Florence Cardella speaks about her TBF experiences

When you read a book, you don’t often think of the person who wrote it:  who they are, where they live, if the name on the cover of the book you're reading is the author's actual name. Authors often seem to those of us who read to be these unattainable yet mystical creatures that you can really only dream of meeting one day. Teen Book Fest (TBF), held in May each year at Nazareth College, gives readers, specifically teens, the chance to meet these amazing creators. What's even better is that the authors are just as excited to meet you as you are to meet them; the authors treat everyone they meet as though they're the most important person to ever read what they've written.

In one day at TBF, you can learn so much about the authors by listening to them as they speak on the panels. And the authors don't just tell you about their upcoming books, or how they write, you learn the author's life story-what experiences have made them grow and what has inspired them. Sometimes it may not seem like the author of your favorite book is real because all you share is a book and the world within it but in actuality readers and authors share so much more than that- we share the characters and the imagination and the creativity within the book. In short, the authors at TBF are both amazing and amazing to learn from.

Another truly amazing thing about TBF is how much the teens involve care about this Festival.  This year teens involved helped to raise over ten thousand dollars through such fundraising events as the Teen Book Festival read-a-thon at Barnes and Noble and the Brilliant Readers Active in Teen Service (BRATS) read-a-thon at the Brockport-Seymour Library.

I've gone to TBF for the last two years and I plan on making this year my third and I can honestly say it's the most amazing experience a reader could ask for. There is nothing better than waiting to meet one of your favorite authors, like Laurie Halse Anderson, A.S. King or Alex London, and meeting a complete stranger while you wait then bonding instantly over your favorite books. TBF is something that everyone should take part in, and will leave you with memories of laughter, creativity, and my personal favorite: books.


Written by:  Florence Cardella
Author Bio:  Miss Cardella is currently a Senior at Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women in Rochester NY.  She plans on attending college next year and majoring in English.