Schedule
The 2023 Library of Congress National Book Festival will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., on August 12, 2023.
A selection of programs will be livestreamed
online and videos of all programs will be available shortly after the Festival. Plan your day using our website or download the Festival program and map.
To search for events, select one or more options from the fields and then click the Apply button. Navigate results using heading level 2 for dates and heading level 3 for event names.
NOTE: Using the “Add to Calendar” tool places individual events in your personal calendar. It does not constitute a reservation or ticket to the event.
Thursday July 20, 2023
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Event | lectures and symposia Library of Congress National Book Festival Author Talk: Claribel A. Ortega
- Thursday, July 20, 2023 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm EDT
- Online Only
PBS Books, in collaboration with WNET in New York, is hosting a conversation with Claribel A. Ortega, author of “The Golden Frog Games,” to discuss her work and involvement in the Festival. The author will be interviewed by PBS Books’ Heather-Marie Montilla.This event will be livestreamed on pbsbooks.org.- Event Type(s): For All Ages, Partner Events
- Genre(s): Adventure, Book Series, Caribbean, Fantasy, Fiction, Hispanic, LGBTQ+, Middle Grade, Mystery
Saturday August 12, 2023
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Event | lectures and symposia Event Title Change: “White Bird”: Deep in the Wonder Universe with R.J. Palacio and Erica S. Perl Event has been updated
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 9:30 am - 10:30 am EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Ballroom BC (Level 3, South Building)
Join R.J. Palacio and Erica S. Perl as they discuss their new novel adaptation of “White Bird.” Set within the Wonder universe, this story reflects the power of kindness. Due to a change in the release date of the “White Bird” movie, we regret we’re no longer able to screen clips. Moderated by National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Meg Medina.- Stage: Creativity Stage
- Event Type(s): Author Presentations, For All Ages
- Genre(s): Fiction, Hispanic, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult
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Event | lectures and symposia How Sara Shepard Made a Best Friend
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 10:20 am - 10:45 am EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Room 204 (Level 2, South Building)
Fifth grade is full of surprises: good, bad, silly, weird—you name it. The first installment of a new middle grade series, Sara Shepard’s “Penny Draws a Best Friend” follows young Penny Lowry as she navigates changing friendships, a family secret and her feelings of anxiety. Moderated by Carolyn Belefski.- Stage: Discovery Stage
- Event Type(s): Author Presentations, For All Ages
- Genre(s): Book Series, Fiction, Fun and Funny, Middle Grade
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Event | lectures and symposia Adults Are the Worst, Especially on the Ancient Silk Road with Daniel Nayeri
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 11:00 am - 11:25 am EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Room 204 (Level 2, South Building)
Road trip! Two words that bring out the best or worst in anyone, especially when the adult leading the trip is a scammer whose victims want him dead. In Daniel Nayeri’s “The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams” it falls on a little orphan boy called Monkey to protect his guardian’s life.- Stage: Discovery Stage
- Event Type(s): Author Presentations, For All Ages
- Genre(s): Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade
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Event | special events R.J. Palacio and Erica S. Perl Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 11:00 am - 12:00 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
R.J. Palacio and Erica S. Perl sign "White Bird: A Novel" in book signing line 2.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For All Ages
- Genre(s): Fiction, Hispanic, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult
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Event | special events Sara Shepard Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 11:00 am - 12:00 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Sara Shepard signs "Penny Draws a Best Friend" in book signing line 13.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For All Ages
- Genre(s): Book Series, Fiction, Fun and Funny, Middle Grade
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Event | lectures and symposia Me, My Story, My Pictures with Jarrett J. Krosoczka and Pedro Martín
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 11:40 am - 12:10 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Room 204 (Level 2, South Building)
What’s it like to not only divulge the details of your life but also draw them for everyone to see?! Jarret J. Krosoczka’s “Sunshine” follows his experience working at a camp for terminally ill children. “Mexikid” tracks Pedro Martín’s journeys to Mexico to visit his grandfather. Through memorable text and art, we know more about these writers—and maybe ourselves. Moderated by Kahîn Mohammad.- Stage: Discovery Stage
- Event Type(s): Author Presentations, Book Launches, For All Ages, Panels
- Genre(s): Adventure, Debut, Family, Graphic Novel, Hispanic, Inspiring and Educational, Memoir, Mexican, Middle Grade, Nonfiction
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Event | special events Daniel Nayeri Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Daniel Nayeri signs "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" in book signing line 11.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For All Ages
- Genre(s): Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade
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Event | lectures and symposia Witchlings Go On a New Adventure with Claribel A. Ortega
