BIPOC Children’s 2023 Book Fair Teams Up With SMART Reading Program
The inaugural BIPOC Children’s Book Fair, taking place at Norse Hall on Saturday, December 23, is pleased to announce that volunteers from Oregon literacy nonprofit SMART Reading will be on hand at the event to offer assistance to kids and teens in attendance in choosing books based on their interests. In addition, parents, teachers, and other adult attendees will get the opportunity to learn more about SMART Reading’s programs, the organization’s Children’s Book Bank, and opportunities for kids, schools, and volunteering.
The BIPOC Book Fair features books for kids ages 3 to 17 from all genres–including adventure, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, non-fiction, and more–all written by BIPOC authors with BIPOC characters. In addition to books available for sale, children and teens attending the book fair will select a book of their choice to take home free.
“SMART Reading is excited to partner with the BIPOC Children’s Book Fair,” says SMART Reading Program Director, Rashelle Chase-Miller. “Our mission is to bring the magic of a shared book to kids, and we believe that all children deserve access not only to quality literature, but to books that reflect and affirm their identities, families, communities and cultures. We look forward to helping children explore and find books to love at the Book Fair, and to sharing about our programs with families and community members!”
“When the opportunity arose for me to create a book fair centered around BIPOC-authored books, one of my priorities was to make it possible for every child to take home a book regardless of finances,” says K. Tempest Bradford, author and Steering Committee President for the sponsor organization, the Carl Brandon Society (CBS). “I also felt that it was really important to give kids agency in choosing the book they want instead of having specific titles in a free pile. When I learned that SMART Reading has the same values around helping kids build their own personal libraries I knew they had to be involved.”
“My hope is that we’ll be able to sell all the books the fair has to offer,” Bradford continued. “However, we anticipate some will be left over by the end of the event. I hope to raise enough funds so that CBS can purchase and donate any extra books to the Children’s Book Bank at SMART Reading, local schools, and other literacy programs.”
Books will be sold by Sistah Scifi [sistahscifi.com], the first Black-owned bookstore focused on science fiction and fantasy in the United States. Attendees will be able to meet and get autographs from award-winning PNW BIPOC authors Nisi Shawl (Speculation), David F. Walker (Naomi: Season One and Season Two), Anita Crawford (Old to Joy), Diana Ma (Heiress Apparently and The Unbeatable Lily Hong), Brian W. and Josie A. Parker (The Wonderous Science and Crow in the Hollow) as well as K Tempest Bradford (Ruby Finley vs. the Interstellar Invasion)herself.
Admission to the BIPOC Book Fair is $5/person for attendees ages 3 and older. Tickets are currently available online at carlbrandon.org/bbf. Families who cannot afford the ticket price may request a fee waiver (see event page for details). The fair runs from 12 – 4PM on December 23rd at Norse Hall. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door. Masks are required for all attendees.
Those who wish to make a tax deductible donation to be put toward covering leftover books (or the fund for the next book fair) may do so via the donation button on the BIPOC Book Fair event page.
About SMART Reading
SMART Reading is a children’s literacy nonprofit that serves kids in Oregon’s highest need schools and marginalized communities with two ingredients critical for literacy and learning success: shared reading time and books to keep. We mobilize volunteers to provide reading support and access to books for children, both through our shared reading programs and through our Children’s Book Bank. Since 1992, we’ve engaged over 146,000 Oregonians to support 252,000 Oregon children and given away more than 4 million books. Learn more at SMARTReading.org.
About the Carl Brandon Society
Established in 1999, the Carl Brandon Society is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded to address the representation of people of color in speculative fiction. We do this by fostering dialogue and raising awareness about issues of race, ethnicity and culture, promoting inclusivity in publishing, and celebrating the accomplishments of people of color in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and related genres through our annual awarding of the Carl Brandon Parallax Award, the Carl Brandon Kindred Award, and the Octavia E. Butler Memorial Scholarship. To learn more, visit
Press BIPOC Book Fair Image Assets:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11CesRgpXZi1Lti67QRD-iVzwl0YCeBxN?usp=sharing
Media Contact
Company Name: BIPOC Book Fair
Contact Person: Chanie Beckman
Email: Send Email
City: Portland
State: Oregon
Country: United States
Website: carlbrandon.org/bbf
