On August 12, North Carolina Humanities attended the Library of Congress National Book Festival in Washington, DC! This year, we selected two North Carolina-centric books to feature on the national Great Reads from Great Places reading list, one for young readers and one for adults: When Sea Becomes Sky by Gillian McDunn and The Kudzu Queen by Mimi Herman. We loved meeting people from around the nation and hearing their personal connections to North Carolina. Mimi was even at our booth to greet folks and sign books! If you missed the festival, a selection of programs are available online!
National Book Festival Programs and Activities:
Win a signed copy of NC author Alan Gratz’s graphic novel Captain America: The Ghost Army! Alan stopped by our booth this year to sign books and say hello! In 2019, NC Humanities featured Alan’s book Grenade at the National Book Festival. Head to Instagram to enter to win. The giveaway closes Aug. 29.
When Sea Becomes Sky Book Box Success: NC Humanities supplied 30 free book boxes to teachers and school librarians from around the state that included 20 copies of When Sea Becomes Sky, bookmarks, and other surprise goodies! These boxes help advance children’s literacy and help develop critical thinking skills. Get to know Gillian in this video where, she and other authors from the Eastern part of the country discuss their books and what inspired them to write!
The Kudzu Queen Book Conversation on Aug. 30: Hear author Mimi Herman and English professor Marc Cohen discuss The Kudzu Queen, invasive species, and rural life in World War II-era North Carolina during this free, online book discussion event! Register to attend this online book discussion. You can also get to know Mimi in this video where, she and other authors from the Eastern part of the country discuss their books and what inspired them to write!
