Photos: 2012 Tucson Festival of Books
So much to do, and only two days in which to do it.
Tucson Festival of Books, Day 2
Hundreds of passersby walk along the University of Arizona mall during the second day of the 2012 Tucson Festival of Books. Books lovers attend the free event to see favorite writers, attend workshops, panel discussions, listen to music and entertainment in a family-friendly environment.
Tucson Festival of Books, Day 2
Author Brad Meltzer entertains the audience at the Arizona Daily Star tent during the second day of the 2012 Tucson Festival of Books. He is the author of "The Inner Circle" and "Heroes For My Son."
Tucson Festival of Books, Day 2
Hayden Duffin, 5, a preschool student at Sonshine Preschool, learns how scientists study DNA while at the KEYS Internship program tent at the University of Arizona. The summer program is for Arizona high school students interested in bioscience or biomedical science.
Tucson Festival of Books, Day 2
Erin Deely with the University of Arizona College of Science, gets a chance to hold a Sonoran Mountain King Snake courtesy of the Tucson Herpetological Society during the second day of the 2012 Tucson Festival of Books.
Tucson Festival of Books, Day 2
Dominic Ibarra, 5, a kindergarten student at Wetmore Elementary School, plays with robots at the University of Arizona College of Engineering tent.
Tucson Festival of Books, Day 2
Noted author and physician Andrew Weil, who works in integrative medicine, gives a presentation in the Student Union. There is a mix of internationally best-selling authors as well as regional and local writers representing a variety of literary genres.
Tucson Festival of Books, Day 2
Lily Waid, 9, sits on a lever, which is like a teeter-totter, with her mother, Carrie, as they learn about levers and pulleys that demonstrate mechanical weights and distances at the GLHN architects and engineers tent.
Tucson Festival of Books, Day 2
Animated author Jane Maas (JANE MAAS) who wrote "Mad Women", addresses the audience during the second day of the 2012 Tucson Festival of Books.
Tucson Festival of Books, Day 2
Anne Ryan tries her hand at the chest-compression-only technique of doing CPR at the University of Arizona Medical Center tent at the 2012 Tucson Festival of Books.
Tucson Festival of Books, Day 2
Author Brad Meltzer, right, talks with Michael Wautier as he signs a book for him at the Arizona Daily Star tent.
Tucson Festival of Books, Day 2
Demetrius Tsoukaladakis, left, gets some chess strategy from his father Chris at a giant chess board on the mall.
Tucson Festival of Books, Day 2
Author Mike Dowling talks about his experiences as a US Marine who was deployed to Iraq in March 2004 with Rex, a military working dog.
Tucson Festival of Books, Day 2
Graham Brown, left, Rebecca Cantrell and Simon Wood crack up on stage during their presentation at the second day of the 2012 Tucson Festival of Books. They had a panel discussion on mystery and thriller writers.
Tucson Festival of Books, Day 2
Mike Dowling a US Marine, talks with Marcia Don after signing a book that he wrote about his deployment to Iraq in March 2004 with Rex, a military working dog. He wrote about those experiences in a book called "Sergeant Rex."
Tucson Festival of Books, Day 2
Arizona Daily Star reporter Carol Ann Alaimo holds a photograph of an "oddity" from the book "Tucson Oddities," while fellow reporters Dale Quinn and Carmen Duarte watch during a contest at the second day of the 2012 Tucson Festival of Books. The contest was to see if audience members could identify the oddity in the photograph.
Tucson Festival of Books, Day 2
Donald Reese walks away with a photograph he won during a panel discussion in the Arizona Daily Star tent. The contest was to see if audience members could identify "Tucson Oddities" from the book with the same name.
2012 Tucson Festival of Books
Thousands of people on the University of Arizona Mall for the 2012 Tucson Festival of Books on Saturday.
2012 Tucson Festival of Books
Author and grammarian Roy Peter Clark talks about his books during the Tucson Festival of Books on the UA Mall on Saturday, March 10.
2012 Tucson Festival of Books
Renowned crossword puzzle-maker Merl Reagle regales the audience at the Tucson Festival of Books on Saturday, March 10.
2012 Tucson Festival of Books
The Kinetic King raises his hands in triumph after his piece self-destructed at the Bear Down Gym at the Tucson Festival of Books on the UA Mall on Saturday, March 10. The Kinetic King has recently been on America's Got Talent television show.
2012 Tucson Festival of Books
Kaleb Pool, 9, right, and his sister Janae Pool, 5, center and dad Jake Pool look for dinosaurs in plaster of paris at the Natural World tent at the Tucson Festival of Books on the UA Mall on Saturday.
2012 Tucson Festival of Books
Children's author R.L. Stine meets his fans at the Tucson Festival of Books on the UA Mall on Saturday, March 10.
2012 Tucson Festival of Books
UA School of Music professor Daniel Katzen, right, and Rachel Spidell, left, play Alp horns in front of the UA administration building during the Tucson Festival of Books on Saturday, March 10.
2012 Tucson Festival of Books
Alyssa Amegan, 9, makes a face at her grandmother at the Tucson Festival of Books on the UA Mall on Saturday, March 10.
2012 Tucson Festival of Books
Ruth Argraves with Tucson Unified School District, dresses as Dr. Seuss's Cat In the Hat at the Tucson Festival of Books on the UA Mall on Saturday, March 10.
2012 Tucson Festival of Books
Reynard Faber, left, a Jicarilla and Apache Indian from New Mexico, talks to Diana Hannifan about his book "Front Runner" on the UA Mall during the Tucson Festival of Books on the UA Mall on Saturday, March 10.
2012 Tucson Festival of Books
Book shoppers look over various books for sale at the University of Arizona Bookstore tent during the Tucson Festival of Books on the UA Mall on Saturday, March 10.
2012 Tucson Festival of Books
Author Michael Gelb gets animated during his talk at the Arizona Daily Star tent during the Tucson Festival of Books on Saturday, March 10.
2012 Tucson Festival of Books
Crowds at the Tucson Festival of Books on the UA Mall and surrounding area on Saturday, March 10.
2012 Tucson Festival of Books
Sitting on her knees, Connie Dyer listens along with others to author Luis Alberto Urrea at the Nuestras Raíces tent on Saturday at the Tucson Festival of Books.
2012 Tucson Festival of Books
Author Luis Alberto Urrea is full of expression as he speaks with Ernesto Portillo Jr. of the Arizona Daily Star, right, at the Nuestras Raíces tent on Saturday morning, March 10 during the Tucson Festival of Books on the UA Mal.
2012 Tucson Festival of Books
Author Rose Mary Stiffin, center left, speaks with Nancy Barnes, an editor and book designer with Stories To Tell on Saturday morning, March 10 during the Tucson Festival of Books on the UA Mall.
2012 Tucson Festival of Books
The Tucson Festival of Books on the UA Mall and surrounding area on Saturday, March 10. Over 100,000 people were expected to attend the Festival.
There were stories of fishes granting wishes and rattlesnakes losing their rattles. There were discussions on the intricacies of chocolate and the best sugar to use when baking cookies.
The Tucson Festival of Books isn't just for old-school page turners anymore.