Most of the noise in the Mall of America Rotunda comes from concerts, character meet-and-greets and the occasional reality-show casting call. This Sunday, Oct. 11, the main act is picture books. The mall has "Story Times at Mall of America" scheduled from 1 to 4pm in the Huntington Bank Rotunda, and it's billed as an afternoon with Minnesota authors and illustrators. As of Friday, the listing still doesn't name any of them.
Here's how it works, according to the mall's listing: each featured artist gets a turn on stage to lead a story time. While they read, their book is shown "larger-than-life" on the Jumbotron, so kids in the back row can see the pictures too. After each reading, families can meet that author or illustrator.
There's also a giveaway. Per the listing, each storyteller will sign and give away 15 free copies of their featured book. That's 15 per author, not 15 per kid. If your young reader has their heart set on a signed copy, get there early for that author's slot rather than drifting over at 3:55.
Some things are still missing from the listing. It doesn't name the authors or illustrators, and it doesn't give the order they'll read in. It doesn't mention a price, tickets or registration either, so this looks like a walk-up event like most Rotunda programming. If you're hoping to catch a particular author, the mall points people to its guest services line at 952-883-8800 and its full events calendar. A quick call Saturday is probably your best bet for getting the lineup before you go.
One practical tip: a fall Sunday afternoon at the mall is not a quiet time to visit. If you're bringing a stroller, plan your parking and route to the Rotunda before you leave the house. The mall's address for your GPS is 2131 Lindau Lane.
