Good Books for Bad Children: The Genius of Ursula Nordstrom
(Anne Schwartz Books, 2023)

Children’s Author Panel Discussion
Saturday, September 30
10:30 a.m.
Lewes Public Library Fireplace Reading Area

About the book
In this lively, lyrical picture book biography, young readers will meet the groundbreaking, outspoken, legendary editor of the best-loved books for children. Ursula Nordstrom inspired Maurice Sendak, Margaret Wise Brown, and others to create Where the Wild Things Are, Good Night Moon, and many more classics — books that went on to win every award imaginable, including the Caldecott and Newbery medals and the National Book Award. Her favorite books of all? “Good books for bad children,” she’d say.  

About the author
Beth Kephart is a National Book Award finalist and award-winning author of over 30 books for adults, young adults, and children, including the picture books And I Paint It: Henriette Wyeth's World, and the forthcoming A Room of Your Own: Virginia Woolf and Where We Go to Think, Dream, and Be.

Kephart is one of three authors on the Children’s Author Panel Discussion, moderated by Nancy Sakaduski.

Nancy (Day) Sakaduski, an award-winning writer and editor, founded Cat & Mouse Press in Lewes in 2012 to support local authors and produce books that are humorous and entertaining. Writing for children and adults, she has authored 24 published books.

Purchase the book
Please help support local independent bookstores by purchasing this book at Browseabout Books, official bookseller of the History Book Festival. Online sources and digital versions are tempting; however, supporting local brick and mortar shops helps to preserve our vibrant main streets. Drop by Browseabout, order books online, or call the store at 302-226-2665. You also may purchase a copy at biblion in Lewes.

About the Festival
The History Book Festival is the first and only book festival in the United States devoted exclusively to history. With the help of our presenting funding partners — Delaware Humanities and The Lee Ann Wilkinson Group, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices I PenFed Realty — as well as our program and community partners, volunteers, and donors, the 2023 History Book Festival will be full of great discussions with authors of newly published narrative nonfiction and historical fiction. Our Keynote Address is presented by Sally Mott Freeman and John K. Freeman, and our Closing Address is presented by Dogfish Head Beer & Benevolence.

Special thanks to our program partners for their continuing support: the Lewes Public Library for event promotion and venue; Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, official bookseller of the History Book Festival; Lewes Chamber of Commerce for event promotion, and the Cape Gazette and Delmarva Public Media, our media partners.

Additional thanks to our community partners: ACLU Delaware, Beebe Healthcare, CAMP Rehoboth, Historic Lewes Farmers Market, Lewes Historical Society, Rehoboth Art League, Rehoboth Beach Historical Society & Museum, Seaside Jewish Community, and Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice (SDARJ).