An array of Hawaii-based authors and a well-known San Francisco author will headline the Big Island Celebrate Reading Festival Saturday Waimea.
From poetry and science fiction/fantasy to nonfiction and novels, seven authors will discuss their work with the public during the free, five-hour festival at Hawaii Preparatory Academy, said Celebrate Reading Director Lorna Hershinow.
Celebrate Reading is a statewide nonprofit that for the past 15 years has promoted leisure reading among children and adults.
“When people read electively they … think differently about reading,” she said. “If people enjoy reading, they will get into it.”
The festival, being held on Hawaii Island for the fourth time, is aimed at students in grades 6 and up, including those in college, as well as adults, she said. The event gives readers a chance to speak with authors in small group settings. It’s held on Oahu and two neighbor islands annually.
While Celebrate Reading promotes reading among all ages, it hopes most to excite middle school students about choosing, not being assigned, to read, Hershinow said.
Giving children a choice of what to read oftentimes works better than school-assigned reading, she said. It can also provide a youth with insight often left out of Department of Education books, which she said have strict requirements not to include profane language, violence, sex or illness and death.
“If you read well, actively and widely you’re going to end up a more tolerant and a good citizen,” she said. “We live on a small island so we’ve got to think bigger.”
This year’s authors include:
c San Francisco resident Gail Tsukiyama, who will read from her seventh book, “Women of the Silk,” and speak about “The Street of A Thousand Blossoms.”
c Kate Elliot of Honolulu, who will talk about the latest installment in her science fiction/fantasy book trilogy, “Spirit Walker.”
c Jonathan Kamakawiwoole Osorio of Honolulu who will perform and discuss the art of telling stories and composing lyrics drawn from Hawaiian history.
c Cathy Song of Honolulu, who will discuss her poetry, “School Figures.”
c Mark Panek of Honolulu, who will speak about his nonfiction work, “Big Happiness.”
c Sue Cowing of Honolulu, who will lead a conversation on her internationally published middle-grade novel “You Will Call Me Drog.”
c Matthew Kaopio of Honolulu, who will Skype with readers about “Up Among the Stars,” a sequel to “Written in the Sky.”
Attendees should bring their own lunch or order a $5 lunch from Lois Inman by calling 881-4024 or by emailing linman@hpa.edu. For more information, visit hpa.edu or call Hershinow at 239-9726 or email her at hershinow@gmail.com.