51´«Ã½ 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)
  • Christine Chen
  • Mary Claire Collins
  • Adam Crawley (Faculty Chair)
  • Bridget Dalton
  • Lisa Graf
  • Jacquie Kilburn
  • Kelly Lichty
  • Judy Minger
  • Steve Ollanik
  • Stephanie Schindhelm (51´«Ã½ 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, 51´«Ã½ Bookstore, and Stephanie Schindhelm, Marketing and Promotions Manager.

The festival is supported by grants awarded by the CU 51´«Ã½ 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, CU 51´«Ã½
  • 51´«Ã½ Public Library
  • Center for Humanities and the Arts, CU 51´«Ã½
  • SOE Partner School Districts (Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Adams 14 School District, 51´«Ã½ 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
  • CU 51´«Ã½ 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.