Paperbacks and hardbacks, fiction and non-fiction, autographed books of all sorts for children of all ages will be for sale at the Children’s Authors Festival and Book Sale.

The festival, set for Nov. 3, is a chance for adults and children to buy books for the holidays and throughout the year with the advice of experts. The sale is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the staff lounge on the lower level of Founders Memorial Library.

More than 20 authors and illustrators of children’s books will be present to talk about their works and to autograph copies. Children also will be able to collect authors autographs, and the books of participating authors will be for sale.

The books will range from pictorials for pre-schoolers to novels for teenagers. The non-fiction includes topics as diverse as ecology, sports, superstitions and adoption, as well as biographies and learning activities.

Through the fiction, children can learn about Bismark the Buffalo’s underwear or the secret friendship between a German immigrant and a Sauk Indian in 1840 Iowa.

Most of the authors are from the Midwest, and many write about the region. Their works are published by such firms as Atheneum, Franklin Watts, Scholastic Inc., Walker and William Moore.

Many authors have received critical acclaim, including Carol Lerner, who has had several works named Notable Children’s Books by the American Library Association.

The Friends of NIU Libraries is sponsoring the event and will receive a portion of the sales as a donation. The group raises money for special purchases for the NIU libraries and sponsors programs on books and related topics.