Jess Keating
Jess Keating is an award-winning author, cartoonist, and zoologist, whose work has been featured in the New York Times, CBC, Buzzfeed, Parents Magazine, and more.
She is the creator of over a dozen fiction and nonfiction books, including Eat Your Rocks, Croc!, Shark Lady, Pink is for Blobfish, the Elements of Genius middle grade series, and the graphic novel series, Bunbun & Bonbon.
Get printables, videos, and more fun stuff for kids at https://www.jesskeating.com/
If you like author Jess Keating here is the list of authors you may also like
Buy books on AmazonTotal similar authors (73)
-
Katelyn Aronson
Katelyn Aronson grew up in Southern California, where she went on to work in independent children's bookshops as a handseller, manager, and purchaser.
Buy books on Amazon
She won her first trip to Paris in a bookstore window display contest, and the rest was history. She moved to France permanently a few years later.
She has a degree in Liberal Arts, a degree in Language Didactics, and a bilingual Master’s in English/French from La Sorbonne University, Paris. Today, she lives between France and Switzerland and works as a bilingual language instructor.
She has 8 children's books in the publishing pipeline, as well as poems published in various children's magazines. -
Brenda Z. Guiberson
Brenda Z. Guiberson has written many books for children, including Cactus Hotel, Spoonbill Swamp, Moon Bear and Disasters. As a child, Brenda never thought she wanted to be a writer—her dreams tended more toward jungle explorer. She graduated from the University of Washington with degrees in English and Fine Art. She started thinking about writing for children when her son went to elementary school, and she volunteered in his class and in the school library. After taking exciting trips that involved a fifty-foot cactus, hungry alligators and sunset-colored spoonbills, she wanted to create books for children that would be like a field trip. Her books are full of well-researched detail, and Brenda sees this research as an adventure—one that a
Buy books on Amazon -
Malala Yousafzai
Girls education activist and youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate.
Buy books on Amazon
New memoir, FINDING MY WAY, and book tour tickets available for pre-order today! -
David Seidman
Buy books on Amazon
David Seidman is a Los Angeles–area journalist, editor, and author who often writes nonfiction for teens. He comes to the topic of atheism with empathy
for teenagers and for people in the religious minority, but he’s nobody’s advocate. He has written on topics as diverse as a US president, civil rights, teens
in Iran, and holiday lights displays. -
Atia Abawi
Atia Abawi is a foreign correspondent and author based in the Middle East.
Buy books on Amazon
From an early age, Atia knew she wanted to be a journalist. After graduating from Virginia Tech, where she anchored the college’s local television station VTTV, Atia volunteered and was then hired on at CTV 76 –a local TV station in Largo, MD. In Maryland, Atia covered a wide range of stories – from politics to the impact that drugs and crime had on the local community - before moving to Atlanta to work for CNN.
At CNN, she started in the Media Operations department before making her way to the international desk. Within 2-years Atia was out in the field, producing on stories that included Benazir Bhutto’s assassination in Pakistan and the war in Iraq. A year-later she -
Lisa Papp
MADELINE FINN AND THE LIBRARY DOG is the 2017 CBC Children's Choice Award Winner in the K - 2 Book of the Year category.
Buy books on Amazon
Madeline Finn comes straight from the heart.
I am continually inspired by these amazing Therapy Dogs and their handlers. They let me tag along for the better part of a year where I witnessed one magical moment after the next. Many of the dogs featured in the book are former shelter dogs, now living a new life helping children, and I'm proud to say this book continues to raise money for these wonderful programs.
Everyone knows dogs are masters at unconditional love. When a child senses they are accepted exactly as they are, their fears drop away. Doors open. It’s tough to put into words the beautiful bond between the animals -
Andrew Prahin
Andrew Prahin won a partial college scholarship from his hometown of Arlington Heights, Illinois, by detailing his dream of becoming a children’s book illustrator.
Buy books on Amazon
Then he went into advertising.
With the publication of Brimsby’s Hats, Andrew is finally making things right with the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce.
Andrew currently lives in Chicago, but we'll see about that after this winter. -
Dan Yaccarino
Exhibitions of his work have been held throughout the world. He is also the creator of the animated TV Series Willa's Wild Life and Oswald.
