Elementary-Middle Grade

Join author Megan McDonald for an exciting and interactive adventure with Judy Moody! This program features engaging activities, creative storytelling, and fun games based on the popular Judy Moody book series. Participants will explore the world of Judy Moody, unleash their creativity, and learn about writing from the beloved author herself.

While out running errands with their Mami during the Covid-19 pandemic, Marisol
and Pepito play a game of Veo, Veo (The Latino I Spy) helps them see how the workers in their neighborhood are, and will always be, essential. Who is essential in your life that you may not see? (Bilingual in Spanish and English)

Do you want to be alone sometimes? Be hugged sometimes? Do you sometimes feel like a prickly cactus, but other times like a cuddly teddy bear? There are so many different ways to feel, and Vera Brosgol and LeUyen Pham know how to share those feelings (they know how to illustrate them too!)

Sometimes it’s hard to stay positive: when you live in an old school bus instead of a normal house; when you have mostly just bread and ketchup to eat; and especially when you have to go to a new school where all the other kids already have friends. But how would you find a way to look on the bright side?

[Tomfoolery: silliness, shenanigans, buffoonery, skylarking, or pranks] Do you know who made children’s books fun—Randolph Caldecott. His sketches are full of wild weather, frisky animals, and people so sprightly they can barely hold onto the pages. But in the 1850s, there were no children’s books like that. Not yet.

If you were a horse, what would you do? Could you fit in your clothes? Would you give your little sister a ride? Would your brother even notice? In her funniest book yet, two-time Caldecott Medalist Sophie Blackall captures the astonishing spectacle of a child imagining life as a horse.

What if you followed your nose to a palace filled with your favorite foods? You can't imagine what happens to little Liddy! Join X. Fang on this delicious adventure through a modern fairytale, and who knows what might happen? Maybe you will end up writing your OWN fairytale!

Join VCBF favorite Tim Ering as he takes you on adventures over the high seas, through mazes, even through a tantrum! With Tim, there is no telling what the next adventure will be, or where the story will go. There's nothing like a session with Tim, so don't miss him in his 10th appearance at the VCBF!

While out running errands with their Mami during the Covid-19 pandemic, Marisol
and Pepito play a game of Veo, Veo (The Latino I Spy) helps them see how the workers in their neighborhood are, and will always be, essential. Who is essential in your life that you may not see? (Bilingual in Spanish and English)

Do you want to be alone sometimes? Be hugged sometimes? Do you sometimes feel like a prickly cactus, but other times like a cuddly teddy bear? There are so many different ways to feel, and Vera Brosgol and LeUyen Pham know how to share those feelings (they know how to illustrate them too!)

Sometimes it’s hard to stay positive: when you live in an old school bus instead of a normal house; when you have mostly just bread and ketchup to eat; and especially when you have to go to a new school where all the other kids already have friends. But how would you find a way to look on the bright side?

[Tomfoolery: silliness, shenanigans, buffoonery, skylarking, or pranks] Do you know who made children’s books fun—Randolph Caldecott. His sketches are full of wild weather, frisky animals, and people so sprightly they can barely hold onto the pages. But in the 1850s, there were no children’s books like that. Not yet.

If you were a horse, what would you do? Could you fit in your clothes? Would you give your little sister a ride? Would your brother even notice? In her funniest book yet, two-time Caldecott Medalist Sophie Blackall captures the astonishing spectacle of a child imagining life as a horse.

Did you know Sharpies are our illustrators' number one tool? We never let them go anywhere without them. Well, get ready for a SUPER Sharpie Smackdown as YOU tell our illustrators what to draw in competition! A fun-filled bonanza that is sure to get the room rocking! (This is one of the kids’ FAVORITE sessions to attend.)

Head on down to the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts for our super-fun and creative open-illustration workshop. Want to draw with Sophie Blackall? You can! ! Our VCBF illustrators will help you unlock your creativity and have lots of fun doing it!

Join X. Fang for this Food Network-inspired dumpling workshop. Get your hands in that dough, and get to cooking, learning all about dumplings, family, and fun along the way. No budding chef will want to miss this tasty session, so get ready to cook!

What if you had to live on a school bus? How would you design it? What would you absolutely need in it? Get creative and build your dream school bus house to take you wherever you need to go and live how you need to live.

The VCBF LIVEmural is back, and this year our muralist Monty Montgomery is working with Tim Ering to design a colorful and fun mural that you get to paint! Don’t miss your chance to leave your mark on the 2023 VCBF by helping create this magical mural.

You don't have to be a unicorn to be special: All Itty Bitty Kitty Corn wants to be is a unicorn, but what's wrong with being a kitty? As special as unicorns are, we are all special in our own way. Let's find out how we are all special (and maybe just make a unicorn horn too!)