Leslie Barnard Booth
Leslie Barnard Booth writes lyrical picture books about science and nature. She is the author of One Day This Tree Will Fall and A Stone Is a Story, both of which were named Outstanding Science Trade Books by the National Science Teaching Association and Children's Book Council. Her next book, I Am We: How Crows Come Together to Survive, releases in fall 2025. Leslie lives in Portland, Oregon, with her family. Visit her at lesliebarnardbooth.com.
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Brendan Wenzel
Brendan Wenzel is an author and illustrator based in upstate New York. His debut picture book, They All Saw a Cat, was a New York Times bestseller and the recipient of a 2017 Caldecott Honor. An ardent conservationist, he is a proud collaborator with many organizations working to ensure the future of wild places and threatened species.
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Stephanie Gibeault
Stephanie Gibeault is a children’s author and award-winning freelance writer. As a former biologist and certified professional dog trainer, she loves writing about dogs and other animals. She is the author of Toby Tootles (Sleeping Bear Press, illustrated by Mary Sullivan), a funny picture book about social emotional learning with farting rabbits, and Can't Get Enough Dog Stuff (National Geographic Kids, co-authored with Moira Rose Donohue), a middle grade packed with canine trivia, jokes, activities, and expert interviews. And there are more books about animals to come including From Calculating Chimpanzees to Brainy Bees: Mathematical Abilities in Animals (Candlewick/MIT Kids Press, spring 2024, illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett), Making Sen
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Aaron Becker
Aaron Becker has worked as an artist for such film studios as Lucasfilm, Disney, and Pixar, where he helped define the look and feel of characters, stories, and the movies they become a part of. With Journey, he has created characters and worlds of his very own, using traditional materials and techniques. Aaron Becker lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with his wife, daughter, and cat. This is his first book.
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"I’ve made several memorable journeys in my lifetime. I’ve lived in rural Japan and East Africa and backpacked through the South Pacific and Sweden. But to this day, my favorite destination remains my imagination, where you can often find me drawing secret doorways and magic lanterns." — Aaron Becker -
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.
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Carrie A. Pearson
Carrie A. Pearson writes award-winning books that spark curiosity and help readers fall in love with nature, science, and the hidden wonders around them. As an early childhood educator, she brings big ideas to life—whether exploring forest canopies, trailblazing women in STEM, or tiny animal embryos—inviting you to see the world in a whole new way.
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Her nonfiction titles include Watch Them Grow: The Fascinating Science of Animal Beginnings, (Junior Library Guild gold), Virginia Wouldn’t Slow Down! The Unstoppable Dr. Apgar and Her Life-Saving Invention (JLG gold, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, starred review), Stretch to the Sun: From A Tiny Sprout to the Tallest Tree On Earth (California Reading Association Eureka! Silver Hon -
Ann Marie Stephens
Ann Marie Stephens is the author of numerous picture books including the ARITHMECHICKS series, the CATastrophe! series, SO MANY BOOKS, and more. She is a retired, award-winning elementary teacher with over 30 years in the classroom. Ann Marie’s poetry and literacy work has been featured in Bon Appetit Magazine and on NPR. She is represented by Emily Mitchell at Wernick & Pratt Agency. Visit her at www.annmariestephensbooks.com
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Jennifer Ward
Jennifer Ward is the author of more than 25 award-winning nonfiction and fiction books for children and adults.
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Her books have been translated into many languages and featured in Martha Stewart's Living, Ranger Rick, on NPR, television's Animal Planet network, and on many popular blogs such as Soule Mama.
Most of Jennifer's books are inspired by science and nature and artfully combine elements of STEM & literacy.
She writes full-time from her home in Illinois where she lives with her husband and two dogs and is easily distracted by everything outside of her windows - particularly if it has feathers! -
Carrie A. Pearson
Carrie A. Pearson writes award-winning books that spark curiosity and help readers fall in love with nature, science, and the hidden wonders around them. As an early childhood educator, she brings big ideas to life—whether exploring forest canopies, trailblazing women in STEM, or tiny animal embryos—inviting you to see the world in a whole new way.
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Her nonfiction titles include Watch Them Grow: The Fascinating Science of Animal Beginnings, (Junior Library Guild gold), Virginia Wouldn’t Slow Down! The Unstoppable Dr. Apgar and Her Life-Saving Invention (JLG gold, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, starred review), Stretch to the Sun: From A Tiny Sprout to the Tallest Tree On Earth (California Reading Association Eureka! Silver Hon -
Kyle Lukoff
Kyle Lukoff writes books for kids and other people.
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Before becoming a full-time writer, Kyle worked at five bookstores, in four libraries, for three schools, as two genders, through one intersection: people, and books. -
Lynn Street
Lynn is a science-inspired author sharing lively STEAM stories with young readers. She loves concepts that cross disciplines, and personal narratives set against a sea of facts. Her passion is writing for curious observers who want to discover the wonders of their world.
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Her debut, THE BLUE JAYS THAT GREW A FOREST (Peachtree, 2025), is illustrated by Anne Hunter. This lyrical nonfiction picture book explores the symbiotic relationship between blue jays and oak trees.
