Boston, MA September 8, 2006 – Rhea Perlman, Norman Bridwell and Patricia MacLachlan are among more than 20 authors and performers who will be featured at the 2006 Boston Globe Children’s Book Festival. The free event will take place from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 16, 2006 at Copley Square in Boston, Mass. The event will be held rain or shine.

Rhea Perlman, best known as the Emmy-Award winning actress for her role in Cheers, is also the author of the Otto Undercover book series for children aged 7-11. Otto Pillip drives the fastest race car on the planet, loves palindromes and is also a detective and inventor. There are currently four books in the series, including Otto Undercover #1: Born to Drive, Otto Undercover #2: Canyon Catastrophe, Otto Undercover #3: Water Balloon Doom and Otto Undercover #4: Toxic Taffy Takeover

Ms. Perlman will be joined at the festival by Norman Bridwell, creator of the Clifford the Big Red Dog series, known and loved by children worldwide and Patricia MacLachlan, award-winning author of Arthur, For the Very First Time, winner of the Golden Kite Award for Fiction, Sarah, Plain and Tall, winner of the Newbery Medal, and her newest book, Grandfather’s Dance. Ms. MacLachlan is a resident of Williamsburg, Mass.

The 2006 Boston Globe Children’s Book Festival is presented by Target. Additional sponsors and partners include Verizon, The Boston Celtics, ReadBoston, The Boston Public Library and the City of Boston Parks & Recreation Department.

The Festival will kick-off with a week-long series of children’s events at the Boston Public Library Branches. Beginning on September 7, children’s story hours, films, back-to school activities and art classes will be held at the 27 public library branches throughout the city. A full listing of activities being held throughout the week can be found at the Web Site.

The Festival culminates with the all-day free event in Copley Square. In addition to author readings, there will be musical performances, appearances by costumed characters, interactive activities, puppet shows and author signings. The larger-than-life Target “Big Red Chair,” which measures almost five feet wide and serves as the symbol of Target’s national reading program Ready. Sit. Read!, also will be on-stage throughout the festival.

Other performers include:

• Suzy Becker, Manny’s Cows: The Niagara Falls Tale
• Anne Bowen, What Do Teachers Do (After You Leave School)?
• Michelle Bredice Craemer, author of Pellie Runs a Marathon and Coco Loves to Tri
• Laurie Friedman, Love, Ruby Valentine
• Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Good Night, Monkey Boy and My Buddy, Slug
• Megan McDonald & Peter H. Reynolds, the Judy Moody Series
• Todd Parr, The Grandma Book, The Grandpa Book, Reading Makes You Feel Good
• Chuck Veneziano, My Time on Nantucket
• Dr. Charlotte Cowan, The Little Elephant with the Big Earache
• Irene Smalls, My Pop Pop and Me
• Cyndi Sue Makeff, Inky Winky Spider Series
• Peter Brown, Flight of the Dodo and Chowder
• Roger Day, Musician

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