Florida Children’s Book Festival Announces 2026 Author Lineup

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Zac Alfson
Senior Director of Marketing
Orlando Family Stage
[email protected] | 407-896-7365

Florida Children’s Book Festival Announces 2026 Author Lineup,
New Performances, and Partnerships with WUCF and Writer’s Block Bookstore

PHOTOS: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Pn2E1FCMlEf6DIuh3KOF2vB20zPkIW8O?usp=drive_link 

Orlando, FL – January 8, 2026 — Orlando Family Stage will welcome some of the nation’s most celebrated children’s authors and creators for the First Ever Florida Children’s Book Festival, a three day celebration of reading, imagination, and theatre for young audiences. The festival takes place February 21 and 22, with an educator-focused professional development day on Friday, February 20.

Presented on the Orlando Family Stage campus and throughout Loch Haven Cultural Park, the festival brings together award-winning and bestselling authors, nationally recognized educators, theatre makers, and community partners committed to helping young people discover the joy of reading. Families can look forward to author talks, book signings, creative workshops, story times, theatrical performances, and interactive media experiences shaped through new partnerships that deepen the festival’s reach.

“Something powerful happens when a child finds a story that speaks right to their heart, and something even more powerful is to experience that story leap from the page to the stage,” said Orlando Family Stage Artistic Director and Festival Producer Jeff Revels. “Children’s literature and Theatre for Young Audiences lift each other up, and in our centennial season, we amplify that connection. This festival brings together authors, illustrators, educators, and families in a way that reminds us that every child has a story worth telling. I hope they leave here knowing their imagination can take them farther than they ever dreamed.”

Festival author Kelly Starling Lyons adds, “It’s thrilling that the Florida Children’s Book Festival will be launched in February. What a special way to connect children’s book creators with the kids we serve. The festival gives writers and young readers the chance to meet and be inspired. It’s so important for kids to know that they deserve to not just be the stars of stories, but authors of them.”

The festival, including vendors, book marketplace, and individual author presentations are free to attend.  Some events, including panels and shows, are individually ticketed. Go to FloridaChildrensBookFestival.com for the most up to date information. 

Produced in partnership with Writer’s Block Bookstore

Orlando Family Stage is proud to partner with Writer’s Block Bookstore as the festival’s official bookseller and producing partner. Writer’s Block will curate all book sales, signings, and meet-and-greet experiences throughout the weekend. 

“This festival is a place where young people will discover stories that reflect who they are, open windows into new experiences, and invite them to see the world a little differently.” said Lauren Zimmerman, owner of Writer’s Block Bookstore. “Through panels exploring early readers, coming of age, mystery, graphic novels, Spanish language storytelling, Black history and Black voices, science and STEM, fantasy, and more, Families will leave with new stories to share, new questions to explore together, and a deeper excitement for reading that continues long after the weekend ends.”

Spotlight Performances at Orlando Family Stage

Two Orlando Family Stage productions anchor the festival’s performance lineup, inviting families to dive into stories that leap off the page.

Tiara’s Hat Parade

Based on the beloved picture book by Kelly Starling Lyons, and co-commissioned by Orlando Family Stage, this joyful play celebrates Black milliners, family legacy, creativity, and the magic of giving someone back their shine. Lyons will participate in events throughout the weekend. Tiara’s Hat Parade runs at Orlando Family Stage from February 7 to 22.

From Kelly Starling Lyons:
“Tiara’s Hat Parade was inspired by my relationship with my mom, the hat wearing tradition in the African American community and the wonderful Black milliners whose stories are unsung. As a kid, I was in awe of majestic hats I saw in church. When I wrote Tiara’s Hat Parade, I thought about how hats can be meaningful and powerful for children and adults and how kids can be storytellers and agents of change.”

“People can look forward to a play that draws them into the world of hat making, tradition and a close knit family. The play reinforces why kindness matters, showcases Black history and honors kinship, the arts and community.”

TIARA’S HAT PARADE
Adapted for the Stage by Paige Hernandez, Based on the Book written by Kelly Starling Lyons. Commissioned by Orlando Family Stage in partnership with Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, South Carolina Children’s Theatre, Children’s Theatre of Madison, and The Rose Theater.

Lilly and the Pirates The Musical

Families can also look forward to Lilly and the Pirates The Musical, a high spirited theatrical adventure that celebrates curiosity, courage, and the thrill of diving into the unknown. Inspired by the beloved children’s book, and co-commissioned by Orlando Family Stage, the play follows Lilly, a young explorer who refuses to believe that the world is as small or predictable as the grownups around her insist. When a mysterious map and an unexpected voyage send her across the sea, Lilly discovers an unforgettable crew of pirates who challenge her to be brave, trust her instincts, and chart her own course.

The production is filled with lively characters, playful stagecraft, and moments of heart that remind audiences how powerful imagination can be. For young people, Lilly’s journey offers a vivid example of what it looks like to ask bold questions, build friendships in surprising places, and stay true to yourself even when the waves get rough.

During the festival weekend, audiences will have opportunities to meet members of the creative team, explore how books are transformed into theatrical worlds, and participate in activities that invite kids to imagine their own adventures on the high seas. Lilly and the Pirates The Musical runs at Orlando Family Stage from February 20 to March 20.