PLEASE, NO FEATHERS IN YOUR HATS! FLORENCE MERRIAM BAILEY AND BIRDWATCHING’S BEGINNINGS (Peachtree, 2027), illustrated by Anne Lambelet, is a picture book biography about the author of the first modern birding guide, who helped save millions of her feathered friends by changing t -
Tanya Konerman
Tanya Konerman is a children’s author, writing fiction and nonfiction in both prose and verse for kids ages 0-12. Her debut picture book, Mud to the Rescue! (Web of LIfe Children's Books, 2025), is a free-verse nonfiction look at the ingenious ways animals use mud to survive and thrive.
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Tanya’s ghost story for 9-12 year-olds, “Danger in the Dunes,” was chosen to represent Indiana in the anthology for middle graders, The Haunted States of America, published by Macmillan’s Laura Godwin Books in 2024. -
Nora Nickum
Nora Nickum is a children’s author from Washington state. She writes picture books and middle-grade fiction and nonfiction books, and her stories and articles have also appeared in children's magazines like Cricket, Ladybug, and Muse. In addition to being a writer, Nora leads ocean conservation programs for the Seattle Aquarium.
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Marc J. Kuchner
Friendly neighborhood astrophysicist and book lover here.
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I earned a Ph.D. in astronomy in 2001 from Caltech. I’ve worked as an astrophysicist for Harvard, Princeton and NASA. Then, a few years later, younger scientists started asking me to mentor them. But I didn’t know how. So I collected all the advice I could and turned it into my first book: Marketing for Scientists: How to Shine In Tough Times (Island Press 2011).
Now I have two fascinating children, so I write books for them–and any other children that might wander by. My first experiment with kidlit is the new Cosmic Collisions series (MIT Kids). These books challenge you to hypothesize what will happen when two astronomical objects slam together. Read on, watch the collision unfold -
Julie Winterbottom
Julie Winterbottom is the author of the picture book biography Magic in a Drop of Water: How Ruth Patrick Taught the World about Pollution. The former editor-in-chief of Nickelodeon Magazine, she has also written the middle grade humor books Pranklopedia and What a Blast! She lives on the shores of the Hudson River in Beacon, New York. Visit her at juliewinterbottom.com.
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Elizabeth Shreeve
Elizabeth Shreeve is the author of several books for young readers, including the chapter book series the Adventures of Hector Fuller and two picture books, Captain Freddy Counts Down to School, illustrated by Joey Chou, and Oliver at the Window, illustrated by Candace Hartsough McDonald. She lives in Northern California.
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Ann McCallum Staats
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A former educator with a master's degree in education, Ann McCallum Staats is an award-winning author. Her book "Fantastic Flora: The World's Biggest, Baddest, and Smelliest Plants" (Candlewick/ MIT Kids Press) shares how some of the weirdest plants survive and thrive. She is also the co-author with astronaut Karen Nyberg of "A Quilt of Stars," releasing Fall, 2026. When she's not writing, Ann travels, mentors, and connects with audiences. Find out more at www.annmccallumbooks.com or on Instagram @annmsbooks or other social media. -
Emma Carlson Berne
Emma Carlson Berne is the author of the YA thrillers STILL WATERS and NEVER LET YOU GO (coming Fall 2012 from Simon & Schuster). She has also written the thrillers FIGMENT and CHOKER under the pen name Elizabeth Woods. She lives and writes in Cincinnati. Learn more about Emma and contact her directly at her website, www.emmacarlsonberne.com. Or check out Emma Carlson Berne Books on http://www.facebook.com/EmmaCarlsonBe... or follow her on Twitter.
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Christine Van Zandt
I'm a children's picture book author Christine Van Zandt and freelance editor at Write for Success Editing and Author Coaching Services.
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Milkweed for Monarchs
A Brief History of Underpants -
Phil Rosenthal
Television writer and producer who is best known as the creator, writer and executive producer for the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond.
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Julie Winterbottom
Julie Winterbottom is the author of the picture book biography Magic in a Drop of Water: How Ruth Patrick Taught the World about Pollution. The former editor-in-chief of Nickelodeon Magazine, she has also written the middle grade humor books Pranklopedia and What a Blast! She lives on the shores of the Hudson River in Beacon, New York. Visit her at juliewinterbottom.com.
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Alison Pearce Stevens
Alison Pearce Stevens was a science professor until life took her overseas, at which point she started writing about science and nature for kids, because she’s an educator at heart and had to find new ways to share cool things with the world's most curious people. Alison writes lots of fun nonfiction: articles, picture books, and middle grade books. All of her work is inspired by a love of science and nature. Rhinos in Nebraska (Godwin Books/Henry Holt BYR) was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and won three Nebraska Book Awards. Animal Climate Heroes (Henry Holt) and Detective Dogs are on the Case (Holiday House) release in 2024. You can learn more about Alison at apstevens.com.
