A celebration of Francophone Youth Literature in Louisiana!

Join us in New Orleans, Lafayette, and Baton Rouge for Louisiana’s only youth literature festival entirely in French! This exciting celebration brings together authors, illustrators, and students from across the Francophone world to spark young imaginations and promote the joy of reading in French.

With interactive workshops, storytelling sessions, book signings, and a bilingual literature showcase, there’s something for everyone — from curious little readers to passionate educators and lifelong Francophiles.

Presented by the Consulate General of France in Louisiana and Villa Albertine, in partnership with the Alliance Française de La Nouvelle-Orléans, My French Book Fest is a joyful invitation to connect with French language, creativity, and culture—right here in Louisiana!

One Festival, Three Locations.

New Orleans.

From November 3rd to November 8th

This year’s festival brings guest authors into New Orleans immersion schools and invites students to discover French Youth Literature through field trips at the Alliance Française. The celebration continues Saturday, 6th with a free all-day French Book Fair at AFNO : signings, workshops, and activities for all ages.

Baton Rouge.

From November 13th to November 16th

In Baton Rouge, students will enjoy field trips to the West Baton Rouge Museum with guest authors leading the way. The students will also enjoy a free French book fair at the musuem. The festivities step up Saturday, 15th with a special dance performance celebrating French and Francophone culture.

Lafayette.

TBD

Our French guests.

Susie Morgenstern

Author - Special Guest

Author of 150 books in her five-decade career, including French bestsellers that are now classics. Honored with numerous awards, she is a Knight of the French Order of Arts and Letters and the recent recipient of the Grande Ourse, France’s prestigious lifetime achievement award in youth literature.

Ilya Green

Author and illustrator

Author and illustrator Ilya Green has created more than 50 children’s books, weaving dreamlike worlds inspired by her childhood in Provence, Japanese prints, and artists like Gustav Klimt. Her colorful, poetic style has made her a leading voice in contemporary youth literature in France.

Our Canadian guests.

Madame Diva and Micah

Dancers - Singers - Authors

Mother-son duo from Manitoba, Canada, Micah is the author of children’s books, while Mme Diva brings French-Canadian culture to life through lively gigue performances. Together, they share stories and traditions with young audiences.

Chantal Piche

Author and illustrator

Franco-Manitoban illustrator now based in Québec, she has created more than 15 children’s books and co-authored one with Micah. Her joyful and expressive style brings stories to life and continues to enchant young readers everywhere.

Our Louisiana guests.

Zachary Richard

Singer-songwriter, poet, and activist, Zachary Richard is best known as a performer with 20 albums. He founded Action Cadienne in 1996 to promote Louisiana’s Acadian culture and French language, and in 1997 was named Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres of France.

Barry Ancelet

Barry Jean Ancelet is a Cajun folklorist and ethnomusicologist specializing in Louisiana French and Cajun music. He has published several books and, as Jean Arceneaux, has written acclaimed poetry and lyrics that celebrate Louisiana’s culture and traditions.

Dana Kress

Director of Éditions Tintamarre, with over 100 titles showcasing Louisiana’s culture, Dana is also a longtime French professor at Centenary College in Shreveport, dedicated to preserving and promoting Louisiana’s literary and linguistic heritage.

Louisiana's deep-rooted Francophile history and rich culture make it the perfect setting for this celebration of French language and literature. Louisiana boasts a vibrant network of 45 French immersion schools, over 5,500 students, and 115 teachers supported by France’s Ministry of National Education.

Objectives.

To promote youth reading in French
To encourage reading in French for children
To foster synergies between readers, publishers and book stores in Louisiana
To showcase the diversity of the French-speaking world: presence of Quebec, Acadian, French publications and authors, Louisianans.

Key Numbers - 2024 Edition.

In 2024, 2,453 students participated in My French Book Fest, each one discovering the joy of reading in French through lively storytelling, author meet-and-greets, and hands-on workshops. From pre-K to high school, students were inspired to connect with language and literature in creative ways.

Across 116 classes, teachers used the festival as a tool for learning—sparking classroom conversations about culture, storytelling, and vocabulary while integrating books into their French curriculum in innovative ways.

Held in collaboration with 22 French immersion schools.