Buy books on Amazon
Mr. Yaccarino lives in New York City with his wife and two children. -
Ruby Bridges
Ruby Nell Bridges Hall is an American civil rights activist. She was the first African-American child to desegregate the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana during the New Orleans school desegregation crisis on November 14, 1960.
Buy books on Amazon -
Barbara Jean Hicks
Acclaimed children's book author Barbara Jean Hicks offers visiting author programs and workshops for aspiring writers of all ages. With a flair for the dramatic, Barbara engages, entertains, educates and inspires her audiences. She has taught at the preschool, middle school and community college levels and most recently worked in an elementary school as author-in-residence, program facilitator and parent educator. She has also written marketing copy and edited manuscripts for numerous trade publishers. Her picture books include the award-winning Jitterbug Jam: A Monster Tale and The Secret Life of Walter Kitty. Barbara lives in Oxnard, California.
Buy books on Amazon -
Joe Caruso
Joe Caruso is an award-winning author, with a passion for writing thought-provoking, inspirational children’s books.
Buy books on Amazon
"My goal is to create books that will inspire children to aim high. To see themselves as God sees them, full of potential, wonder and character."
Joe was born in Niagara Falls, New York, and moved with his mother and brother to the Niagara Region in Ontario, Canada, at the age of four. He married Heather, the love of his life and together they raised three incredible children. Joe is proud to say that he also has three super incredible grandchildren that he loves to bits.
Currently, Joe works as a teacher in St. Catharines, Ontario. When he’s not working or writing, Joe enjoys spending time with family and friends, listening to -
Hannah Eliot
Hannah Eliot is a children’s book editor who lives in Manhattan, New York. Her favorite activities include editing (of course), writing, painting, and doodling all over every piece of notebook paper she uses.
Buy books on Amazon -
-
Heather Lang
Heather Lang writes picture books that celebrate our natural world and biographies about women who overcame extraordinary obstacles to follow their dreams. Her award-winning books include Supermoms!: Animal Heroes, Swimming with Sharks: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark, and The Leaf Detective: How Margaret Lowman Uncovered Secrets in the Rainforest, an NSTA/CBC Best STEM Book and Green Earth Book Award winner. To research her books, Heather has observed animals in the Serengeti, climbed to the treetops of the Amazon, and explored the depths of the ocean. You can read more about Heather’s books and find lots of activities and resources for them at heatherlangbooks.com.
Buy books on Amazon -
Charles J. Shields
Charles J. Shields is the author of And So It Goes: Kurt Vonnegut: A Life (Henry Holt & Co.), Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee (Holt), the highly acclaimed, bestselling biography of Harper Lee,I Am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee (Henry Holt Books for Young Readers), and The Man Who Wrote the Perfect Novel: John Williams, Stoner, and the Writing Life (University of Texas Press).
Buy books on Amazon
In January 2022, Henry Holt will release Shields' new book, Lorraine Hansberry: The Life Behind 'A Raisin in the Sun,' the most comprehensive biography of, in James Baldwin’s words, this “very young woman, with an overpowering vision.” -
Ruby Lal
Ruby Lal is professor of South Asian history at Emory University. She is the author of Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan, Domesticity and Power in the Early Mughal World, and Coming of Age in Nineteenth Century India: The Girl-Child and the Art of Playfulness.
Buy books on Amazon -
Cynthia Leitich Smith
Cynthia Leitich Smith is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author and anthologist of more than 20 books for young readers. She was named a 2025 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Candidate, the NSK Neustadt Laureate, Texas Literary Hall of Fame inductee, and winner of the Southern Miss Medallion for Outstanding Contributions in Children’s Literature. Cynthia has also been named to deliver the 2026 ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture. She is the author-curator of Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint at HarperCollins Children’s Books, and served as the Katherine Paterson Inaugural Chair for the children’s-YA writing MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Cynthia is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation and lives in Texas.
Buy books on Amazon -
Jennifer E. Morris
Jennifer is an award winning illustrator and children’s book author. She has illustrated picture books, children’s magazines, greeting cards, party ware and educational materials. She authored and illustrated four books for Scholastic. The best selling of which, "May I Please Have a Cookie?" has sold over one million copies.
