The South Carolina State Library is proud to announce award winning authors Denise Fleming and Marc Brown will be featured at StoryfestSC 2012--the state's summer reading program kick-off event. Families from across the state will be able to celebrate the 2012 Collaborative Summer Library Theme Dream Big Read! at a free event for families held at the State Museum in Columbia on June 2nd.
StoryfestSC exposes families to children's authors and the art of story and fosters an excitement for reading, especially throughout the summer. All of South Carolina's public libraries participate in the State Library coordinated summer reading program.
As a young girl Denise Fleming spent hours in her father's workshop cutting, gluing, carving, and building things. Today she spends many hours in her own workshop, where she makes the paper that she uses to illustrate her picture books. Fleming's unique papermaking technique is a labor-intensive process that involves hauling buckets of water, beating pulp, and hand mixing color dyes. Fleming then cuts her paper into bold, textured illustrations that she combines with catchy verse, playful plots, and timely page turns. Fleming's many books include In the Small, Small Pond, The Cow Who Clucked, and Buster Goes to Cowboy Camp.
Best known as Arthur's creator, author/illustrator Marc Brown has been working with the beloved aardvark for over twenty-five years. Born one night when Brown was telling a bedtime story to his son, Arthur soon evolved into the book Arthur's Nose, published in 1976. Since then, Brown has written and illustrated more than thirty Arthur and D.W. books, and has illustrated many other books.
Events will be held on Saturday, June 2nd at the South Carolina State Museum at 301 Gervais Street from 9am to 4pm and will be free to the public. Events include two presentations by each author, storytelling sessions, a craft area and face painting, visits from popular book characters, and a Readers Theater presentation. The day's events will bring families from across the state to participate in fun, learning activities in a safe, family friendly setting. For more information, visit http://www.statelibrary.sc.gov/storyfestsc-2012.
