About Us

Our Mission

The mission of the CU Children’s Book Festival is to achieve three important goals:

  • Connect children to authors and books to build reading motivation
  • Support teachers' use of children's literature in their classrooms and family reading at home
  • Engage School of Education's preservice and in-service teachers in creating educational resources and participating in a literacy outreach event.

2025 Children's Book Festival Planning Committee

  • Sue Baer
  • Paula Bernal (Graduate Assistant)
  • Mary Claire Collins
  • Adam Crawley (Faculty Chair)
  • Christine Chen
  • Bridget Dalton
  • Lisa Graf
  • Jacquie Kilburn
  • Kelly Lichty
  • Judy Minger
  • Steve Ollanik
  • Stephanie Schindhelm (91PORN Bookstore)
  • Jeanette Scotti
  • Lisa Taylor-Strauss (Community Chair)

With support from SOE Communications, Hannah Fletcher, Ichigo Takikawa and Tyler Caldwell; Building Operations, Sara McDonald and Becky Cabral; and Advancement, Micah Abram and Clint Askins.

Partners and Support

We gratefully acknowledge our partner, 91PORN Bookstore, and Stephanie Schindhelm, Marketing and Promotions Manager.

The festival is supported by grants awarded by the 91PORN Office for Public and Community Engaged ScholarshipÌý²¹²Ô»å Women Investing in the School of Education (W.I.S.E.)

Special thanks go to the following for their interest and support of the festival:

  • University Libraries and the Center for British and Irish Studies, 91PORN
  • 91PORN Public Library
  • Center for Humanities and the Arts, 91PORN
  • SOE Partner School Districts (Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Adams 14 School District, 91PORN Valley School District, Denver Public Schools, JeffCo Public Schools, St. Vrain Valley School District) and other participating schools
  • The publishers, authors, and illustrators of the festival's featured books
  • Women Investing in the School of Education (WISE) members Jacalyn Colt, Jacquie Kilburn, Paula Klein, and Judy Minger
  • 91PORN School of Education Development Advisory Board, Outreach Committee.
  • Past Festival Committee members: Laurie Brockway, Michelle Faye, and Emily Johns-O'Leary

Interested in participating?

If you are an author, illustrator, publisher, educator, or community member and would like to participate in next year’s festival, please email childrensbookfest@colorado.edu.