Moonbeam Children's Book Awards to announce annual winners at West Virginia Book Festival

One of North America’s largest and most prestigious children’s literary events comes to Charleston as the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards, honoring the best children’s books of 2009, will display award-winning books and conduct its annual announcement celebration during the West Virginia Book Festival at the Charleston Civic Center on Saturday and Sunday, October 10 and 11. Festival hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday; noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday; and admission is free.

All Moonbeam award-winning books will be on display throughout the festival, with many of the award-winning authors and illustrators on hand to meet the public and autograph books. Over 100 books from the entire range of children’s topics and age groups from toddlers to teens will receive the coveted Moonbeam Awards medal during a ceremony on Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m. The event is open to the public.

"We're honored that the Moonbeam Awards chose the West Virginia Book Festival as a venue," said Pam May, West Virginia Book Festival chair. "Merging the two events is a natural partnership."

The Moonbeam Awards are intended to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and to support childhood literacy and life-long reading. Last year’s award-winning books came from 30 U.S. states, four Canadian provinces, and four countries overseas.

For more information about the Moonbeam Children's Book Awards visit www.MoonbeamAwards.com; for more information about the West Virginia Book Festival visit www.wvbookfestival.org.