Abilene’s Children’s Art and Literacy Festival lauds books across the city June 9-11

Celebrating the work of Mark Teague, illustrator of the How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You? book series, Abilene’s Children’s Art and Literacy Festival includes a parade, dramatic readings of Teague's books, costumed characters, art activities, animals, magic shows, balloons and more June 9-11, 2016, in Abilene, the Storybook Capital of Texas.

Admission is $10 for ages 3-12, and $15 for ages 13 and up. All children must be accompanied by a paying adult. Children 2 and under are free.

To register:

In Person: T&P Depot, 1101 N. 1st St., Abilene, TX 79601. Open weekdays 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m., 1-5 p.m.; By Phone: (325) 677-1161; Online: www.abilenecalf.com

Discount prices are available for nonprofit groups of 10 or more attending Group Day on Thursday, June 9. Email info@abilenecac.org

Teague’s artwork will be on display at the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature in downtown Abilene. Focused on ages toddler to fifth grade and hosted by the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council, this year’s schedule of events includes:

Thursday, June 9, 2016

• Mark Teague Character Costume Contest, Elks Arts Center, 1174 N. 1st St. Check out our Pinterest page at pinterest.com/abilenearts for costume ideas! Go to our website at abilenecalf.com to register and download a flyer with details. Judging begins promptly at 4 PM in the Elks Arts Center, 1174 N. 1st St. All winners receive a prize.. Sponsor: Mandy Ellis-Boone / Lajedan Investments

5-8 PM

• ArtWalk Theme: "Some Enchanted Evening". Meet storybook characters and enjoy a parade! All museum exhibits will be free and open during ArtWalk.

5-8 PM

• Mark Teague Exhibition Open, National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature (NCCIL), 102 Cedar St. The "Sincerely, Mark Teague" exhibition runs through Sept. 30. Purchase books here. To avoid long lines, NCCIL members may buy books until June 6 and leave them to be signed by Mr. Teague.

• Food Trucks arrive, South side of Abilene Civic Center, 1100 N. 6th St.

5:30 PM

• Storybook Parade, Elks Arts Center, 1174 N. 1st St. Participate in the parade by wearing your most creative Mark Teague character costume and carrying your favorite Teague book. Sponsor: Priceless Literacy/Kaye Price-Hawkins

• Storybook Sculpture unveiling, South side of Abilene Civic Center, 1100 N. 6th St. Sponsor: Abilene Arts Alliance

6:20 PM

• Artist Talk & Book Signing, Paramount Theatre, 352 Cypress St. Mark Teague will share his creative process followed by a book signing. You may purchase NCCIL books at the Paramount at this time. No photography at signing. Mr. Teague will only sign books purchased from the NCCIL.

6:20 PM

• Glow Dance Party activities begin , South side of Abilene Civic Center, 1100 N. 6th St. Inflatables Sponsor: Grins & Giggles Inflatables

• Bubbles Show with Ron, South side of Abilene Civic Center, 1100 N. 6th St.

• Million Word Readers Launch Glow Dance Party, South side of Abilene Civic Center, 1100 N. 6th St. DJ, music and dancing with costumed characters! Sponsor: First Bank Texas

• Last dance!

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, June 10-11, 2016

8:30 AM-4:30 PM

• Cookie decorating, $1.50 each, McKay's Bakery, 266 Cypress St.

9 AM-5 PM

• May Farms Petting Zoo, Frontier Texas!, 625 N. 1st St.

9 AM-4 PM

• Mark Teague art exhibition open, NCCIL, 102 Cedar St.

9 AM-4 PM

• Live Music Stage, T&P Depot parking lot

9 AM-4 PM

• Balloon Sculptor David McCullough, AKA Korn Pop, ACU Downtown Gallery, 1133 N. 2nd St.

9 AM-4 PM

• Train rides - Everman Park Present festival pass to reserve spot.

9 AM-4 PM

• Hair chalking, face painting provided by St. John's Episcopal School for minimal charge, Cypress & N. 2nd

9 AM-4 PM

• Hendrick PET Therapy, 101 Cypress St.

