On Saturday, Oct. 8, the annual Children’s Book Festival took place on Hinds Plaza. Over 20 different authors and illustrators attended, talked with many families about their books, and signed them!

Some authors and illustrators offered insight into how they write and/or illustrate their books. 

“As an author and illustrator,” commented Lauren Castillo, “my favorite part is working on the story dummy, or just making the little storyboard of really early sketches and trying to figure out the balance between the text and illustrations.” She continued to say that her real favorite part is making the final artwork, but the early sketches are always fun because that’s where the story begins. 

“My favorite parts of putting together a book,” offered Mika Song, “is the sketches when it’s just coming together in my mind, and dreaming about what the book’s going to look like.”

Both Lauren Castillo and Mika Song write and illustrate books for younger children. Castillo is the author of Our Friend Hedgehog and Song writes books with puns in the titles, including Apple of my Pie and Pizza My Heart.