Florida Children's Book Festival Debuts This Month at Orlando Family Stage

The Florida Children's Book Festival makes its debut February 21 and 22 at Orlando Family Stage in Loch Haven Park, welcoming 30 celebrated children's authors and illustrators for two full days of conversations, creativity, live drawing, storytimes, and professional theatre performances based on beloved books. The festival runs 9am - 5pm on both days. Full schedule is available at https://floridachildrensbookfestival.com

Families can reserve seats for author conversations, meet writers and illustrators during signings, explore an on-site bookshop, enjoy food trucks and a vendor market, and see stories leap from page to stage.

PANEL SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21

9:30 AM | Edyth Bush Theatre

Celebration of You: Black Voices & Stories
Carole Boston Weatherford, Kelly Starling Lyons, Vashti Harrison, Nicole D. Collier, Jerry Craft, Sherri Winston
Together, these authors celebrate stories that honor Black joy, history, creativity, and the power of seeing yourself proudly reflected in the pages of a book.

9:30 AM | Black Box Theatre

Heart, Humor & Big Feelings
James Ponti, Kate Messner, Pablo Cartaya, Elly Swartz
Across humor, adventure, and everyday moments, these authors write stories that show kids facing big feelings, learning from mistakes, and discovering courage, friendship, and joy even when life gets complicated.

10:30 AM | Black Box Theatre

The Friendship Factor
Sherri Winston, Nicole D. Collier, Michelle Knudsen, Elly Swartz
Through friendship, humor, and everyday moments, these authors write stories about girls figuring out who they are, how to treat others, and how friendships grow, change, and sometimes get tricky.

11:30 AM | Edyth Bush Theatre

Graphic Novels: Art & Story
Jerry Craft, Michael Grover, Kate Messner, Pablo Cartaya, Amar Shah
Together, these creators explore how pictures and words work together to tell powerful stories, helping kids understand feelings, friendships, and big ideas in creative ways.

11:30 AM | Black Box Theatre

It's Magical!
Lily Berlin Dodd, Laurel Snyder, Michelle Knudsen, José Pablo Iriarte
From magic and imagination to brand-new worlds, these authors create fantasy stories where kids explore the unknown, try out big ideas, and discover the power of believing in what could be.

1:00 PM | Edyth Bush Theatre

It's a Mystery!
James Ponti, Taryn Souders, Kristin Tubb, Kate Messner
Clues, surprises, and clever twists come together as these authors talk about crafting mysteries that keep kids guessing and turning pages to crack the case.

2:00 PM | Universal Orlando Foundation Theatre

Let's Dance: Music, Words, and Movement
Rekha S. Rajan, Carole Boston Weatherford, Kelly Starling Lyons, Michelle Knudsen
These authors explore how rhythm, sound, and movement bring stories to life, inviting kids of all ages to feel the beat, move their bodies, and connect words with music and motion.

2:30 PM | Edyth Bush Theatre

Celebración de Ti: Hispanic Voices & Stories
José Pablo Iriarte, Jenny Alvarado, Natalia Sylvester, Pablo Cartaya
This panel celebrates stories created especially for Spanish-speaking children, honoring culture, identity, family, and the joy of seeing yourself reflected on the page.

PANEL SCHEDULE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22

9:30 AM | Edyth Bush Theatre

History, Brought to Life
Carole Boston Weatherford, Vashti Harrison, Kelly Starling Lyons, Kate Messner, Meghan McCarthy
These authors bring real people and moments from history to life, helping kids understand the past through powerful stories, vivid pictures, and connections to today.

9:30 AM | Universal Orlando Foundation Theatre

Fun with Words: The Silly & Poetic
Alan Katz, John Schu, Audrey Perrott, Tammi Sauer, Julia Sarcone-Roach, Ed Masessa
From jokes and puns to playful poems and nonsense, these creators celebrate the joy of words and the fun of using language to make kids laugh, wonder, and fall in love with reading.

9:30 AM | Black Box Theatre

One Kid, a Challenge, a Story
Pablo Cartaya, José Pablo Iriarte, Jerry Craft, Amar Shah
These authors share stories about one kid facing a big challenge, going on a journey, and finding courage, hope, and strength along the way.

10:30 AM | Black Box Theatre

Let's Draw! So You Want to Be an Artist?
Jenny Alvarado, Salina Yoon, Meghan McCarthy, Julia Sarcone-Roach
Grab a pencil and join in as these illustrators lead kids through drawing, creativity, and the fun of telling stories with pictures.

11:00 AM | Edyth Bush Theatre

Favorite Series: Early Readers
Kate Messner, Kelly Starling Lyons, Rekha S. Rajan, Sherri Winston, Laurel Snyder
Perfect for younger readers, these authors talk about creating series kids love to return to, where familiar characters, repeated patterns, and comforting stories build confidence and a joy for reading.

11:30 AM | Black Box Theatre

Heroes Like Us
Sherri Winston, Natalia Sylvester, John Schu, Kerry O'Malley Cerra
These authors share stories about kids who face real challenges, learn from mistakes, and discover the courage to stand up for themselves and others.

Stories Come to Life on Stage

Lilly and the Pirates The Musical

Based on the book by Phyllis Root, this adventurous new musical follows Lilly as she sets sail on a journey shaped by curiosity, courage, and the importance of protecting stories and knowledge.
Tickets start at $20.

Tiara's Hat Parade

Based on the book by Kelly Starling Lyons, this vibrant stage adaptation tells the story of a young girl learning lessons about self-respect, history, dedication, and kindness through her mother's hat-making business.
Tickets start at $20.

Yo, Ho, Ho! Let's Go!

Theatre for the Very Young - created for audiences 1-5 years old.
$15 for children | $20 for adults

Puppet Play Day

$15 for children | $20 for adults

Festival Experiences

• FREE admission
• 30 Children's Authors and Illustrators
• On-Site Bookshop featuring Festival authors
• Author Meet and Greets & Signings
• Vendor Market with additional local authors and family activities
• Food Trucks on site
• Roaming Storytime with Story Sprites throughout the day

Reserve seats in advance for Author Conversations and ticketed events at https://floridachildrensbookfestival.com

Plan Your Visit

Location: Orlando Family Stage, Loch Haven Park
Parking: AdventHealth Alden Garage
2274 Alden Rd, Orlando, FL 32803

Walk or Ride your Bikes! Orlando Family Stage is located directly on Orlando Urban Trail.

The Florida Children's Book Festival is a welcoming, family-first celebration where young readers can meet creators, discover new stories, and experience books brought fully to life.