46 THE QUEENS COURIER • KIDS & EDUCATION • MAY 25, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM kids & education The Queens Book Festival to feature local authors and events for kids BY ANGELA MATUA [email protected] / @AngelaMatua For the second year in a row, authors from across the “World’s Borough” will gather at the Queens Book Festival to celebrate They’re sitting in the Hall of Fame in M.V. Christ the King installed its newest members of the Christ the King Hall of Fame on Saturday, May 20. More than 200 people attended the event to celebrate and honor the nominees. Th is year’s inductees were: Th omas V. Ognibene (posthumously), vice chairman of CK Board of Trustees; Maureen Murphy Blaine, Class of 1967; Dr. Sharon Manning Beverly, Class of 1972; Charles D’Ambra (posthumously), Class of 1994; former faculty member Kathleen Travers Photo courtesy of Christ the King Regional High School Norman (posthumously), and Gary Giordano, district manager of Queens Community Board 5, who received the Community Award. literature of all genres. Johanne Civil, the founder of the festival, said the event has been extended to two days and will be held near the Long Island City waterfront. On May 27 and May 28, panel discussions, readings, children’s activities and more will take place at LIC Landing. Th e fi rst day will be dedicated to children – readings, arts activities and a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) deck will fuse literacy and technology. Children will learn how to make ice cream, slime and robots and will be able to engage with Virtual Reality technology. An accompanying panel at Resorts World Casino in South Ozone Park will focus on writing for young readers. “Kids are moving in technology faster than the rest of us and the goal is to get them to read, whether it’s to pick up a magazine or an iPad,” Civil previously told QNS. Th e theme for this year’s festival is “pure imagination,” which is inspired by the song featured on “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Decorations, including balloons, will help depict the theme. On May 28, the event will cater to adults and will also feature giveaways and chances to purchase books. Civil said many of the panel discussions will focus on social issues. A panel called “Grabbing Back – Th e 2016 Presidential Election: A course correction for the feminist movement” will feature activists and writers discussing the emerging social activism that has occurred since the presidential election and try to answer if the recent women’s movement is inclusive of all women. Another panel will focus on the experience of immigrant writers and “Rikers Island – Th e Horrors Keep Coming” will include Mary Buser, a former clinical social worker at Rikers Island and Malcolm Bell, a former state prosecutor and whistleblower who exposed issues at Attica Correctional Facility. Civil said the festival will also celebrate Queens authors with panels like “City Stories – It’s In Queens” and “Spotlight on Queens Authors,” featuring two writers who penned mystery novels and how their upbringing in the borough inspired them. “We have something for everyone,” Civil said. “We touch on the lives of basic Americans, what everyone encounters one way or another and how that life experience bleeds into everyone else’s.” Th ough the event is free, organizers are encouraging people to purchase tickets beforehand for preferred seating. Civil and other co-founders did not organize a major fundraiser this year and are hoping that tickets will help keep the festival going for years to come. A Children’s Day ticket is $25 and Main Day tickets range from $35 to $100, depending on where you would like to sit. VIP tickets also allow access to tents that include snacks and drinks. Tickets also include front-row access to stages, and ticket holders will be able to skip the line for book signings. “We have a lot of exciting things to off er,” Civil said. “Hopefully people come out and have a very literary day with us.” Photo courtesy of Facebook/Queens Book Festival The Queens Book Festival will take place on May 27 and May 28 in Long Island City.
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