Funny Pages, a children’s book festival “celebrating books that make kids laugh,” will be making its debut in Halifax on April 22, 2022.

In addition to author presentations, book signings, and writing workshops, the festival will also be streamed online for children across Canada.

New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Kate Beaton, Sheree Fitch, and Angela Misri are confirmed for the live events.

“Not every kid loves to read, but every kid loves to laugh,” festival chair and young adult author Vicki Grant said in a press release. “That’s the big idea behind Funny Pages. We believe that humour can be an important tool in introducing even the most reluctant readers to the joy of books.”

Registered as a non-profit society, Funny Pages is a year-round initiative that wants to “laugh low literacy rates right out of existence” through programming that’s both accessible and entertaining.

Following public health guidelines, 250 free tickets will be made available through Eventbrite, with a limit of 25 per school. A batch of tickets has also been set aside for marginalized groups as well as home-schooled students.

Tickets will be available to schools at www.funnypages.ca on March 1.