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.
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 Can We Deal with the World's Injustices? Ask a Teen! with Lesa Cline-Ransome and Jennifer De Leon
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 9:30 am - 10:30 am EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Room 202 (Level 2, South Building)
Teens aren’t immune to the world’s injustices; they might have ideas about some solutions. Join Lesa Cline-Ransome and Jennifer De Leon as they discuss their newest releases. Lesa Cline-Ransome’s “For Lamb” pays homage to female victims of white supremacy. Jennifer De Leon’s “Borderless” follows Maya and her mom as they travel to cross the border. Moderated by Austin Ferraro,- Stage: Curiosity Stage
- Event Type(s): Author Presentations, For Teens and Adults, Panels
- Genre(s): Black and African American, Family, Fiction, Guatemalan, Hispanic, Historical Fiction, Young Adult
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Event | lectures and symposia I'm Already Stressed About Homework. You Need Me to Solve a Mystery Too? with Nick Brooks and Karen M. McManus.
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 10:45 am - 11:45 am EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, West Salon GHI (Street Level, South Building)
Imagine needing to solve a mystery while juggling a mountain of schoolwork—not fun (but maybe more fun than homework?). Nick Brooks’ “Promise Boys” follows three teens of color who investigate their principal’s murder to clear their names. Karen M. McManus' “One of Us Is Back” follows the Bayview Crew who must investigate the sudden disappearance of a crew member.- Stage: Understanding Stage
- Event Type(s): Author Presentations, For Teens and Adults, Panels
- Genre(s): Black and African American, Book Series, Fiction, Mystery, Social Justice, Thriller, Young Adult
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Event | special events Jennifer De Leon Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 11:00 am - 12:00 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Jennifer De Leon signs "Borderless" in book signing line 15.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For Teens and Adults
- Genre(s): Family, Fiction, Guatemalan, Hispanic, Young Adult
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Event | special events Lesa Cline-Ransome Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 11:00 am - 12:00 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Lesa Cline-Ransome signs "For Lamb" in book signing line 14.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For Teens and Adults
- Genre(s): Black and African American, Family, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Young Adult
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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 Karen M. McManus Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Karen M. McManus signs "One of Us Is Back" in book signing line 8.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For Teens and Adults
- Genre(s): Book Series, Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult
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Event | special events Nick Brooks Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Nick Brooks signs "Promise Boys" in book signing line 7.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For Teens and Adults
- Genre(s): Black and African American, Fiction, Mystery, Social Justice, Thriller, Young Adult
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Event | lectures and symposia Will and Jane 2.0: Classics Updated with Sayantani DasGupta and Brittany N. Williams
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Room 202 (Level 2, South Building)
Who says classics can’t be revamped? A modern retelling of Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility,” Sayantani DasGupta’s “Rosewood: A Midsummer Meet Cute” follows teenage drama at a regency-themed summer camp. Sprinkled with Shakespearean references, Brittany N. Williams’ “That Self-Same Metal” follows 16-year-old swordsmith Joan as she navigates a fae uprising in 16th-century London. Moderated by NBC’s Eun Yang.- Stage: Curiosity Stage
- Event Type(s): Author Presentations, For Teens and Adults, Panels
- Genre(s): Asian and Pacific Islander, Black and African American, Book Series, Family, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Romance, Young Adult
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Event | lectures and symposia Chasten Buttigieg Has Something To Tell You (Hint: It's About Finding Yourself)
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 12:45 pm - 1:30 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Ballroom A (Level 3, South Building)
Growing up isn’t easy. Finding your voice takes courage. And, being true to yourself can take time. In “I Have Something to Tell You―For Young Adults,” Chasten Buttigieg recounts stories and experiences he encountered growing up gay—stories he shares with the hope that young adults and their families will know that they aren’t alone. Moderated by CBS’ David Begnaud.- Stage: Inspiration Stage
- Event Type(s): Author Presentations, For Teens and Adults
- Genre(s): Inspiring and Educational, LGBTQ+, Memoir, Nonfiction, Young Adult
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Event | lectures and symposia Lie, Fight, Gatekeep: Girls vs. the Power with Angeline Boulley and Amélie Wen Zhao
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 1:15 pm - 2:15 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Room 202 (Level 2, South Building)
Youth are some of society’s strongest fighters (and innovators) and these protagonists are no exception. Angeline Boulley (“Warrior Girl Unearthed”) and Amélie Wen Zhao (“Song of Silver, Flame Like Night”) write about girls who have courage to stand up against power—against regimes, colonizers and the violence of unjust laws—to reclaim what is rightfully theirs and their community’s. Moderated by Heather-Marie Montilla.- Stage: Curiosity Stage
- Event Type(s): Author Presentations, For Teens and Adults, Panels
- Genre(s): Asian and Pacific Islander, Book Series, Family, Fantasy, Fiction, Native American, Young Adult
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Event | special events Brittany N. Williams Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Brittany N. Williams signs "That Self-Same Metal" in book signing line 8.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For Teens and Adults
- Genre(s): Black and African American, Book Series, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Romance, Young Adult
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Event | special events Sayantani DasGupta Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Sayantani DasGupta signs "Rosewood: A Midsummer Meet Cute" in book signing line 7.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For Teens and Adults
- Genre(s): Asian and Pacific Islander, Family, Fiction, Romance, Young Adult
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Event | special events Chasten Buttigieg Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Chasten Buttigieg signs "I Have Something to Tell You―For Young Adults: A Memoir" in book signing line 3.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For Teens and Adults
