The Ultimate Bookworm's Paradise Opens This Weekend (And Yes, There Are Snacks)

Listen up, ACE Academy scholars: This Saturday and Sunday, Austin transforms into what can only be described as the literary equivalent of Disneyland, except with better vocabulary and significantly less waiting in line. The Texas Book Festival is taking over the State Capitol on November 8-9, and if you're not going, you're basically choosing to miss the coolest free thing happening in Austin this weekend.

Why this is actually a big deal (and not just another field trip)

Picture this: 300+ authors, including some of your favorite writers, descending on downtown Austin for two full days. They're not just sitting behind tables looking important—they're actually talking to real humans (that's you), signing books, and answering the burning questions that have been haunting you since you finished their last chapter. Plus, the whole thing is completely free, which means you can spend your allowance on books instead of admission tickets. Your parents will think this is an excellent use of your Saturday. Trust me on this.

The festival turns 30 this year, which in human years means it's officially old enough to be nostalgic but young enough to still be cool. Founded by former First Lady Laura Bush (who was a librarian before she lived in the White House, proving that book nerds can do anything), this festival has donated over $3.7 million to Texas libraries and given away 150,000+ books to students. That's approximately one book for every person who claims they've read all of War and Peace but actually just watched a movie about it.

The authors you need to know about (because your TBR list wasn't long enough already)

Peter Brown brings The Wild Robot sequel

If you haven't read The Wild Robot series yet, stop everything and add it to your list immediately. Peter Brown is bringing his newest installment, and yes, this is the same series that became a DreamWorks movie. The guy has won basically every award that exists for children's books, including a Caldecott Honor for a book about creepy carrots. That takes serious talent.

Jerry Craft is here with J vs. K

Remember that graphic novel New Kid that won the Newbery Medal? Yeah, Jerry Craft wrote that, making it the first graphic novel ever to win that award. His new book J vs. K continues his streak of making middle school look both hilariously awkward and deeply relatable. If you've ever had a weird moment at school (so... everyone), you'll love his work.

Meg Medina presents Graciela in the Abyss

Meg Medina is a two-time Newbery winner, which is basically like winning Olympic gold medals for writing, except harder. Her new fantasy adventure Graciela in the Abyss explores the darkest depths of the sea, where creatures make their own light to survive. She says this mirrors what young people do while growing up, which is honestly the most beautiful metaphor you'll hear all week. Also, she was the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, which is like being a superhero but with books.

R.L. Stine is scaring people again

The mastermind behind Goosebumps (which has sold 400+ million copies worldwide, meaning statistically speaking, you've probably read at least one) brings his newest horror book The Last Sleepover from the House of Shivers series. Fair warning: Reading this before bed might not be your smartest move, but you're going to do it anyway because you're 12 and invincible. The man knows how to write a plot twist, and at this point, he's basically the Stephen King of middle grade fiction.

Jason Reynolds drops Coach

Jason Reynolds is a MacArthur "Genius Grant" recipient and former National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. His books tackle real issues with humor and heart, and Coach is his latest. If you loved All American Boys, you know this guy doesn't mess around. He writes the kind of books your English teacher will assign and you'll actually want to read, which is the highest compliment possible.

Special events that are cooler than regular classes

The Texas Bluebonnet Award Announcement (Saturday, 10:00 AM)

This is huge: 75,000+ Texas students in grades 3-6 voted on their favorite books, and the winners get announced at the Next Chapter Tent on Saturday morning. This is basically the Oscars of children's literature, except the voters are people who actually read the books instead of adults making strategic political decisions. Show up early because this is going to be packed.

The YA HQ Tent: Where the cool kids hang

If you're on the older end of the age range (or just really into young adult books because they're objectively better than most adult fiction), the YA HQ Tent runs programming all weekend long. Sunday at 4:00 PM features a horror panel with authors discussing "resilience and survival through imaginative storytelling," which is a fancy way of saying they'll talk about how to scare readers without giving them actual nightmares. Authors include Justine Pucella Winans (How to Survive a Slasher) and Racquel Marie (If We Survive This).

Children's Activity Tent: Not just for little kids

Don't let the name fool you—the Children's Activity Tent hosts the Illustrator Draw-Off, where professional illustrators compete to create art. It's like a cooking show but with pencils instead of spatulas. If you've ever wondered how your favorite graphic novelists create their work, this is your chance to watch them in action. Plus, there are crafts, and let's be honest, making things with your hands is weirdly satisfying even when you're too old to admit it.

The practical stuff (because details matter)

When: Saturday, November 8 and Sunday, November 9, approximately 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Where: Texas State Capitol and surrounding venues (1100 Congress Ave). Yes, the actual Capitol building where laws get made and politicians have arguments. You'll be walking through the same halls where important Texas history happened, except you'll be talking about dragons and robots instead of tax policy.

Cost: FREE for almost everything. Your parents will love this. The only paid events are celebrity sessions (Chelsea Handler, Matthew McConaughey) that are mostly for adults anyway.

Parking: Free parking in State Lot garages on San Jacinto Street between 12th and 16th Streets, but they fill up faster than the lunch line on pizza day. Pro tip: Take public transit or convince your parents to drop you off.

Books: The official bookseller is BookPeople, Austin's legendary independent bookstore. They have a huge tent with every book featured at the festival. Here's how it works: Buy a book, take it to the author's signing line (15 minutes after their session ends), and boom—you have a personalized signed copy. Five percent of all purchases keeps the festival free, so you're basically a philanthropist when you buy books. Fancy!

Snacks: H-E-B (the presenting sponsor and basically Texas's favorite grocery store) provides free snacks in the children's area. There are also food trucks along Congress Avenue if you need actual sustenance. Pro tip: Bring cash for the food trucks because some don't take cards.

Why gifted kids like you should care

Here's the thing about this festival: It's designed for people who actually love reading, not people who pretend to love reading for Instagram photos. You can attend serious literary discussions where authors talk about their research process, or you can just collect free bookmarks and ARCs (advanced reader copies) of books that won't be released for months. You'll meet other kids who understand why you're excited about a new fantasy series or why that plot twist in Chapter 12 was brilliant.

Plus, there's something incredibly cool about meeting the person who created your favorite characters. It's like meeting the architect of entire worlds—because that's literally what authors are. They build universes in their heads and then convince thousands of strangers to care about people who don't exist. If that's not magic, I don't know what is.

The bottom line

The Texas Book Festival happens this weekend—November 8-9. It's free, it's downtown, and it's probably the highest concentration of interesting people you'll find in one place all year. Bring a bag for books (you'll buy more than you planned), wear comfortable shoes (the Capitol grounds are huge), and maybe bring a water bottle because Austin in November can still be warm.

Whether you're into graphic novels, fantasy, horror, realistic fiction, or biographies of historical figures, there's something here with your name on it. And unlike social media, where everyone pretends to have read books they haven't, this is a place where actually finishing a 400-page novel makes you part of the club.

So grab your parents, your friends, or just yourself and a good attitude, and head downtown this weekend. Your future self—the one who just discovered their next favorite book—will thank you.

For the full schedule and author list, visit: texasbookfestival.org

See you at the Capitol. Try not to judge other people's TBR lists too harshly.

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