Chappaqua Children's Book Festival, 11 Allen Place, Chappaqua, NY (2026)

08/27/2026

Welcome back to CCBF, award-winning author and illustrator, Mika Song🎉

Mika Song makes books about sweetly funny outsiders. Her books have won the Schneider Family Award and a Geisel Honor, and have earned starred reviews from The Bulletin for the Center of Children’s Books, Publisher’s Weekly, and Kirkus. She enjoys making comics with kids in schools and lives with her family in Queens near all her favorite foods.

Mika’s featured title, Night Chef: An Epic Tale of Friendship with a Side of Deliciousness!, is a sweet graphic novel about a lonely raccoon (Night Chef) who grows up hiding in a fancy restaurant kitchen. Dreaming to be a real chef, she learns how to cook by watching the chefs and practicing at night when everyone leaves. When Night Chef cracks an egg open for her dinner, a baby crow named Ichi falls out into her lap! She ventures back into the wild to bring it back to its family and finds out what kind of chef she really is. Perfect for animal lovers and foodies ages 6-9, this delicious graphic novel about leaving your comfort zone to go on the adventure of following your dreams is described as Ratatouille meets the magic of Studio Ghibli!

Mika will also be signing:
🐿️Her Norma and Belly graphic novels
🍩Donut Feed the Squirrels
🍎Apple of My Pie
🍕Pizza My Heart
🥠One Smart Cookie
🪴Henry Upside Down
🦈Mako and Tiger:Two Not-So-Friendly Sharks

🗓️ Be sure to meet Mika at CCBF on 9/26 to discover her amazing art & chat about the inspiration behind her adorable characters!

08/27/2026

Welcome to CCBF for the first time, bestselling author, joining us from Minneapolis, Erin Soderberg Downing 📚🏕️🦆 🎉

Erin Soderberg Downing is the author of more than seventy-five novels for kids that are filled with heart, humor, adventure, and unforgettable characters! Her books have received well-earned recognition, including being an Edgar Award Nominee, an MN Book Award Finalist, being named a USA Today Bestseller, and more. When she is not writing, Erin loves reading, swimming, creating pottery, exploring the woods, traveling with her family, and walking around Minneapolis lakes with her mischievous dog, Nutmeg.

Erin’s featured title, Healing Hounds, is the third book in her heartwarming Just Like Home middle grade series and invites readers into a unique animal sanctuary where every animal has a story and every animal deserves a chance! Readers will meet the full-time family (of both human and animal variety) who live there, and the rotating stable of animal guests who come to the farm with an injury or challenge, but leave knowing what it really feels like to be loved and cared for.

Erin will also be signing:
💕The first two books in the Just Like Home series (Kitten Delivery & Love Rolls In)
🔥Controlled Burn
🥾Just Keep Walking
🍑The Great Peach Experiment series (When Life Gives
You Lemons, Make Peach Pie; The Peach Pit;
Frozen Peaches; & Duck, Duck, Peach)
🚣What Happened Then

🗓️ Be sure to meet Erin at CCBF on 9/26 to discover a new favorite story filled with courage and wonder.

08/27/2026

Welcome to CCBF for the first time, award-winning author joining us from Atlanta, Laurel Snyder 🎉

Laurel Snyder is the author of many beloved picture books and novels for children that are full of imagination, heart, and a touch of magic. Many of her books have earned incredible recognition, including a National Book Award nominee, a Geisel Award winner, a Sydney Taylor Award winner, an EB White Readaloud Honor, and a National Jewish Book Award honoree.

Laurel’s featured text, Shrinking Violet, is a magical and inspiring modern fairy tale about a brave girl who shrinks and grows depending on how she feels, showing how all of us—no matter our size—are so much bigger than our fears. Violet knows what it’s like to be afraid: when you’re afraid, you feel helpless and small. But when Violet is afraid, she doesn’t just feel small—she actually shrinks! It’s tough to stop feeling frightened when you’re only a few centimeters tall. But when Violet’s best friend is in danger, she’ll have to learn to deal with her fear in a new way—and save the day in the process.

Laurel will also be signing:
🧺Endlessly Ever After
🪄The Witch of Woodland

🗓️ Be sure to meet Laurel at CCBF on 9/26 to discover a new favorite story filled with courage and wonder.

