Stories have always been at the heart of Kinkaid. Stories read in classrooms, shared between friends, and now, written by students themselves.
As the Kinkaid Book Fair turns 75, it celebrates not just the books Kinkaid loves but the storytellers who have found their voices at the school.
This year’s Book Fair features several student authors, including sophomore Anna Nguyen.
Returning to the fair after being showcased two years ago, Nguyen has spent the past eight months writing and editing a chapbook of 15 poems exploring her Vietnamese American identity.
“The support you find along the way is crucial,” Nguyen said. “At writing camp, the encouragement of peers and teachers helped me continue when I felt stuck. That motivation made all the difference.”
Her inspiration came from a family trip to Vietnam, where she experienced her relatives’ lives firsthand and noticed the differences between living in two cultures.
Some of her pieces are based on personal experience, while others came from “what if” scenarios based on her parents’ lives before immigrating to the United States
Her goals extend beyond this fair. She hopes to expand her chapbook into a longer poetry collection and has co-founded a nonprofit to help young writers self-publish books and fund creative writing programs in under-resourced schools.
Another author is senior Audrey Koo, and her picture book, “UnAIcorn.” In the story, a young girl learns the difference between using technology creatively and crossing ethical boundaries through her friendship with an AI unicorn.
“What everyone sees on the outside is still very much what Mrs. Kinkaid envisioned,” said Head Librarian Lakiesha Branch. “It’s grown so much over the years, but it’s still about bringing the community together through books and celebrating our libraries.”
The Kinkaid Book Fair has a rich history dating back to 1924, when the school’s founder, Mrs. Margaret Kinkaid, started “Library Week” at the Richmond campus. Students sold books, and the proceeds went to expanding the school library.
In honor of the milestone anniversary, past chairs and librarians have been invited back, creating a sense of homecoming and a reunion for the people who built the fair.
There, shoppers can purchase books, hear from visiting authors, enjoy a coffee bar and boutique, and experience musical performances by Upper School students and faculty.
This year, the fair will be held in the Melcher Gym on Monday, Nov. 10, and Tuesday, Nov. 11, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
