The 9th Annual San Antonio College Book Fair will be held on Saturday, April 3, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. outside near the Gym and Planetarium, featuring readings by children's and young adult authors Diane Gonzales Bertrand and Barbara Elmore. Booksellers, writers' and literacy organizations and approximately 50 authors from across the state in the Texas Author Tents will join musicians, clowns, face painters, food vendors, book costume characters, and more for the festive, family-friendly Book Fair. For more information, call 733-2147.

Diane Gonzales Bertrand, who will read at 11 a.m., is Writer-in-Residence at St. Mary's University, where she teaches creative writing and English composition. A busy children's author, she also visits schools and libraries throughout Texas to share her love of words and stories. Her bilingual picture books include "Sip, Slurp, Soup, Soup/Caldo, caldo, caldo," "Family, Familia," "Uncle Chente's Picnic," "The Last Doll," and "The Empanadas that Abuela Made." Her novels are "Sweet Fifteen," "Alicia's Treasure," "Lessons of the Game," "Trino's Choice," "Trino's Time," and "Close to the Heart."

Barbara Elmore, reading at 1:10 p.m., began writing stories as a child, and in high school she contributed to the weekly Johnson City Record-Courier. She was editor of the student newspaper at Southwest Texas State University, copy editor for The Waco Tribune-Herald, editor of the Luling Newsboy, and returned to The Waco Tribune-Herald as reporter, columnist, assistant city editor, city editor, and managing editor. She is the author of "Breathing Room," "Crookwood" (both winners of the Texas Institute of Letters Award for Best Book for Children or Young People), and "Saviors of the Bugle."

Some of the exhibitors and organizations scheduled include KLM Creations Create-a-Book, Usborne Books, Books Are Fun, Scholastic Books, San Antonio College Bookstore, San Marcos Writers Group, San Antonio Romance Authors, Political Science Department, Teaching Academy Program, and Gemini Ink.

The schedule of Book Fair activities follows:

• 10 a.m.: Book Fair opens
• 11 a.m.: Diane Gonzales Bertrand reads from her books in the Children's/Young Adult Tent
• 11:30 a.m.: Cheerific Techniques - cheerleaders perform
• 12-4 p.m.: Paulette and Diane face painters
• 1 p.m.: Scholarship Drawing and giveaways
• 1:10 p.m.: Barbara Elmore reads from her books in the Children's/Young Adult Tent
• 1:30-3:30 p.m.: Daisey Bee Clown
• 1:30-2:20 p.m.: St. Margaret Mary's Band (4th-8th Grade students) performs
• 2:20 p.m.: Scholarship Drawing and giveaway
• 2:30-3 p.m.: San Antonio Street Dance and Drum Company
• 3-4 p.m.: Charlie Wood and Third Stream perform