• Dramatic readings & art activities

9-10:30 AM

• Digital Character Creation with TSTC Digital ArtsProgram, Center for Contemporary Arts, 220 Cypress St. Ages 9 and up. Reservation required.

• Hair chalking, face painting provided by St. John's Episcopal School for minimal charge, Cypress & N. 2nd

9 AM-4 PM

• Korn Pop's Balloon Show, Cypress & N. 2nd

9:30 AM

• Lonnie Chevrie Magic Show, Elks Arts Center, 1174 N. 1st

9:30 AM

• Mark Teague book signing, Cypress & N. 2nd

9 AM-4 PM

• Hair chalking, face painting provided by St. John's Episcopal School for minimal charge, NCCIL, 102 Cedar St. No photos. Please only bring books purchased from the NCCIL.

9:45 AM

• Dramatic readings & art activities

10:15 AM

• Ventriloquist Nancy Burks Worcester, Paramount

10:30 AM

• Dramatic readings & art activities

• Korn Pop's Balloon Show, ACU Downtown Gallery

• Lonnie Chevrie Magic Show, Elks Arts Center, 1174 N. 1st

11 AM-3 PM

• Abilene Philharmonic's Instrument Petting Zoo, 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum, 1289 N. 2nd St.

11:15 AM

• Dramatic readings & art activities

• Dramatic readings & art activities

12:30 PM

• Lonnie Chevrie Magic Show, Elks Arts Center, 1174 N. 1st

12:45 PM

• Dramatic readings & art activities

• Korn Pop's Balloon Show, ACU Downtown Gallery

• Ventriloquist Nancy Burks Worcester, Paramount

1:30 PM

• Dramatic readings & art activities

• Lonnie Chevrie Magic Show, Elks Arts Center, 1174 N. 1st

2:15 PM

• Dramatic readings & art activities

• Dramatic readings & art activities

• Korn Pop's Balloon Show, ACU Downtown Gallery

3:15 PM

• Ventriloquist Nancy Burks Worcester, Paramount

3:30 PM

• Dramatic readings & art activities, Elks Arts Center, 1174 N. 1st

4-5 PM

• Write & Illustrate Your Own Storybook
• Ages 7 and up. Reservations required at festival registration.

4:30-5:30 PM

• Mark Teague Character Autographs & Pictures, Elks Arts Center, 1174 N. 1st

6 PM FRIDAY

• The Good Dinosaur animated movie (100 minutes,Rated PG), Paramount Theatre, 352 Cypress St.

6 PM SATURDAY

• How to Train Your Dragon animated movie (98 minutes, Rated PG, Paramount Theatre, 352 Cypress St.

6:30 PM FRIDAY

• Dinner with Mark Teague - NCCIL This event is a fundraiser for the NCCIL. Call 325-673-4586 for tickets or book online atnccil.org.

8:45 PM

• Tour Lighted Storybook Sculptures & Complete Nighttime GooseChase Missions

(Information from organization’s press release)

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Favorite Texas Bookstores

FINAL ROUND:
Vote by May 31, 2016

Texas has nearly 300 bookstores, and ONLY 30 of them have made the cut after last week's finalist round of voting. Now tell us which of these are your favorites, and why. We look forward to hearing from you!

Last week, readers statewide cast ballots,  narrowing this final round to  30 stores statewide.  This week, vote for your top favorite from the following list. And feel free to email and tell us what makes them special. We'll count down the results JUNE 12 and 19!

What’s your TOP favorite—and why? VOTE HERE, and let us know!