Buy books on Amazon -
Stuart J. Murphy
PICTURES & WORDS, STORIES & BOOKS
Buy books on Amazon
MathStart http://www.mathstart.net
I See I Learn http://www.iseeilearn.com
I was one of those kids who talked all the time in class. I loved telling stories. One day in the 4th Grade, my teacher said, “You tell such good stories, maybe you should try writing some of them down.” “Wow,” I thought. “She thinks my stories are good.” That’s when I started to really enjoy writing.
I was also the class artist. When I wasn’t talking,I was drawing. When I was older, I studied art at the Rhode Island School
of Design. That’s where I became interested in visual learning—how we decode and acquire information from graphs, charts, diagrams, models, illustrations and other images.
I became especially interested in educational -
John Hendrix
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Buy books on Amazon
John Hendrix is the illustrator of Nurse, Soldier, Spy and author/illustrator of Shooting at the Stars, among others. He lives in St. Louis, Missouri. -
Sophia Gholz
Sophia Gholz is an award-winning children's book author, magic seeker and avid reader. Sophia enjoys writing fiction with humor and heart. When writing nonfiction, she pulls on her love of science and her family background in ecology. When she’s not writing, you can find Sophia reading a book, visiting schools or exploring the great outdoors with her family.
Buy books on Amazon
Sophia’s books have received many accolades, including: NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book, Florida State Book Award Gold Medal, South Carolina Book Award Shortlist, Kentucky Bluegrass Book Award Shortlist, Nile Delta Book Award, Eureka! Nonfiction Honor and the Green Earth Book Honor. For more about Sophia and her books, visit her online at:
Website: www.SophiaGholz.com
Twitter: http -
Rania al-Abdullah
Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah (Arabic: الملكة رانيا العبد الله Rānyā al-‘abdu l-Lāh; born Rania al Yassin) is the current Queen consort of Jordan as the wife of King Abdullah II of Jordan.
Buy books on Amazon
As a global figure, and considered by some to be one of the world’s most powerful women, Queen Rania has focused her energy, at home and abroad, on a variety of causes, notably education.
In Jordan, her work focuses on the caliber and quality of education for Jordanian children, while abroad she advocates for global education and for world leaders to fulfill their commitments towards the second Millennium Development Goals, Universal Primary Education. -
Lina al-Hathloul
Lina al-Hathloul is the youngest sister of Loujain al-Hathloul, who was imprisoned by the Saudi government for her advocacy of Saudi women's rights. On behalf of Loujain, Lina appears frequently in the media and at international events, and she has spoken to representatives of the US government and the United Nations. A lawyer by training, Lina is based in Brussels, Belgium.
Buy books on Amazon -
-
-
Wendell Minor
Wendell Minor was born and raised in the town of Aurora, Illinois. Drawing and painting have always been an integral part of his life, and after completing his studies at the Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida, Wendell began creating original designs for book publishers in New York City. His children's books have consistently exhibited his love for the land and environment.
Buy books on Amazon
Illustrating books for naturalist authors Jean Craighead George and Diane Siebert, among others, he approaches his art by researching and experiencing each environment he illustrates. His travels have taken him from the tropical Everglades of Florida to Barrow, Alaska in the Arctic Circle, from the Midwest to the Grand Canyon in the Southwest, and thro -
Christine King Farris
Professor at Spellman College for 49 years and oldest sibling of Martin Luther King, Jr. Writer of a number of children's books.
From a CNN interview:As she sits in her office surrounded by those memories, she says it's now more urgent than ever that she add her own chapter to his story.
She's the only one left.
"I thought about all that I've been through and all these memories and sometimes it gets tough," she said. "By being the lone survivor, if I don't do this, a part of history will be left out."
Buy books on Amazon -
F. Isabel Campoy
F. ISABEL CAMPOY is the author of numerous children’s books in the areas of poetry, theatre, stories, biographies, and art. As a researcher she has published extensively bringing to the curriculum an awareness of the richness of the Hispanic culture. She is an educator specialized in the area of literacy and home school interaction, topics on which she lecturers nationally. An internationally recognized scholar devoted to the study of language acquisition, a field in which she started publishing in l973 after obtaining her degree in English Philology from Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain; and post graduate work in Reading University in England, and UCLA in the United States.
