Community Calendar

The Chicopee Public Library will host acclaimed children’s author and illustrator Sarah Brannen for an event focused on her beautiful new picture book, Monarch and Mourning Cloak: A Butterfly Journal! Following along at a butterfly’s-eye-view, attendees will discover how they live in different habitats, eat different foods, and have different strategies for avoiding enemies and making it through the winter. A nature journaling activity will follow the presentation.

Books will be available for purchase and signing following the program.

​​This Mass Kids Lit Fest event is presented in partnership with the Massachusetts Center for the Book. For a full schedule, please visit https://www.makidslitfest.org/.

Sarah S. Brannen has written and illustrated over two dozen books for children, including Lolly on the Ice, Bear Needs Help, A Perfect Day and Madame Martine. She illustrated the Sibert honor book Summertime Sleepers as well as the award-winning Feathers: Not Just for Flying and Seashells: More Than a Home, all written by Melissa Stewart. Monarch and Mourning Cloak: A Butterfly Journal, created by Sarah and Melissa together, was published in March 2026. As an author, Sarah wrote Uncle Bobby’s Wedding, illustrated by Lucia Soto, and Miles Comes Home, illustrated by Forrest Burdett. Uncle Bobby’s Wedding was at the center of the Supreme Court case Mahmoud v. Taylor, and was named one of the best children’s books in the past 100 years by Booktrust. Sarah’s books have been translated into 12 languages.

Springfield Museums will host acclaimed children’s author Phaea Crede for an action-packed event celebrating her new picture book, Princess Battle Royale, an exciting introduction to the world of wrestling. Princesses from around the globe—including Rapunzel, the Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red, and more—compete for the chance to be crowned victor and wear the Enchanted Championship Belt in this funny and heartwarming tale. Following the presentation, attendees will have the chance to create their own wrestling character and throw their hat in the ring!

Books will be available for purchase and signing following the program.

​​This Mass Kids Lit Fest event is presented in partnership with the Massachusetts Center for the Book. For a full schedule, please visit https://www.makidslitfest.org/.

Phaea Crede writes silly stories for silly kids. Serious kids, too! She is the author of seven picture books including Princess Battle Royale (Viking Books), Oh Deer! (Sleeping Bear Press), and Jet the Cat (is Not a Cat) (Barefoot Books). Phaea lives near Boston with her husband, two kiddos, two cats, and two dogs. Her favorite wrestling move is the moonsault.

Storrs Library will host acclaimed children’s author Vicki Johnson for a special Mass Kids Lit Fest event celebrating her brand-new picture book, Mac Wears a Hat!

Mac loves hats—she has one for every occasion. As an only child, she sometimes feels lonely, but her hat collection cheers her up, helps her express herself, and sparks joyful connections with others. This inclusive book celebrates kindness and positivity, and that what makes you different, makes you special! A hatmaking activity will follow the presentation.

​​This Mass Kids Lit Fest event is presented in partnership with the Massachusetts Center for the Book. For a full schedule, please visit https://www.makidslitfest.org/.

Vicki Johnson is children’s author, and a former band nerd, lawyer, White House staffer, and nonprofit director, among other life adventures. Her debut picture book Molly’s Tuxedo, illustrated by Gillian Reid (2023), received an NCTE Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children, was included on the American Library Association’s Rainbow Book List, and was selected as a Children’s Book Council “Teacher Favorite.” Her next book, Mac Wears a Hat, is from the same creative team. Johnson is a Southern writer who lives in western MA, where she tends to several rescue animals and one college kid.

Join the Zoo in Forest Park for a special storytime with award-winning children’s author Heather Lang, co-creator of the “Animal Heroes” series! Her new book, Supersquads! shows young naturalists how animals band together to stay safe and thrive, from orcas to ostriches, spiny lobsters to snow monkeys, leaf cutter ants to zebras, and more. Attendees will learn about the incredible and ingenious ways that animal squads work together, and have the chance to meet some of the real-life creatures featured in Heather’s books.

Books will be available for purchase and signing following the program.

