MONTICELLO — The Sullivan County Youth Book Festival returned to the Ethelbert B. Crawford Public Library with books, music, activities and plenty for families to do on Saturday, May 30.

The festival gave children and adults a chance to meet authors and illustrators face to face, hear about their books and get stories signed and personalized. 

There were also plenty of familiar characters walking around, including Llama Llama, Corduroy, the bear known for his missing button, and, of course, Clifford the Big Red Dog. 

There were craft tables, face painting and stations where kids could make their own stories.

The festival’s lineup included Selina Alko, Kari Allen, Gabrielle Balkan, Tracey Baptiste, Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, Valerie Bolling and Sayantani DasGupta, among others.

The festival also featured music from children’s band Rolie Polie Guacamole, which helped set the vibe for the whole festival. The Chi Hive was also there, helping kids take part in movement-based activities and other hands-on fun.

Along with the books and music, local organizations, including Sullivan 180, were also on hand to help keep the community informed about programs and services available in the county.

Held every two years, the Sullivan County Youth Book Festival brings together libraries, authors, illustrators, organizations and families for a day centered around children’s books and community. This year’s festival once again gave kids a chance to connect with stories in a different way—not just by reading them, but by meeting the people who create them.