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Laura Bush is a former librarian, an ardent lover of books, and an advocate of reading and lifelong learning. By
sharing her love of books with children and adults, Mrs. Bush hopes to encourage Americans not only to read
themselves, but to share reading with their families. During her time in Texas and Washington, Mrs. Bush has
sponsored many initiatives urging children and adults to read, including events that celebrate the great authors and
writings of America.
The National Book Festival was co-founded by Mrs. Bush in 2001. Organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress, the festival encourages Americans to develop a lifelong love of reading. Now in its eighth year, the National Book Festival continues to delight audiences with events such as storytelling by children’s book authors and book signings by some of America's most popular fiction writers, biographers, and poets. The number of festival attendees has grown from approximately 30,000 in 2001 to over 120,000 this year. More than 70 authors and illustrators participated in this year’s festival on Saturday, September 27, 2008. The festival was held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. For more information, including a Young Reader's Online Toolkit, please visit http://www.loc.gov/bookfest
The White House Salute to American Author Series was developed by Mrs. Bush to honor some of America’s most significant authors, including Mark Twain, authors of the Harlem Renaissance, and women authors of the American West.
The Texas Book Festival is a state-wide festival that Mrs. Bush founded in 1995 when she was the First Lady of Texas. The festival is held annually each fall in Austin, Texas. For more information about the Texas Book Festival, please visit http://www.texasbookfestival.org