- Genre(s): Inspiring and Educational, LGBTQ+, Memoir, Nonfiction, Young Adult
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Event | special events Amélie Wen Zhao Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Amélie Wen Zhao signs "Song of Silver, Flame Like Night" in book signing line 11.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For Teens and Adults
- Genre(s): Asian and Pacific Islander, Book Series, Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult
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Event | special events Angeline Boulley Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Angeline Boulley signs "Warrior Girl Unearthed" in book signing line 10.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For Teens and Adults
- Genre(s): Family, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Native American, Young Adult
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Event | lectures and symposia "Take a Trip," They Said. "You'll Have a Great Time!" They Said. with Trang Thanh Tran Event has been updated
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Room 202 (Level 2, South Building)
We don’t take a vacation just to worry about surviving the vacation. But in Trang Thanh Tran’s “She Is a Haunting,” a girl encounters a haunting while visiting family in Vietnam. Maybe let’s not take a vacation to the National Book Festival—what could happen to us? Moderated by Ashley Dickerson.- Stage: Curiosity Stage
- Event Type(s): Author Presentations, For Teens and Adults, Panels
- Genre(s): Asian and Pacific Islander, Debut, Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ+, Social Justice, Thriller, Young Adult
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Event | lectures and symposia Drawing Yaqui Delgado with Meg Medina and Mel Valentine Vargas
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 3:10 pm - 4:10 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Room 204 (Level 2, South Building)
How do you add faces to characters you’ve never seen? Is it hard to draw a beloved novel? In this program artist Mel Valentine Vargas is joined by National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Meg Medina. Together they will share how they transformed Medina’s “Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass” into this new graphic novel adaptation. Moderated by Monica Valentine.- Stage: Discovery Stage
- Event Type(s): Author Presentations, Book Launches, For Teens and Adults
- Genre(s): Caribbean, Fiction, Graphic Novel, Hispanic, LGBTQ+, Young Adult
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Event | special events Trang Thanh Tran Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Trang Thanh Tran signs "She Is a Haunting" in book signing line 7.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For Teens and Adults
- Genre(s): Asian and Pacific Islander, Debut, Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ+, Thriller, Young Adult
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Event | lectures and symposia When Lies and Secrets Come Into the Light with Linda Kao and Mark Oshiro Event has been updated
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 4:25 pm - 5:25 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Room 204 (Level 2, South Building)
What if those you love the most keep you in the dark? In Mark Oshiro’s “Into the Light,” Manny questions his memories while searching for his sister; in Linda Kao’s “A Crooked Mark,” Matt hunts for those marked by the devil – while questioning those closest to him. Lies, truths, fantasy, reality: what else will come into the light? Moderated by Sasha Dowdy.- Stage: Discovery Stage
- Event Type(s): Author Presentations, For Teens and Adults
- Genre(s): Debut, Family, Fantasy, Fiction, Guatemalan, Hispanic, Horror, LGBTQ+, Mexican, Mystery, Romance, Thriller, Young Adult
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Event | special events Meg Medina and Mel Valentine Vargas Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Meg Medina and Mel Valentine Vargas sign "Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass: The Graphic Novel" in book signing line 9.- Event Type(s): Book Launches, Book Signings, For Teens and Adults
- Genre(s): Caribbean, Fiction, Graphic Novel, Hispanic, LGBTQ+, Young Adult
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Event | lectures and symposia "You: The Story" with Ruta Sepetys
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 5:40 pm - 6:25 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Room 204 (Level 2, South Building)
The most powerful aspect of a story is your voice—without it there is no story. In her new book “You: The Story: A Writer’s Guide to Craft Through Memory,” Ruta Sepetys teaches aspiring writers how to dig deep into their memories and masterfully explore them on the page in a personal, authentic way. Moderated by Alexa Patrick with teen moderator Abigail Sears.- Stage: Discovery Stage
- Event Type(s): Author Presentations, For Teens and Adults
- Genre(s): General Nonfiction, Inspiring and Educational, Nonfiction, Young Adult
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Event | special events Linda Kao Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Linda Kao signs "A Crooked Mark" in book signing line 14.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For Teens and Adults
- Genre(s): Debut, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Romance, Thriller, Young Adult
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Event | special events Mark Oshiro Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Mark Oshiro signs "Into the Light" in book signing line 13.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For Teens and Adults
- Genre(s): Family, Fantasy, Fiction, Guatemalan, Hispanic, LGBTQ+, Mexican, Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult
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Event | special events Ruta Sepetys Book Signing
- Saturday, August 12, 2023 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm EDT
- Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall DE (Level 2, North Building)
Ruta Sepetys signs "You: The Story: A Writer's Guide to Craft Through Memory" in book signing line 10.- Event Type(s): Book Signings, For Teens and Adults
- Genre(s): General Nonfiction, Inspiring and Educational, Nonfiction, Young Adult
Thursday August 31, 2023
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Event | lectures and symposia Library of Congress National Book Festival Author Talk: Angeline Boulley and Trang Thanh Tran
- Thursday, August 31, 2023 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm EDT
- Online Only
PBS Books, in collaboration with Kansas City PBS and KERA in Dallas, Texas, is hosting a conversation with Angeline Boulley, author of “Warrior Girl Unearthed,” and Trang Thanh Tran, author of “She Is a Haunting,” to discuss their work and involvement in the Festival. The authors will be interviewed by PBS Books' Heather-Marie Montilla.This event will be livestreamed on pbsbooks.org.- Event Type(s): For Teens and Adults, Panels, Partner Events
- Genre(s): Asian and Pacific Islander, Debut, Family, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ+, Mystery, Native American, Thriller, Young Adult