Buy books on Amazon
Her many accolades include ALA Notables, the San Francisco -
Roda Ahmed
Roda Ahmed is a Norwegian novelist and children's author. Born in Hargaisa, Somalia, she emigrated with her family to Norway, and was educated at the Norwegian University of Technology and Natural Sciences. She speaks Somali, Arabic, Norwegian, English and French. In 2008 her debut novel, Forberedelsen (The Preparation), became a bestseller in Norway. Ahmed was a regular columnist for the Norwegian National newspaper, Dagsavisen and released her first children’s book, Mae Among the Stars, in 2018.
Buy books on Amazon -
Andy Griffiths
Andy Griffiths is Australia’s most popular children’s writer. He is the author of over 20 books, including nonsense verse, short stories, comic novels and plays. Over the past 15 years Andy’s books have been New York Times bestsellers, won over 50 children’s choice awards, been adapted as a television cartoon series and sold over 5 million copies worldwide.
Buy books on Amazon
Andy is best known as the author of the much-loved Just! series and The Day My Bum Went Psycho. In 2008 Andy became the first Australian author to win six children’s choice awards in one year for Just Shocking!, smashing his previous record of 4 awards for The Bad Book in 2005.
In 2008 Andy and his wife Jill collaborated with The Bell Shakespeare Company on the popular and critically accl -
James Kochalka
James Kochalka is an American comic book artist and writer, and rock musician. His comics are noted for their blending of the real and the surreal. Largely autobiographical, Kochalka's cartoon expression of the world around him includes such real-life characters as his wife, children, cat, friends and colleagues, but always filtered through his own observations and flights of whimsy. In March 2011 he will be declared the cartoonist laureate of Vermont, serving a term of two years.
Buy books on Amazon -
Susan Hood
Susan Hood is the award-winning author of many books for young readers, including Ada's Violin; Lifeboat 12; The Last Straw: Kids vs. Plastics; Shaking Things Up; Titan and the Wild Boars: The True Cave Rescue of the Thai Soccer Team; and We Are One: How the World Adds Up.
Buy books on Amazon
Susan is the recipient of an E. B. White Read-Aloud Picture Book Honor, the Christopher Award, the Américas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature, the Golden Kite Award, and the Bank Street Flora Stieglitz Straus Award, given annually for “a distinguished work of nonfiction that serves as an inspiration to young people.”
COMING IN MARCH, 2022!
Susan's newest book is Alias Anna: A True Story of Outwitting the Nazis. Co-authored with Anna's (a.k.a. Zhanna's) son Gr -
Christopher Denise
Christopher Denise spent much of his childhood in Shannon, Ireland, exploring castles and dreaming of great adventures. He is the illustrator of many critically acclaimed books for young readers, including Anika Denise’s Bunny in the Middle, Alison McGhee’s Firefly Hollow, and Rosemary Wells’s Following Grandfather, as well as several in Brian Jacques’s award-winning Redwall series. His books have appeared on the Indie Next List and the New York Times bestseller list. Knight Owl (march 2022) marks his author-illustrator debut. Christopher’s current adventures include exploring coastal Rhode Island, where he lives with his family.
Buy books on Amazon -
Oliver Jeffers
Oliver Jeffers' work takes many forms. His distinctive paintings have been exhibited in galleries worldwide, and HarperCollins UK and Penguin USA publish his award-winning picture books, now translated into over 30 languages.
Buy books on Amazon
In 2007, Jeffers was the official illustrator for World Book Day, and in 2008 Lost and Found became Oliver's first book to made into animation by London-based Studio AKA.
Jeffers won a NY Emmy in 2010 for his collaborative work with the artist and director Mac Premo, and in 2013 Jeffers co-directed the video for U2's Ordinary Love with Premo. Originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, Jeffers now lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. -
Andrea Beaty
For more information, visit my website (www.AndreaBeaty.com).
Buy books on Amazon
Also, visit www.Questioneers.com for posters, activities, educator resources, and other information about the Questioneer books.
Further, check out Story Time From Space to see Ada Twist and Rosie Revere read at the International Space Station by astronauts! It’s out of this world.
https://storytimefromspace.com/ada-tw... -
Kate Messner
Kate Messner is an award-winning author, TED 2012 speaker, and former middle school English teacher. Her books for kids include THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z.,SUGAR AND ICE, and EYE OF THE STORM (Walker/Bloomsbury Dec. 2010) the MARTY MCGUIRE series (Scholastic), SEA MONSTER'S FIRST DAY, and OVER AND UNDER THE SNOW (Chronicle, Books). Kate also wrote SPITFIRE and CHAMPLAIN AND THE SILENT ONE, both Lake Champlain historical novels published by North Country Books.
