Maguire and More at Concord Author Fest

Part of the ongoing Concord Festival of Authors this month is a "Wizard of Oz Family Party" at the Concord, Massachusetts, Scout House on Walden Street, Saturday, 28 Oct, 2:00 to 4:00. "Costumes Encouraged!" say the announcements. There are games, crafts, readings, trivia tests, and the chance to "Paint your face green."

Gregory Maguire will be on hand to read from and sign some of his best-selling books, including the Oz-inspired Wicked and Son of a Witch. It's always fun at these events to see Gregory, a good father and still in many ways a good Irish Catholic boy, squirm at the sight of small children in his audience as he reads from what are, after all, novels for adults.

Also part of this festival are appearances by these children's-book creators:

• D. B. Johnson, author-illustrator of Henry Hikes to Fitchburg, 22 Oct (that's today, 2:00) at the Thoreau Farm
  
• Donna Jo Napoli, author of Zel and Beast, 24 Oct at the Pollard Memorial Library in Lowell
  
• Anna Dewdney, author-illustrator of Grumpy Gloria, 27 Oct at the Concord Bookshop