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"YO! Book Fest" Brings Stories, Creativity & Community to Black Rock
Collage of smiling students, staff family and friends at Black Rock's YO! Book Fest

On Saturday, October 25, 2025, Black Rock Middle School buzzed with creativity and community spirit as it hosted the inaugural YO!ung People’s Book Festival of Greater Philadelphia (YO! Book Fest) — a vibrant celebration of books, authors, illustrators and the joy of reading.

The event, presented in partnership with Children’s Book World, drew families, educators, students and book lovers from across the region for a full day of storytelling, workshops and hands-on fun. More than 60 community members, 50 student ambassadors and eight committee leads collaborated to bring the festival to life — a testament to the power of reading to unite and inspire.

A Celebration of Books & Belonging

The day kicked off with a Character Parade led by the Black Rock Middle School Pep Band and the Phan-Phavorite Philly Phanatic, featuring beloved characters like Bruce the Bear, Elephant & Piggie, Paddington, Pete the Cat and Rainbow Fish. Guests then explored hallways and classrooms transformed into colorful hubs of creativity featuring writing and illustration workshops, bilingual story sessions and book-themed trivia.

Visitors also enjoyed food trucks, snack stations and photo ops with their favorite characters, along with book signings and sales benefiting the nonprofit Bringing Books to Life.

Authors, Illustrators & Imagination

The festival featured an impressive lineup of nationally recognized and local authors and illustrators, including Ruth Behar, Brian Biggs, A.S. King, Mike Sielski, Lisa Graff, Deborah Heiligman, David Wiesner, Rita Williams-Garcia, Greg Pizzoli and dozens of others across picture-book, middle-grade and young-adult genres.

Sessions throughout the day gave readers of all ages the chance to meet creators and dive into the craft of storytelling. Highlights included:

  • “Art of the Picture Book” with Gene Barretta, Judy Schachner and David Wiesner
  • “It’s All Relative” with Ruth Behar and Gabriel Frye-Behar
  • “Bookish Pictionary” and “Quick Draw” illustrator games
  • “Writing Y.A.” featuring De Elizabeth, Helena Haywoode Henry and Kim Johnson
  • “Black History Is Your History” with author and TikTok educator Taylor Cassidy
  • “Philly Sports Writing” with journalist Mike Sielski
  • “World-Building” with fantasy author Shveta Thakrar

Workshops spanned from “Craftivism” and “Zine Station” to “Hidden Truths,” “Finding Your Way,” and “Writing Friends,” offering something for every reader and creator.

A True Community Effort

The festival’s success reflected the collaboration of countless educators, volunteers and students from Black Rock and throughout the District. Black Rock’s YO! Student Ambassadors also played a vital role in many aspects of the event, from building the school-community partnership that made the program possible and planning logistics to greeting guests, assisting authors and modeling the festival’s message that “LMSD readers are leaders.”

Special recognition went to Rachel Nichols of Black Rock Middle School and Heather Hebert of Children’s Book World for spearheading the initiative, along with the dedicated festival committee and community partners who made the dream a reality.

From karaoke and LEGO storytelling to bilingual readings and panel discussions, the YO! Book Fest transformed the school into a lively world of words and wonder. As the program noted, the festival was founded on “a desire to nurture student writers and artists, to celebrate books and their creators in a free and accessible way, and to amplify the transformative power of reading in our community.”

