Order of Events
Usual Schedule
Festival committee member Caroline Julyan described for Truman's Index publication in 1988 that the sessions were like "going from one world to another." From an author's perspective, Robert Burch told the Index, "The children were enthusiastic. They were prepared and asked good questions." He was a featured guest at the 1988 festival.
When it comes to the day of the festival, attendees have a lot in store. Activities start once students arrive in buses provided by their schools to the Truman State campus. What time they arrive usually depends on whether their class is booked for morning or afternoon sessions. These sessions come in threes, rotating between three authors or illustrators who each have something to say about their books. Both morning and afternoon sessions combined last from 9:00 AM to 2:15 PM.
From 3:00 to 4:00 PM, a reception with the opportunity for book signing is held. Attendees typically have to pay an extra fee to be registered for the dinner starting at 6:00, after which a selected author will give a speech they have prepared on a special topic related to their work. The dinner itself is shared between the authors and all paying guests, presenting a unique opportunity to share a meal and talk with the creators of children's literature.
Read the dinner menus at the provided link. For more on the schedule, the Children's Literature Festival website also lays out the plans for festival day.
Preparation
A lot has to be done beforehand to ensure the day of the festival runs smoothly. The festival committee, after choosing and confirming which authors and illustrators will make an appearance at the festival, make sure to post information on the literature festival website so librarians and teachers from the schools and classes who will attend can be prepared. Librarians also often provide the books of chosen authors so that teachers can read to their classes. Students have the opportunity to learn ahead of time about the authors, and most importantly, to spark their interest by doing their own reading.
Since around the festival of 2009, students from the English 415: Literature for Children class offered at Truman have been helping out with the festival. Around 25 of them will visit schools and give presentations and book readings while another 25 assist with festival setup, including introducing authors as they step forward in each session to give their talks.
Committee Members
All this hard work is thanks to the yearly arrangement of Children's Literature Festival committee members. Many members have come and go over the years, as can be seen on the timeline below. Present members are credited on the festival website.