The Tweens Read Book Festival: A Congregation of Adolescent Bibliophiles

Kid Reporter Kush Kalra interviewed author Jennifer L. Holm, who discussed her book Outside at the event.

The room teemed with excitement as kids from across Houston asked burning questions to world-renowned authors. Eager hands shot up as the authors discussed their start in literature. The tweens met the minds behind their favorite books. 

On October 25, Blue Willow Bookshop hosted the Tweens Read Book Festival at Dobie High School. The festival featured author panels, where young readers learned about different writing processes and inspirational sources. The authors shared how they pull from various themes for their stories, including friendship, humor, and fantasy. 

Avid reader Helen Quiballo, 11, discussed what she was looking forward to at the festival. “I thought it'd be really cool to meet the authors of my favorite books and series. I want to find new books that I can read, [meet] authors of old ones, and ask questions about them,” she said. 

How to Begin Writing 

Although many aspiring authors want to write, they often struggle to find inspiration or complete their pieces. Jennifer L. Holm, author of Sunny Side Up and The Fourteenth Goldfish, advised starting small by creating fan fiction. 

“Fan fiction is when you find a book you like, [where] there are already existing characters, and you do your own chapter. I think what overwhelms all writers is [having] too many possibilities. Sometimes it's nice to take an existing world and just write a story,” she said. 

Kush interviewed Kat Fajardo, author of Miss Quinces and Miss Camper. 

The Importance of Reading for Growing Minds 

Kat Fajardo, author of Miss Quinces, did not enjoy reading as a child but quickly became fascinated by comics and manga during her tween years. From there, she began creating fan fiction. She explained that reading can be therapeutic and support self-discovery during adolescence. 

“Whenever I read a character's journey, and they are going through the same thing [as me], it feels like [they are] holding my hand,” she said. “Having a character to represent you feels like a safer way to go through that journey than by yourself.” 

Authors (left to right) Kat Fajardo, Julio Anta, and Shannon Hale discussed drawing inspiration from their daily lives to create their graphic novels.

Many young attendees of the Tweens Read Festival look up to authors and hope to share their own writing with the world one day. Hoffman Middle School Librarian William Schaller explained the book festival's significant impact on inspiring readers and writers. 

“We ask our students to come to the [Tweens Read Festival] to meet authors, build connections, and learn how to write,” he said. “We hope that this will spark some of our students to write their own stories and read more. It's a very good event to [become] excited about literacy.”