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Rebecca E. Hirsch
Rebecca E. Hirsch is a botanist-turned-writer and the author of more than 80 science and nature books for children. Her books have won a Riverby Award, a Green Prize for Sustainable Literature, a Green Earth Book Award Honor, and many starred reviews. www.rebeccahirsch.com
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Abi Cushman
Abi Cushman is an award-winning author-illustrator of funny picture books, including Wombats Are Pretty Weird, Animals Go Vroom!, and Soaked!.
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When she’s not creating picture books, Abi works as a web/graphic designer. Her educational website Animal Fact Guide was named a “Great Website for Kids” by the American Library Association. She also enjoys running, playing tennis, and eating nachos. (Yes, at the same time.)
For sneak peeks, exclusive giveaways, and wombats, join Abi's email list. -
Katie Venit
Katie Venit has been writing since the fifth grade when she and her friends passed around a composition notebook in which they took turns making up. But she didn’t know she wanted to be a writer for kids (the best of all audiences, as it turns out) until her son asked her to write a book about the solar system.
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Katie has held quite a few jobs, from working at a barbeque catering company in Maryland to waiting tables at a beach in Delaware to teaching English in Japan. Now she lives in Wisconsin and works as an instructional designer helping college instructors put their courses online.
As a professional writer, Katie writes picture books and middle grade graphic novels, including Forts and Cassini’s Mission. Her nonfiction essays have appeare -
Loren Long
I grew up in Lexington, Kentucky in the 1970’s. We had no artists of any kind in the family. We didn’t know any artists. I liked sports, especially baseball. My mother read to me a lot. But I have to admit, my favorite subject in school was gym class. I also liked to draw. My parents encouraged me to keep drawing.
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Ann McCallum Staats
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A former educator with a master's degree in education, Ann McCallum Staats is an award-winning author. Her book "Fantastic Flora: The World's Biggest, Baddest, and Smelliest Plants" (Candlewick/ MIT Kids Press) shares how some of the weirdest plants survive and thrive. She is also the co-author with astronaut Karen Nyberg of "A Quilt of Stars," releasing Fall, 2026. When she's not writing, Ann travels, mentors, and connects with audiences. Find out more at www.annmccallumbooks.com or on Instagram @annmsbooks or other social media. -
Gabi Snyder
Gabi Snyder is the author of TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE (Abrams/Appleseed, 2020) and LISTEN (Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, July 2021).
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Gabi lives in Oregon with her family. -
Susan Edwards Richmond
Susan Edwards Richmond explored the history of the Harvard Shaker Community while poet-in-residence at the Fruitlands Museum. Her poems have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. She has taught writing at the Shirley Medium Correctional Facility, located on the site of another former Shaker community, and is currently on the faculty at Clark University. Her interest in the intersection of art and nature is reflected in her work with Wild Apples: a journal of nature, art, and inquiry. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Massachusetts, where she enjoys hiking and birdwatching.
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Lauren Emmons
Lauren Emmons (they/them) is an illustrator and author of children’s books. They grew up in Minnesota exploring forests and learning important skills like turning the top of an acorn into a loud whistle. While they now live in North Dakota, they have lived all over the place - from California to Wisconsin to England.
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They have a Masters Degree in Children’s Book Illustration from the prestigious Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, England; and was an award winner in the World Illustration Awards. The first book they illustrated, Prak Fills The House, was published by Peachtree Publishing in 2023; and their debut author illustrated book, No Cats In The Library, was published by Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster in 2024.
They create thei -
Jill Neimark
Jill Neimark is the author of the highly acclaimed BLOODSONG (adult fiction, Random House) as well as coauthor of WHY GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE (adult self-help, Random House), Her picture book, THE HUGGING TREE: A STORY ABOUT RESILIENCE has had over sixty YouTube read-a-louds by teachers, librarians and faith leaders worldwide and is a popular inspirational readaloud. I WANT YOUR MOO (picture book, Magination Press) with co-author Marcella Bakur Weiner, PhD,won a Teachers’ Choice Awards for Children’s Books; and the sequel, TOODLES & TEENY: A STORY OF FRIENDSHIP won a Mom's Choice Award. Under the nom de plume Gillian Neimark is also the author of the tween fantasy adventure novel, THE SECRET SPIRAL, and the sequel, THE GOLDEN RECT
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Eileen Rajala Meyer
Eileen Rajala Meyer writes children's picture books and poetry.
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Jennifer Swanson
Science Rocks! And so do Jennifer Swanson’s books. She is the award-winning author of over 45 nonfiction books for children. Using her background in science and history that she received from the U.S. Naval Academy, and her M.S. in Education, Jennifer excels at taking complex facts and making them accessible, compelling, and humorous for young readers, Jennifer's passion for science resonates in in all her books but especially, Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact and BEASTLY BIONICS which both received Florida Book Awards and NSTA BEST STEM book awards. Her Save the Crash-test Dummies book received an NSTA BEST STEM Award and a Parent’s Choice GOLD Award. Jennifer has been a featured speaker at the Tucson Book Fes
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Julie Downing
Julie Downing is the illustrator of more than forty-five picture books and a professor of watercolor and children’s book illustration. She lives in California.
