Other Activities

Guild activities are intended to stimulate high standards of writing and illustrating for children and make everyone aware of better books for children. We often collaborate with other groups having similar purposes. First and foremost is our annual Nonfiction Award. Throughout the year, Guild members participate in national, regional and local conferences and book fairs and also make countless school visits and presentations (Speakers Bureau).

In addition to the activities highlighted individually on this website, the Guild also participates in these events:

Festival of Books with the National Museum of Women in the Arts
From 2003 - 2008, the Guild collaborated with the National Museum of Women in the Arts at 1250 New York Avenue in Washington, D.C. (www.nmwa.org) for an annual Family Festival of Books in August. The Museum filled its elegant halls with families, authors and artists. Guild members engaged children with an afternoon of hands-on activities, slide shows and storytelling.

The Guild in D.C. Schools
In the 1950s, when the Guild was brand new, we were proud to help sponsor citywide Book Fairs. In the 1960s, we lobbied to bring libraries into D.C. elementary schools. During our 50th anniversary Luncheon in 2002, we started a new tradition by honoring a DC public school with a donation of 50 books, classroom visits by Guild members and teacher training by book specialists. Turning the Page (http://www.turningthepage.org) , a literacy group and member of the Guild, helps identify a school that is actively promoting reading in its community.
2002 - Hendley Elementary School, 425 Chesapeake St SE
2003 - Garfield Elementary School, 2435 Alabama Ave, SE
2004 - Merritt Educational Center, 5002 Hayes Street, NE
2005 - Martin Luther King, Jr Elementary School, 3200 6th St. SE
2006 - River Terrace Elementary School, 420 34th St NE
2007 - M.C.Terrell Elementary School, 3301 Wheeler Rd. SE
2009 - Aiton Elementary School, 533 48th Pl NE
2010 - Garfield Elementary School,  2435 Alabama Avenue SE

National Book Festival
First Lady Laura Bush inaugurated the National Book Festival in 2001 with the help of the Library of Congress. The Children's Book Guild joined other literacy organizations in the Pavilion of the States during the 2003 Book Festival. www.loc.gov/bookfest/

Archives of the Children's Book Guild of Washington, D.C.
All of the existing records of the Children's Book Guild have been placed with the Historical Society of Washington, D.C., and are now housed under archival conditions in the Research Library of the City Museum at Mt. Vernon Square, NW (801 K St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001). They are readily accessible to Guild members, as well as to the general public, and help to place our group within the cultural history of Washington. The material has been catalogued under seven series which can be augmented as the Guild donates its newer materials annually:
Series I: History
Series II: Administrative Records, 1945-2003
Series III: Committees and Events Records, 1945-2003
Series IV: Children's Book Week Luncheon/The Washington Post-Children's Book Guild Nonfiction Award
Series V: Illustrating and Writing Seminars, 1984-1992
Series VI: Newsletters, 1961-2003
Series VII: Books, Illustrations, Photographs, 1955-2001

Astrid Lindgren's 100th Birthday Celebration at the House of Sweden - November 17, 2007

Presentations By (click to view):