The annual Greater Houston Teen Book Convention took place on April 1 at Alief Taylor High School in Houston, bringing together 25 YA authors and more than 2,000 attendees. The festival was created by Lisa Stultz and Aria Tatelman, and is chaired by a larger committee of librarians. Blue Willow Bookshop provides book sales and coordinates author selection. This year’s convention was packed with author talks, readings, panels, signings, book swag, and more. See highlights from the event below.

Laini Taylor delivered the opening keynote address.

Button-making, sponsored by the Houston Public Library, is always a popular activity at the festival.

Teens check out the Poetry Tree put together by the Teen Advisory Panel for Writers in the Schools.

(From l.): Authors Lance Rubin, Fonda Lee, Katharine McGee, and Laini Taylor at the “Past Is Prologue” panel.

Angie Thomas (The Hate U Give) signs a book for a fan.

Teens checking out some of the many activity booths at the festival.

(From l.): Authors Zoraida Cordova and Adi Alsaid choose an excerpt to read aloud during their panel sessions. Bookseller Valerie Koehler suggested this addition after seeing it used to great effect during the American Booksellers Association’s Indies Introduce panel.

A reader waits in line at the Blue Willow pop-up store.

Benjamin Alire Sáenz (The Inexplicable Logic of My Life) poses with a fan.

A reader shares her thoughts at one of the Tell Your YA Story booths sponsored by the Fort Bend Public Library.

Teens get into costume at the photo booth.

The 3D printer from the Harris County Public Library is always a hit.

Fans take a selfie at the TeenBookCon photo booth. This year, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers created a special Strange the Dreamer snapchat filter that Laini Taylor fans could use during the festival.