When I See Me™ BIPOC Children’s Book Fair 2025 at Dayton Metro Library – West Branch – Dayton, OH

Children need to see themselves reflected in the stories they read. This need is especially true for children of color. According to research conducted by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC), only 39% of children’s books published in 2022 featured Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) children as the main character. In 2018, BIPOC representation was only 23%.

In an effort to bridge the gap, When I See Me™ BIPOC Children’s Book Fair was created to pique children’s curiosity, boost their confidence, and enhance their ability to connect with the world around them by featuring books with characters that look like them.

The event is Saturday, July 26, 2025 in Dayton, Ohio. The day includes

• Author signings
• Fun activities that encourage reading and writing
• Giveaways
• Panel discussions for aspiring children’s book authors
• And more!

Donate to A Book in Every Bag to ensure each attending child leaves with a book of their choice from one of our particpating authors. Visit bit.ly/WhenISeeMe for details.

Interested in sponsoring or advertising? Contact us at info@penofthewriter.com or 888.802.1802 for details.

For updates and announcements, join the Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/wheniseeme

Author Details

Set-up begins at 10:00 AM EST. Tables must be completely set-up by 10:45 AM. The book fair starts promptly at 11:00 AM.

Your registration includes:

• One participant badge
• One uncovered table and two chairs
• One lunch
• Listing in the When I See Me™ program book, which is full-color and 8.5″ x 11″.
• Online presence at WhenISeeMe.com
• Tons of proven strategies to help you promote your book and sell more copies
• Corporate marketing including social media, postcards, radio, and TV

NOTE: One author per table

Registration is a two-phase process:

1. Reserve your table using this EventBrite form
2. Provide your contact and book information using a Google form. The link is provided in the welcome email from info@penofthewriter.com.

Once registration is complete, you’ll receive a confirmation email from info@penofthewriter.com with details about set-up, panelist opportunities, and participating in the POWER Kids area.

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No refunds