Buy books on Amazon
Kate lives with her family on Lake Champlain, where she loves to read, write, hike, swing on birch trees, and eat chocolate. She also hangs out in various places online.
Visit Kate's website: http://www.katemessner.com
Find Kate on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/KateMessner
...or f -
Ammi-Joan Paquette
Ammi-Joan Paquette has never met a ghost, mummy, monster, skeleton, or witch — as far as she knows. This book, she says, was inspired by a game she used to play with her sister: "Most of the details have been lost to time, but I still remember the shivery thrill I got when we played it. So, I drew on that same energy to write a spooky picture book, which eventually became A Ghost in the House." In addition to writing, Joan is also a literary agent representing authors of children’s books. She lives outside Boston with her family.
Buy books on Amazon -
Veera Hiranandani
Veera Hiranandani is the author of THE NIGHT DIARY, THE WHOLE STORY OF HALF A GIRL, and the chapter book series, PHOEBE G. GREEN. She has an MFA in fiction writing from Sarah Lawrence College and spent six years as a book editor. She now teaches creative writing at The Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College and lives in New York with her family. She is working on her next novel.
Buy books on Amazon -
Chris Colfer
Chris Colfer is an Emmy-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actor best-known for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on the FOX television series "Glee".
Buy books on Amazon
He is also a New York Times bestselling author whose books include the first three novels in the "Land of Stories" series ("The Wishing Spell", "The Enchantress Returns" and "A Grimm Warning") as well as "Struck By Lightning: The Carson Philips Journal" which is a novelization based on the script he wrote for the film "Struck By Lighting" (Colfer also co-produced and starred in that movie). -
Poppy Green
Poppy Green can talk to animals! Unfortunately, they never talk back to her. So she started writing in order to imagine what they might say and do when humans aren’t watching. Poppy lives on the edge of the woods in Connecticut, where her backyard is often a playground for all kinds of wildlife: birds, rabbits, squirrels, voles, skunks, deer, and the occasional wild turkey.
Buy books on Amazon -
Sarah Andersen
Hello! I’m Sarah and I’m a cartoonist and illustrator. I graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2014. My comics are semi-autobiographical and follow the adventures of myself, my friends, and my beloved pets.
Buy books on Amazon -
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.
Buy books on Amazon
from https://www.readbrightly.com/meet-ill... -
Minh Lê
Minh Lê is the author of Drawn Together illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat and Let Me Finish! (named an NPR Best Book of 2016) illustrated by Isabel Roxas (both published by Disney-Hyperion). He is also writing Green Lantern: Legacy, a graphic novel (illustrated by Andie Tong) for the new DC Comics middle grade imprint, DC Zoom. As a member of the kidlit consortium The Niblings, he writes about children's literature at Bottom Shelf Books and for a variety of publications, including the New York Times, The Horn Book, and HuffPost.
Buy books on Amazon -
Rachel Ignotofsky
Rachel Ignotofsky grew up in New Jersey on a healthy diet of cartoons and pudding. She graduated with honors from Tyler School of Art’s graphic design program in 2011. Now she lives in beautiful Kansas City, Missouri, where she spends all day drawing and learning as much as she can. She has a passion for taking dense information and making it fun and accessible and is dedicated to creating educational works of art.
Buy books on Amazon
Rachel is inspired by history and science and believes that illustration is a powerful tool that can make learning exciting. She uses her work to spread her message about education, scientific literacy, and powerful women. She hopes this book inspires girls and women to follow their passions and dreams. -
Gaia Cornwall
Gaia Cornwall is an illustrator who loves making patterns for surface design, illustrating for children, and writing picture books. Her images can be seen in magazines, online, in logos, on various products, and even in a couple movies. JABARI JUMPS (Candlewick Press, May 2017,) is her debut picture book. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island. You can see more of her work at www.GaiaCornwall.com
Buy books on Amazon -
Julia Finley Mosca
Julia Finley Mosca is a copywriter and former journalist who spent more than a decade in Hollywood crafting messages for money. After working with such recognizable brands as Entertainment Tonight, Yahoo!, American Greetings, and JibJab, she landed her most rewarding job yet―mom to one ferociously curious and spunky little girl. The Amazing Scientists series marks Mosca’s debut into the magical world of children’s books.
