The beloved Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival (CCBF) will return for its 12th year on Saturday, September 27, 2025, from 10am–4pm at the Chappaqua Train Station. This year’s festival will welcome over 165 bestselling and award-winning authors and illustrators, including a mix of returning favorites and exciting first-time participants, and will feature story times, author talks, illustration demos, food trucks and more.
A celebration of literacy and community supporting reading programs in schools, Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival is a grassroots, all-volunteer nonprofit connecting readers of all ages with the authors and illustrators behind their favorite stories. Since its inception in 2013, the festival has grown from 65 authors and 4,000 visitors to over 165 authors and 10,000 attendees from across the tri-state area, making it one of the largest children’s book festivals in the U.S.
New authors joining the 2025 Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival include Elana K. Arnold, author of the A Boy Called Bat series; James Bird, author of The Brave, No Place Like Home, and the forthcoming Wolf Club; Leyla Brittan, a Horace Greeley High School graduate and author of the YA novel Ros Demir Is Not The One; Antwan Eady and London Ladd, author and illustrator of The Gathering Table; John Patrick Green, creator of the InvestiGators graphic novels; Lynda Mullaly Hunt, author of Fish In A Tree and her new picture book Wish In A Tree, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter who will also be at the festival; Barbara McClintock, illustrator of WHERE ARE YOU, BRONTË!, the last complete manuscript written by Tomie dePaola; Rex Ogle, author of Free Lunch; Ellen Oh, author of The House Next Door; Ibi Zoboi, author of American Street and Punching the Air; and many more authors.
Some of the festival’s most beloved returning authors this year include Tracey Baptiste, author of the Jumbies series and her forthcoming Super Goat Girl, Winsome Bingham, author of The Walk, The Table, and the upcoming Fish Fry Friday; Nick Bruel, creator of the Bad Kitty series; MacKenzie Cadenhead, author of Marvel Super Hero Adventures; Jen Calonita, known for her Disney retellings and her latest book Isle of Ever; Barbara Dee, author many middle grade novels including her newest, Tear This Down; Josh Funk, author of the Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series including the newest, WHODONUT? A HOLIDAY MYSTERY; and Alan Katz, author of funny books for kids including the Funniest Joke Book Ever for Kids.
Among the many others returning are fan favorites Victoria Kann, author of Pinkalicious; Dan Gutman, author of My Weird School series; Alyssa Capucilli and Pat Schories, the author and illustrator duo behind the Biscuit books; Nidhi Chanani, creator of the Super Boba Cafe graphic novels; Charnaie Gordon, author of Black Joy and founder of @hereweeread; Sayantani DasGupta, known for the Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond series and Secrets of the Sky; Chris Grabenstein, author of the Mr. Lemoncello’s Library series and the STINKY’S STORIES series which he coauthored with his wife J.J. who will also be at the festival; Kyle Lukoff, author of Newbery Honor Too Bright To See, Stonewall winning When Aidan Became A Brother, and his new MG novel A WORLD WORTH SAVING; and many more.
In addition to book signings and author meet-and-greets, the day will feature:
- A Bubble Bus & Family Fun Zone
- Kids Activity Areaby Title Sponsor Kiwi Country Day Camp
- Hands-on Programmingfrom Sponsor and beloved children’s publication Highlights Magazine
- Story Timewith ASL interpretation
- Live Author Interviews by KidLitTV
- Nonprofit Book Fairies
- Food Trucksserving festival goers an array of local bites, including Leila’s Crepes, Three Little Pigs, Mobile Pie, Wrappers Delight, Tipsy Taco, Road Grub Mobile, and Melt Mobile
The 2025 festival poster was created by award winning author and illustrator Sharee Miller. She is known for her graphic novel series Curlfriends and Don’t Touch My Hair, Princess Hair, and Michelle’s Garden: How the First Lady planted seeds of Change. She is also the illustrator of the graphic novel adaptation of One Crazy Summer by Rita Willams-Garcia.
The event is free to attend, with free parking, and will take place rain or shine. Follow the festival on Instagram and Facebook for updates, and visit www.ccbfestival.org to learn more.
