The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books began in 1996 with a simple goal: to bring together the people who create books with the people who love to read them. The festival was an immediate success and has become the largest and most prestigious book festival in the country, attracting more than 130,000 book lovers each year.

Sonja Bolle writes the "Word Play" column for the Los Angeles Times Books Section online edition and reviews children's books for Newsday. She is a former editor of the Los Angeles Times Book Review and a freelance book editor.

Kate DiCamillo is the best-selling author of several children's books, including Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tale of Despereaux, both of which became major motion pictures. DiCamillo has won an array of awards, including a Newbery Honor.