Los Angeles Kids Book Festival founder Bonnie Hyde and West Hollywood City Councilman Danny Hang pose for picture at last year’s festival. This year’s festival will be held Sept. 7 at West Hollywood Park.
Courtesy photo
By Darlene Donloe
Contributing Writer
WEST HOLLYWOOD — The third annual Los Angeles Kids Book Festival will be held at West Hollywood Park from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m Sept. 7. It is designed to be a day of stories, music and fun.
Founded in 2023 by Bonnie Hyde, the family-friendly event is a program of the American Born Chinese Foundation, designed to celebrate children’s literacy and foster a love for reading in young minds.
“I started the nonprofit, American Born Chinese Foundation, because I wanted to have a festival to celebrate diversity,” said Hyde, who has two bilingual children ages 2 and 4. “How amazing would it be to have diverse storylines, characters and languages in the books the children read?”
Hyde, who moved from China to attend UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Northridge, said, “It’s important for all children to celebrate their own culture.
“It’s important to send that message,” she said. “Seeing different faces and characters. It’s a first impression of the representation. I wanted to have a festival to celebrate that. A festival that brings in the community — with people who speak your language and look like you.”
Hyde wants to normalize being diverse.
“My biggest goal is to spread diversity of cultures and help people learn about other cultures,” she said. “I don’t want children to hide their home language. I want everyone to see themselves in the books.”
The event, which is expected to draw up to 10,000 people, is presented by the American Born Chinese Foundation, and in partnership with the city of West Hollywood.
Hyde said the day has a “jam-packed schedule.”
“We have authors, publishers, kid-friendly slime, a cultural center, a music group performing, a world-renowned tap dancing team will perform,” Hyde said. “There’s a special appearance from Blippi, from the show on Netflix. Actress Tika Sumpter, who was in “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” will be in attendance to promote her book. We also have food trucks, a silent auction online and giveaways. To close it out, there is a foam party.
The festival lineup includes nearly 100 children’s authors and illustrators, local and national creators, with exhibitors flying in from Arizona, Pennsylvania, New York and Tennessee. It also features author and publishing industry panels to help would-be authors learn how to write children’s books.
“Everyone should roam the park,” Hyde said. “It’s beautiful. It’s connected to the library. We will have reading tents, photo booths, and face-painting.”
Hyde said the book festival is more than just a fun day out — it’s a celebration of the power of reading and learning.
“Our goal is to make literacy and multicultural education accessible and joyful for all families,” she said. “With new panels, performances and sensory-friendly spaces, this year’s festival is our most inclusive yet.”
By promoting early childhood education, bilingualism, and multiculturalism, the festival aims to inspire a love of reading in young minds and empower them to become lifelong learners.
Hyde has plans to expand.
“We may extend it to different cities,” she said. “Maybe New York. Currently, we aim to make this an enjoyable experience. I encourage everyone just to come and have fun.”
Other features are a sensory friendly chill zone offering a calming space for children who need a break, a storytime space inside the adjacent West Hollywood Library, live entertainment by the BeatBuds, Chloé and Maud Arnold of Syncopated Ladies, and their junior group, Sole Talks, and LoveBug & Me.
The festival concludes with a foam party.
West Hollywood Park is located at 647 N. San Vicente Blvd. Parking is available at Parking Lots A, B, and C. There is also additional street-metered parking surrounding the park.
For more information, call 310 795-5312 or email info@lakidsbookfestival.com.
Darlene Donloe is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers who covers South Los Angeles. She can be reached at ddonloe@gmail.com.
