DIANE MAKAR MURPHY English Festival comes highly recommended

When Marge Ford was a little girl, she went to the library every other day and carried home a stack of books. So, maybe it's no surprise she grew up to be a teacher, librarian, writer, reader and on the board of the Youngstown State University English Festival.
Having participated in 17 of the festival's 23 years, Marge is a unabashed advocate of the event, which brings together middle and high school readers and authors.
The three-day festival, much of which is open to the public, begins tomorrow at YSU, culminating months of reading by area students.
Marge, 51, is a graduate of Notre Dame College of Ohio and Kent State University. She is in her sixth year as Campbell Memorial High School's librarian, and was an English teacher for 23 years. In addition to teaching high school, she is on the part-time faculty at YSU, instructing students in composition and children's literature.
She is also in love with reading and writing.
Likes mysteries: "I like to read mysteries like "V.I. Warshawski" and [those by] Faye Kellerman and Anne Perry for relaxation," she said. "I loved Anne Rice before she found religion and got weird." (Got weird?)
Marge enjoys a steady diet of young adult books, as well -- partly because she has to as school librarian, and partly because she likes them.
She is also an author herself, having contributed a chapter to a young adult book and articles to journals and newsletters. "I'd like to write a memoir someday, I suppose," she said. Right now, though, she's too busy grant-writing.
Though Marge soon qualifies for retirement, she said she will put off that memoir a while longer -- "I have two sons in college, and Campbell is building new schools so this is an exciting time to stay on."
Marge paused and said, "Maybe I'll write young-adult novels."
Then, perhaps, Marge will be a guest author at the English Festival.
To speak: This year, Tim Wynne-Jones, author of "Stephen Fair," on both the grades 7 to 9 and 10 to 12 book lists, will speak and field questions at 10:35 a.m. in the Tod Hall trustees room. Another session, 9:25 a.m. daily in the same location, features Chris Crowe, professor of English education at Brigham Young University and a specialist in young adult literature.
While the public is welcome to attend any noncompetitive event during the three days, these two may prove especially interesting.
"I can't describe the electricity you feel at the event when there are 700 or 800 students cheering each other on," Marge said. "It's exciting seeing the author of a book you've read, in person, and being able to ask him or her questions."
All three days are filled with workshops, language and writing games, competitions, discussions, and even music -- this year's musical guest is blues guitarist Guy Davis.
"I love it because it does not target the best and the brightest, but those students motivated in reading," Marge said. "You might be a C or D student and love to read. They may not have the sharpest insights... but then again, they might."
I asked Marge if she had ever been surprised by the results. "Uh-huh, you get that little eighth-grader that's so quiet and then they win The Vindicator interview. In fact, there really was a girl; I believe she went on to study journalism. You see how it can make such a difference?" she said.
According to Marge, the instructors are discouraged from teaching the books, but rather try to encourage children to read and discuss.
A goal: One goal is to foster a love of reading and ensure that students actually read the seven chosen selections.
"The emphasis is on the celebration and discussion, not the prizes, although there are prizes at the festival," Marge said. "And seeing that author makes you think, hey, maybe this is something even I can do. It takes it beyond the printed page."
The festival was the brainchild of Thomas and Carol Gay in memory of their daughter Candace, who died of cancer. Marge will be helping to conduct the language games for this year's event.
Marge said, "This is for kids who love to read. Period." And at least for the next three days, for people who want to listen to good music, be in a workshop with an author, or watch the excitement generated by young readers.
To get a program for the festival, scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, find the information booth near the Chestnut Room in YSU's Kilcawley Center during the festival. You can also call YSU's English Department, (330) 742-3415 for more information.