Burlington County Book Festival

Allen Crawford, illustrator, artist, designer, naturalist, and writer provides a talk on his new beautifully illustrated book A Wild Promise: An Illustrated Celebration of the Endangered Species Act. He'll also discuss the current status of endangered species in the US. Q&A to follow. 

Jim Cullen, author of 20 books, will chat about his work as a cultural historian. He'll be focusing on the topic of his 1997 book, Born in the USA: Bruce Springsteen in American Life which will be updated and revised in 2024. 

Angus Gillespie, author of Twin Towers: The Life of New York city's World Trade Center, relates the unique history that covers the complete life of the Twin Towers. Though they are a symbol of sorrow and great loss today, they once meant many other things to many people. 

Kim Kelly, an independent journalist, author, and organizer, will discuss her book, Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor. She'll also discuss her journey into labor journalism and the kinds of stories she covers as a regular labor columnist for Teen Vogue and other news outlets. 

Alliah Agostini, the author of Oprah Winfrey: A Little Golden Book Biography and recently published The Juneteenth Cookbook gives an engaging presentation about the history of Juneteenth. She'll discuss how the newest American holiday evolved over the years and Alliah's personal connection to the holiday.

Jay Cooper, author and illustrator of over 25 books for kids, will guide children through how he creates his books in this humor and fun-filled presentation. Be ready to share in his imaginative process by creating a drawing together! 

Award-winning New York Times contributor and author of middle grade graphic novel The Fifth Quarter gives an exciting presentation on how comics work. Audience members will be impressed by his on-the-spot cartooning and giggling at his live drawing demonstration.  

This exciting and athletic performance by the Thunderbird American Indian Dancers, called Yah-Oh-Way meaning “It is good” in Hopi, highlights the depth and complexity of several Native American societies. You'll witness the origins and meanings of songs, dances, and traditions of many tribes that inhabited North America before the arrival of Europeans.

Gifted storyteller TAHIRA shares tales of freedom fighters in this dramatic performance. A compelling look at the people who took extraordinary risks for freedom, the program includes freedom songs such as “John the Rabbit,” which contained coded messages used by enslaved Africans to devise a plan of escape. This program emphasizes the importance of having courage in the face of inequality and injustice.