WSU Library to hold Edible Book Festival, judge participant creations

Event features food inspired by books, puns about novels

The+Secret+Garden%2C+submitted+by+Sue+Shipman%2C+won+Best+Visual+Presentation+Award+at+last+years+edible+book+competition.

COURTESY OF NELLA LETIZIA

The Secret Garden, submitted by Sue Shipman, won Best Visual Presentation Award at last year’s edible book competition.

ZARA CRUDEN, Evergreen reporter

One Mom’s Weekend event is sure to appeal to both the mind and the stomach — the third annual Edible Book Festival.

These festivals are held all over the world, and a WSU librarian brought the fair to Pullman. Holly Luetkenhaus said she was inspired by the events she had seen at other universities.

An Edible Book Festival entry is a piece of food that is meant to reflect a book or be a pun about a book. For instance, past entries have included a display of madeleines from “Proust’s Madeleine,” and 12 doughnuts nestled in Oreo crumbs, in reference to “The Dirty Dozen.” There are three categories: best visual presentation, punniest/funniest, and people’s choice.

Whether an entry is good enough to win one of these categories depends on many factors, but there are a couple things that stand out to Nella Letizia, WSU Libraries’ public relations and communication coordinator, who helps plan the event.

“I look for funny, punny things,” Letizia said, “somebody who puts some thought into it … especially if it’s something they’re very happy with, as far as a book that they love.”

Erica England, WSU Libraries’ first-year experience librarian, helped to put together the 2018 WSU Edible Book Festival.

“I like seeing everyone’s reaction to them,” she said. “Everyone gets really involved. It takes a lot of work to actually go through this festival. To me it’s worth it.”

The festival will take place at 2:30 p.m. today in the Terrell Library Atrium. Attendance is free.