FINAL ROUND

• Abilene: Texas Star Trading Company
• Alpine: Front Street Books
• Archer City: Booked Up Inc.
• Austin: BookPeople
• Austin: BookWoman
• Austin: Half Price Books-North Lamar #005
• Austin: Malvern Books
• Brenham: The Book Nook
• Dallas: Barnes & Noble #2884 Lincoln Park
• Dallas: Half Price Books-Texas Flagship Store #001
• Dallas: The Wild Detectives
• Denton: Recycled Books
• Frisco: Barnes & Noble #2060
• Galveston: Galveston Bookshop
• Gladewater: Gladewater Books
• Houston: Blue Willow Bookshop
• Houston: Brazos Bookstore
• Houston: Half Price Books-Copperfield Plaza #006
• Houston: Murder by the Book
• Houston: River Oaks Bookstore
• Lexington: 40 Acre Wood
• Lubbock: Barnes & Noble #2364
• Marfa: Marfa Book Company
• Post: Ruby Lane Books
• San Angelo: Cactus Book Shop
• San Antonio: Barnes & Noble #2353 The Shops at La Cantera
• San Antonio: Barnes & Noble San Pedro
• San Antonio: Twig Bookshop
• South Padre Island: Paragraphs on Padre Boulevard
• Tyler: Barnes & Noble #2624

If you’re an email newsletter subscriber, we’ll be sending you a ballot  this week. If you’d like to vote—and you’re not a newsletter subscriber—simply send us your email at info@lonestarliterary.com

And tell us about your favorite bookstore, like this LSLL reader did this week: Front Street Books, Alpine TX. Since 1994 this store has been the best! For a small town, it has plenty of new bestsellers, whether fiction, nonfiction, nature, or regional. And is has a used book section, too. Coffee, newspapers await the visitor. But watch it. A sign on the front door advises against talking on your cell phone.” —Vivian Morrow Jones

CALF Celebrates 5th Year in Storybook Capital of Texas

Abilene, the Storybook Capital of Texas, has many literary events throughout the year, but the largest collaboration in the region is the CALF festival. The CALF draws thousands of people from Texas and beyond. The CALF was started by the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council, along with other community leaders, which realized that Abilene needed an event that would emphasize the importance the city places on families, art and literacy, as well as to involve many of the great art and community organizations located in downtown Abilene.

The idea of a family-friendly festival came to life in 2012. The National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature (NCCIL) was sponsoring an exhibition of the original illustrations from "The Lorax." This exhibit, along with “The Art of Dr. Seuss - A Retrospective" at the Center for Contemporary Arts and the Dr. Seuss Traveling Sculpture Garden, created a unique platform for a downtown festival.

With the help of local artists, cultural organizations, businesses and volunteers, the festival was a great success and has become an annual event each June.

The festival has a mascot, Mini Moo the Zebu (a miniature cow), who makes an appearance at the festival. Each year, the CALF will host a new children's book illustrator in conjunction with the NCCIL's summer exhibition.

A portion of the proceeds from CALF benefit the HeARTS for the ARTS program.

2012 honoree: Dr. Seuss

2013 honoree: Walter Wick

2014 honoree: William Joyce

2015 honoree: David Shannon

2016 honoree: Mark Teague

(Information from organization’s press release)

Chapman's ANNA’s HEALING selected as 2016 Christy Awards finalist

Texas-based inspirational fiction author Vannetta Chapman’s Anna’s Healing (Harvest House) has been selected as a finalist for a 2016 Christy Award in the Contemporary Romance/Suspense category.

To see a review of Chapman’s latest book, click here:

http://www.lonestarliterary.com/chapman_joshua-s-mission_022116.html

Anna’s Healing tells the story of how Anna Schwartz’s life is changed forever when a tornado strikes. She suffers a spinal cord injury and finds herself learning to live as a paraplegic. But then a miracle happens, and her life is once again turned upside down as the world's attention is drawn to this young Amish girl who has experienced the unexplainable.

The Christy Awards were started in the spring of 1999 when nearly a dozen Christian publishers confirmed the need for establishing a Christian fiction award to recognize novelists and novels of excellence in several genres of Christian fiction.

The Sea Keeper’s Daughters (Tyndale House) by former Texan Lisa Wingate was selected as a 2016 Christy finalist in the Contemporary category.

(Compiled from media reporting and press releases)

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