The Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival, now in its seventh year, is an annual celebration of children’s literature written and illustrated by authors and artists who are Black, Indigenous and people of color.

As part of the festival, 3,000 books will be distributed free of charge to families throughout the state.

It kicks off Sept. 12 and runs through early November, with programming spread out over five counties featuring author and illustrator events, books fairs, readings, performances and exhibitions. Participating cities and towns include Waterville, Rockland, Boothbay and Lewiston, among several others.

The festival is being presented by Indigo Arts Alliance in partnership with I’m Your Neighbor Books, Diverse BookFinder and Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine.

Jordia Benjamin, executive director of Indigo Arts Alliance. (Courtesy of Indigo Arts Alliance)

Indigo Arts Alliance executive director Jordia Benjamin said the festival has grown over its seven years, involving more community members than in the past. Additionally, the beautifulblackbird.com website features curriculum material so schools can engage with the books.

This year, Benjamin said the festival will emphasize the importance of storytelling.

“It provides us perspectives, it provides us entry points into new worlds that we might not know were possible,” she said.

These possibilities, said Benjamin, extend off the page, “not only sitting with the material, providing mental clarity and gateways, but also how it affects us, and how we look at each other, how we communicate with each other, how we welcome each other into our homes and into our close networks.

“That is what I think is at the core of the festival: How do we embrace each other and find that we’re more similar than we are different? And when we concentrate on those similarities, we’re able to really truly love each other and care for each other,” said Benjamin.

Empathy, said Benjamin, is another tenet of the festival. It’s a skill she hopes that youth adopt, but that also serves as a reminder for adults that there is hope.

“When we come and look at the world with a little bit of lightness, and put down the heaviness of what it is that is surrounding us day to day, and just start  with the simplicity of just looking out for each other, the simplicity of just checking in and seeing each other is the core,” said Benjamin.

Benjamin also hopes the festival will inspire people of all ages to tap into their creativity. “Reading, literature, the actual physical creation, all of those are intertwined. Human beings are designed to express themselves,” she said.

Choosing books to be included in the festival is a process that Benjamin said is done with tenderness and care.

“We start with an Ashley Bryan book. He’s our center, he’s our core.”

Bryan, a celebrated artist and author, died in 2022 at age 98. His book “Beautiful Blackbird” was adapted from a story from the Ila people in Zambia, in which birds of the forest learn to appreciate their own beauty and heritage.

Festival stakeholders select books for different age groups using criteria that considers inclusivity and diversity. Each book undergoes a comprehensive evaluation process.

“We get the books in advance and read them personally. We’re not just picking off a face cover or summaries, we’re actually reading the entirety of the books before we cast our votes, ” said Benjamin. “It’s an intentional act of love.”

“Fibbed” by Elizabeth Agyemang, “Hairstory” by Sope Martins and Briana Mukodiri Uchendu and “Sail Away” by Langston Hughes and Bryan are among the books, which include picture books, graphic novels, poetry and middle-grade fiction.

The Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival begins with three events on Sept. 12 through early November.

Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival kick-off
10:30-11:30 a.m. Waterville Public Library, 73 Elm St. Includes a read-aloud of “Saturday” by Oge Mora and story walk at the Reed Field/Story Walk Trail at 58 Drummond Ave.

Lost Treasure: Dive into “The Deepest Blue.”
10.a.m.-1 p.m. Indigo Arts Alliance, 60 Cove St., Portland. Exploration of “The Deepest Blue” by Shauntay Grant and illustrations by Daniel Minter. Guest speakers are marine archeologist and co-coordinator of the Slave Wrecks Project Gabrielle Miller and award-winning illustrator Minter. The talk will be followed by a zine workshop.

Read-alouds of “Beautiful Blackbird” and “The Deepest Blue”
10-11:30 a.m. Hello Hello Books, 316 Main St. Rockland. Books will be available for in-store giveaways throughout September and October.

For the rest of the schedule, head to beautifulblackbird.com.