​​This Mass Kids Lit Fest event is presented in partnership with the Massachusetts Center for the Book. For a full schedule, please visit https://www.makidslitfest.org/.

Heather Lang writes picture books that celebrate our natural world and biographies about women who overcame extraordinary obstacles to follow their dreams. Her award-winning books include Supermoms!: Animal Heroes; Swimming with Sharks: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark; and The Leaf Detective: How Margaret Lowman Uncovered Secrets in the Rainforest, an NSTA/CBC Best STEM Book and Green Earth Book Award winner. To research her books, Heather has observed animals in the Serengeti, climbed to the treetops of the Amazon, and gone scuba diving with sharks. You can read more about Heather’s books and find lots of activities and resources for them at heatherlangbooks.com.

Join the Easthampton Public Library and the Somehow School for a fun, hands-on writing workshop with acclaimed author Taylor Tyng! Taylor will introduce his new middle-grade novel, Sprout—the imaginative story of a girl who lives in a secluded mill town while hiding an extraordinary secret: tree-like antlers (or "plantlers") that bloom from her head. After diving into the world of Sprout, young writers will learn how to create unforgettable characters of their own, and build stories that are both meaningful and magical.

​​This Mass Kids Lit Fest event is presented in partnership with the Massachusetts Center for the Book. For a full schedule, please visit https://www.makidslitfest.org/.

Taylor Tyng is an author of fantastical fiction for young readers. His first novel, Clara Poole and the Long Way Round, was called "an engrossing and inventive flight through the skies" by Kirkus Reviews. Its follow-up, Clara Poole and the Wrong Way Up was published in July 2024.

Taylor Tyng got to writing late. After spending his early years performing in LA rock clubs, Taylor founded a design agency and a software company, immersing himself in the art of storytelling. He's created designs that have traveled to space, written songs for film, played bit roles in bad movies, and occasionally does dumb things like rocket down Olympic bobsled tracks or go snorkeling in Iceland during winter. As a lifelong dyslexic, Taylor never imagined becoming an author was on the list, which only proves how random and remarkable life's journey can be. When Taylor isn't writing, he is busy renovating a 1700s farmhouse that just might fall down. He lives outside Boston with his wife, two daughters, and a very busy miniature Australian Shepherd.

Spring Market will take place Saturday, May 9 & Sunday, 10, 2026 10am -5pm.

For Spring Market spend Mother’s Day Weekend celebrating Mother Earth, finding supplies for planting gardens , spring *green* cleaning products, refreshing your closets with vintage finds, grabbing mom (or yourself!) a fresh cut flower bouquet & finding your next summer book to read by the swimming hole!

Some special programming we are excited to host will be agricultural workshops by Wally Farm (last year they taught us how to grow mushrooms in logs & inspect water quality), the finale gathering of the Mad Hatter Parade full of hand made puppets and a live marching band, we will have Cone Zero Ceramics on site hosting clay pot throwing demos on their electric wheel, also a Kids & Kin movement workshop will take place on the grassy South side lawn 🙂 All not to be missed!

BASILICA FARM & FLEA: Born Thanksgiving Weekend 2013 as the Anti-Black Friday big sister goddess, Basilica Farm & Flea is part timeless flea market, part farmer’s market, part 21st century craft and design fair. Each market features a wide ranging group of regional vendors selling their handmade & collected wares alongside locally-sourced, farm-fresh foods. With over 10,000 square feet of raw space that has been historically and sustainably renovated, Basilica Farm & Flea is one of the only markets of this scale in the region, and is an integral part of Basilica Hudson’s arts and cultural programs.

Welcome to the first annual Picture Book Fair at the South Hadley Public Library! We are thrilled to welcome seven authors (including one author-illustrator) to present their latest picture books in an epic storytime! Odyssey Bookshop will be here offering books for sale, which the authors will be happy to sign, but buying a book is not required and this event is free to attend!

