Our community is very supportive of young people. We know who scores the winning touchdown for City High. We celebrate students who make all-state in music for Northwest Junior High. We cheer the top debaters at Regina. But do we know the best young writers in our community?

We should. As a UNESCO City of Literature, we rightly laud the published and soon-to-be published authors among us, but we tend to overlook the most abundant pool of talent in our area: our K-12 schools.

Recognizing and celebrating this talent is a big reason behind the City of Literature organization’s annual One Book Two Book Children’s Literature Festival. Like traditional festivals, it offers the chance for attendees — in this case, children and their families — to hear from published authors about their work. But more important is its ultimate goal: to champion writing by children.

The One Book Two Book Kids Book Box supported by GreenState Credit Union is offered in three age-specific boxes 0-3, 4-6 & 7-10.

• Ages 0-3
  • Red House Tree House Little Bitty Brown Mouse, Godwin, Jane from Prairie Lights Books
  • A board book about colors, numbers, letters, and animals from Haunted Bookshop
  • Sometimes You Fly, Katherin Applegate -illustrated by local illustrator Jennifer Black Reinhardt from Sidekick Coffee & Books

• Ages 4-6
  • In the Woods, Elliott, David  from Prairie Lights Books
  • 1 reading buddy – 8″ cuddly plush kitty, puppy, chick, or bunny from Haunted Bookshop
  • Charlie and Mouse #1, Laurel Snyder & a set of i-clips magnetic bookmarks from  Sidekick Coffee & Books

• Ages 7-10
  • The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog And Other How-To Poems, Janeczko, Paul B from Prairie Lights Books
  • Act out your own story with finger puppets & one used age-specific book from Haunted Bookshop
  • Malamander, Thomas Taylor & a set of i-clips magnetic bookmarks from  Sidekick Coffee & Books

In addition to the listed books & accessories, each book box includes coloring pages, arts & crafts kits, and bookmarks from the Iowa Children’s Museum, Iowa City Public Library, Coralville Public Library, North Liberty Public Library, and Iowa City Parks & Recreation.

Each box will be delivered in the Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty area for free during the week of February 22-26th or are available to be shipped for $10.

The Kids Book Box not only supports the One Book Two Book festival and the City of Literature but each box supports the local bookstores Haunted Bookstore, Prairie Lights Bookshop, & Sidekick Coffee & Books.

Order HERE