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Kirsten Pendreigh
Kirsten Pendreigh is a children’s author and poet from Vancouver.
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Her books include: MAYBE A WHALE (a JLG Gold Standard and Horn Book Fanfare Book),
WHEN A TREE FALLS (a PW Starred Review), WHAT FISH ARE SAYING (a SLJ Starred Review) and LUNA'S GREEN PET (a Today Show best book pick).
Kirsten’s poems are found in Canadian literary magazines and anthologies including Best Canadian Poetry 2021. Kirsten is a former CBC and NPR journalist. -
Tory Christie
Tory Christie is a real scientist by day and secretly writes children’s books at night. When it is light outside, she studies rocks and water. After dark, she writes silly science stories that kids and grownups can laugh about. Check out her latest series, Curious McCarthy, and explore science with Curious and her zany family. Tory Christie grew up in a large family, but her family was nothing like the McCarthys ― honestly. The McCarthys are completely fiction ― really. Tory Christie lives in Fargo, North Dakota with her medium-sized family.
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Patricia Newman
Writing for children is the hardest thing I’ve ever done—the field is intensely competitive. But I write because I can’t imagine not writing. I write for myself and for the kids who read my work. I write for the joy of seeing a kid sitting in the front row at a school visit, hand stretched high to answer my questions. I write for the kid who tells me he already owns one of my books and has read it 15 times.
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Teresa Robeson
Teresa Robeson was born in Hong Kong, raised in Canada, and now lives on 27-acres in the Midwest U.S. with her scientist-professor husband, younger son, and a flock of quirky chickens. Her debut picture book, Queen Of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom, won the 2020 winner of the ALA Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature in the Picture Book category, and was a National Council of Teachers of English Orbis Pictus Nonfiction Recommended Book, and an International Literacy Association's Nonfiction Picture Honor. It also received starred reviews and appeared on many best-of lists.
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The universe didn't want Teresa to get an inflated ego from all the honors her first book received and so it made sure her seco -
Traci Huahn
Traci Huahn writes books for kids and especially loves stories rooted in Asian American culture, history, and identity. Mamie Tape Fights to go to School is her debut picture book. As a former attorney and the daughter of Chinese immigrants, she feels a deep connection to Mamie’s story and hopes it will inspire readers to become changemakers, even if it starts by taking just one small step. Traci lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, two kids, and a pup who loves belly rubs and Brussels sprouts.
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Leah Moser
Leah Moser is a children’s book author living in Virginia. With degrees in Elementary Education and Psychology, Leah has spent years as a classroom teacher. She loves sharing her passion for picture books with her husband, three daughters, dog, and readers of all ages. I Am a Thundercloud is her debut book.
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Erin Dealey
I write in many genres, from board books to YA. I am thrilled to announce JUST FLOWERS (Illus. Kate Cosgrove/ Sleeping Bear coming in March 2024.
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Other bookes include:
The HALF BIRTHDAY BOOK (Illus. Germán Blanco / Genius Cat Books / April 2023 )
CHRISTMAS AHOY! (Illus. Kayla Stark / Sleeping Bear Press / July 2023)
DEAR EARTH...From Your Friends in Room 5 (Illus. by Luisa Uribe / Harper Collins) . #ClimateAction *In Paperback Feb. 2023
PETER EASTER FROG (Illus. by G. Brian Karas /Caitlyn Dlouhy books/ Atheneum/S&S)
SNOWGLOBE WISHES (Illus. by Claire Shorrock / Sleeping Bear Press) got a shiny KIRKUS starred review: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re... “The feelings of community and togetherness are palpable.” ❄️
GRANDMA'S FAVORITE; and GRAN -
Lindsay H. Metcalf
Lindsay H. Metcalf is a journalist and award-winning author of nonfiction picture books: BEATRIX POTTER, SCIENTIST, a Mighty Girl Best Book of 2020 and Young People’s Literature Award winner from the Friends of American Writers Chicago; FARMERS UNITE! Planting a Protest for Fair Prices, a Kansas Notable Book, Friends of American Writers honoree, NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book, and Junior Library Guild selection; and NO VOICE TOO SMALL: Fourteen Young Americans Making History, a Kirkus and Chicago Public Library Best Book, Notable Social Studies Trade Book, and NCTE Notable Poetry Book. NO WORLD TOO BIG: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, a poetry anthology from the team behind No Voice Too Small, is forthcoming in spri
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Adam Pottle
Adam Pottle's work spans multiple genres, from fiction and poetry to drama and creative nonfiction. His books include the novel Mantis Dreams, the novella The Bus, the memoir Voice, and the poetry collection Beautiful Mutants.
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Lynn Street
Lynn is a science-inspired author sharing lively STEAM stories with young readers. She loves concepts that cross disciplines, and personal narratives set against a sea of facts. Her passion is writing for curious observers who want to discover the wonders of their world.
