Community Calendar

Join the Zoo in Forest Park for a special storytime with award-winning children’s author Heather Lang, co-creator of the “Animal Heroes” series! Her new book, Supersquads! shows young naturalists how animals band together to stay safe and thrive, from orcas to ostriches, spiny lobsters to snow monkeys, leaf cutter ants to zebras, and more. Attendees will learn about the incredible and ingenious ways that animal squads work together, and have the chance to meet some of the real-life creatures featured in Heather’s books.

Books will be available for purchase and signing following the program.

​​This Mass Kids Lit Fest event is presented in partnership with the Massachusetts Center for the Book. For a full schedule, please visit https://www.makidslitfest.org/.

Heather Lang writes picture books that celebrate our natural world and biographies about women who overcame extraordinary obstacles to follow their dreams. Her award-winning books include Supermoms!: Animal Heroes; Swimming with Sharks: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark; and The Leaf Detective: How Margaret Lowman Uncovered Secrets in the Rainforest, an NSTA/CBC Best STEM Book and Green Earth Book Award winner. To research her books, Heather has observed animals in the Serengeti, climbed to the treetops of the Amazon, and gone scuba diving with sharks. You can read more about Heather’s books and find lots of activities and resources for them at heatherlangbooks.com.

Join the Easthampton Public Library and the Somehow School for a fun, hands-on writing workshop with acclaimed author Taylor Tyng! Taylor will introduce his new middle-grade novel, Sprout—the imaginative story of a girl who lives in a secluded mill town while hiding an extraordinary secret: tree-like antlers (or "plantlers") that bloom from her head. After diving into the world of Sprout, young writers will learn how to create unforgettable characters of their own, and build stories that are both meaningful and magical.

​​This Mass Kids Lit Fest event is presented in partnership with the Massachusetts Center for the Book. For a full schedule, please visit https://www.makidslitfest.org/.

Taylor Tyng is an author of fantastical fiction for young readers. His first novel, Clara Poole and the Long Way Round, was called "an engrossing and inventive flight through the skies" by Kirkus Reviews. Its follow-up, Clara Poole and the Wrong Way Up was published in July 2024.

Taylor Tyng got to writing late. After spending his early years performing in LA rock clubs, Taylor founded a design agency and a software company, immersing himself in the art of storytelling. He's created designs that have traveled to space, written songs for film, played bit roles in bad movies, and occasionally does dumb things like rocket down Olympic bobsled tracks or go snorkeling in Iceland during winter. As a lifelong dyslexic, Taylor never imagined becoming an author was on the list, which only proves how random and remarkable life's journey can be. When Taylor isn't writing, he is busy renovating a 1700s farmhouse that just might fall down. He lives outside Boston with his wife, two daughters, and a very busy miniature Australian Shepherd.

Join us for an evening with acclaimed author Victoria Redel in conversation about her highly anticipated new novel, I Am You. Set in 1600s Amsterdam, this evocative love story weaves together art, politics, gender, and identity through the intertwined lives of Gerta Pieters—a young girl raised as a boy in service to a Dutch family—and Maria van Oosterwijck, a painter navigating the challenges of the Dutch Golden Age. Inspired by historical fact, the novel is a powerful meditation on love, creativity, and the risks women have faced throughout history.

I Am You has been widely recognized as a Most Anticipated Book of Fall 2025 by Bustle and Zibby Books, an LGBTQ historical fiction pick by Book Riot, and has received a Publisher’s Weekly starred review. It has also been named an Amazon Editor’s October Best and a People Best New Book, with international editions forthcoming.

Redel will be joined by Robin MacArthur, award-winning author of Half Wild and a celebrated voice in contemporary literature.

Books will be available for purchase from ByWay Books, with a selection of titles by both authors. Don’t miss this engaging conversation exploring the craft of writing, the power of historical fiction, and the stories that shape our understanding of the past.

Welcome to the first annual Picture Book Fair at the South Hadley Public Library! We are thrilled to welcome seven authors (including one author-illustrator) to present their latest picture books in an epic storytime! Odyssey Bookshop will be here offering books for sale, which the authors will be happy to sign, but buying a book is not required and this event is free to attend!

Our authors: Britt Crow-Miller (Thank You, Old Oak), Nicholas Day (How to Have A Thought), Mk Smith Despres (There's That Sun Again), Vicki Johnson (Mac Wears A Hat), Jeff Mack (Time To Make Art), Mara Rockliff (All at Once Upon A Time), and Christina Uss (The Island Before No).

This event is part of the Mass Kids Lit Fest (May 3-9, 2026) with the Massachusetts Center for the Book. See the complete calendar of events here: https://www.makidslitfest.org/

The Berkshire Athenaeum will host acclaimed children’s author Carol Munro for a special Springtime Storks storytime on Saturday, May 9. Based on a true story, Springtime Storks is an ode to the resilience, dedication, and love between two migratory birds, while also delivering an urgent message about conservation. When Katerina, a majestic white stork, is shot and left unable to fly, a man and his granddaughter rescue her while her devoted mate, Luka, stays by her side—until winter forces him to migrate alone. In spring he returns, and together they raise a new brood, overcoming Katerina’s injury with ingenuity and enduring devotion.