08/27/2026

Welcome to CCBF for the first time, author and illustrator, AJ Smith 🎉

AJ Smith is passionate about crafting books that fuel a love of reading and loves making kids laugh through his silly stories filled with funny drawings! In 2026 he was a Sid Fleischman Award Finalist! For over 20 years, he has scribbled up creative projects for the Cartoon Network, Highlights, Kids Can Press, Nat Geo Kids, Nickelodeon, Sesame Street, and Simon & Schuster. In addition to being a creator, AJ shares his love of art as a high school art teacher outside of Boston!

AJ’s featured title, Catnip Mouse, is a fast-paced and hillarious cat & dog picture book about friendship, tantrums and seeing someone else’s point of view! A disagreement between two animal friends turns into a laugh-out-loud word game with heart. As Kirkus Reviews puts it, the “over-the-top rhymes will provoke giggles galore.”

AJ will also be signing:
👾Greetings, Floof!
🦕☕Tea Time for Dinosaurs

🗓️ Be sure to meet AJ at CCBF on 9/26 to share lots of laughs over his silly stories and funny drawings!

08/27/2026

Welcome to CCBF for the first time, New York Times best-selling and award winning author of books for readers of all ages, Dashka Slater 🎉

Dashka Slater has been telling stories since she could talk! She is the author of unforgettable books of fiction and nonfiction for children and adults, including the beloved Escargot picture book series, The Feylawn Chronicles middle grade fantasy series, and two gripping nonfiction narratives, The 57 Bus and Accountable. Her books have been given numerous honors including winning YALSA Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction Gold Medal, being named in Time magazine’s list of the 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time, and having the first young adult book to ever win the prestigious J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize.

Her featured title, WILD SEASON, shares the truly remarkable story of four abandoned bunnies discovered in a city park and the community that rallies to save them. Dashka’s unforgettable middle grade nonfiction debut will captivate readers as they become invested in the real-life rescue mission to save the bunnies. Readers will be enamored by a community coming together with curiosity, empathy, and action! Hot tip: be sure to flip the bottom right hand corner of the book for a special surprise!!

Dashka will also be signing her beloved picture books as well as her powerful YA nonfiction:
🎣The Big One
💙Dashka Slater’s Blue Books (Wild Blue & Deep Blue)
🐌The Escargot picture book series
🤣Escargot
📗A Book for Escargot
🩷Love, Escargot
🌸Escargot and the Search for Spring
💤Goodnight, Escargot
📰The 57 Bus
🌐Accountable:The True Story of a Racist Social Media
Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed

🗓️ Be sure to meet Dashka at CCBF on 9/26 to the discover true stories, unforgettable characters, and wild adventures inside all of her books!

08/27/2026

Welcome back to CCBF, Co-CEO of Archie Comics Publications, Nancy Silberkleit Nancy Silberkleit 🎉

Nancy Silberkleit (daughter-in-law of Louis H. Silberkleit one of the founders of Archie Comics Publications), believes that the comic book as a graphic novel is a valuable tool for developing literacy among first-time readers and instilling a love of reading for everyone.

As a former public school educator, homemaker and mother, she knows the importance of learning to read and coined a personal motto that “Children+Comic Books=Reading, Knowledge and Confidence.”

“Reading Archie Comics for 30 minutes is what I like to call ‘Archie Therapy,’” says Nancy. “The light-hearted, humorous stories have appealed to readers for generations thanks to the talented writers and artists who make Archie a never-ending story”

Nancy will have a wide assortment of Archie Comics available for readers!

🗓️ Be sure to meet Nancy at CCBF on 9/26 to discover lighthearted, slice-of-life stories about teenagers living in the fictional town of Riverdale!

08/27/2026

Welcome back to CCBF, best-selling and award-winning picture book author, Sheetal Sheth ! 🎉

Sheetal Sheth is a passionate storyteller and champion of underrepresented voices who centers multigenerational narratives in her books which celebrate culture, family, kindness, and the power of representation in helping young people believe in themselves! As a trailblazing and award-winning actress, producer, and author, she brings her love of stories that challenge cultural norms to books, film, and television. Her advocacy includes partnerships with AmeriCorps, Room to Read, Equality Now, and South Asian Youth Action. Her writing has appeared in CNN, The Daily Beast, and Parents.com, and her books have earned multiple honors and “best-of” recognitions. She is currently in post-production on Hummingbird, continuing her focus on emotionally powerful, inclusive storytelling.

