Broward County Library celebrated children and their books with storytellers, children’s authors and entertainers, puppet shows, appearances by storybook characters, book giveaways, music and crafts at the Children’s BookFest on April 28 2007 at four library locations.

The free event was held in recognition of Children’s Day/Book Day (Día de los niños/Día de los libros), a cross-cultural celebration of children and reading (April 30). Activities were scheduled at Northwest Regional Library, Hollywood Branch, and Weston Branch. The first 600 children at each location received a free book of their choice as part of the Target Big Book Giveaway.

Featured presenters included:

Ella Jenkins – Often called "the First Lady of children's music,” Ella Jenkins has delighted generations of children and adults with her music. Her voice has been heard on Folkways Records and Smithsonian Folkways Recordings for forty-five years. She has made guest appearances on NBC’s Today Show, Barney and Friends, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and on Sesame Street. Jenkins received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2004 Grammys.

Dovie Thomason – A Lakota/Kiowa Apache storyteller, Dovie Thomason is also an author and cultural educator. She has won numerous awards for her recordings of traditional Native stories, including a Parent’s Choice Gold Award. Thomason has been a featured teller at major festivals from Tennessee to Ireland.

Jaime Riascos – Acclaimed as the most important storyteller from Colombia, Jaime Riascos has performed in France, Spain, Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela and the U.S. He will tell “Stories and Legends from Latin America” in English and Spanish. Riascos currently resides in San Francisco, working as a researcher and promoter of Spanish storytelling.

Antonio Sacre – Born in Boston to a Cuban father and Irish-American mother, Antonio Sacre has been delighting audiences since 1993 with his touching and humorous bilingual stories, solo theatrical performances, and children's books and tapes. His funfilled performances appeal to all ages.

Diane Ferlatte – Spinning yarns from many cultures, Diane Ferlatte focuses mostly on African, Southern, and African-American tales. She has traveled the globe giving storytelling performances to people of all ages. Ferlatte’s honors include the National Storytelling Network Circle of Excellence Award.


“Moonlight Tales: Storytelling Under the Stars” was the grand finale BookFest event. This enchanting evening of music and stories for the whole family included performances by Antonio Sacre, Diane Ferlatte, Dovie Thomason and Jaime Riascos. Music was provided by local folksinger/songwriter Darrell House.

Founded in 1974, the award-winning Broward County Libraries Division, www.broward.org/library, provides essential quality of life community service as well as outstanding customer service throughout Broward County. The library consists of 37 branches, more than three million items for public use, 970 permanent staff, 114 parttime staff and $4.6 million in grants with 41 grant-supported positions. Broward County Library is the ninth largest library system in the United States serving 10 million customers annually.