A few of us made it out for the Brooklyn Book Festival this weekend, so I thought I’d share a few shots of the event. It was a bright, beautiful fall day, and it was great to see so many people come out to celebrate reading (a record 40,000, according to this article).

Joseph Bruchac, author of Wolf Mark,  Buffalo Song, and several other titles, was on a panel about sports stories for boys with Jon Scieszka and Gordon Korman, moderated  by Lisa Yee. They were hilarious!

From L: Lisa Yee, Jon Scieszka, Joseph Bruchac, and Gordon Korman

When asked to tell one truth and one lie about himself, Joseph Bruchac offered these two facts:

A.) He once wrestled alligators in high school in upstate NY.

B.) He goes into jails to read/write with criminals, including serial killers.

So, which is true?

The audience guesses were about 50-50, but it turns out that Joe DOES work with a program that brings authors into jails to read and write with inmates. He actually was a wrestler and was asked to wrestle alligators in high school, but turned down the offer because, in his words, “I liked all ten of my fingers.”

Here’s Tu Books Editorial Director Stacy Whitman (right) with Nora de Hoyos Comstock (center) from Las Comadres, along with an author.

[Sidenote: Las Comadres Para Las Americas is a national organization that connects Latina women. And if you happen to be in the NYC area, their Comadres y compadres Writer's Conference is taking place on October 6 - and our very own Stacy Whitman will be there critiquing manuscripts. If you're an aspiring author, it's a great chance to get feedback on your work.]

From the looks of it, Bird illustrator Shadra Strickland had a pretty good time at the Brooklyn Book Festival this year too. All in all, a lovely day!