The Texas Book Festival is scheduled for Oct. 22 and Oct. 23 in the State Capitol Building and Grounds in Austin.

Please join Cynthia Leitich Smith and Barry Lyga for “More Than One Way to Read: Graphic Novels,” moderated by Vicky Smith from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 22 in Capitol Extension E2.010.

From TBF: “Not all worthy books are lines of black text on white pages. We’ve asked two young adult writers with new graphic novels out this year to show images from their books (Mangaman (Houghton Mifflin) and Tantalize: Kieron’s Story (Candlewick)) in a conversation about creating books for readers who want more than one way to read.

“Moderator Vicky Smith is the children’s & teen editor at Kirkus Reviews, the world’s toughest book critics. She has served on the American Library Association’s Newbery and Caldecott committees and is an adjunct instructor for the Center for the Study of Children’s Literature at Simmons College in Boston. A children’s librarian by training, she believes in connecting kids with great books in any way possible.”

A Convergence of Souls

A collaboration with Austin Bat Cave featuring the Festival’s young adult writers will be from 9 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22 at Texas State Cemetery.

What’s spookier than a slew of the nation’s finest young adult authors all gathered together in one place? Well, a lot actually – that sounds downright pleasant.

But did we mention they’re gathering in the Texas State Cemetery, where the hallowed graves of countless former statesmen (and sometime ghosts) pass their grim vigil?

Okay, so it might be more than a little spooky, but terror aside, this collection of sheer talent should make for a rather fun evening. You’ll get to meet the writers (listed below), hear them talk about their newest books, and maybe even watch them compete for literary glory. And don’t worry, we promise to keep the prospect of your looming mortality to, you know, a minimum. Bring a blanket and flashlight!

Featured Authors:

• Jennifer Ziegler
• Margaret Stohl
• Cynthia Leitich Smith
• Joe Schreiber
• Alex Sanchez
• Louis Sachar
• David Rice
• Kathy Reichs
• Shelia P. Moses
• Barry Lyga
• David Levithan
• Joe R. Lansdale
• Ellen Hopkins
• Kami Garcia
• Sarah Dessen
• James Dashner
• Rosemary Clement-Moore
• Libba Bray
• Chris Barton
• Jay Asher
• Jessica Lee Anderson
• Jill S. Alexander

Cynsational Notes

Storytimes, interactive tent will get kids excited about reading: Tots can meet authors of popular picture books, while teens have their own events by Sharyn Vane from The Austin American-Statesman. Peek: “The spotlight is on graphic novels at the ‘More Than One Way to Read’ panel, with Mangaman‘s Barry Lyga and Cynthia Leitich Smith, whose Tantalize: Kieren’s Story sketches further the supernatural Austin she has explored in three prose novels…”

2011 Texas Book Festival Children’s and YA Programming: a cheat sheet from Greg Leitich Smith. See also the full official festival calendar.