The annual Kerrytown BookFest exhibit this year celebrates the 10th annual Book Cover Design contest for high school students. The contest, open to all Michigan High School students, asked the students to re-imagine a cover for a chosen book and give a visual interpretation to the written word. This year’s book is Last Seen Leaving, a young adult novel by Caleb Roehrig. The novel is set in Ann Arbor.

 

This year’s judges were author Caleb Roehrig; Cover designer and writer Molly McCaffery, and children’s book expert Jackie LaRose. Ms. La Rose will assist cover contest coordinator Robin Agnew in announcing the winners.

 

The judges evaluated the work, submitted from schools in Flint, Kensington Woods, Hillsdale and St. Clair Shores. The finalists are:

 

• Ashley Abel, 12th Grade, Genesee Career Institute, Flint

 

• Brandon DeMond, 11th Grade, Lakeview High School

 

• Alexis Higgins, 12th Grade, Hillsdale High School

 

• Sydney Jones, 11th Grade, Kensington Woods

 

• Autumn Stoddard, 12th Grade, Genessee Career Institute, Flint

 

The finalists were chosen on the basis of originality, execution, and understanding and application of the subject matter. Members of this year’s judging panel will announce the first, second and third place winners at the Library Reception on Friday, September 8 at 7 p.m.

 

To celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the BookFest, this year we’re gping to include original framed posters from each year of the Festival. Many of these posters were hand letterpress printed and are works of art in themselves. Artists include Tom Hollander (2003), Jim Horton (2007, 2009, 2011), Nicole Ray (2017), Pati Scobey (2006) and Darcy Bowden (2004).