The Children's Literature Festival of the Ozarks is an annual festival held on the Missouri State University campus. October 10, 2024 will be there 42nd event. They are sponsored by The English Department and Missouri State University. The Missouri State Bookstore provides books to sell and donates 20% of the sales to them. The Children's Literature Festival of the Ozarks hopes to inspire reading and writing in the children of the Ozarks area. To accomplish this they look at the list of authors & illustrators competing for the Mark Twain book award, previous winners, they reach out to public librarians, and contacts in local schools to learn what kids are reading. The Mark Twain book award is a Missouri award that entries are submitted by children and voted on by the children of Missouri. The committee of the Children's Literature Festival vote and select the final authors/illustrators they want to invite. They try to bring in nine authors/illustrators to the festival. At the festival the authors/illustrators sign books, talk to the kids, and provide 3 presentation during the day. The presentations take place all over the campus. Registration is done through the Children Literature Festival of the Ozarks website. The bookstore sets up at the Plaster Student Union with the books that are requested. If you are interested in helping with the festival, volunteers are always needed and welcome. For more information, to register, to volunteer, or invite a homeschool or school visit Home | Childrenslitfest (clfo.org)