Buy books on Amazon -
-
Joanna Ho
Joanna Ho Bradshaw is the author of Eyes that Kiss in the Corners (HarperCollins, Jan 2021), Playing at the Border: A Story of Yo-Yo Ma (HarperCollins, Fall 2021), and One Day (Winter 2023). She is a writer and educator with a passion for anti-bias, anti-racism and equity work. She holds a BA in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a master’s from the Principal Leadership Institute at Berkeley. She has been an English teacher, a dean, the designer of an alternative-to-prison program, and a professional development mastermind. She is currently the vice principal of a high school in the Bay Area, where she survives on homemade chocolate chip cookies, outdoor adventures, and dance parties with her kids. Keep your eyes open for m
Buy books on Amazon -
B.G. Hennessy
A LITTLE ABOUT ME
Buy books on Amazon
As a child I loved to draw-but I also loved books, especially picture books. I still remember certain illustrations, covers and bindings from books that were read to me as a young girl.
I’ve lived in many places: I grew up in Wantagh on Long Island, N.Y., graduated from Northfield Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts and attended St. Lawrence University in upstate New York.
At the University of Wisconsin in Madison, I majored in fine art and learned how to design, print and bind handmade books. I also took courses in Children’s Literature. The combination of form and content in the picture book format fascinated me and after graduation I headed for NYC where I worked for 17 years in children’s book publishing as a designer an -
Jessica Kensky
Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes are a married couple who were both injured during the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. Jessica’s service dog, Rescue, joined their family in 2014. Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes live in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Buy books on Amazon -
Kenard Pak
Kenard Pak has illustrated several acclaimed picture books, including Have You Heard the Nesting Bird? by Rits Gray and a sequence of seasonal books that began with Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn, which he also wrote. He has worked as an aimator on many films with Dreamworks, Walt Disney Feature Animation, and Laika. Pak lives and works in San Francisco, California.
Buy books on Amazon -
Josie James
Josie James is the creator of Marie’s Ocean a NSTA (National Science Teaching Association) Best STEM Book 2021 and a Junior Library Guild Selection. She hopes that Marie Tharp’s story inspires readers to allow their imaginations to soar, and to explore the wonders of the world’s ocean’s and their importance to life on Earth.
Buy books on Amazon
Instagram: joann_adinolfi and josie_james_books
Facebook: JoAnn Adinolfi Studio
Twitter: adinolfi_studio -
Helaine Becker
Helaine Becker has written over 70 books, including the #1 National bestseller, A Porcupine in a Pine Tree,and its sequel, Dashing through the Snow, Sloth at the Zoom, Dirk Daring, Secret Agent, the Looney Bay All-Stars chapter book series, non-fiction including Counting on Katherine, Worms for Breakfast and Zoobots (all Junior Library Guild Selections), Monster Science, You Can Read, Lines Bars and Circles, and Boredom Blasters, plus many picture books and young adult novels. She also writes for children’s magazines and for children's television. Her show Dr. Greenie's Mad Lab was a finalist at MIP.com Junior in Cannes.
Buy books on Amazon
She has won the Lane Anderson Award for Science Writing for Children twice,once for The Big Green Book of the Big Blue Se -
Julia Finley Mosca
Julia Finley Mosca is a copywriter and former journalist who spent more than a decade in Hollywood crafting messages for money. After working with such recognizable brands as Entertainment Tonight, Yahoo!, American Greetings, and JibJab, she landed her most rewarding job yet―mom to one ferociously curious and spunky little girl. The Amazing Scientists series marks Mosca’s debut into the magical world of children’s books.
Buy books on Amazon -
Mary Kay Carson
Mary Kay Carson is an award-winning children’s nonfiction author. She has written more than thirty books for young people about wildlife, space, weather, nature, and history. Her recent non-fiction titles include Emi and the Rhino Scientist, about the Cincinnati Zoo's famous rhino mom; Exploring the Solar System, recipient of the 2009 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Children’s Literature Award; The Wright Brothers for Kids; Inside Tornadoes; and the Far-Out Guide to the Solar System series. The author also gives presentations at schools and libraries about space, animals, history, and writing.
Buy books on Amazon -
Elizabeth Olsen
Elizabeth Chase Olsen is an American actress and author. She is best known for her portrayal of Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe media franchise. Her performance in WandaVision (2021) garnered her nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award.
