Jay Leslie
Jay Leslie graduated from Duke University with degrees in English, international comparative studies, and religion. After writing for Issa Rae Productions and being shortlisted for Chimamanda Adichie’s Farafina Trust, she co-authored a project on James Baldwin with Duke professor Dr. Adam Hollowell. She is also the author of Who Did It First? 50 Politicians, Activists, and Entrepreneurs Who Revolutionized the World. She lives in Berlin, Germany.
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Michelle Meadows
Michelle Meadows is the author of many acclaimed books for children, including MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR: One Girl Can Make a Difference, MAXIE WIZ AND HER DRAGON, HOW TO LOVE A PONY, FLYING HIGH: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles and BRAVE BALLERINA: The Story of Janet Collins. Michelle also contributed research and writing to BLACK BALLERINAS: My Journey to Our Legacy by Misty Copeland. Michelle graduated from Syracuse University with a dual degree in journalism and literature. She is represented by literary agent Rosemary Stimola of the Stimola Literary Studio. Michelle grew up in Washington D.C. and now lives near the beach in Delaware with her husband.
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Website: www.michellemeadows.com -
Renée Watson
Renée Watson is the author of the children’s picture book, A Place Where Hurricanes Happen (Random House, June 2010), which was featured on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. Her middle grade novel, What Momma Left Me debuted as the New Voice for 2010 in middle grade fiction by The Independent Children's Booksellers Association.
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Renée’s one woman show, Roses are Red, Women are Blue, debuted at New York City's Lincoln Center at a showcase for emerging artists. Her poetry and articles have been published in Rethinking Schools, Theatre of the Mind and With Hearts Ablaze.
When Renée is not writing and performing, she is teaching. Renée has worked in public schools and community organizations as an artist in residence for several years, teachin -
Gary Golio
Gary Golio is the author of several best-selling and award-winning musical picture-book biographies, including Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow, When Bob Met Woody, and Spirit Seeker: John Coltrane’s Musical Journey. Gary Golio lives in Hudson Valley, New York.
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Nico Tortorella
Nico Tortorella is an actor, television personality, and author of the poetry collection all of it is you. Nico stars in the hit series Younger and is an outspoken advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community. They live in New York.
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Kao Kalia Yang
Kao Kalia Yang is an award-winning Hmong-American writer. She is a graduate of Carleton College and Columbia University. Yang is the author of the memoirs The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir and The Song Poet. The Latehomecomer is the first Asian American authored and centered book to be added to the roster of the Literature to Life Program and a National Endowment for the Arts Big Read title. The Song Poet has been commissioned as a youth opera by the Minnesota Opera and will premiere in the spring of 2021. Yang is also the author of the children’s books, A Map Into the World, The Shared Room, and The Most Beautiful Thing. She co-edited the ground-breaking collection What God is Honored Here?: Writings on Miscarriage and Infant Loss B
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Anita Yasuda
Author of UP, UP, EVER UP: JUNKO TABEI'S PIONEERING EVEREST CLIMB, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu (Clarion, 2024)- a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection, DIWALI: A FESTIVAL OF LIGHT, illustrated by Darshika Varma (Penguin Random House, 2024), and BOLLYWOOD BEAT, illustrated by Devika Oza (Kids Can Press, 2026), as well as many other children's books. Represented by Lori Steel of SteelWorks Literary.
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Cherry Mo
Cherry Mo grew up in Hong Kong and moved to the United States at the age of ten. HOME IN A LUNCHBOX is her debut picture book and was inspired by her first days of school in America. Cherry writes and illustrates stories that she hopes bring young readers a sense of comfort and belonging.
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Praises for HOME IN A LUNCHBOX:
Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
July/August 2024 Kids' Indie Next List Pick
"In an exceptional debut, Mo deploys digital illustrations that expertly use selective coloring to depict an experience of finding common ground." — Starred review from Publisher's Weekly
"Inspired by Mo's move from Hong Kong to the United States at the age of 10, this remarkable story about finding comfort in a new home by bringing along fam -
Kaylin Melia George
Kaylin Melia George grew up listening to her mother's bedtime stories about Moloka'i. The planting of these early seeds inspired Kaylin to dedicate her life to storytelling. Kaylin began her professional journey in filmmaking as an internationally award-winning director and screenwriter. Her work has been recognized by the Academy and includes documentaries for some of the most prominent nonprofits in the world. With Aloha Everything, Kaylin found a story close to her heart and celebrates her Native Hawaiian ancestry. This is the story she has always dreamed of telling.