Our authors: Britt Crow-Miller (Thank You, Old Oak), Nicholas Day (How to Have A Thought), Mk Smith Despres (There's That Sun Again), Vicki Johnson (Mac Wears A Hat), Jeff Mack (Time To Make Art), Mara Rockliff (All at Once Upon A Time), and Christina Uss (The Island Before No).

This event is part of the Mass Kids Lit Fest (May 3-9, 2026) with the Massachusetts Center for the Book. See the complete calendar of events here: https://www.makidslitfest.org/

The Monson Free Library will host author Lisa Stringfellow for a family-friendly event celebrating her middle grade fantasy novel, Kingdom of Dust, which received Mass Book Award Honors in 2025. The event will open with a discussion of Lisa’s new book and the traditions and inspirations that shape her fantasy worlds. Following the presentation, attendees will have the chance to meet Lisa and learn more about her journey as a writer.

Kingdom of Dust follows Amara, a young girl on a quest to find her land’s lost storytellers in order to save her family and society. Inspired by West African mythology, the novel blends lush prose with accessible storytelling for readers of all ages. Rooted in themes of climate justice, cultural memory, and the restoration of her people’s stories, Amara’s journey has earned the book recognition within the contemporary fantasy canon.

​​This Mass Kids Lit Fest event is presented in partnership with the Massachusetts Center for the Book. For a full schedule, please visit https://www.makidslitfest.org/.

LISA STRINGFELLOW is a middle-grade author and longtime educator who has taught Language Arts and technology to middle-school students for over 30 years. She writes fantasy with a dark, folkloric twist, inspired by her love of fairy tales. A member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the Authors Guild, and Black Creators HQ, she is an active advocate for equity and inclusivity in children’s literature.

Join us at The Mount for a special storytime and draw-along with acclaimed author and illustrator Astrid Sheckels! The event is focused on Astrid’s gorgeous new picture book, Flora and the Jazzers, a heartwarming tale of a determined young ferret who dreams of moving beyond her role as a scullery maid, and seeing her favorite band perform. A live drawing demonstration will follow the reading.

Books will be available for purchase through The Mount’s Gift & Bookstore, and an author signing will follow the program.

​​This Mass Kids Lit Fest event is presented in partnership with the Massachusetts Center for the Book and the Lenox Library. For a full schedule, please visit https://www.makidslitfest.org/.

*In the event of inclement weather, this program will be held at the Lenox Library.

Award-winning author/illustrator Astrid Sheckels cannot remember a time when she was not telling or illustrating stories, especially ones involving imaginary animals. A native of western Massachusetts and growing up in an artistic family, Astrid spent her childhood playing outside, using her imagination, and drawing. Her Scandinavian roots are evident in her artwork, which she describes as a “mix of classic realism and whimsy.” She is a member of the Western Massachusetts Illustrators Guild and has artwork in the permanent collection of The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. Astrid’s picture books include the Hector Fox and Friends series, the Sea Dog series, Flora and the Jazzers, and Nic and Nellie. Several exciting new titles are in the works with Waxwing Books.

Visit Astrid’s world at https://www.astridsheckels.com/

Join the Berkshire Botanical Garden for a special storytime with acclaimed children’s author Susan Edwards Richmond! The event is focused on Susan’s new book The Great Pollinator Count, which follows Mellie and her classmates as they explore the world of insect pollinators and discover the power of teamwork and community science. Following a fun and engaging read-aloud, attendees will learn more about how pollination works—and then head out to the gardens to search for pollinators in action.

Books will be available for purchase through the Garden Shop.

​​This Mass Kids Lit Fest event is presented in partnership with the Massachusetts Center for the Book. For a full schedule, please visit https://www.makidslitfest.org/.

Susan Edwards Richmond is the award-winning author of The Great Pollinator Count, which was selected as a Children’s Book Council “Best STEM Book of the Year.” Her other picture books include Bioblitz! Counting Critters, Bird Count, and Night Owl Night, a Massachusetts Book Award Honors Title and Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book selection. A passionate birder and naturalist, Susan teaches preschool on a farm and wildlife sanctuary in eastern Massachusetts and learns the native wildlife wherever she travels.