As young adult literature has increased in popularity, criticism of the category has also increased through thinkpieces and op-eds espousing the same rhetoric. “YA isn’t complicated.” “Those who do read YA aren’t sophisticated or thoughtful.” “Teens don’t read.” Apparently no one told Texas any of this, because on Saturday, April 23, readers flocked to the city of Irving by the thousands to attend the North Texas Teen Book Festival (NTTBF). Now in its second year, NTTBF boasted a lineup of 75 authors—including Sarah Dessen, Victoria Aveyard, Marie Lu, and James Dashner—featured on 63 different panels. Additionally, NTTBF staff, recognizing the tech savvy of YA readers, created a small panel track featuring prominent BookTubers, podcasters, bloggers, and freelance writers. The festival also expanded its programs to Friday with a luncheon panel featuring Ruta Sepetys, E. Lockhart, and Dessen, followed by professional development sessions for teachers and librarians. Sepetys, addressing criticism of teens, stated, “I think young readers are deep readers and deep thinkers.” During the educator sessions, which were sponsored by the Educational Service Centers of Regions 10 and 11 and Sam Houston State University’s Library Science Department, authors such as Julie Murphy, Cindy Pon, Holly Black, and Varian Johnson discussed hot topics including genre-fying and labeling collections, censorship, and diversity.

Teens chatting with YA authors. Photos by SoonJoon Koo.

Diversity remained a constant theme throughout the festival, which is no surprise considering the current conversation dominating the YA community. It was an appropriate topic given a 2012 study that ranked Irving’s 75038 zip code the most diverse in the country, with nearly equal populations of Asian, African American, Latino, and white residents. Pon, discussing her need to write fantasy novels featuring Asian protagonists, talked about never seeing herself in novels until she was an adult. Alex London, author of Proxy and The Wild Ones, declared, “What’s not safe is not having diversity in your collection.” Landry Park author Bethany Hagen, who doubles as a librarian when not writing, advised teen writers to “tell the stories [they] want to tell despite what the market tells [them].” She added, to delighted applause from the audience, “If you write marginalized voices, we need your voice.” Sharing stories was highly encouraged by the festival, whose tagline is “Endless Stories.” At photo booths on the first and third floors of the convention center, staff provided paper and pencils for attendees to share their stories, whether real or fictional. “I enjoyed meeting the author that inspired me to write, be strong, and be adventurous,” one statement said. Another declared, “Books are the magic that keeps me alive,” and a third shared, “I read mountains of books…and now people have been concerned. They say I have a problem. Too many books are stuffed in my closet.” Several nonreaders submitted refreshingly honest stories about not enjoying reading. “But I bet you after this convention, I will start to like books.”

YA author panel

Attendees were also quick to share their stories in person, like the students and librarians from Green Forest High School in Arkansas, who raised money for two years and drove over 12 hours round trip to attend the festival. While waiting for the afternoon signing, one young girl exclaimed, “This is the best feeling I’ve ever had!” After thinking for a moment, she amended, “Well, I have a dog so I guess this is the second best.” Her friend shook her head and declared, “No, this is totally the best!” The festival, which partners with Forever YA, encourages readers of all ages to attend, and one of the most touching moments came in the early morning quiet, before doors even opened. An officer with the Irving Police Department was speaking with a volunteer librarian in the speed dating area. “Gordon Korman will really be here today?” he asked, looking at stacks of books waiting for readers to adopt them. “I read Gordon’s books when I was in fifth grade!” The speed date with a book program was one of the festival’s most unique offerings. Local teachers and librarians volunteered to pitch festival titles to teen readers between fifth and 12th grade. After hearing a few pitches, teens were able to select a copy to take home. Teens could be seen throughout the day devouring their new books, hoping to have them read before the signing.

A massive YA author signing. About 8,000 people attended the event.

Indeed, much of NTTBF’s success can be attributed to the steering committee’s dedicated partnerships with area schools and libraries. Two information sessions held months in advance were attended by hundreds of local educators, who returned to their schools and proceeded to spread the word of the festival, its authors, and their books to their students. NTTBF provided promotional materials that book clubs and student groups used to create elaborate festival displays. Some schools held festival-themed scavenger hunts and created group T-shirts. Other school groups helped count down the last few weeks until the festival via social media. The end result was a staggering 8,000 in attendance, mostly teens, and a line of buses that stretched past what the eye could see, a view author Lance Rubin described as “both joyful and terrifying,” a thought echoed by other presenters. Do book events like the NTTBF make a difference? On Sunday, two girls stopped in the Irving Public Library South Branch, where I was poring over tweets and notes from the day before, attempting to write this article but also still trying to recuperate. They stepped up and whisper-shouted, “You were at the festival yesterday!” I thanked them for attending and asked what they enjoyed. “Definitely Sarah Rees Brennan! She’s so funny!” one exclaimed. She was still holding her copy of Rubin’s Denton Little’s Deathdate, which she’d picked up during speed dating. Her friend told me about picking up Brodi Ashton’s Everneath, which Ashton had signed. They then playfully fought over the one copy of Chandler Baker’s Alive that was checked in—I had to make sure to place another on hold!—and swooned over If I Stay. Another teen, Alexandrea, tweeted to NTTBF, “Thank you so much for that wonderful experience! It honestly had a huge impact on my life!” Her teacher Heather Clark replied that she “can’t wait to say [she] knew her when…as her first novel is published.” Supposedly teens don’t read anymore, but here in Irving, TX, we’d like to respectfully disagree. To learn more about the NTTBF, visit their site at nttbf.org. Be sure to pencil NTTBF 2017 on your calendar, which is tentatively scheduled for March 3–4.