Jennifer Brown!

Our “Authors in the Schools” program continues to grow every year. In 2020 we’re excited to be expanding beyond the Columbia Public School system. Superstar YA author Jennifer Brown will be helping us lead the charge. She’ll be appearing at schools in smaller towns in Boone County, who up until now have not had the opportunity to participate in this wonderful (if we do say so ourselves!) initiative. We’re thrilled to have her on board! And she’ll also be appearing at the festival on Saturday, of course.

Jennifer Brown is the author of acclaimed young adult novels, Hate List, Bitter End, Perfect Escape, Thousand Words, Torn Away, and the Shade Me series. Her debut novel, Hate List, received three starred reviews and was selected as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a VOYA “Perfect Ten,” and a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year. Bitter End received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and VOYA and is listed on the YALSA 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults list.

Jennifer also writes middle grade novels — her debut novel, Life on Mars, was the winner of the 2017 William Allen White Children’s Book Award.