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Her debut, THE BLUE JAYS THAT GREW A FOREST (Peachtree, 2025), is illustrated by Anne Hunter. This lyrical nonfiction picture book explores the symbiotic relationship between blue jays and oak trees.
PLEASE, NO FEATHERS IN YOUR HATS! FLORENCE MERRIAM BAILEY AND BIRDWATCHING’S BEGINNINGS (Peachtree, 2027), illustrated by Anne Lambelet, is a picture book biography about the author of the first modern birding guide, who helped save millions of her feathered friends by changing t -
Katie Venit
Katie Venit has been writing since the fifth grade when she and her friends passed around a composition notebook in which they took turns making up. But she didn’t know she wanted to be a writer for kids (the best of all audiences, as it turns out) until her son asked her to write a book about the solar system.
Buy books on Amazon
Katie has held quite a few jobs, from working at a barbeque catering company in Maryland to waiting tables at a beach in Delaware to teaching English in Japan. Now she lives in Wisconsin and works as an instructional designer helping college instructors put their courses online.
As a professional writer, Katie writes picture books and middle grade graphic novels, including Forts and Cassini’s Mission. Her nonfiction essays have appeare -
Tanya Konerman
Tanya Konerman is a children’s author, writing fiction and nonfiction in both prose and verse for kids ages 0-12. Her debut picture book, Mud to the Rescue! (Web of LIfe Children's Books, 2025), is a free-verse nonfiction look at the ingenious ways animals use mud to survive and thrive.
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Tanya’s ghost story for 9-12 year-olds, “Danger in the Dunes,” was chosen to represent Indiana in the anthology for middle graders, The Haunted States of America, published by Macmillan’s Laura Godwin Books in 2024. -
Stephanie Gibeault
Stephanie Gibeault is a children’s author and award-winning freelance writer. As a former biologist and certified professional dog trainer, she loves writing about dogs and other animals. She is the author of Toby Tootles (Sleeping Bear Press, illustrated by Mary Sullivan), a funny picture book about social emotional learning with farting rabbits, and Can't Get Enough Dog Stuff (National Geographic Kids, co-authored with Moira Rose Donohue), a middle grade packed with canine trivia, jokes, activities, and expert interviews. And there are more books about animals to come including From Calculating Chimpanzees to Brainy Bees: Mathematical Abilities in Animals (Candlewick/MIT Kids Press, spring 2024, illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett), Making Sen
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Kirsten Pendreigh
Kirsten Pendreigh is a children’s author and poet from Vancouver.
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Her books include: MAYBE A WHALE (a JLG Gold Standard and Horn Book Fanfare Book),
WHEN A TREE FALLS (a PW Starred Review), WHAT FISH ARE SAYING (a SLJ Starred Review) and LUNA'S GREEN PET (a Today Show best book pick).
Kirsten’s poems are found in Canadian literary magazines and anthologies including Best Canadian Poetry 2021. Kirsten is a former CBC and NPR journalist. -
Lauren Emmons
Lauren Emmons (they/them) is an illustrator and author of children’s books. They grew up in Minnesota exploring forests and learning important skills like turning the top of an acorn into a loud whistle. While they now live in North Dakota, they have lived all over the place - from California to Wisconsin to England.
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They have a Masters Degree in Children’s Book Illustration from the prestigious Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, England; and was an award winner in the World Illustration Awards. The first book they illustrated, Prak Fills The House, was published by Peachtree Publishing in 2023; and their debut author illustrated book, No Cats In The Library, was published by Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster in 2024.
They create thei -
Amanda Davis
Amanda Davis is a teacher, artist, writer, and innovator who uses her words and pictures to light up the world with kindness. After losing her father at a young age, Amanda turned to art and writing as an outlet. It became her voice. A way to cope. A way to escape. And a way to tell her story. She was thus inspired to teach art and pursue her passion for writing and illustrating children's books. Through her work, Amanda empowers younger generations to tell their own stories and offers children and adults an entryway into a world of discovery. A world that can help them make sense of themselves, others, and the community around them. A world where they can navigate, imagine, and feel inspired—over and over again. When she’s not busy creatin
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Alison Pearce Stevens
Alison Pearce Stevens was a science professor until life took her overseas, at which point she started writing about science and nature for kids, because she’s an educator at heart and had to find new ways to share cool things with the world's most curious people. Alison writes lots of fun nonfiction: articles, picture books, and middle grade books. All of her work is inspired by a love of science and nature. Rhinos in Nebraska (Godwin Books/Henry Holt BYR) was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and won three Nebraska Book Awards. Animal Climate Heroes (Henry Holt) and Detective Dogs are on the Case (Holiday House) release in 2024. You can learn more about Alison at apstevens.com.
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Katie Furze
KATIE FURZE is a children’s author from Aotearoa New Zealand who loves science and nature and has a master's degree in creative writing. Katie writes children’s non-fiction and fiction including picture books, short stories, articles, plays, early readers, and novels.
