Former Foster Youth Transforms Mounts Botanical into Storybook Village

9th Annual Speak Up for Kids event celebrates resilience and potential of local foster children

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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Speak Up for Kids of Palm Beach County is hosting its 9th Annual Storybook Village event on March 8, 2026 at Mounts Botanical Garden. This year, the event is being led by former foster child Christopher Warner, who is creating a literal wonderland to inspire children to "Read. Dream. Grow." The free, community-wide celebration will feature interactive literary-themed activities, live entertainment, giveaways, and more to support local foster youth.

Why it matters

The Storybook Village event honors the legacy of Ellen Kranzler by providing positive childhood experiences and cultivating literacy skills for foster children in Palm Beach County. As a former foster youth himself, Christopher Warner's leadership in designing the event's immersive "wonderland" environment aims to plant seeds of success and showcase the resilience and potential of children in the foster care system.

The details

The 9th Annual Storybook Village will transform Mounts Botanical Garden into an interactive literary world from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM on March 8, 2026. Highlights include the "Christopher Warner Wonderland", outside field games, professional face painting, a Selfie Booth, visits with therapy dogs, and free books and ice cream for all attendees. The event is powered by a collaboration of community organizations focused on advocacy, education, literacy, and financial wellness for foster youth.

  • Storybook Village will take place on Sunday, March 8, 2026 from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM.

The players

Christopher Warner

A former foster child who is leading the design and creation of the "Christopher Warner Wonderland" immersive environment for the 9th Annual Storybook Village event.

Speak Up for Kids of Palm Beach County

A nonprofit organization that works to mitigate trauma and cultivate self-worth in children living in foster care through advocacy, life skills programming, and meaningful childhood experiences like Storybook Village.

Mounts Botanical Garden

The premier botanical garden in Palm Beach County that is hosting the 9th Annual Storybook Village event, providing a breathtaking backdrop to bring the magic of storytelling to life.

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The takeaway

This year's Storybook Village event showcases how a former foster youth like Christopher Warner can transform a community event into a magical, inspiring experience that celebrates the resilience and potential of children in the foster care system. By providing positive childhood experiences and cultivating literacy skills, the event aims to plant the seeds for "big futures" for local foster children.