A Celebration of Books,
Writers & LIterary Excellence

Save the Date


Gaithersburg
Book Festival

May 16, 2026

10am – 6pm

Bohrer Park


Genre: Teen/YA

Darlene P. Campos

Featured Title: The Center of the Earth

Darlene P. Campos earned her M.F.A. in creative writing from the University of Texas at El Paso and her B.A. in English with a medical studies minor from the University of Houston. She has been featured in School Library Journal,… Continue Reading

Sarah Dessen

Featured Title: Change of Plans

Sarah Dessen is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of over a dozen novels for teens, including “The Truth About Forever,” “Just Listen,” and “This Lullaby.” Her work has been published in over 30 countries and sold millions of… Continue Reading

The Odyssey by Gareth Hinds

Gareth Hinds

Featured Title: The Odyssey: A Graphic Novel

Gareth Hinds is the creator of critically-acclaimed graphic novels based on literary classics, including “Beowulf,” “The Odyssey,” “The Iliad,” “Romeo & Juliet,” “Macbeth,” and “POE: Stories and Poems.” Gareth is a recipient of the Boston Public Library’s Literary Lights for… Continue Reading

Boys with Sharp Teeth by Jenni Howell

Jenni Howell

Featured Title: Boys with Sharp Teeth

Jenni Howell is The New York Times best-selling author of “Boys with Sharp Teeth.” Before becoming an author, she tried out archaeology, linguistics, mongoose herding (known to some as “teaching”), finance, and espionage, but always got bored. Now she writes… Continue Reading

Tony Keith Jr.

Featured Title: How the Boogeyman Became a Poet

Tony Keith Jr. is a Black American gay poet, spoken word artist, and hip-hop educational leader from Washington, D.C. He is author of the YA memoir in verse How the Boogeyman Became a Poet. Tony’s writings have appeared in the… Continue Reading

Beyond Seven Forests by Amanda McCrina

Amanda McCrina

Featured Title: Beyond Seven Forests

Amanda McCrina is a writer and bookseller. Her award-winning historical novels for young adults include “Traitor,” “The Silent Unseen,” “I’ll Tell You No Lies,” and most recently, “Beyond Seven Forests.” She holds a degree in history and political science from… Continue Reading

Charlene Thomas

Featured Title: It's You Every Time

Charlene Thomas – a Gaithersburg native and graduate of Gaithersburg High School – is a big dreamer who loves creating characters who are steadfastly determined to change their own little parts of the world. Her debut novel, “Seton Girls,” received… Continue Reading

Alexandra Villasante

Featured Title: Fireblooms

Alexandra Villasante’s young adult novel, “The Grief Keeper,” won the 2020 Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Children’s Literature/Young Adult Fiction and was a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection. Alex is a contributor to several young adult short story anthologies and… Continue Reading