HOUSTON — The sixth annual Bookworm Festival begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 2, 2019, in a new location at Jersey Village High School in Jersey Village, Texas, part of the Houston metropolitan area.
This year’s keynote speaker is internationally acclaimed author David Shannon, creator of more than thirty picture books, including No, David!, a Caldecott Honor Book and his second New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year. Shannon’s bestsellers include A Bad Case of Stripes, Duck on a Bike, and Too Many Toys! His new book is Grow Up, David!

Joining Shannon are:

Ame Dyckman, award-winning author of picture books Boy + Bot and Tea Party Rules, the New York Times bestselling Wolfie the Bunny, Horrible Bear!, and You Don't Want a Unicorn! Her new book is Misunderstood Shark: Friends Don't Eat Friends.

Vashti Harrison, artist, author, and filmmaker. Her picture book is Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World.

Lita Judge, award-winning author and illustrator of many children’s books, including Flight School, Red Sled, Red Hat, Good Morning to Me!, Born in the Wild, and an illustrated young adult novel, Mary’s Monster. Her new book is Penguin Flies Home.

David Ezra Stein, Caldecott Honor illustrator and author of Interrupting Chicken as well as many other award-winning picture books, including Dinosaur Kisses and Leaves, winner of an Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award. His new book is Hush, Little Bunny.

Julia Sarcone-Roach, who made her Knopf picture-book debut with The Secret Plan and then the highly praised Subway Story. Her book The Bear Ate Your Sandwich was an Ezra Jack Keats Honor Award winner and a Horn Book Fanfare selection. Her new book is There Are No Bears in This Bakery.

Katie Yamasaki, muralist, author, and teacher, who has painted over eighty murals in communities around the world. Her new book is When the Cousins Came.

Begun in 2014, the Bookworm Festival celebrates emerging readers and those who write for them. Librarians and language arts teachers from across Houston comprise the steering committee for this event. Their goal is to connect young readers with authors to encourage the joy of reading. As in previous years, the Bookworm Festival is offering grants for bus transportation for teachers and librarians. The maximum amount of the grant is $100.

The sixth Bookworm Festival counts among its sponsors the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, Philips 66, the Spring Branch Education Foundation, Spring Branch Independent School District, and Blue Willow Bookshop. 

For more information, visit www.bookwormfestival.org
(Information from organization’s press release)