Karen Reist (above left) won first place in the Adult Category, and Ainsley Hensel (above right) won the Teen Category. Both are pictured with WLF Executive Director Erin Downey. (Photos provided by Westfield Library Foundation)
Posted By: The Reporter September 23, 2025
Nine winning authors sign their published work & place on library shelves
The Westfield Library Foundation (WLF) held a Book Shelving Ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 20 to showcase the winners of its 2025 Children’s Book Writing Contest.
The contest, held in April, was open to youth, teens, and adults in Westfield. Five months later, those authors came back to autograph their published books and place them on the shelves for checkout.
Karen Reist, a Westfield resident and former preschool teacher, won first place in the Adult Category. This is the her first published book.
“A Night at the New Library,” written by Anna Rabadi, the winner in the Children’s Category. (Photo provided by Westfield Library Foundation)
“It’s so exciting,” Reist said. “I have always loved children’s literature and the excitement young readers feel when they discover new characters. In my story, I pulled in characters from some of the most beloved children’s classics. For readers who already know them, I hope it brings back special memories of when they first met those characters. For younger readers, I hope it sparks curiosity to go find those books and fall in love with the characters themselves.”
This year’s theme was “A Night at the Library.” Other local winners included:
Adult Category
- “Psst! William Bret, Over Here!” – Karen Reist (1st Place)
- “Raccoon Raucous” – Samuel and Mindi Glenn (2nd Place)
- “A Night in the Library” – Maggie Hoover (3rd Place)
Teen Category
- “The Reading Harbor” – Ainsley Hensel (1st Place)
- “What Happens at Night When the Library is Closed” – Veronica Amaya (2nd Place)
- “Rolling Through the Library” – Kinleigh Bounds (3rd Place)
Children’s Category
- “A Night at the New Library” – Anna Rabadi (1st Place)
- “A Magical Night at the Library” – London Reichel (2nd Place)
- “The Library Never Sleeps” – Cole McCrory (3rd Place)
London Reichel, second-place winner in the Children’s Category, signs a copy of her book, “A Magical Night at the Library.” (Photo provided by Westfield Library Foundation)
Family, friends, and community members filled the library for the event. Guests had the opportunity to meet the writers, hear the inspiration behind their stories, and watch each author place their book in the collection.
“This ceremony is more than just adding books to the shelves,” WLF Executive Director Erin Downey. “It’s about celebrating the imagination and talent of our neighbors – from children to adults – and showing that stories created right here in Westfield can inspire generations.”
