T.S. Eliot may have dubbed April the cruelest month, but we’re pretty sure he didn’t take the Free Library into account when he did.

This month, the Philadelphia Book Festival returns to the Parkway Central Library for a six-day celebration of books, music, and inspiration! Join us each evening from April 16-20 for author events with literary luminaries--including United States Poet Laureate Philip Levine and Philadelphia Poet Laureate Sonia Sanchez--and the ever-popular First Person Story Slam.

On Saturday, April 21, in conjunction with the Philadelphia Science Festival, science writers take center stage in Montgomery Auditorium while families enjoy an afternoon of fun in Shakespeare Park with beloved storybook characters, children's musicians, and more.

After the festival, families are invited to continue the fun from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. inside Parkway Central. Join us for A Storied Evening: A Family Fun Event and participate in a story hour with Master Storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston; a high-tech high jinks scavenger hunt; and special parent lounge. This exciting evening also includes dinner with writer Sara Shepard, author of the no. 1 New York Times bestselling series, Pretty Little Liars. A Storied Evening costs $125 per family (up to four people), $35 per individual, and children two years old and under are free. $60 of the family ticket price is tax-deductible; $20 of the individual ticket price is tax-deductible. For more information or to register, call 215-814-3520 or visit http://freelibrary.eventbrite.com

We hope you'll join in on the April fun!