Regular readers of (585) Kids have likely heard of the Rochester Children’s Book Festival (RCBF). After all, it has been bringing authors, illustrators, kids, and their grownups together for nearly thirty years. But 2025 will have a change—one that the festival organizers hope will encourage more families to attend together even as their children grow beyond picture books. They are adjusting the name, format, and authors to include more for teens!
The RCBF has always included a handful of authors who write for teens. Since the fest is run by Rochester Area Children’s Writers & Illustrators (RACWI), and some of the members write books for middle and high schoolers—they were a natural addition to the roster. Other authors who come from out of town write for multiple age groups, from picture books through young adult novels, so they covered that age group, too. But after the Greater Rochester Teen Book Fest (TBF) held its last event (2006–2022), RCBF co-directors decided 2025 would be the year to officially turn it into Rochester Children & Teens Book Festival (RCTBF) to make sure older readers know there is still a space for them.
“I’m excited that we’re including teens in our programing this year,” says RCTBF co-director and author Mylisa Larsen. “I think we’ve got authors coming that they’ll love. I think we’ve got programming that they’ll love.”
One addition is a Tween/Teen Lounge where this age group can “camp out” for the day, catching young adult author panels, hanging out with their friends, and doing arts and crafts. And some of the former TBF co-directors are volunteering with RCTBF to implement ideas that worked for the teen lit fest in the past.
“We are thrilled to have a dozen authors and illustrators of young adult books attending this year,” says RCTB co-director Jim Chaize. “As a group, they have published more than 120 titles.”
Which authors and books should you look out for? We’re glad you asked!
Here are twenty-two to get you started:
–TWEEN–
Boy 2.0
by Tracey Baptiste (Little, Brown, 2024)
Forever This Summer
by Leslie C. Youngblood (Little, Brown, 2022)
Gracie Under the Waves
by Linda Sue Park (Allida, 2024)
Hum
by Bill Thomas (Charlesbridge, 2024)
*No Place for Monsters
by Kory Merritt (Clarion, 2024)
Pop the Bronze Balloon
by Jackie Yeager (Amberjack, 2020)
Quagmire Tiarello Couldn’t Be Better
by Mylissa Larsen (Clarion, 2024)
The Strongest Heart
by Saadia Faruqi (Quill Tree, 2025)
The Trouble with Heroes
by Kate Messner (Bloomsbury, 2025)
Who Was Wilma Mankiller?
by Andrea Page (Penguin, 2025)
–TEEN–
Always June
by Kate Karyus Quinn (West 22, 2023)
The Art Thieves
by Andrea Rogers (Levine Querido, 2024)
Don’t Look Back
by Achut Deng & Keely Hutton (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2022)
*Edge of the Spider-Verse #4: Spider-Woman
by Nilah Magruder & more (Marvel, 2024)
Hands
by Torrey Maldonado (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2023)
If Looks Could Kill
by Julie Berry (Simon & Schuster, 2025)
The Key to Surviving Summer
by Sandi Van (West 22, 2024)
*Lost in Taiwan
by Mark Crilley (Little, Brown, 2023)
Ordinary Hazards
by Nikki Grimes (Wordsong, 2022)
This Might Hurt a Bit
by Doogie Horner (Simon & Schuster, 2020)
The Wild Dark
by Katherine Harbour (Bloomsbury, 2025)
The Wild Trials
by Mackenzie Reed (Storytide, 2025)
*Denotes comic/graphic novel
For a complete list of attending authors and illustrators for ages 0–18, visit rcbfestival.com.
“I’m excited about expanding the really solid offerings that we’ve always had for the younger kids to include everyone this year,” says Larsen. “So whether you’re two, twelve, or eighteen there’s going to be lots to enjoy, and we hope to see you there.”
This article originally appeared in the Fall 2025 issue of (585) Kids.
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