Building on years of great author appearances, debut books, and a variety of programming, The Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF) presents its first-ever official Young Adult programming stream and Featured Guests for the 2019 Edition. Highlighting a strong array of debuting work for readers across the Young Adult age-range of 12 years old to 18 years old, TCAF aims to create a great experience for fans of the YA category and genre at the 2019 Festival, taking place May 11th & 12^th, in Toronto, Canada.

This year, TCAF’s 100+ hours of programming will have a clearly labeled “YA” stream in all panel descriptions and grids, and clearer search tools and pages on the TCAF website. In addition, the website and program guide will feature a YA program overview so that even casual attendees can discover these authors and their works at the Festival.

TCAF’s full slate of programming will be unveiled in April, ahead of the main Festival May 11^th and 12^th. The YA stream will encompass readings, panel discussions, and creative workshops, in addition to author autograph sessions.

Now, keep reading to be introduced to some of this year’s Featured Young Adult Authors!

Flavia Biondi: Born in Castelfiorentino, Italy, in 1988, Biondi is an accomplished Italian graphic novelist whose breakthrough work, Generations, was published in English in 2017 by Lion Forge. This story of a gay young man returning home to the small town he had fled resonated with readers across the world, and we’re so pleased to finally welcome her to Toronto. Flavia Biondi’s participation is supported by EuropeComics.

Kevin Panetta and Savanna Ganucheau: Co-creators Panetta and Ganucheau attend TCAF in support of BLOOM, a new teen LGBTQ romance graphic novel published by First Second. The team behind numerous popular licensed comic books have turned their attention to this charming new story of generational responsibility and first loves in a seaside bakery, debuting at the 2019 Festival.

Renee Nault: Author of the popular webcomic Witchling, creator Renee Nault has turned her considerable skill to adapting Margaret Atwood’s classic dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale into a graphic novel, published by Penguin Random House Canada. Debuting at TCAF 2019, Nault will be attend TCAF in support of this lush, unsettling new adaptation.

Ryan North: Toronto writer Ryan North broke into the medium with Dinosaur Comics, his experimental formalist daily webcomic. Since then, he has won an Eisner and become a New York Times Bestselling Author, with his most recent work being the nonfiction How To Invent Everything, and chronicling the continuing adventures of smash-hit The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl for Marvel Comics.

Sarah Winifred Searle: Australia-based Searle is the author of numerous comic short stories, and attends TCAF for the debut of her first full-length graphic novel, Sincerely, Harriet, published by Graphic Universe! Sincerely, Harriett explores the power of imagination and storytelling a beautiful graphic novel intended for younger YA readers.

Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell: Canadian Governor General’s Award-winning author Mariko Tamaki (Skim, This One Summer) joins illustrator and Eisner-nominee Rosemary Valero-O’Connell (What Is Left) to bring to life the LGBTQ graphic novel Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, published by First Second Books and debuting at TCAF. A sweet and spirited tale of young love, it asks us to consider what happens when we ditch the toxic relationships we crave to embrace the healthy ones we need.

Coleen AF Venable and Ellen T. Crenshaw: Eisner-nominated Colleen AF Venable and acclaimed illustrator and cartoonist Ellen T. Crenshaw team for the TCAF Debut YA graphic novel Kiss Number 8. A coming-out story about family, friendship, and a young woman’s first love, Kiss Number 8 is published by First Second and will debut at TCAF 2019.

Tillie Walden: Critically acclaimed cartoonist and illustrator Tillie Walden hails from Austin, Texas. Born in 1996, she is a graduate of the Centre for Cartoon Studies, has published 3 books (with Avery Hill Publishing), and was nominated for an Eisner Award. Walden will attend TCAF in support of her most recent release, On A Sunbeam, published by First Second.