Don’t Miss Brooklyn Book Festival’s 2025 Children’s Day!
As parents in NYC, there is nothing better than finding events that are fun, age-appropriate, and not outrageously expensive. That’s why Children’s Day at the Brooklyn Book Festival is such a great annual event: it’s free, designed with kids in mind, and has plenty to keep toddlers, big kids, and even tweens engaged.
This year, Children’s Day is on Saturday, September 20, from 10 am to 4 pm at its new location: Brooklyn Borough Hall and Plaza. While the festival celebrates books and reading, it’s far from a quiet day. Families will find a lively, hands-on experience with plenty of activities to keep kids entertained.
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The Brooklyn Book Festival marks its 20th anniversary this year, bringing together hundreds of authors from Brooklyn and around the world. Featured guests include Alison Bechdel, Marlon James, Joyce Carol Oates, and Viet Thanh Nguyen. More than 250 publishers will participate in the Literary Marketplace, the largest book market in the Northeast. In the days leading up to the festival, a full schedule of readings, panels, and literary events will take place across the city and online.
Meet the Authors
Families can expect read-alouds, live illustration sessions, hands-on workshops, games, and interactive performances. Kids will have the chance to meet well-known authors and illustrators, and many will be doing signings or activities based on their books. Some recognizable names this year include Nick Bruel (Bad Kitty), Grace Lin, John Patrick Green (InvestiGators), and Ryan T. Higgins (Norman and the Smell of Adventure (It Stinks) ).
If you’ve got an early reader, the Picture Book Stage is worth a stop. For older elementary kids, the Young Readers Stage has authors speaking about their creative process, taking part in quiz-style games, and drawing stories live on stage based on audience suggestions.
Books That Make Kids Laugh and Think
While many funny books are included in the mix, the festival doesn’t shy away from deeper themes. Some of this year’s featured titles deal with immigration, change, independence, and even respectful disagreement, topics that feel especially relevant for kids growing up in today’s world.
Some standout books include:
- New by Niña Mata, about feeling different in a new place
- Echo by Adam Rex, which looks at what happens when everyone agrees with you all the time
- A Spoonful of the Sea by Hyewon Yum, a gentle take on motherhood and tradition
- Good Golden Sun by Brendan Wenzel, a quiet, beautiful book about science and the natural world
There are also workshops where kids can create their own art or poetry with published authors, including sumi ink painting, collage, and monster drawing, depending on their age and interest level.
For Active Kids
Not every child is a bookworm, and the festival seems to get that. Events like “Are You Smarter Than an Author?”, a kid-vs-writer trivia game, or live Pictionary sessions with illustrators give kids a chance to play along instead of just watching from the sidelines.
And if you’ve got a kid who likes to dress up, there’s a Dory Fantasmagory-themed event that encourages creative outfits.
For Teens
If your older kids are past picture books and into the world of YA fiction, Sunday, September 21, offers a full day of panels and conversations with teen-lit authors. Some of the discussions dig into real-world issues, including race, politics, identity, and mental health, while others focus on love stories, magical realism, or just the awkward beauty of growing up.
Authors Libba Bray, Frederick Joseph, Page Powars, and Ebony LaDelle are scheduled to speak, alongside newer voices in the genre. Panels are designed to feel more like conversations than lectures, and teens can ask the authors questions.
Children’s Day is Saturday, September 20, from 10 am to 4 pm at Brooklyn Borough Hall and Plaza (209 Joralemon Street). YA Day is Sunday, September 21, from 10 am to 6 pm at the same location. All events are free. Find the full schedule and author lineup at brooklynbookfestival.org.
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