https://www.smfpl.org/youth/teens/festival
Reading & Writing Festival
Sponsored by the Six District Educational Compact, the Festival takes place annually in the spring at Kent State University. It is for 7th and 8th grade students from local schools, primarily Compact member schools. Students get to meet the featured author and participate in various sessions involving book cover art, drama, poetry, and writing contests, all pertaining to the Festival Books. Students also have the opportunity to meet professional storyteller and author Kevin Cordi, who leads a storytelling workshop session during the Festival.
This year students will be meeting Natalie D. Richards, the New York Times Bestselling author of nine "page-turning thrillers" (School Library Journal), including Five Total Strangers (2020) and Seven Dirty Secrets (2021). Four Found Dead (2023) is her ninth bone-chilling novel. Visit Natalie’s website for more information about her books and her life as a writer: https://www.nataliedrichards.com/ She can be found as @natdrichards on X/Twitter and Instagram.
Learn more about the Festival book authors by clicking on their names below. All of the Festival books are available at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library and at other local public libraries, as well as at your school library.
2024 Reading and Writing Festival
Four Found Dead by Natalie D. Richards
What You Hide by Natalie D. Richards
Dead Flip by Sara Farizan
Mirror Girls by Kelly McWilliams
The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh
Shot Clock by Caron Butler and Justin A. Reynolds
The Festival is also open to any adult (parent, librarian, educator or community member) who wishes to celebrate the importance of reading and writing to the quality of life. Donations are welcome and checks should be made payable to Hudson City Schools, 2386 Hudson-Aurora Rd, Hudson, OH 44236
The fee to attend the festival is $12 per student in a Six District Compact school and $17 per student from a non-Compact school.
Here's what students have said about previous Festivals:
"It was so much fun--I made new friends."
"It was very cool being able to meet the author."
"I liked the whole atmosphere of being at the college and mingling with other students."
"It was fun acting out the stories."
"The entire experience was perfect!"
"It's great fun and exciting!"
"It was fun working with people from other schools."
"I enjoyed the Festival greatly and plan to return next year!"
For more information on the Festival, contact the Festival Director, Mary Jane Stanchina, at the Six District Compact: (330) 655-2247. For questions concerning this webpage, contact Stow-Munroe Falls Teen Librarian Christina Getrost at (330) 688-3295 ext. 4 or via email: cgetrost AT smfpl.org