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Chatham Greenfield
Chatham Greenfield is an award winning author and romance enthusiast. Their debut novel, TIME AND TIME AGAIN, received a Stonewall Honor Award, was named a best queer book of the year by Autostraddle, and was a LitUp by Reese’s Book Club pick. Their second novel, TRY YOUR WORST, comes out September 2025 and their third novel, LIKE A LADY, comes out early 2027.
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Sarah Kurpiel
Sarah Kurpiel is a librarian and picture book author/illustrator from the Midwest. Her stories are inspired by animals, nature, and everyday life. Instagram: @sarah.kurpiel
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Andrea L. Rogers
Andrea L. Rogers is a writer from Tulsa, Oklahoma and a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. She graduated from the Institute of American Indian and Alaskan Arts with an MFA in Creative Writing. Currently, she is splitting time between Fayetteville, Arkansas, where she is a Ph.d. student at the University Arkansas and Fort Worth, Texas, where her family lives. Her book Mary and the Trail of Tears: A Cherokee Removal Survival Story was named an NPR Best Book of 202) by both NPR and American Indians in Children’s Literature.
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Ms. Rogers is on the Board of the Fort Worth Public Library.
A member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, she is currently revising a middle grade mystery, writing an adult literary horror nov -
Breanna J. McDaniel
Top Eight Things to Know About Me:
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1) I’m from Atlanta, GA. To be more specific I grew up in College Park and East Point, GA surrounded by my siblings and cousins. While I will always love how vibrant my home community is, it’s changing quite a bit. I just hope some things never change, especially the menu at Big Daddy’s on Old National! Yum!
2) I write children’s books, my favorite genre is picture books and my first picture book,Hands Up!will be published in 2019 by Dial Books for Young Readers.
3) Growing up I dreamed of being a combo archaeologist/lawyer. I would make huge historical finds and then use my law degree to protect the artifacts that I found. My friends who are attorneys now tell me that’s not exactly how it works¯_(ツ)_/¯ Soooo -
Corey R. Tabor
Corey R. Tabor grew up in Wyoming, where he once spent the night in a cave by an underground waterfall. He now lives with his wife in Seattle, where he draws and reads and explores. Please visit him at coreyrtabor.com.
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from https://www.readbrightly.com/meet-ill... -
Samuel Teer
Samuel Teer was born to a deaf maintenance worker and an immigrant that spoke English as a distant second language. Obviously he became a writer. He was raised outside of St. Louis, MO. He currently lives outside of Denver, CO with his wife Andrea (an educator) and their two dogs Roxie and Olive.
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Stephanie Seales
Stephanie Seales is the California-born daughter of Panamanian immigrants. She's also a storyteller, dreamer, doer, and children’s book expert who’s worked in nearly every aspect of the industry. She understands the power of story and follows Toni Morrison’s advice, writing the books she wants to read. She dreams and creates with her magical canine companion, Pan, near the water in the Hudson Valley, NY.
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Natalia Sylvester
Natalia Sylvester is the Pura Belpré- and Schneider Family-honor winning author of the young adult novel BREATHE AND COUNT BACK FROM TEN, and the award-winning author of the young adult novel RUNNING and the adult novels EVERYONE KNOWS YOU GO HOME and CHASING THE SUN. Her first picture book, A MALETA FULL OF TREASURES, illustrated by Juana Medina, is out now from Penguin Random House. Her debut middle grade novel, NO WAY NEVER SISTERS, co-written with Chantel Acevedo, is forthcoming in March 2026 from Simon & Schuster.