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Her books include PEKAPEKA, SECRET FOREST BAT (2025), RURU, NIGHT HUNTER (2024), and TUATARA, A LIVING TREASURE (2023) with illustrator Ned Barraud and from Scholastic NZ. You can also read her work in The New Zealand School Journal, or The School Magazine in Australia. When she's not reading or writing, Katie enjoys hiking, yoga, gardening, travelling and scuba diving.
Read more about Katie at https://www.katiefurze.com/ -
Lindsay H. Metcalf
Lindsay H. Metcalf is a journalist and award-winning author of nonfiction picture books: BEATRIX POTTER, SCIENTIST, a Mighty Girl Best Book of 2020 and Young People’s Literature Award winner from the Friends of American Writers Chicago; FARMERS UNITE! Planting a Protest for Fair Prices, a Kansas Notable Book, Friends of American Writers honoree, NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book, and Junior Library Guild selection; and NO VOICE TOO SMALL: Fourteen Young Americans Making History, a Kirkus and Chicago Public Library Best Book, Notable Social Studies Trade Book, and NCTE Notable Poetry Book. NO WORLD TOO BIG: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, a poetry anthology from the team behind No Voice Too Small, is forthcoming in spri
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Megan Hoyt
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Megan Hoyt first fell in love with reading on a cozy branch of the crabapple tree outside her Texas home, and Marguerite Henry’s “horsey books” still remind her of the loud Texas cicadas at dusk. Her award-winning picture book biography, BARTALI'S BICYCLE, with Harper Collins Children's Books' new imprint, Quill Tree Books, was a National Jewish Book Award finalist. THE GREATEST SONG OF ALL, KATI'S TINY MESSENGERS, AND A GRAND IDEA followed, also with Quill Tree Books. TZIMMES FOR TZIPPORAH, her first Jewish-themed picture book came out in 2023 with Apples and Honey Press. Her poem, "Thanksgiving by the Lake," appears in the Millbrook Press anthology Thanku: Poems of Gratitude (2019). Her first picture book, HILDEGARD'S GIFT, came out in 2 -
Heather Ferranti Kinser
Heather Ferranti Kinser writes at the intersection of story, poetry, and nature from her home on the San Francisco Peninsula. She’s a former technical editor who now spends her days writing small stories—to make a big difference for kids! Connect with Heather at www.HeatherKinser.com.
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Laurie Ann Thompson
Laurie writes for children of all ages. She is dedicated to inspiring and empowering young readers through nonfiction and fiction that educates as well as entertains.
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Amanda Davis
Amanda Davis is a teacher, artist, writer, and innovator who uses her words and pictures to light up the world with kindness. After losing her father at a young age, Amanda turned to art and writing as an outlet. It became her voice. A way to cope. A way to escape. And a way to tell her story. She was thus inspired to teach art and pursue her passion for writing and illustrating children's books. Through her work, Amanda empowers younger generations to tell their own stories and offers children and adults an entryway into a world of discovery. A world that can help them make sense of themselves, others, and the community around them. A world where they can navigate, imagine, and feel inspired—over and over again. When she’s not busy creatin
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June Smalls
June Smalls has been making up stories since she only had pets and stuffed animals to share them with. She is the author of fiction and nonfiction books that are funny, educational, odd, and entertaining.
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June loves going on adventures, for research of course, from falconry to digging up fossils; tracking wildlife to working with scientists and wildlife conservationists. Writing is always an adventure.
June is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and a lover of literature. She resides in Northern Virginia with her hubby, The Kid, and an ever-growing assortment of animals. -
Roxanne Troup
With a background in early childhood education, Roxanne Troup writes kids books that inspire wonder and celebrate family. She also writes engaging nonfiction for children of all ages. Roxanne loves spending time with her family hiking or at sporting events. She enjoys visiting schools to promote literacy, teach about writing, and inspire the next generation of explorers and scientists.
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Jennifer K. Mann
Jennifer K. Mann was an architect before turning to children’s books full time. Two Speckled Eggs is the first book that she has written and illustrated. She lives on an island near Seattle with her husband, children, cats, dogs, and chickens.
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Colleen Paeff
Colleen Paeff is the award-winning author of The Great Stink: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London’s Poop Pollution Problem. A lifelong Californian, she received a Bachelor’s Degree in set design for theater from California State University Fullerton, before becoming a bookseller, preschool teacher, and newspaper columnist. (She never did become a set designer!) Eventually, she figured out how to roll books, kids, and writing into a career as a children’s book author, and now she gets to share her enthusiasm for books and learning by visiting with students both at home and abroad. Colleen is a Robert F. Sibert Honor recipient and winner of the Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction Text for Young Readers. She lives in Los Angeles, CA with her husb
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Evan Turk
Evan Turk is an award-winning illustrator, author and animator living in Riverside, California, with his husband, Chris, and two cats, Pica and Bert. A graduate of Parsons: The New School for Design, his illustration and animation have been shown all over the world. He grew up in Colorado and loves nature and being outdoors. He continues his studies with Dalvero Academy, a private illustration school in New York City. Evan loves to travel all over the world and learn about other people and places through drawing and the interactions that come from it.
