This weekend marks the return of Wordstock Festival, the Pacific Northwest’s largest book festival — featuring approximately 200 authors over two days. And it’s only $10 for the whole weekend!
This year, I’m really excited that we FINALLY have a dedicated YA stage for your favorite YA authors & panels. Plus, find our YA authors on other panels throughout the weekend — and catch a stellar line-up of children’s and middle grade authors, too. I’ll even be there, moderating a couple panels and signing copies of my comic book, FAME: Suzanne Collins.
Browse the full Wordstock schedule online now, or check out my suggestions for YA and MG readers below.
Wordstock’s Best YA Programming
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13th
10:30am – Workshop: Writing Memorable Characters (for Young Writers) with Joelle Anthony; cost $35
11:00am – April Henry (The Night She Disappeared) and Jeanne Ryan (Nerve)
12:00pm – Kevin Emerson (The Lost Code) and Lissa Price (Starters)
1:00pm – PANEL: “The Adult in Young Adult” with Joelle Anthony, Steve Brezenoff & Kristen-Paige Madonia; moderated by Erica Lorraine Scheidt
2:00pm – Katie Kacvinsky (First Comes Love; Awaken) and Lisa Burstein (Pretty Amy)
*OR*
2:00pm – PANEL: “Living in a Fantasy World (Dystopian fiction in a post-Hunger Games world)” with Lissa Price, Kevin Emerson & Alex Adams; moderated by David Levithan
3:00pm – Steve Brezenoff (Brooklyn, Burning) and Inara Scott (The Talents)
4:00pm – Tonya Hurley (The Blessed; ghostgirl) and Lish McBride (Hold Me Closer, Necromancer; Necromancing the Stone)
5:00pm – PANEL: “Keeping It Real (Contemporary YA)” with David Levithan, Katie Kacvinsky & Lisa Burstein; moderated by Jen Violi
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14th
11:00am – Joelle Anthony (The Right & the Real) and Stephanie Guerra (Torn)
12:00pm – PANEL: “Teen Thrillers” with Kimberly Derting, Jeanne Ryan & April Henry; moderated by Philip Margolin
1:00pm – Jackson Pearce (Fathomless; Purity) and Tamara Ireland Stone (Time Between Us)
* OR *
1:00pm – PANEL: “Author as Blogger” with Stephanie Guerra, Ray Rhamey & Gilion Dumas; moderated by Sara Gundell (That’s me!)
2:00pm – Kristen-Paige Madonia (Fingerprints of You) and Erica Lorraine Scheidt (Uses for Boys)
3:00pm – Martha Brockenbrough (Devine Intervention)
4:00pm – David Levithan (Every Day)
4:30pm – PANEL: “Fractured Fairy Tales” with Christopher Healy & Jackson Pearce; moderated by Sara Gundell (Me again!)
5:00pm – PANEL: “New Trends in Teen Paranormal” with Sean Beaudoin, Martha Brockenbrough, Tamara Ireland Stone & Lish McBride; moderated by Inara Scott
All author appearances and panels are followed by book signings. Books will be available for purchase on-site from Green Bean Books.
Must-See Middle Grade
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13th
3:00pm – Ami Margolin Rome & Philip Margolin (Vanishing Acts) and Kim Baker (Pickle*)
4:00pm – Karen Cushman (Will Sparrow’s Road) and Katherine Schlick Noe (Something to Hold)
5:00pm – PANEL: “History for Young Readers” with Karen Cushman & Katherine Schlick Noe; moderated by Ruth Feldman
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14th
2:00pm – Christopher Healy (The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom) and John Stephens (The Fire Chronicle)
3:00pm – Trent Reedy (Stealing Air) and Rebecca Stead (Liar & Spy)
4:00pm – Dr. Cuthbert Soup (No Other Story)
4:30pm – PANEL: “Fractured Fairy Tales” with Christopher Healy and Jackson Pearce; moderated by Sara Gundell
5:00pm – PANEL: “Middle Grade Fantasy vs. Reality” with John Stephens, Rebecca Stead & Trent Reedy; moderated by Kim Baker
* OR *
5:00pm – Colin Meloy & Carson Ellis (Wildwood; Under Wildwood)
Children’s
And if you’re a fan of children’s literature, or you have little ones around, here are some of my picks from our children’s programming.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13th
11:00am – Ruth A. Musgrave (National Geographic: Sharks!) and Brenda Peterson (Leopard & Silkie) – a focus on nonfiction for children
12:00pm – Jon Klassen (This is Not My Hat) and Mac Barnett (Chloe & the Lion)
2:00pm – PANEL: “Picture This” with Jon Klassen, Mac Barnett & Matt Holm; moderated by Victoria Jamieson
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14th
12:00pm – Tad Hills (Rocket Writes a Story) and John Skewes (Larry Gets Lost in Portland)
1:00pm – Matt Holm (Babymouse; Squish) and Keith Baker (1-2-3 Peas)
2:00pm – PANEL: “Storytelling for Children” with Tad Hills, John Skewes & Renee Watson; moderated by Matt Holm
For the comments: What are you looking forward to most at Wordstock?
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