$50 Festival Family Pass
(2 adults + 2 kids OR 1 adult + 3 kids + 20% off books)
FREE for Junior Joyce & Family Circle Members
Photo Credit: James Houston, Michael Paynter
Irish Arts Center and Children’s Books Ireland present Rí Rá Children’s Festival of Literature
In honor of the 25th Anniversary of the CBI Book of the Year Awards we introduce our first-ever festival celebrating Irish children’s literature!
Sunday, October 4 | 11 am – 4 pm
The very best Irish children’s writers recognized at the leading book awards in Ireland—CBI Book of the Year Awards—join us at our inaugural Rí Rá Children's Festival of Literature. Bringing children and families together to creatively engage with literature, the festival encourages readers tall and small to discover new books at our readings, talk with those who create them, and nurture a lifetime love of reading and storytelling.
FEATURED AUTHORS INCLUDE:
Áine Ní Ghlinn Daideo | Honor Award for Fiction (Young Adult and Irish language)
Áine is a lecturer, journalist, and writer. She has written twenty-six books published to date. These include award-winning teen fiction, stories for younger readers, children’s drama as well as collections of poetry for children and adults.
A boy on the run from his parents. An old man on the run from his children. They meet on the train to Dublin and listen to each other’s stories. They understand each other. What will be the result of this new friendship?
Chris Haughton Shh! We Have a Plan | Award for Illustration
Chris is an Irish designer and illustrator. Shh! We Have a Plan is his third picture book, which also won the Specsavers Irish Children's Book of the Year Junior Award 2014 as well as the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award in the US. He is also the creator of the stunning, multi award-winning picture books A Bit Lost and Oh No, George.
Four friends, three big and one little, are out for a walk. Suddenly, they spot it - a beautiful bird perched high in a tree! They simply MUST have it and - SHH! - they have a PLAN.
Eoin Colfer and Oliver Jeffers
Eoin Colfer Imaginary Fred (For Children)
Eoin Colfer is an Irish author of children's books and is best known for being the author of the Artemis Fowl series, which has since sold over 20 million copies worldwide and is now concluding with the final book The Last Guardian. He lives in Ireland with his wife and two children.
Imaginary Fred is a poignant and relatable story. A tale of longing for friendship and the power of imagination – and a reminder that even in the loneliest moments a new friend is just around the corner.
Oliver Jeffers Imaginary Fred (For Children)
Oliver is an artist, illustrator, designer, and author from Belfast, Northern Ireland. His award-winning picture-books are translated into over 30 languages, including The Incredible Book Eating Boy, and the New York Times Bestseller This Moose Belongs to Me and #1 New York Times Bestseller The Day The Crayons Quit. He grew up and was educated in Belfast Northern Ireland and now lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.
Louise O'Neill Only Ever Yours | Winner of the Eilís Dillon Award for a first children’s book (Young Adult)
Louise O' Neill is from Clonakilty in West Cork. Her debut novel, Only Ever Yours, won an Irish Book Award, the YA Book Prize, and the Eilis Dillon award at the CBI Awards. Her second novel, Asking For It, was published by Quercus in September.
A satire about society's obsession with how women look and behave.
Gabriel Rosenstock Haiku, más é do thoil é! | Judges Special Award (Irish language)
Gabriel is a poet, playwright, haikuist, essayist, novelist, author/translator of over 180 books, mostly in Irish.
Young and old will enjoy the view given in this book to the wonderful world of haiku.
Children’s Books Ireland is the national children’s books organization of Ireland. Through many activities and events CBI aims to engage young people with books, foster a greater understanding of the importance of books for young people, and act as a core resource for those with an interest in books for children in Ireland. The CBI Book of the Year Awards are the most prestigious in Ireland and offer one of the few opportunities for national and international recognition of Irish authors and illustrators.
Oliver Jeffers and Eoin Colfer
11 am $5 per person
Bestselling team Eoin Colfer and Oliver Jeffers will chat about their first-ever picture book collaboration, Imaginary Fred. From conception to publication, Eoin and Oliver will discuss their unique take on the concept of imaginary friends. Their 30 minute presentation will be followed by a 20 minute Q&A session and book-signing.
Chris Haughton
12 pm $5 per person
Chris Haughton will lead an interactive family event with readings from his award-winning picture books A Bit Lost, Oh No George!, and Shh! We Have a Plan; viewings of trailers and lots of lovely images; and participation fun with props and drawing games.
Gabriel Rosenstock
1 pm
$5 per person
Gabriel Rosenstock will lead an enchanting haiku program in Irish and English entitled Ducks In Search of the Moon where he will use his skills as a haiku master to respond to well-known and not so well-known works of art. Gabriel has specialized in exploring haiku through art and art through haiku, known as ekphrastic haiku.
Gabriel will be available after the show to answer questions and to sign copies of his much-loved haiku books for children, Haiku Más é do Thoil é! and Fluttering Their Way Into My Head.
Áine Ní Ghlinn
2 pm $5 per person
Áine Ní Ghlinn will take us through the process of writing a book—from the earliest scribbles right through to the final choice of cover design. 1 train journey, 2 endings, 3 covers…Áine explains how people watching on a train from Kerry to Dublin became a story that won Gradam Reics Carló (Irish language Children's Book of the Year Award) and the CBI Honor Award for Fiction.
Louise O'Neill
3 pm $5 per person
Join Louise O’Neill as she reads from her acclaimed book Only Ever Yours, which will be adapted for film with the production company Killer Content. After her reading, Louise will be joined in conversation with actress and activist Jacqueline “Jackie” Emerson (The Hunger Games, Fantasia)to discuss her book and the issues surrounding women and body image. ABOUT THE MODERATOR
Jacqueline “Jackie” Emerson is an innovator, TEDx speaker, Stanford student, recording artist/songwriter, actress (The Hunger Games), voiceover artist (Fantasia—Disney), Ambassador for the China Institute, co-founder of SHE’S SO BOSS including host of the show FLASH BOSS (in development). She is extremely passionate about issues surrounding the portrayal of women in the media, and travels around the country speaking to girls about having a healthy body image under the banner of “Let’s Get Real.”
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