Austin is teeming with both authors and enthusiasts of the young-adult genre – tough crowd, for sure – but the third annual Austin Teen Book Festival has assembled a lineup that’s sure to impress even the most discerning YA reader.

But it’s not just books on the brain: Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist co-author David Levithan will be in attendance for a special screening of the Michael Cera-starring film adaptation, too. That happens Sept. 30, is off-site (the Alamo South Lamar) and not free, but that’s the exception to the rule.

The rest of the Austin Teen Book Festival takes place Oct. 1 and will be housed in the Palmer Events Center. Presented by Austin Public Library Friends Foundation with sponsorship by BookPeople, the ATBF is totally, shockingly free and requires zero advance registration. Just walk in the door and start sniffing out your favorite YA authors.

There are five programmed panels (each will be held three times). They include:

PEN FATALE features Gabrielle Zevin (All These Things I’ve Done), Mary Pearson (The Fox Inheritance), Jessica Brody (My Life Undecided), Alyson Noel (Everlasting), and Alexandra Adornetto (Hades); moderated by Margo Rabb (Cures for Heartbreak).

ALTERNAWORLDS (fantasy) features Scott Westerfeld (Goliath), Maureen Johnson (Name of the Star), Jonathan Maberry (Dust & Decay), and Brian Yansky (Alien Invasion); moderated by Rosemary Clement-Moore (The Splendor Falls).

REAL LIFE IS MESSY (edgy fiction) features John Corey Whaley (Where Things Come Back), David Levithan (Every You, Every Me), Melissa Walker (Small Town Sinners), Coe Booth (Bronxwood), and Geoff Herbach (Stupid Fast); moderated by Varian Johnson (Saving Maddie).

I HEART LOVE STORIES (realistic/romance fiction) features Simone Elkeles (Perfect Chemistry), Stephanie Perkins (Lola & the Boy Next Door), Jenny Han (We’ll Always Have Summer), Jennifer Zeigler (Sass & Sensibility), and Christina Mandelski (The Sweetest Thing); moderated by Cristina Garcia (Dreams of Significant Girls).

SUPERNATURAL SUSPENSE (fantasy) features Heather Brewer (Vladimir Tod), Jackson Pearce (Sweetly), Tera Lynn Childs (Sweet Venom), Sophie Jordan (Vanish), and Andrea Cremer (Wolfsbane); moderated by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Blessed).

In addition to panels and booksignings, there will also be a keynote speech from Texas native Scott Westerfeld (the Uglies trilogy), plus live entertainment from band Darwin Prophet and steampunk performers Delirium of Grandeur.

Wanna find out more? Check out the ATBF website here.

This article appears in September 9 • 2011.

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A graduate of the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas, Kimberley has written about film, books, and pop culture for The Austin Chronicle since 2000. She was named Editor of the Chronicle in 2016; she previously served as the paper’s Managing Editor, Screens Editor, Books Editor, and proofreader. Her work has been awarded by the Association of Alternative Newsmedia for excellence in arts criticism, team reporting, and special section (Best of Austin). The Austin Alliance for Women...