School News
The Literary Festival: Chapter By Chapter
02/01/26
Every year, our Literary Festival brings the joy of reading to life with an incredible pop-up Book Shop and a full week of engaging literary activities, including visits from accomplished authors sure to inspire every student to curl up with a great book this winter.
Books and reading have the power to take us anywhere and mean so many things—they can be transformative, comforting, magical, whimsical, magnificent, quiet, heartbreaking, silly, spooky, joyous, fascinating, or mystifying. There’s something for everyone to discover, and our goal is to ignite and nurture a lifelong passion for reading in our kids.
The Literary Festival is driven by an army of Parent Volunteers, led by longtime parent Aurora Weinstock. Aurora is the reason that the Literary Festival is as impactful and special as it is year after year. From creating the banner and poster with Art Workshop, to setting up, decorating, working during the Book Fair, bringing Movie Night & Parents’ event to life, and then packing it all up at the end, this event wouldn’t have been possible without their time, energy, and generosity.
While the Literary Festival is undeniably joyful and celebratory, its purpose runs much deeper. Beyond the fun, it is designed to inspire, empower, and spark a lasting love of storytelling in our students.
A highlight of the festival is the opportunity for students to meet published authors and hear firsthand about their creative journeys. By learning directly from working writers, children begin to see themselves as authors too. They begin to believe more deeply in their ability to craft stories, express ideas, and share their unique voices with the world.
We asked our teachers what impacts they see as a direct result of the Literary Festival and here’s what they had to say:
“Students ask better, more curious questions after author visits. It sparks intellectual courage and makes kids feel like their own ideas are worth exploring. Author visits also help young readers realize that stories begin as small observations, sketches, and experiments — not perfect drafts. There’s a special kind of magic when children see a real human behind a book. It connects reading to joy, imagination, and possibility.”
– CHRIS CRASTA, SECOND GRADE
“The author visits helped prove to our little ones that reading and writing is not only fun, but that they can do it too! Becoming an author is something we are all capable of, the kids have been writing their own books since!”
– JULIETTE SIGLER, KINDERGARTEN
“It’s often a great opportunity for students to hear directly from a published author that the process of writing that they use is nearly identical to that of The Writers Workshop–from drafting, to editing, to publishing. This validation often builds buy-in and appreciation for the writing process. One fact that they are often blown away by each year is how long professional writers spend revising and editing rough drafts. It’s also a great opportunity for readers and writers to ask questions that are meaningful to them.”
– BEN HOLLAND, THIRD GRADE