Buy books on Amazon
Olsen and her husband Robbie Arnett co-wrote a children's book, titled Hattie Harmony: Worry Detective, which is slated for a June 2022 release. -
Robie H. Harris
Robie H. Harris has written many award-winning books for children of all ages, including the definitive Family Library about sexuality: IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL, IT'S SO AMAZING!, and IT'S NOT THE STORK! She lives in Massachusetts.
Buy books on Amazon -
Deborah Heiligman
Deborah Heiligman has been writing for children since she worked at Scholastic News soon after college. Since then she has written more than thirty books for children and teens. Her books include picture books, both fiction and nonfiction, and young adult nonfiction and fiction. Some titles: Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith, a National Book Award finalist; The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos, a Cook Prize Winner and Orbis Pictus honor; Intentions, a Sydney Taylor Award winner, and a picture book series about Tinka the dog. Her latest book is Vincent and Theo: The van Gogh Brothers. For more information please visit www.DeborahHeiligman.com
Buy books on Amazon -
Tom Leonard
I live in Philadelphia and have been working as an Illustrator and Illustration teacher at the University of the Arts for many years.
Buy books on Amazon
I've illustrated many books, including Here is the Coral Reef, Here is the African Savanna, and Who Will Plant a Tree. I also wrote and illustrated Becoming Bach, which combines my two loves, art and music.
I greatly enjoy teaching and have learned more from the students than they've learned from me.
I love jazz and magic realism and I live with my lovely wife, Rose, in the Italian Market section of Philadelphia. -
Ciara Wilson
Ciara Princess Wilson (/siˈɛərə/ see-AIR-ə; née Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress. She was discovered by record producer Jazze Pha in the early 2000s, and rose to prominence with her debut studio album, Goodies (2004). Its namesake lead single (featuring Petey Pablo) peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100, while the follow-ups, "1, 2 Step" (featuring Missy Elliott) and "Oh" (featuring Ludacris), both peaked at number two on the chart. The album received quadruple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and received two nominations at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards. Ciara also guest appeared on the 2005 singles "Lose Control" by Missy Elliott and "Like You"
Buy books on Amazon -
Janice N. Harrington
Harrington’s writing reflects her beginnings in rural Alabama and her life in the Midwest. A former librarian and professional storyteller, Harrington now teaches creative writing in the Department of English at the University of Illinois.
Buy books on Amazon
-from janiceharrington.com -
Sophia Spencer
Sophia Spencer is in the fourth grade and aspires to be an entomologist (among other things) when she grows up. Her love for the insect world has led her to appear on Good Morning America and to be featured on NPR. Sophia continues to spread her enthusiasm for bugs however she can. She also loves climbing trees and doing gymnastics. The Magic Tree House is currently her favorite book series. She lives with her mom in Canada.
Buy books on Amazon
Her passion for bugs and her story inspired the #BugsR4Girls movement on social media. -
Lytton Strachey
Giles Lytton Strachey was a British writer and critic. He is best known for establishing a new form of biography in which psychological insight and sympathy are combined with irreverence and wit. His 1921 biography Queen Victoria was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize.
Buy books on Amazon -
KT Johnston
KT Johnston writes historical narrative nonfiction about ordinary animals from the dusty past who had an extraordinary impact on a person’s life, and in the process, left a mark on humanity itself.
Buy books on Amazon
Bank Street calls KT’s debut RAILWAY JACK: The True Story of an Amazing Baboon one of the “Best Children’s Books of the Year,” and her second book JUBILEE: The First Therapy Horse and an Olympic Dream was selected by the Jr. Library Guild as a Gold Standard in children’s literature.
KT earned a degree in biology and conducted wildlife studies before settling into a more stationary corporate career as an analyst. KT hopes to inspire children to be curious about our world one true story at a time.
▶ Downloadable Reading Guides ◀
Bonus: KT’s Pinterest m -
Deborah Kerbel
Deborah Kerbel was born in London, England, but grew up in Toronto, Canada.
Buy books on Amazon
A finalist for the 2012 Governor General's Literary Award, the 2010 Canadian Library Association YA Book of the Year Award, 2019 Blue Spruce Award Honour Book, and winner of the 2020 IODE Jean Throop Book Award, Deborah is the author of ten books for young readers of all ages.