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Evan speaks to kids and adults across the country and loves talking with them about storytelling and making art. -
Kris Coronado
A journalist since she was a teen, has a proven track record of exploring captivating subjects for outlets such as the Washington Post. She was inspired to write Lighthouse Ladies when she came across an old newspaper article mentioning a woman lighthouse keeper off the coast of Maine. Intrigued, she dove in deep.
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Kris lives in Richmond, Virginia, with her husband and two daughters, who now love visiting lighthouses on family vacations. -
Beth Anderson
Beth Anderson, a former teacher, loves digging into history and culture for undiscovered gems, exploring points of view, and playing with words. She is drawn to stories that open minds, touch hearts, and inspire questions. Born and raised in Illinois, she now lives in Loveland, Colorado.
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Chana Stiefel
Chana Stiefel is the author of more than 30 books for children, both fiction and nonfiction. Her recent picture book, THE TOWER OF LIFE: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs (illus. Susan Gal, Scholastic), received many honors including the 2023 Sydney Taylor Book Award, a Robert F. Sibert Honor, the Margaret Wise Brown Prize, the Malka Penn Award for Human Rights in Children's Literature & SCBWI's Inaugural Robert Freedman Nonfiction Award for a Better World. Her next book is LET'S FLY: Barrington Irving's Record-Breaking Flight Around the World (co-written with Barrington Irving, illus. by Shamar Knight-Justice, Dial/PRH, 1-14-25). Other recent nonfiction titles include LET LIBERTY RISE! How America's Schoolchildre
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Matt Forrest Esenwine
As a radio broadcaster, Matt spent a good deal of time writing and producing commercials and comedy bits. He also wrote poetry, which was published in various national journals and anthologies including the Donald Hall tribute, "Except for Love" (Encircle, 2019). Little did he know all this short-form writing would lead to his debut picture book, the Kirkus-starred "Flashlight Night" (Astra Young Readers, 2017), which was selected by the New York Public Library as one of the Best Books for Kids 2017 and even showed up on Encyclopedia Brittanica’s list of “11 Children’s Books That Inspire Imagination.”
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Matt now has more than a dozen books to his credit including "I Am Today" (POW! Kids Books, 2022), which received the 2023 NH State Literary -
Katie Furze
KATIE FURZE is a children’s author from Aotearoa New Zealand who loves science and nature and has a master's degree in creative writing. Katie writes children’s non-fiction and fiction including picture books, short stories, articles, plays, early readers, and novels.
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Her books include PEKAPEKA, SECRET FOREST BAT (2025), RURU, NIGHT HUNTER (2024), and TUATARA, A LIVING TREASURE (2023) with illustrator Ned Barraud and from Scholastic NZ. You can also read her work in The New Zealand School Journal, or The School Magazine in Australia. When she's not reading or writing, Katie enjoys hiking, yoga, gardening, travelling and scuba diving.
Read more about Katie at https://www.katiefurze.com/ -
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Debra Kempf Shumaker
Debra started reading at the age of four and hasn't stopped since. She grew up on a small dairy farm in Wisconsin but now lives in the suburbs of Northern Virginia with her husband, three sons, and two cats.
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She is the author of picture books FREAKY, FUNKY FISH and PECULIAR PRIMATES with Running Press Kids, TELL SOMEONE with Albert Whitman, and the upcoming WIND IS A DANCE with Running Press Kids. -
Jean E. Pendziwol
Jean E. Pendziwol is an award winning Canadian author of books for adults and children. Her children’s books include Governor General Literary Award and TD Canadian Children's Literature Award winner Skating Wild on an Inland Sea (Groundwood Books, ill. Todd Stewart), and the bestselling No Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids (and Dragons) (Kids Can Press), which continues to be used as a valuable resource for teaching fire safety. Her debut adult novel, The Lightkeeper’s Daughters was published by HarperCollins and is available in 20 other countries and 16 languages around the world. She lives in the shadow of the Nor’Wester Mountains near Lake Superior and draws inspiration for her stories from the rich history, culture and geography of
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Amy Ludwig VanDerwater
Amy Ludwig VanDerwater is author of several poetry books for children including Forest Has a Song, With My Hands, Read! Read! Read!, With My Hands, Write! Write! Write!, and If This Bird Had Pockets: A Poem in Your Pocket Day Celebration. In addition, she is author of picture books Every Day Birds, Dreaming of You, That Missing Feeling, poems in many anthologies, and popular classroom blogs The Poem Farm and Sharing Our Notebooks. Her newest book is The Sound of Kindness (August 2023).
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Having studied and worked at the Teachers College Writing Project at Columbia University, Amy has been an elementary school teacher (years ago and again during COVID) and is author of the Heinemann professional book Poems Are Teachers: How Studying Poetry Stre -
Monique Duncan
In 2008, Monique Duncan established Sweet Pea Books Inc., an independent publishing company dedicated to producing multicultural stories that inspire, amuse, and foster a love of reading in all children. Her vibrantly illustrated books reflect images and experiences with which children of color can identify. Duncans children's books aim to promote self-acceptance, respect, and forgiveness, as well as encourage the development of good character.
