Bookmarked! 2011, a book festival for kids, starts this weekend

The festival, now in its second year, features story times, readings, a concert and more. It all supports Lucy's Book Club and the Lucy Daniels Center.

Posted 12:17 a.m. May 3, 2011 — Updated 12:17 a.m. May 3, 2011

Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

Here's a reminder that Bookmarked! 2011, a two-week festival for young children and their parents kicks off this weekend with a variety of storytimes, readings, a family concert and much more.

This Saturday, employees from The Body Shop, the event's sponsor, and the Carolina Ballet's Lara O'Brien will read at the North Hills shopping area, which is at the intersection of the Beltline and Six Forks Road. A children's activity will follow the readings at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.

And at 10 a.m. Monday, NBC 17's Donald Jones and former chief meteorologist Janice Jones will read a book at Quail Ridge Books and Music on Wade Avenue in Raleigh.

There will be more readings next week at Marbles Kids Museum, two Wake County libraries and at North Hills. Check the website for details. The readings are free.

And of course, it will continue into the next week, which also includes a visit from award-winning children's writer Molly Bang. Bang is the author/illustrator of three Caldecott Honor Books: "The Grey Lady and the Strawberry Snatcher" (1981); "Ten, Nine, Eight" (1983), and "When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry…" (2000).

I'll have another post about all the events next week too as a reminder.

The Lucy Daniels Center provides mental health services to children up to age 11 in the Triangle. Lucy's Book Club is an outreach program that recommends books for different age levels to help kids recognize, label and explore their feelings. You can find the recommended books at local libraries and on the program's website.

The festival, now in its second year, aims to celebrate the joy of reading with young children, but also raise awareness and funding for Lucy's Book Club and the Lucy Daniels Center's Family Support Fund, which helps families pay for their children's mental health services at the center.

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