Press Release

For Immediate Release
Mayor's Press Office
312-744-3334
Maggie Killackey Jurgensen
Chicago Public Library
312-747-4051

THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY PRESENTS BOOKAMANIA
October 10, 2007

Join the Chicago Public Library in celebrating Bookamania, on Saturday, November 17, 2007, at the Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State St. Bookamania is a free event that starts at 11:00 a.m. and continues until 3:00 p.m. at several locations throughout the Harold Washington Library Center, including the Thomas Hughes Children’s Library, Winter Garden, Cindy Pritzker Auditorium and Main Lobby.

The Chicago Public Library encourages children ages 3-10 and their families to spend a special day at the Harold Washington Library Center for Bookamania to enjoy storybook characters, puppetry, theater, dance, magic, music, authors and illustrators, and dozens of book-related crafts.

Bookamania is the Chicago Public Library’s free annual celebration of Children’s Book Week (November 12-18, 2007). Along with celebrating the 50th birthday of Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat with games, children and their families are invited to enjoy Seussical the Musical as performed by the Teen Thespians of Beverly Arts Center. Bookamania will feature the art of Monarch Award winner Keiko Kasza, author and illustrator of Badger’s Fancy Meal. Also present will be Jarrett J. Krosoczka, author and illustrator of Punk Farm on Tour; Janice N. Harrington, author of The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County, and Rene King Moreno, illustrator of Papi’s Gift.

The celebration will include Ribbon Dancers and performances by Golden Apple music teacher, Sandy Lucas, Murphy School All Star Chorus and The Dot & Susan Show. Storybook characters include: Lyle Lyle Crocodile, Tacky the Penguin, Pat the Bunny, Biscuit and Froggy. Children will be able to have their picture taken with Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat.

Bookamania is made possible through a grant from the Chicago Public Library Foundation and the Target Corporation.

The Chicago Public Library is comprised of the Harold Washington Library Center, two regional libraries and 76 neighborhood branches. The Chicago Public Library offers a rich resource of books, DVDs, audio books and more, provides free access to the Internet and WiFi in all of its locations, as well as free public programs for children, teens and adults.

The Harold Washington Library Center, Carter G. Woodson Regional Library and Conrad Sulzer Regional Library are all open 7 days a week, the remaining 76 branch libraries are open 6 days a week and patrons can access all of the libraries’ collections online 24 hours a day. For more information, please visit the website at chicagopubliclibrary.org or call the Chicago Public Library Press Office at (312) 747-4050.