Her featured title, Polka-Dot Face, is an inspiring story about a young girls journey toward self-acceptance. Polka-Dot Face encourages us to accept ourselves and not let the words of others change how we feel.
Learn more about Duncan's character bulding literature at www.sweetpeabooks.com
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Marta Magellan
Marta Magellan was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and has lived in Miami, Florida since the age of seven. She taught Composition, Creative Writing, and Survey of Children’s Literature at Miami Dade College, where she was a full professor and award-winning adviser to Miambiance, the campus literary arts magazine. She has written travel articles for magazines and newspapers but her love for children and profound interest in nature has produced several award-winning children’s books about wild animals, many in collaboration with her brother, Mauro Magellan, an illustrator who has produced work for Albert Whitman, Pelican Press, Scholastic, among others. She has also written children's books for the educational market and a few travel articles
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Katrina Tangen
Katrina Tangen lives in Southern California between Disneyland and the beach. At Harvard, she studied Folklore & Mythology, History of Science, Psychology, and Religion, so she knows a little bit about a lot of things. This turned out to be excellent training for writing nonfiction for kids! Katrina is disabled by ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis). She writes fiction and nonfiction for kids of all ages; Copy That, Copy Cat! is her debut.
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Karl James Mountford
Karl James Mountford is an Illustrator, born in Germany and brought up in the U.K. Karl graduated in 2013 at Swansea Met Uni with a Masters degree in Illustration and Visual communication. Karl works in both traditional and digital mediums . He loves Illustration full heartedly, from picture books, writing stories, screen printing, contemporary design. His style of illustration is 'visually edible', sometimes witty, sometimes odd but always full of gusto.
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Mariyka Foster
Mariyka Foster (previously Mariyka Auber) is an author-illustrator of picture books and in-house artist for Carter's. She specializes in characters bursting with personality and whimsical hand lettering, as well as story-oriented repeat patterns. She strives to fill her worlds with humor, heart, and warm representation of families of all shapes and colors.
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Aside from art, Mariyka loves taking care of her ever-growing indoor jungle, hiking & rock climbing, and honing her latte-making skills. She lives in Atlanta with her partner, her fluffy bobtail cat, two ball pythons, and several hundred terrestrial isopods. -
Ryan Uytdewilligen
Born in Lethbridge, Alberta and raised on the family farm outside the town of Coaldale, Uytdewilligen studied Communication Arts with a major in Broadcast Journalism at Lethbridge College – leading to work as a radio news anchor, television reporter, and copywriter.
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He later studied Writing for Film and Television at Vancouver Film School where he wrote and produced the short films Tea Time and Even the Devil Swiped Right.
His first novel, Tractor, was published in 2016 by Sartoris Literary. Taking inspiration from Jack Kerouac and Larry McMurtry novels, the story follows a teenager in the early 1960s drive a tractor across the American south.
Uytdewilligen’s second novel, Akela, was published in 2019 by BHC Press – earning numerous accolades -
Heather L. Montgomery
Heather L. Montgomery writes about science and nature for kids. Her subject matter ranges from snake tongues to spider silk to snail poop. With a B.S. in Biology and a M.S. in Environmental Education, Heather's passion for nonfiction comes out in her writing and presentations. When she is not writing, Heather can be found climbing a tree, hiking to a waterfall or paddling a river. Learn more about her books at www.HeatherLMontgomery.com.
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Uma Menon
Uma Menon is a 20-year-old writer and advocate from Winter Park, Florida. She is the author of My Mother’s Tongues (Candlewick Press, 2024), Our Mothers’ Names (Candlewick Press, 2025), and Hands for Language (Mawenzi House, 2020). She currently studies Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. Learn more at www.theumamenon.com.
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Laura Segal Stegman
Laura Segal Stegman is the author of Summer of L.U.C.K., Ready or Not, and The Chambered Nautilus, a middle-grade trilogy from Young Dragons Press, each of which has earned Five-Star Readers' Favorite Awards. She has been featured at NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English), Orange County Children’s Book Festival, SCBWI-SoCal’s Fall Harvest Writers and Illustrators Day, San Diego Writers Festival, OC Book Fair, and LitFest in the Dena, and she shares her author journey with students at virtual and in-person school visits. She also serves as a judge for Society of Young Inklings, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and other writer competitions. She owns Laura Segal Stegman Public Relations, LLC, whose wide-ranging cli
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Charles Bongers
Charles Bongers has had a lifelong passion for nature and the outdoors as a world-class sailor, mountain climber and tree advocate. Throughout his life, he has always felt at home in the forest, surrounded by the undeniable energy of trees. Charles wrote and illustrated Do Trees Have Mothers? to help spark a connection with nature among a new generation of young people. As research tells us, the earlier a child is introduced to the natural world around them, the more likely they will choose to live within its wonder and calm and, most importantly, feel a responsibility as its future custodian.
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Charles is the founder and creative director of Charles Bongers + Co., an eco-focused, brand design and illustration company. He also serves as creati