Super excited for the 2022 Tucson Festival of Books! This year's MG/YA authors who stand out:
Michael Buckley, The Sisters Grimm. We've read every single one. Own them all, even, but I've never reviewed them. That was long before I started reviewing books. He has more recent series out, of course, but these are probably what he's best known for.
Ibi Zoboi, Pride, Summer Read: Modern Brooklyn Pride and Prejudice
My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich, Slice of 1980s Harlem
Shannon Hale, of MCU's Squirrel Girl fame!! Summer Series: Marvel's The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl
Kelly Yang, Front Desk. This is another author I've read, but never reviewed. Front Desk has got thousands of reviews and die-hard fans.
Wow, Pam Munoz Ryan! Echo, Summer Read: Magical Harmonica
Special squee, Victoria Schwab!!!! Cassidy Blake series
City of Ghosts & Tunnel of Bones, Creepy Ghost Hunter
Bridge of Souls, Creepy Paranormal Horror
Traci Sorell, Indian No More, Civil Rights Native Nation Terminations
Wowzer AVI!!!! Another case of, I've read many of Avi's books, but well before I started posting reviews. Everyone knows how HUGE Avi is in kids' lit circles, so make sure to get in on those panels to listen.
Erin Entrada Kelly, We Dream of Space, Challenger Explosion Era Fiction
Blackbird Fly, Music to Defeat Ugly Americans.
And many more!! These are just speakers on panels.
Unfortunately, childrens authors aren't broken out by PB, MG or YA. They're all coded yellow, under-- Children / Teens. I think (??) the majority are YA writers, and while I've read a few, I read considerably fewer YA each year than MG. I wouldn't recognize most PB writers by this point, as my two are both late teens, so forgive me if I don't highlight any of those authors' names. Also, I don't read a lot of GNs, graphic novels, so those illustrator/authors I'm probably equally unfamiliar with.I do wish the Festival would acknowledge that many authors specialize in writing for different audiences and break them out that way. For example, I noticed not many historical fiction or non-fiction authors are represented in the childrens/teens category.
The schedule also lumps Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror together. Schwab's in some of those panels, as is Seanan McGuire, but I don't recognize many adult authors, as I don't read it much.
I must admit: I was hoping for Stuart Gibbs. Gosh, I'd stand in line all day for his autograph of our falling-apart copy of the first Fun Jungle book.
Or Martha Wells (!!!). My husband bought me a Murderbot t-shirt and everything. Oh, well. Maybe next year?
