Every Hero Has a Story
Get your ComicCon on at this year’s Family Reading Festival, where “every hero has a story”! The Family Reading Festival will be on Saturday, November 3, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This year, the Festival will move to Iola High School.
Authors
Authors appearing at the Festival, and the times of their presentations, are:
Josh Cotter, author of Skyscrapers of the Midwest and other graphic novels, 2:00 p.m.
Mark Eberle, author of Kansas Baseball, 1858-1941, 1:00 p.m.
Stephen Gilpin, illustrator of Wires and Nerve graphic novel series, 11:00 a.m.
Michael Graves, author of To Leave a Shadow and Shadow of Death, mysteries set in 1930s Kansas, 11:00 a.m.
Carol Murray, author of Cricket in the Thicket, 2:00 p.m.
Marc Tyler Nobleman, author of Boys of Steel, Bill the Boy Wonder, and other graphic novels (via Skype), 1:00 p.m.
Ian Michael Spurgeon, author of Soldiers in the Army of Freedom: the 1st Kansas Colored, the Civil War’s First African American Combat Unit, 12:00 noon
Roderick Townley, author of The Great Good Thing, A Bitter Magic and other young adult novels., 12:00 noon
Keynote
The keynote will be given at 10:00 a.m. by Brian McTavish, “Comic Genius: Masterworks of American Graphic Storytelling”.
Activities
Author presentations and book signings
Make ‘n’ Take room, 10:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Talk Read and Play Allen County room
Superhero Training: Leap tall buildings with a single bound like Superman! Throw a shield like Captain America! And more! 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Cosplay and photo booth: come in superhero costume if you want to; take your picture posing with Batman, Captain America, Superman, or Wonder Woman; make your own comic scene with props and speech bubbles; 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Comic Book Reader’s Theater, performed by ACC drama students, 11:00 a.m.
Reading and hero-related exhibits
Virtual Reality Expeditions
Sign up for Expeditions at registration. 10 participants per session, ages 8 & up. You must download the app to an Android smartphone. We’ll provide the goggles.
Storytimes
10:00 Community Heroes: They Are All Around Us!
11:00 Superheroes: Masks, Capes, and Super Powers
Noon Kids Heroes: Don’t Let Their Size Fool You
1:00 Unlikely Heroes: Made Up of Feathers and Fur
2:00 You Can Be a Hero:…In Your Own Way
Comic Books Road Show
A “Comics Book Road Show” will be provided by Frank Mangiaracina of Be-Bop Comics in Kansas City from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Bring in items from your comics collection, and he can help appraise their value and share some information about them.
Batman & Bill film
The film tells the story of the co-creator of Batman, Bill Finger, who received little credit for Batman during his lifetime. 2:00 p.m.
Marshall and Chase
Meet Paw Patrol’s Marshall & Chase and take a photo! They will make appearances during these times:
10:15-10:30
11:15-11:35
12:15-12:35
1:15-1:35
2:15-2:35
Raffle Baskets
Help support future Family Reading Festivals by purchasing raffle tickets. Baskets being raffled are:
Batman & Branson
Scentsy
Fun for Little Tykes
Children’s Activity
Movie
Fall Family Fun
Baking
Tickets are $1 each, $5 for 6 tickets, or $10 for 14 tickets. The drawing will be held at the Family Reading Festival at 3:00 p.m. Need not be present to win.
Funders
Thanks to our funders for the 2018 Festival!
Helen Gates Whitehead Testamentary Trust
Iola Convention and Tourism Committee
Cox Communications
Friends of Iola Public Library