LILLY AND THE PIRATES: THE MUSICAL
Book by John Maclay and Will Eno, Lyrics by John Maclay and Brett Ryback, Music by Brett Ryback. Adapted from LILLY AND THE PIRATES by Phillis Root (C) 2010 All Rights Reserved. Orchestrations and Arrangements by Brett Ryback

A New Developmental Reading: The Best Halloween Ever

The festival will also feature a developmental reading of a new play adapted from Barbara Robinson’s book The Best Halloween Ever. Writer and lyricist Jahnna Beecham and composer and lyricist Malcolm Hillgartner reunite for this adaptation after their successful collaboration on The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical.

Fans of the Herdmans will once again revel in the delightful chaos that follows the “worst kids in the world” as they crash into town traditions and turn holidays upside down. The reading gives audiences a first look at a new show in development.

A Weekend with Award Winning Authors and Creators

The festival features an extraordinary lineup of writers representing the best of children’s and middle grade literature:

Jenny Alvarado (Pencil & Eraser: We Have a Dull-Emma!, Fridays Are for Churros)
Kerry O’Malley Cerra (Just a Drop of Water, Hear Me, One Light)
Nicole D. Collier (Just Right Jillian, The Many Fortunes of Maya)
Jerry Craft (New Kid, Class Act, School Trip)
Lily Berlin Dodd (The Aerimander Chronicles, Search and Rescue)
Michael Grover (On the Wing, nature-based educational readers)
José Pablo Iriarte (Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed)
Alan Katz (Take Me Out of the Bathtub, The Funniest Joke Book Ever, My Parent Has Been Grounded)
Michelle Knudsen (Library Lion, Argyle, Big Mean Mike)
Kelly Starling Lyons (Tiara’s Hat Parade, Sing a Song, Going Down Home with Daddy)
Ed Masessa (The Rootlets, music-infused storytelling for children)
Kate Messner (The Seventh Wish, All the Answers, Ranger in Time)
Audrey Perrott (Moo Hoo, Baa Haa, A Hat for House, Once Upon a Tail)
James Ponti (City Spies, Framed!, Dead City)
Rekha S. Rajan (Ladoo and the Boy, The Swinging Sloth)
Tammi Sauer (Wordy Birdy, Chicken Dance, Your Alien)
John Schu (This Is a School, Jake Makes a World)
Amar Shah (Play the Game, Find the Gaps, Start Small Think Big)
Taryn Souders (Coop Knows the Scoop, Dead Possums Are Fair Game)
Elly Swartz (Finding Perfect, Give and Take)
Kristin Tubb (The Story Collector, A Dog Like Daisy)
Salina Yoon (Penguin and Pinecone, Be a Friend, Stormy Night)

More than two dozen authors will appear across readings, panels, signings, and workshops, with a full schedule released in early February.

Partnership with WUCF: Screenings, Animation, and PBS Kids Experiences

The 2026 festival proudly features a collaboration with WUCF, Central Florida’s PBS station, which will bring exciting programming for kids, educators, and families. Highlights include:

A special appearance by Aaron Augenblick, creator of the hit PBS Kids series City Island. Families can meet the acclaimed animator, explore how characters are built from simple shapes and big emotions, and enjoy interactive elements designed for young audiences.

Interactive screenings from the new Ken Burns documentary American Revolution in partnership with WUCF. These sessions will give historical context for children and hands-on activities demonstrating how documentary storytelling can bring history to life for young learners.

WUCF’s presence adds a vibrant media and literacy component to the festival, helping kids explore how stories move from page to screen and how both forms engage children where they are.

Educator Day: February 20

Friday’s Educator Day provides professional development sessions led by festival authors, teaching artists, and partners. Sessions explore literacy strategies, creative drama, arts integration, media literacy, and the role of storytelling in learning.

About the Florida Children’s Book Festival

The Florida Children’s Book Festival celebrates literature, imagination, and the joy of creative discovery. Hosted by Orlando Family Stage and produced in partnership with Writer’s Block Bookstore and WUCF, the festival welcomes families, educators, authors, and artists for three days of events that bring books to life. 

Festival Sponsors include Dr. Phillips Charities, Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation, University of Central Florida, AdventHealth for Children, United Arts Central Florida, The Shubert Foundation, OUC The Reliable One (Orlando Utilities Commission), Orange County Government, Orlando Weekly and WUCF. 

About Orlando Family Stage

Orlando Family Stage is one of the nation’s ten largest theatres for young audiences and the only professional theatre in Florida dedicated entirely to children and families. The organization’s mission is empowering young people to be brave and empathetic by creating quality theatrical experiences. For one hundred years, Orlando Family Stage has blended nationally recognized artistry with a deep commitment to education, access, and community.

Through its longstanding partnership with the University of Central Florida, a national leader in Theatre for Young Audiences training, Orlando Family Stage helps shape the next generation of theatre makers and educators. Together, they create research informed, developmentally rich learning experiences that support young people on stage, in classrooms, and across Central Florida. For more information, please visit https://orlandofamilystage.com/. Follow along and join the theatre loving community on Orlando Family Stage’s instagram and facebook pages.