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Natalia's non-fiction has appeared in the New York Times, Bustle, Catapult, Electric Literature, Latina magazine, and McSweeney's Publishing. Her essays have been anthologized in collections such as A MAP IS ONLY ONE STO -
Micaela Chirif
Micaela Chirif is a poet and writer for children. She graduated in Philosophy from the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru and is currently pursuing a Master in books and literature for children and youth in the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
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Her children books have received numerous awards, most notably, the prestigious White Ravens Award. -
Michelle Meadows
Michelle Meadows is the author of many acclaimed books for children, including MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR: One Girl Can Make a Difference, MAXIE WIZ AND HER DRAGON, HOW TO LOVE A PONY, FLYING HIGH: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles and BRAVE BALLERINA: The Story of Janet Collins. Michelle also contributed research and writing to BLACK BALLERINAS: My Journey to Our Legacy by Misty Copeland. Michelle graduated from Syracuse University with a dual degree in journalism and literature. She is represented by literary agent Rosemary Stimola of the Stimola Literary Studio. Michelle grew up in Washington D.C. and now lives near the beach in Delaware with her husband.
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Website: www.michellemeadows.com -
Kyo Maclear
Kyo Maclear is an essayist, novelist and children’s author. She was born in London, England and moved to Toronto at the age of four with her British father (a foreign correspondent and documentary filmmaker) and Japanese mother (a painter and art dealer).
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Her books have been translated into eighteen languages, published in over twenty-five countries, and garnered nominations from the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction, the Governor General’s Literary Awards, the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Awards, the Amazon.ca First Novel Award, the National Magazine Awards, among other honours.
Unearthing: a Story of Tangled Love and Family Secrets (2023) was a national bestseller and awarded the Governor General’s Literary Award for No -
Lesléa Newman
Lesléa Newman (born 1955, Brooklyn, NY) is the author of over 50 books including Heather Has Two Mommies, A Letter To Harvey Milk, Writing From The Heart, In Every Laugh a Tear, The Femme Mystique, Still Life with Buddy, Fat Chance and Out of the Closet and Nothing to Wear.
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She has received many literary awards including Poetry Fellowships from the Massachusetts Artists Fellowship Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, the Highlights for Children Fiction Writing Award, the James Baldwin Award for Cultural Achievement, and two Pushcart Prize Nominations.
Nine of her books have been Lambda Literary Award finalists.
Ms. Newman wrote Heather Has Two Mommies, the first children's book to portray lesbian families in a positive way, and -
Norman H. Finkelstein
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Norman H. Finkelstein is the author of eighteen nonfiction books, mainly for young readers. He recently retired as a school librarian for the Brookline (Massachusetts) Public Schools but continues into his 32nd year of teaching history in the Prozdor Department of Hebrew College. Among his writing honors are two National Jewish Book Awards, the Golden Kite Honor Book Award for Nonfiction and a "highly recommended" award from the Boston Author's Club.
His interest in history and biography developed early. "I was the only kid in the sixth grade who regularly read the New York Times," he said. His books reflect an eclectic view of his world. From his love of old-time radio came Sounds in the Air: The Golden Age of Radio and from his fascination -
Coretta Scott King
Coretta Scott King (1927-2006) was the wife of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. She gained an international reputation as an advocate of civil rights, nonviolence, international peace, full employment, and equal rights for women.
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For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/coretta-... -
Gary Golio
Gary Golio is the author of several best-selling and award-winning musical picture-book biographies, including Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow, When Bob Met Woody, and Spirit Seeker: John Coltrane’s Musical Journey. Gary Golio lives in Hudson Valley, New York.
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Norman H. Finkelstein
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Norman H. Finkelstein is the author of eighteen nonfiction books, mainly for young readers. He recently retired as a school librarian for the Brookline (Massachusetts) Public Schools but continues into his 32nd year of teaching history in the Prozdor Department of Hebrew College. Among his writing honors are two National Jewish Book Awards, the Golden Kite Honor Book Award for Nonfiction and a "highly recommended" award from the Boston Author's Club.
His interest in history and biography developed early. "I was the only kid in the sixth grade who regularly read the New York Times," he said. His books reflect an eclectic view of his world. From his love of old-time radio came Sounds in the Air: The Golden Age of Radio and from his fascination -
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Ana Crespo
Ana Crespo would much rather live life as a nomad, moving to different places every couple of months or so. Not possible. So, Ana spends her summers traveling through the United States, camping, visiting friends, and getting to know some of the most beautiful places around. When Ana is traveling, she is gathering material for new and exciting stories. When she’s not traveling, she is writing. No matter where she is, Ana is lucky to have a career that allows her to keep imagining way beyond her childhood years.
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Ana is originally from Brazil but lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband and two children.