Following the storytime, kids will have the chance to create their own stork hand puppets and learn more about storks and their remarkable migration patterns!

​​This Mass Kids Lit Fest event is presented in partnership with the Massachusetts Center for the Book. For a full schedule, please visit https://www.makidslitfest.org/.

Carol Munro is a children's book author originally from Connecticut, who migrated with her husband to Massachusetts, where they made a nest and raised their family. Her debut picture book, Springtime Storks was longlisted for the 2025 Massachusetts Book Awards. You can learn more about her at www.caroljoymunro.com.

Calling all fans of the Dragon Masters early reader series! Bestselling author Tracey West is coming back to Northampton to celebrate book #31: Dragon Masters: Defending the Swamp Dragon on May 9, 2026, from 11am-12pm, at BOMBYX Center for Arts & Equity.

Tracey will read from her new books, share how she creates new dragons, and sign copies from 12-1pm. Come dressed as your fav dragon OR Dragon Master!

Tickets are $10 and go on sale March 7 at 4pm. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. More info: bombyx.live

Join us at The Mount for a special storytime and draw-along with acclaimed author and illustrator Astrid Sheckels! The event is focused on Astrid’s gorgeous new picture book, Flora and the Jazzers, a heartwarming tale of a determined young ferret who dreams of moving beyond her role as a scullery maid, and seeing her favorite band perform. A live drawing demonstration will follow the reading.

Books will be available for purchase through The Mount’s Gift & Bookstore, and an author signing will follow the program.

​​This Mass Kids Lit Fest event is presented in partnership with the Massachusetts Center for the Book and the Lenox Library. For a full schedule, please visit https://www.makidslitfest.org/.

*In the event of inclement weather, this program will be held at the Lenox Library.

Award-winning author/illustrator Astrid Sheckels cannot remember a time when she was not telling or illustrating stories, especially ones involving imaginary animals. A native of western Massachusetts and growing up in an artistic family, Astrid spent her childhood playing outside, using her imagination, and drawing. Her Scandinavian roots are evident in her artwork, which she describes as a “mix of classic realism and whimsy.” She is a member of the Western Massachusetts Illustrators Guild and has artwork in the permanent collection of The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. Astrid’s picture books include the Hector Fox and Friends series, the Sea Dog series, Flora and the Jazzers, and Nic and Nellie. Several exciting new titles are in the works with Waxwing Books.

Visit Astrid’s world at https://www.astridsheckels.com/

Calling all fans of the Dragon Masters early reader series! Bestselling author Tracey West is coming back to Northampton to celebrate book #31: Dragon Masters: Defending the Swamp Dragon on May 9, 2026, from 11am-12pm, at BOMBYX Center for Arts & Equity.

Tracey will read from her new books, share how she creates new dragons, and sign copies from 12-1pm. Come dressed as your fav dragon OR Dragon Master!

Tickets are $10 and go on sale March 7 at 4pm. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. More info: bombyx.live

The Monson Free Library will host author Lisa Stringfellow for a family-friendly event celebrating her middle grade fantasy novel, Kingdom of Dust, which received Mass Book Award Honors in 2025. The event will open with a discussion of Lisa’s new book and the traditions and inspirations that shape her fantasy worlds. Following the presentation, attendees will have the chance to meet Lisa and learn more about her journey as a writer.

Kingdom of Dust follows Amara, a young girl on a quest to find her land’s lost storytellers in order to save her family and society. Inspired by West African mythology, the novel blends lush prose with accessible storytelling for readers of all ages. Rooted in themes of climate justice, cultural memory, and the restoration of her people’s stories, Amara’s journey has earned the book recognition within the contemporary fantasy canon.

​​This Mass Kids Lit Fest event is presented in partnership with the Massachusetts Center for the Book. For a full schedule, please visit https://www.makidslitfest.org/.

LISA STRINGFELLOW is a middle-grade author and longtime educator who has taught Language Arts and technology to middle-school students for over 30 years. She writes fantasy with a dark, folkloric twist, inspired by her love of fairy tales. A member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the Authors Guild, and Black Creators HQ, she is an active advocate for equity and inclusivity in children’s literature.

Join the Berkshire Botanical Garden for a special storytime with acclaimed children’s author Susan Edwards Richmond! The event is focused on Susan’s new book The Great Pollinator Count, which follows Mellie and her classmates as they explore the world of insect pollinators and discover the power of teamwork and community science. Following a fun and engaging read-aloud, attendees will learn more about how pollination works—and then head out to the gardens to search for pollinators in action.

Books will be available for purchase through the Garden Shop.

​​This Mass Kids Lit Fest event is presented in partnership with the Massachusetts Center for the Book. For a full schedule, please visit https://www.makidslitfest.org/.

Susan Edwards Richmond is the award-winning author of The Great Pollinator Count, which was selected as a Children’s Book Council “Best STEM Book of the Year.” Her other picture books include Bioblitz! Counting Critters, Bird Count, and Night Owl Night, a Massachusetts Book Award Honors Title and Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book selection. A passionate birder and naturalist, Susan teaches preschool on a farm and wildlife sanctuary in eastern Massachusetts and learns the native wildlife wherever she travels.