Book fest highlights children's writers

Children's Book Festival For reservations, call 698-1082. For information on the Texas Book Festival in Austin, visit www.austin360.com/texasbookfestival

Becky Chavarria-Chairez cannot remember reading a single book as a child where the characters were based on Hispanic children growing up in the United States.
   Today Chavarria-Chairez, a former San Antonio television broadcaster, is a Dallas-based children's author whose bilingual stories on the fictional 7-year-old Magda Madrigal are written to reflect who Hispanic children are in America, she said.
   "It's truly amazing to see the reaction I get from children," Chavarria-Chairez said. "When they read about Magda, there's an unspoken familiarity. The look on their faces says to me, 'I understand.' "
   Chavarria-Chairez, author of "Magda's Tortillas/Las Tortillas de Magda," is among four Texas writers featured during a Children's Book Festival from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Del Mar College East Campus. The event is free.
   The Children's Book Festival is part of the Texas Book Festival's On the Road series and is hosted locally in conjunction with the Corpus Christi Public Library Foundation and Del Mar College. Other children's authors to read from their works are Michael Sampson, author of "Star of the Circus," Anastasia Suen, "Window Music," and Bill Martin Jr., "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?"
   When the Texas Book Festival chose Corpus Christi as one of its On the Road sites this year, local festival organizers knew they wanted to target 3- to 5-year-olds in their tribute to Texas writers and Corpus Christi libraries.
   "Early reading to children is important to stimulate language development, promote the value and importance of reading and provide a high-quality fun time for parents and children to share," said Paige Dinn, Children's Book Festival co-chairwoman. "Reading to a child is probably the most important thing a parent can do to enhance school readiness. Children love sitting on a parent's lap and having the parent give the child his/her undivided attention while pointing out pictures and words in a colorful picture book."
   The Children's Book Festival will take place under tents in front of Del Mar's library. More than 1,500 children are expected to attend. After hearing from the authors, children will have the opportunity to write or illustrate their own book. The first 1,500 children also will receive a free book, said Suzel Mendieta, Children's Book Festival co-chairwoman. Seating will be limited, with reservations taken on a first-come, first-served basis.
   The event is part of the Texas Book Festival founded in Austin by first lady Laura Bush in 1995. The annual fund-raiser showcases Texas writers and benefits Texas public libraries. To date, the Texas Book Festival has raised $1.14 million for 394 Texas public libraries.