Her featured title, Anjali Can, brings readers back to join the inspirational Anjali as she proves there’s nothing she can’t do! In this third book in the Always Anjali series, Anjali must quickly find a way to save the community center. Unwilling to let the center shut down for good, Anjali is determined to keep the place open. Some people may say there’s nothing she can do, but Anjali knows better—she can and must take action! There is no stopping her.

Sheetal will also be signing:
🌟Always Anjali
👏Bravo Anjali
🙂Making Happy
💖Raashi’s Rahkis

🗓️ Be sure to meet Sheetal at CCBF on 9/26 to discover stories that celebrate the power in believing in yourself!

08/26/2026

Welcome back to CCBF, acclaimed author of pulse-pounding historical books for teens & tweens, Steve Sheinkin ! 🎉

Steve Sheinkin knows how to turn history into stories that read like rollercoaster adventures! He is the author of fast-paced, cinematic nonfiction histories that bring true stories to life with suspense, engaging and interesting characters, and lots of surprising detail! Steves’s books have earned many honors including earning a Newbery Honor, being named a National Book Award finalist, and winning Margaret A. Edwards Award.

Steve’s featured title, Diamond Fever! A True Crime Story in the Wild West, takes readers on a wild ride in a high-stakes true crime mystery set in the Wild West, featuring spot art and comics throughout.

Steve will also be signing:
💣Bomb & BOMG (the graphic novel)
🔐The Bletchley Riddle
⛏️Mind Vs. Machine (graphic novel)
🏆Undefeated

🗓️ Be sure to meet Steve at CCBF on 9/26 to learn about the true stories behind some of the most incredible history!

08/26/2026

Welcome to CCBF for the first time, acclaimed author and illustrator, Bob Shea 🎉

Bob Shea has written and/or illustrated over thirty picture books that feature loveable characters and lots of humor. Bob’s work has appeared on Nick Jr., Playhouse Disney, and PBS Kids, and earned starred reviews, been selected for kid-voted state awards, and received an Eisner nomination. Fun fact about Bob: he is allergic to dogs, but pets them anyway!

Bob’s featured title, Chez Bob, is a funny story about a lazy alligator who opens a restaurant on his nose to attract delicious birds. When a little community springs up around Chez Bob, he starts to question his original plan and wonders if his customers might be more than just dinner!

Bob will also be signing:
🐻🐢Bearsuit Turtle Makes a Friend
🐻🐢Bearsuit Turtle Plays a Game
🦁Oh, Are you Awake?
🦄Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great
🐻 💦Who Wet My Pants?

🗓️ Be sure to meet Bob at CCBF on 9/26 for lots of laughs and tons of picture book fun!

08/26/2026

Welcome back to CCBF , all the way from Minnesota, picture book author Trisha Speed Shaskan 🎉

Trisha Speed Shaskan is the author of more than fifty books for children! From playful twisted fairy tales to stories about believing in yourself, Trisha’s books get young readers laughing while they think about important ideas! Trisha has taught creative writing to students at every level from kindergarten to graduate-school, and loves to visit elementary schools and libraries She lives in Minneapolis, MN with her husband Stephen Shaskan (the creator of the graphic novel series Pizza & Taco, who will also be at the festival) and their dogs, Beatrix and Murray.

Trisha’s featured title, The Itty-Bitty Witch, is a sweet story about courage, perseverance, and being confident in yourself, no matter your size! Betty can’t wait to be a first-grade witch, but on the first day of school, her classmates start calling her “Itty Bitty” because she’s small and still uses her kinder-broom. Betty doesn’t like the nickname or how it makes her feel itty-bitty inside, so she comes up with a BIG idea to prove herself: winning the Halloween Dash.

Trisha will also be signing:
🦨Punk Skunks
🐺Honestly, Red Riding Hood Was Rotten: The Story of Little Red Riding Hood As Told by The Wolf
👠Seriously, Cinderella Is So Annoying!: The Story of Cinderella As Told by The Wicked Stepmother

🗓️ Be sure to meet Trisha at CCBF on 9/26 to discover stories that are full of imagination, humor, and heart!

Chappaqua Children's Book Festival

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