Currently, Deborah lives and writes in Thornhill, Ontario, with her husband, two book loving teens, and a schnoodle named Fred.
Visit her at www.deborahkerbel.ca -
Myron Uhlberg
Myron Uhlberg is the critically acclaimed and award-winning author of a number of children’s books. He recently published a memoir of his life in Brooklyn, New York, growing up the oldest hearing son of deaf parents. He lives with his wife in Santa Monica and Palm Springs.
Buy books on Amazon -
Ryan Bani Tahmaseb
Ryan Bani Tahmaseb is an author, K-12 academic coach, and curriculum developer. His debut picture book, ROSTAM'S PICTURE-DAY PUSTEEN, was published by Charlesbridge in summer 2024, and his debut middle grade book, PERSIAN MYTHOLOGY, will be published by Running Press Kids in fall 2025. Ryan also writes for adults. His first professional book for educators, THE 21st CENTURY SCHOOL LIBRARY, was published in 2021 by John Catt Educational, and his writing has also appeared in publications such as Edutopia, Education Week and the Carolina Quarterly. He lives in Southern Maine with his wife and two young children.
Buy books on Amazon -
Nydia Armendia-Sánchez
Nydia Armendia-Sánchez is a children’s book author based in California. Her debut picture book NOT FAR FROM HERE, Candlewick Press, releases this fall 2024. Other forthcoming books are FRIDA KAHLO’S FLOWER CROWN (Cameron Kids, spring 2025), and MY HUIPIL (Candlewick Press, 2026).
Buy books on Amazon
Nydia was awarded the Sustainable Arts Foundation Illustrated Children’s Book Award and named a finalist for the We Need Diverse Books Walter Grant.
Her storytelling is inspired by her children as well as her Guatemalan and Basque roots. Nydia strives for inclusivity and diversity in all her creative endeavors. -
Rosalinde Bonnet
Rosalinde Bonnet loved to draw when she was little. She would often get into trouble in school because she doodled all over her notebooks during class. After high school, she studied at the School of Decorative Arts in Paris. Since her graduation in 2004, she has written and/or illustrated numerous children’s books published mainly in France and England. She lives in Versailles, France. You can visit her at www.rosalindebonnet.com.
Buy books on Amazon -
Tammy Yee
Tammy Yee is the author and/or illustrator of more than 40 children's books. She grew up in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi where she explored tide pools, swam in streams, and wrote and illustrated spooky stories her teachers politely read. After she graduated from college, she worked as a pediatric nurse.
Buy books on Amazon
Having children rekindled her love for picture books, so in 1994 she exchanged her stethoscope for a paintbrush, and she's been writing and illustrating ever since. In 2022, she was inducted into the Children's Literature of Hawaii's (CLH) Hall of Fame. -
Lou Peacock
Lou Peacock is lucky enough have one of the best jobs in the world: "Head of Picture books" at Nosy Crow. She has a degree in English literature from Oxford University, and nearly twenty years’ experience in children’s publishing. She started her editorial career working on novelty books and poetry, but has focused on picture books for the last 18 years. She often puts her author hat on to write picture books for Nosy Crow and has a notebook full of scribbled ideas.
Buy books on Amazon -
Nancy Roe Pimm
Nancy Roe Pimm had volunteered as a docent for the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in the 1980s. After taking an animal handling class, the zoo entrusted her with a vanful of critters to take to local school assemblies. Her favorite passengers were Minnie and Max, the opossums. Another docent duty was to lead zoo tours. While giving the tours, Nancy discovered her fascination with gorillas, especially Colo and her family. In 2007, Nancys book, The Heart of the BeastEight Great Gorilla Stories was published, and in 2011, Colos StoryThe Life of One Grand Gorilla.
Buy books on Amazon
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Nancy now resides in Plain City, Ohio, along with her husband, Ed, who has retired from a career in racecar driving. Nancy has drawn from her experi -
Natalie Portman
Natalie Hershlag (Hebrew: נטלי הרשלג; born June 9, 1981), better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy.
Buy books on Amazon
In 1999, she enrolled at Harvard University to study psychology while still working as an actress.
She completed her bachelor's degree in 2003.
In 2001, Portman opened in New York City's Public Theater production of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull.
In 2005, Portman received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress -