Book Rapport: WordFest (Calgary)

WordFest is a literary festival held in Banff and Calgary, bringing readers and writers together through readings, performance, panel discussions and interviews.  A part of WordFest is its educational program, First Calgary Financial Book Rapport, when children and youth will have the opportunity to experience the power of stories.

Welcome to Book Rapport!

For five days each October, Book Rapport hosts an eclectic mix of talent, bringing the ideas and words of great writers alive and up close to youth in Calgary and Banff. In 2012, over 6,600 students experienced these fun and engaging events in various cultural venues in Calgary and in schools.

This year's list of authors for children and young adults includes both youngCanLit authors and illustrators (names in colour) and those from outside Canada:

• Marie-Louise Gay, author and illustrator of Read Me a Story Stella, When Stella Was Very, Very Small, Caramba and Henry

• Eric Walters, picture book and middle-grade fiction author of My Name is Blessing, The Matatu, Camp X, and Between Heaven and Earth

• Monica Kulling, children's fiction and non-fiction of Lumpito and the Painter from Spain, Going Up: Elisha Otis's Trip to the Top, Mister Dash and the Cupcake Calamity, and Making Contact: Marconi Goes Wireless

• Teresa Toten, YA author of The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B, The Taming, and Me and the Blondes

• David Ward, author of picture books and children's fiction including One Hockey Night, The Hockey Tree and Escape the Mask

• Barbara Reid, plasticene illustrator and author of Perfect Snow, Read Me a Story and Fox Walked Alone

• Alan Silberberg, author of illustrated middle-grade books Milo and his newest The Awesome Almost 100% True Adventures of Matt and Craz

• Cary Fagan, children's fiction author of Oy Feh So?, Mr. Zinger's Hat, The Boy in the Box and The Fortress of Kaspar Snit

• Rhéa Dufresne, l'auteure de Arachnéa

• Wallace Edwards, illustrator and author of Uncle Wally's Old Brown Shoe, Alphabeasts and Monkey Business

• Hélène Koscielniak, l'auteure de Filleul et de Marraine

• Glen Huser, young adult author of The Runaway, Skinnybones and the Wrinkle Queen and Stitches

• André Jacob, l'auteur de Le Journal de Guerre d'Emilio