteenbookfest.com/.
Shelley Bertsch, Teacher, Librarian, Book Club Advisor, and Speech and Debate Coach at Rossford Junior/Senior High , and committee member for the Northwest Ohio Teen Book Festival, adds, “I’m so happy to be a part of an organization that is bringing the power of the written word to teens in Northwest Ohio. It is more important than ever that students can read critically and for pleasure. That they see themselves in a story, and to know that they are not alone.”
The Northwest Ohio Teen Book Festival will take place on Saturday, March 18 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Rossford Junior/Senior High in Rossford, OH. Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. and the optional scavenger hunt will begin at that time. Doors to the keynote presentation will open at 9:30 am with 4 breakout sessions and author signings following. The festival is free and open to everyone. For more information about the Northwest Ohio Teen Book Festival including the participating authors, schedule for the day, and how to register, you can check out their website at https://nwoteenbookfest.com/.
