Vision

The Latinx KidLit Book Festival was created in 2020 during the COVID pandemic by members of Las Musas Books. Our aim was to connect Latinx authors and illustrators with readers and educators in classrooms around the globe. Since then, and with the help of countless volunteers, the festival has continued to foster a love of story and literacy as well as increase empathy and conversation among educators, students, and book lovers while uplifting the voices of Latinx kidlit book creators.

Goals

1. 1.In order for the LKBF to achieve its mission and goals, it must be sustainable. Sustainability for us includes support for our festival staff, honorariums for our participating creators, more educator resources, and flexibility to explore new avenues, such as the Storytellers Conference, year-round. We hope to achieve these goals through increased research into grants and funding.
2. 2.In 2022 in collaboration with Penguin Random House, SCBWI and private donors we launched the School Visit Fund which connects Latinx authors and illustrators with students through virtual and in-person school visits. This fund continues our work of increasing representation, building empathy, and supporting our Latinx creators.
3. 3.In 2024, we debuted a new, in-person event for aspiring and early-career Latinx authors and illustrators of books for all ages with the goal to increase the number of traditionally published diverse stories. The Latinx Storytellers Conference was held in September at Scholastic headquarters in New York City.