Kansas Book Festival set for Sept. 15

Topeka — The second annual Kansas Book Festival will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 15 at the Kansas Museum of History.

“Our mission is to promote literacy and encourage a life-long love of reading,” Kansas first lady Mary Brownback said in a release.

The event is free and open to the public.

“We believe that we achieved that in our first festival last September and are excited to see where this year’s event takes us. We have a great lineup of locally and nationally known authors and illustrators that kids and adults will enjoy,” Brownback said.

More than 30 authors will take part in the festival, including local favorites such as Matthew Polly, Harriet Lerner and Thomas Fox Averill.

Candice Millard, author of the New York Times’ best-seller “Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President,” also will be presenting. Kansas City author and illustrator Shane Evans will attend. Evans has illustrated books for Shaquille O’Neal, Holly Robinson Peete and Taye Diggs and won the 2012 Coretta Scott King award for his book “Underground.”

One of the day’s key presentations will be made by 91-year-old Chester Nez along with the help of his co-author. Nez is one of the original Navajo Code Talkers from World War II. The awards ceremony for the Kansas Notable Book winners will take place at noon.

Along with the author presentations, there will be book signings, outdoor entertainment and activities for children of all ages.