No Butts About Reading Day!

I usually think of April 1st as "Chicken Butt! Day" (what better time to break out your inner jokester?), but this year the celebration lasted an extra ten days, culminating with the No Butts About Reading Celebration at the Chinn Park Regional Library in Woodbridge, VA.

The celebration was part of an annual Author Visit and Bookmark Contest program the library does every year (with the generous support of the Friends of the Library).  The theme is announced - and this year's theme was NO BUTTS ABOUT READING! - and kids design bookmarks to go with it, and the author whose work is central to the theme - that would be me this year! - is invited to come, present and sign books.

This year, the NO BUTTS ABOUT READING! theme generated a LOT of enthusiasm from young readers, writers and artists.  Three hundred and seventy five kids, grades K-5, entered by designing one-of-a-kind bookmarks and almost as many kids (plus their proud families and teachers) came to meet me and hear who had won the coveted prizes..... backward-facing (aka Chicken Butt!) chicken hats!!!

Here are some photos from the festivities:

Great Bookmark, right?

Super job!

Stand by the lady with the silly hat!

Now that's a seriously silly bookmark!

Excellent use of Vintage Veronica's cover as well as "No Butts About Reading"!

One of my personal favorite photos (and bookmarks)!

Hang on and I'll post a few more...