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A group of people, including the Philly Phanatic, are seated together in the bleachers
A person wearing a gray sweatshirt and a red cap stands in front of a shimmering gold curtain backdrop, holding a microphone and welcoming guests
The Philly Phanatic is standing in the foreground, surrounded by a crowd of people seated in the bleachers
A person in a Paddington Bear costume is led out for the character parade
A large stuffed Paddington Bear character wearing a red hat walks out into the gymnasium
Two young children wearing Phillies baseball uniforms and colorful hats sit together on the bleachers, smiling at the camera.
A Pete the Cat mascot in a yellow shirt and striped pants stands in the foreground, with two people in the background.
A large, plush blue bear mascot stands in a room with two people, one wearing a blue shirt and the other wearing a gray shirt, who appear to be interacting with the mascot.
A colorful, plush Rainbow Fish mascot is introduced for the character parade
The Phanatic and Pete the Cat do a %22high five%22
A group of Black Rock musicians are seated and playing various percussion instruments on a stage or performance area.
A group of Black Rock musicians, including a person playing the saxophone and another playing the trombone, are performing on a stage with various musical instruments and equipment visible in the background.
The image shows a group of young musicians, with a focus on a flute and clarinet player as they perform
A group of students, some holding musical instruments, are gathered in the Black Rock gymnasium, with various equipment and seating visible in the background.
The image shows a group of students playing musical instruments, with a focus on three percussionists playing snare drums
A young student and his father say hello to Pete the Cat
Students and families walk around the gymnasium as they join the character parade
A young boy stands in front of a large stuffed animal mascot, surrounded by yellow storage containers in what appears to be a gymnasium or sports facility.
The Phanatic is surrounded by a group of people, including the Black Rock band, in the Royals' auditorium
The Philly Phanatic sticks his tongue out as the Black Rock band performs
A woman in a navy blue shirt is playing a trumpet on a stage
A group of smiling young girls, accompanied by an adult woman, stand together in a brightly lit indoor setting with yellow seating in the background.
Dr. Nichols and colleague pose with the Philly Phanatic - a large, green, furry mascot character wearing a Phillies baseball jersey - in front of a gold background
A smiling family of three, with a woman and a man holding a young child, smile for a picture
Girl and the Philly Phanatic pose for a picture
A father and daughter smile for a photo
The Philly Phanatic poses for a picture with two fans
The Philly Phanatic poses for a picture with a mother and daughter
Dr. Nichols and colleague pose with the Philly Phanatic - a large, green, furry mascot character wearing a Phillies baseball jersey - in front of a gold background
A family with two young kids poses for a picture with the Phanatic
A family of four, consisting of two adults and two children, posing together on a set of yellow bleachers in what appears to be a sports or athletic facility.
The image shows a smiling mother and daughter, one wearing a %22Milan, Italy%22 sweatshirt and the other with long blond hair
A grandmother and her grandkids pose for a picture with the Philly Phanatic
The image features a display of various plush toys and a children's book titled %22Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes%22 on a wooden shelf. The toys include several blue cat figures wearing different outfits and accessories, creating a vibrant and playful scene.
The image shows a children's book titled %22Mother Bruce%22 featuring a character named Bruce, along with several plush toys of similar blue, furry creatures in the foreground, set against a colorful and playful background.
A smiling woman in a black shirt stands behind a table displaying various books and other items in a classroom or library setting.
A colorful display of plush elephant toys and children's books on a bookshelf, creating a whimsical and educational atmosphere.
The image shows a display of various plush toy elephants and pigs on a wooden shelf, with colorful books and other items in the background.
A smiling man wearing glasses and a cap sits at a table with books and a %22Draw with Mr. Mike%22 sign, against a vibrant yellow background.
An author is enthusiastically interacting with two young boys in what appears to be an educational or recreational setting, with various signs and props visible in the background.
A man with glasses and a baseball cap is sitting at a table, making an exaggerated expression with his arms raised, surrounded by various educational materials and a %22Draw with Mr. Mike%22 sign.
Author Julie Fortenberry smile for a photo at her table
The image shows a young boy and his mother browsing through books and other items on a table, with other people visible in the background.
Author Alison Green Myers smiles for a photo from her table
A young person in a pink shirt is browsing through a selection of books on a table at the Book Festival
Author Greg Pizzoli shows the peace sign as he stands at his table
Author John Patrick Green smiles in a candid photo at his table
Authors Laurie Morrison and Cordelia Jensen sit at a table displaying various books, smiling and engaging with someone out of frame.
Author Liz Montague sits at a table, surrounded by various items such as a water bottle and a name tag.
Author Laura Parnam smiles as she poses for a picture with a book fest guest
Candid photo of author Cordelia Jensen sitting at her table
A young boy wearing a blue and white striped beanie is intently reading a book while surrounded by stacks of books in the background.
A young woman with long, curly hair is intently focused on a book in her hands
A group of smiling women and three students, smile for a picture
A young girl in a colorful patterned sweater is intently focused on drawing or writing at a table, with another person visible in the background.
A woman with glasses is sitting at a table, smiling and interacting with a young child who is drawing on a piece of paper in front of them.
A woman in a white sweater is sitting at a table with a young child, both engaged in an arts and crafts activity surrounded by various art supplies.
A smiling woman with glasses wearing an orange plaid shirt sits at a table with various items.
A female student with long dark hair is sitting at a table, intently reading a book while holding a red beverage container.
A father and mother stand with their two young children, both of whom are holding a book titled %22Tiny T. Rex%22.
Two women, one older and one younger, are smiling and embracing a young child in a colorful, cluttered room filled with toys and art supplies.
A colorful poster advertising the Young People's Book Festival of Greater Philadelphia, featuring the event's title and details against a backdrop of blue and orange circles.
Two smiling young women wearing black jackets and hats pose for a picture
Event attendees peruse the menu items on a black food truck with flames on it
A series of three colorful food trucks with a large, vibrant graphic design is parked on a paved street, outside at Black Rock
Two students are intently focused on their work, writing with pencils on papers placed on the desk in front of them. The background appears to be a classroom setting with shelves and other furniture visible.
Two smiling women, one with braided hair and the other with curly hair, smile for a photo
Mascot group photo in Black Rock's gym
A large group of people stand in the bleachers to watch the character parade
A group of diverse individuals, some wearing colorful clothing and accessories, are gathered in the gymnasium
Author Hilda Eunice Burgos is seated at a table displaying various children's books, with a yellow backdrop and colorful decorations surrounding the display.
Author Kim Johnson sits behind a table displaying various books
Two individuals, a young boy and an adult woman, are seated at a table with various items, including books and a water bottle, in a setting with a dark background.
The image shows an older woman with curly gray hair and glasses, standing behind a table displaying various books and promotional materials.
Author Greg Pizzoli n a green shirt is sitting at a table with various signs and posters as he signs an autograph for a fan
Two women, one with short gray hair and the other with long dark hair, are smiling and holding up children's books in front of a dark background.
Two individuals, one wearing a yellow hat and the other in a beige coat, are holding up books with colorful covers in front of a red backdrop.
Two women in colorful clothing holding children's books and standing in front of a display with various items.
A young girl with long brown hair is sitting on the floor, intently reading a book against a warm-toned wall.
Two young children, a girl and a boy, are playing with colorful building blocks in what appears to be a classroom or daycare setting. The background features blue partitions or dividers, suggesting an educational or play environment.
A group of young people are gathered around a box of legos
A group of young people are gathered around a box of legos

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