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The 2025 ReadFest was a vibrant celebration of Walden’s love of stories! The week was filled with literary fun and inspiration—two author visits, a book swap and donation drive, student book recommendations, and a brand-new “Guess Who?” character and author game.

We kicked things off with “Popcorn and Pages,” where Terra shared a story she loves, “A Jar of Laughter” by Joy Yi. Now in its second year, the book swap has quickly become a Walden favorite—an eco-friendly, cost-free way to share books and discover new reads. This year, we also collected books for Aveson School of Leaders, which lost its campus to the Eaton Fire. Thanks to our generous community, we were able to collect many boxes of great books to donate!

Our 4th-6th grade Ponderers led the book selection, ensuring a diverse range of engaging stories that reflect Walden’s values of inclusivity and kindness. Every student had the chance to browse and take home a meaningful read, thanks to their thoughtful curation and the generosity of our families.

We were also thrilled to welcome authors Andrea Loney and Tao Nyeu to campus for engaging assemblies where they shared insights and inspiration about their writing journeys. Students kept the joy of storytelling going with book recommendations and a campus-wide “Guess Who?“ game, using literary clues to identify beloved characters and authors.