Official Publishing Contest Sponsor
EVENT HOST
Johnny “Bravo” Holloway
Welcome to the 17th Annual iWRITE Book Signing & Literacy Festival!
Join us for a family fun day as we celebrate our 2026 young published Authors & Illustrators! Enjoy Games, receive FREE Children’s Books and Prizes, and meet local authors and illustrators. Meet our “i” The Guy mascot and his friends!
This event is FREE and open to the public. Food and drink will be available for sale.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Click The Orange Button To Sign Up!
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Festival Activities
Scavenger Hunt
Kids who visit each of the designated scavenger hunt booths will receive a FREE Children’s Book!
Author & Illustrator Book Signing
iWRITE’s 150 kids authors and illustrators will be autographing their hot-off the press books alongside some of Houston’s favorite local children’s authors!
Photo Opportunities with Story Celebrities and Mascots!
Special appearances from Dolly Parton and Jackie Robinson actors, “i” The Guy, H-E-B Buddy and more!
Comics & Illustrations with Illustrator, Ryan Shaw
Get a chance to meet “i” The Guy Illustrator, Ryan Shaw, and get a comic-style picture drawn. Take home a How-to-Create-Your-Own-Comic worksheet and bring out your inner artist.
Creative Writing Activity Station
Work on Story and Character Creation with the Pros from iWRITE all day! You will even get to take home story boards, comic sheets, and tools to continue your love for writing and using your imagination at home.
Hands on Texas History!
Hands on History comes to life with The Bryan Museum! Hang out with real cowboys at the Chuckwagon while holding Texas History Artifacts and viewing Maps and Artwork.
Curiosity Cruiser
Curiosity Cruiser is a state-of-the-art mobile library fleet that provides Houston children access to books and exciting educational programs integrating reading with science, math, technology, writing, and the arts. Presented by Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation and Harris County Public Library.
Mini Zine Making & Friendship Bracelets
Create your own mini Zine activity with the iWRITE Youth Club members and create a friendship bracelet with the Alumni Association members. Learn more about each club and how to join.
Face Painting, Inflatable Games, Interactive Kiosks, Balloon Art, Free Books, Girl Chess Power and Beyond, and More!
Interactive Kiosks
INSPIRED BY
Interact with Dolly Parton, Einstein, and Martin Luther King Jr.
I Write Short Stories by Kids for Kids Volume 17
I Write Short Stories by Kids for Kids Volume 17, is an Anthology featuring the works of 150 kid authors and illustrators. See a list of all of the winners here.
Editor’s Choice Winners
SHORT STORY: Viha Bapat – Liberty
POETRY: Avery Wong – The Girl Who Wrote Against the World
Star Authors – Short Stories
Jack Bogle – The Day I Got to Run the Trolley
Liam Beebe – Spreading Kindness With Jim Henson
Rokaya Hassan – The Seat That Changed the World
Anay Virk – Diana: Princess of Wales
Ibrahim Yacoub – Malala’s Courage
Adotro Amresh – Madame Curie: A Childhood in Vignettes
Star Authors – Poetry
Alexander Tiwari – More Than a Game: The Legacy of Jackie Robinson
Aya Amir – Reaching for the Moon
Kathryn Fargason – A Friend on Tape
Tanvi Padala – Connected by a Dream
Rhea Roy – forget and forget and forget
Nia Shetty – The Making of a Hero
Festival Day Information
The iWRITE Book Signing & Literacy Festival is a rain-or-shine event unless otherwise corresponded.
Parking
Free on-site parking is available at Evelyn’s Park and across the street in the Bellaire United Methodist Church Parking Lot.
All 2026 Published Winning Authors and Illustrators must check in at the Red Carpet.
Festival Schedule
| 12 PM | Festival Opens | Outdoor Park |
| 12 PM | Hollywood Red Carpet Opens | Pavillion by Bellaire Blvd. |
| 12 PM | Published Authors/Illustrators Check-in | Red Carpet under Pavillion |
| 12:30 – 1:30 PM | iWRITE Author & Illustrator Public Book Signing | Signing Tables |
| 1:30 PM-2:30 PM | Author Stage Program Begins (Editor’s Choice Awards & Author Panel & | Outdoor Stage |
| 3:00 PM | Additional Readings | Outdoor Stage |
| 4 PM | Festival Closes | Outdoor Park |
Children’s Author Reading Corner, Puppets, and Magic with Joy Saxton
| 12:30 PM | Joy Goes to Mexico | Children’s Corner |
| 1:30 PM | Puppets | Children’s Corner |
| 2:15 PM | Joy Goes to Paris | Children Corner |
| 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM | College Aged Authors | iWRITE Kids Publishing Table |
| 3 PM – 4 PM | College Aged Authors & High School Aged Authors | iWRITE Kids Publishing Table |
Community Partners
Harris County Public Library | Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation |The Bryan Museum
About iWRITE
Our mission at iWRITE is to build student confidence through writing. We know that through writing kids become more creative and confident which can lead to opportunities they may have not had before.
Every day, we see students struggle with writing confidence. In iWRITE’s home community of Houston and its online community across the U.S., these students are living in some of the country’s most underserved neighborhoods. In addition, they’re faced with a standardized education that offers limited opportunities for individual growth. Writing skills are critical for any student to conquer their frustrations and discover success in any subject.
Since 2009, iWRITE has developed curriculums that build student confidence and spark students’ imaginations. With creative writing/illustration workshops, “i” The Guy workbook program, and publishing opportunities, students move beyond the standardized classroom, learn to express their ideas, and discover their voices.