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 12:25 pm - 12:50 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Room 204 (Level 2, South Building)
The golden frog games have arrived! Every four years these games return, but what happens when the competitors are affected by a hex that’s turning them to stone? Return to familiar characters and join Claribel A. Ortega as she discusses her second entry in the Witchlings series, “The Golden Frog Games.” Moderated by The Washington Post’s Amy Joyce.- Stage: Discovery Stage
- Event Type(s): Author Presentations, For All Ages
- Genre(s): Adventure, Book Series, Caribbean, Fantasy, Fiction, Hispanic, LGBTQ+, Middle Grade, Mystery
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Event | special events Jarrett J. Krosoczka Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Jarrett J. Krosoczka signs "Sunshine" in book signing line 14.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For All Ages
- Genre(s): Graphic Novel, Inspiring and Educational, Memoir, Middle Grade, Nonfiction
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Event | special events Pedro Martín Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Pedro Martín signs "Mexikid" in book signing line 15.- Event Type(s): Book Launches, Book Signings, For All Ages
- Genre(s): Adventure, Debut, Family, Graphic Novel, Hispanic, Inspiring and Educational, Memoir, Mexican, Middle Grade, Nonfiction
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Event | lectures and symposia What If?: Time Travel, Supervillains and Other Everyday Things with Jamar Nicholas and Nisi Shawl
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 1:05 pm - 1:35 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Room 204 (Level 2, South Building)
What happens when magic becomes your everyday? Set in a world where superheroes and ordinary people coexist, Jamar Nicholas’ graphic novel “Leon the Extraordinary” follows superpower-less Leon’s mission to save his fifth grade class from an app that turns them into zombies. In Nisi Shawl’s “Speculation,” 10-year-old Winna embarks on a quest to break a family curse using wish-granting spectacles. Moderated by Megan Halsband.- Stage: Discovery Stage
- Event Type(s): Author Presentations, For All Ages, Panels
- Genre(s): Adventure, Black and African American, Book Series, Family, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novel, LGBTQ+, Middle Grade, Science Fiction
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Event | special events Claribel A. Ortega Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Claribel A. Ortega signs "The Golden Frog Games" in book signing line 12.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For All Ages
- Genre(s): Adventure, Book Series, Caribbean, Fantasy, Fiction, Hispanic, LGBTQ+, Middle Grade, Mystery
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Event | lectures and symposia Gary D. Schmidt Talks About the Herculean Challenges of Seventh Grade
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 1:50 pm - 2:15 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Room 204 (Level 2, South Building)
Seventh grade can feel like performing in the Olympics, especially at a new school with teachers and assignments that challenge you to live up to your name: Hercules. “The Labors of Hercules Beal” by Gary D. Schmidt follows the smallest kid in the class, Herc Beal, as he attempts to duplicate the twelve feats performed by the mythical demigod, Hercules. Moderated by Stephanie Handy.- Stage: Discovery Stage
- Event Type(s): Author Presentations, For All Ages
- Genre(s): Adventure, Family, Fiction, Inspiring and Educational, Middle Grade
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Event | special events Jamar Nicholas Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Jamar Nicholas signs "Leon the Extraordinary" in book signing line 13.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For All Ages
- Genre(s): Adventure, Black and African American, Book Series, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Science Fiction
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Event | special events Nisi Shawl Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Nisi Shawl signs "Speculation" in book signing line 14.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For All Ages
- Genre(s): Adventure, Black and African American, Family, Fantasy, Fiction, LGBTQ+, Middle Grade
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Event | lectures and symposia Captain America and Alan Gratz: What More Do You Need?
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 2:30 pm - 2:55 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Room 204 (Level 2, South Building)
A human, a sidekick and a captain. What more do you need to become a superhero? Alan Gratz brings us a World War II adventure featuring Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes up against an army of undead ghosts in “Captain America: The Ghost Army.” Hear Gratz talk about superheroes and the real United States Ghost Army unit. Moderated by The Washington Post’s David Betancourt.- Stage: Discovery Stage
- Event Type(s): Author Presentations, For All Ages
- Genre(s): Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novel, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade
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Event | special events Gary D. Schmidt Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Gary D. Schmidt signs "The Labors of Hercules Beal" in book signing line 5.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For All Ages
- Genre(s): Adventure, Family, Fiction, Inspiring and Educational, Middle Grade
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Event | special events Alan Gratz Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Alan Gratz signs "Captain America: The Ghost Army" in book signing line 2.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For All Ages
- Genre(s): Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novel, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade