Day: Sunday September 20th

Magic, mystery, and a whole lot of plot twists. Join YA authors Alex Travis and Michelle Jabès Corpora (Throne of Khetara) in conversation with Jessica Smith, aka The Culture Queen, for a conversation about crafting unforgettable fantasy and suspense for teen readers. Expect real talk about world-building, plot twists, and what keeps teens turning pages until midnight. Educators and parents of teen readers will leave with strong new titles to recommend, and a better sense of what’s pulling today’s YA audience in.

Meet the people behind the pages from chapter books to graphic novels. A mix of authors and illustrators shaping today’s middle-grade adventure shelf come together: Matthew Swanson & Robbi Behr (Life on the Moon), Nik Korpon (The Cat Prophecies), Jordan P. Jackson (Grown in the Garden), and Jamar Nicholas (Leon the Extraordinary). This casual meet-and-greet is a chance for young readers to chat with the creators behind their favorite adventure stories, get books signed, and maybe find their next great read. Educators and parents, bring your resident adventure-story fan — this one’s built for them.

Andrea L. Rogers writes for every shelf in the house: picture books, survival stories, horror, and now a murder mystery. Join the Caldecott Medal winner (Chooch Helped) and Walter Award winner (Man Made Monsters) for a wide-ranging conversation about her Cherokee heritage and her genre-spanning catalog, including her newest release, Death in the Tallgrass — a YA mystery-thriller about a family secret buried in the Oklahoma prairie. Educators and parents will leave with recommendations for readers of every age, and teens will find a suspenseful new addition to their nightstand.

Sunday starts with fur, fun, and a few surprises. Wildlife Adventures Storytime pairs classic storytime with real, live animal encounters. Kids will meet animal ambassadors up close while stories about the wild world come vividly to life around them. It’s an unforgettable way to hook young readers on nonfiction and animal stories alike, and a can’t-miss morning for the animal lovers in your family. Educators, take notes: this is science and literacy working together.

One more chance to see a favorite story light up the screen! Close out the festival with another Page-to-Screen Book Celebration featuring portal jumpers, witches, and wizards—pairing beloved magic and fantasy books with their multimedia adaptations for a relaxed, family-friendly send-off to the weekend. Come ready for fantastical arts and crafts and lots of laughs. It’s a cozy, fun way to head home still thinking about the story, whichever form it took!