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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Andrew Larsen
Andrew Larsen is a father, homemaker and author. When he was a child, he would spend a part of every summer with his grandparents at their cottage on a hill, by a lake. Andrew now lives in a downtown Toronto neighborhood. He has published three picture books with Kids Can Press and one with Fitzhenry & Whiteside. He is married with two children.
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Audrey Vernick
Audrey Vernick is the author of books for young readers.
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Forthcoming titles:
The Family Tree, written with Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Fiona Lee
When I Redraw the World, illustrated by Heather Fox
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Matthew Swanson
Matthew Swanson (and his wife Robbi Behr) are author and illustrator of the critically acclaimed Cookie Chronicles series, The Real McCoys trilogy, and the picture books Sunrise Summer, Babies Ruin Everything, and Everywhere, Wonder. When not advocating for local schools, giving talks on creative entrepreneurship, or running a summer salmon fishing operation on the Alaskan tundra, we live in an old barn on the Eastern Shore of Maryland—making books and raising our four kids.
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Matthew and Robbi will spend the 2022-2023 school year crisscrossing the United States in a school bus/tiny home with our four kids, visiting underserved elementary schools in all 50 states (plus DC), and giving away 25,000 free hardcover books to students and teachers f -
Dean-David Schillinger
Dean-David Schillinger MD is a primary care physician, scientist, author, and public health advocate. He is an internationally renowned expert in health communication and has been widely recognized for his work related to improving the health of marginalized populations. He is credited with a number of discoveries in primary care and health communication and is considered a pioneer of the field of health literacy. He is the inaugural recipient of the Andrew B. Bindman Professorship in Primary Care and Health Policy at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). Dr. Schillinger has served as chief of the UCSF Division of General Internal Medicine at San Francisco General Hospital, and chief of the Diabetes Prevention and Control Progr
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Esmé Shapiro
Esmé Shapiro is an award winning children's book illustrator based out of Brooklyn, New York. She grew up in Laurel Canyon, California and Ontario, Canada. A graduate of The Rhode Island School of Design, Esmé is a past recipient of both the Nancy Lee Rhodes Roberts Scholarship and The SILA West 53 Gold Award-Phillip Hayes Scholarship. She has previously written and illustrated Ooko, which was nominated for a Governor General’s Literary Award in 2016, as well as Alma and the Beast, which received two starred reviews, and, most recently, Carol and the Pickle-Toad. Esmé also illustrated Yak and Dove by Kyo Maclear and Eliza: The Story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton by Margaret McNamara. She has exhibited at The Society of Illustrators, and he
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Aimée Sicuro
Aimee Sicuro knew at an early age she wanted to make things, and spent many years trying to figure out how. She is the illustrator of many books including Dancing Through Fields of Color, by Elizabeth Brown and The Stuff Between the Stars both Junior Library Guild selections. If You Find a Leaf, her authorial debut was nominated for the 2022 Ezra Jacks Keats Award. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, NYT Parenting, People Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and other publications. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and two children.
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Kate Hosford
Kate Hosford is the author of six picture books and two poetry collections, garnering awards such as an American Library Association Notable Book, a Bank Street Best Book of the Year, a Junior Library Guild Selection, and a New York Times Best Illustrated Book. Her books have been published in eight languages. She is a graduate of Amherst College and Vermont College of Fine Arts where she earned her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. Her most recent picture book, YOU'LL ALWAYS BE MY CHICKADEE was published by Chronicle in April, 2024.
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Kari Lavelle
Kari Lavelle is the author of WE MOVE THE WORLD (HarperCollins 2021), BUTT OR FACE (Sourcebooks, 2023) and AN ODE TO GRAPEFRUIT: HOW JAMES EARL JONES FOUND HIS VOICE (Knopf 2024). She has always had a love for words: as a kid reading books, as a speech pathologist helping children communicate, and now as a writer creating stories. She grew up in the Midwest but now lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, their two children, and doggo, Dobby. Learn more about Kari and her books at karilavelle.com.
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Michael Genhart
Michael Genhart is an award-winning author of several children's books, as well as a clinical psychologist. He lives with his family in Marin County, California.
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Felicita Sala
Felicita is a self taught illustrator. She graduated in Philosophy from the University of Western Australia. She has worked on several animation projects along with husband Gianluca, but her passion is making picture books. She lives in Rome with Gianluca and their daughter Nina.
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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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Gracey Zhang
Gracey Zhang is a freelance illustrator and animator with a BFA in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design. Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, and educated in the United States, she is now based in New York, where she rides the train while thinking of warmer climates.
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Paola Santos
Paola Santos is a children's book author from Venezuela who has always had a passion for writing. When she moved to Canada, she found the courage to share stories of hope and happiness that celebrate her own culture and the richness of diversity. Paola describes herself as a curious seeker who sees the world with childlike wonder and loves to express deep emotions through her writing. Her debut picture book HOW TO EAT A MANGO is slated for publication in Summer 2024 (Neal Porter Books/Holiday House). She currently resides in Edmonton with her husband and daughter.
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John Schu
John Schu is the creator of the popular blog Mr. Schu Reads (mrschureads.blogspot.com), was the Ambassador of School Libraries for Scholastic Book Fairs, a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University, and a former classroom teacher and school librarian. He has visited schools all over the world and has met with over 130,000 students, teachers, and administrators as he advocates for the people and things he cares about most: kids, books, schools, and the libraries — and librarians — that connect them. This Is a School is his picture book debut. John Schu lives in Naperville, Illinois. You can find him at JohnSchu.com and on social media at @MrSchuReads.
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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.
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John L. Hare
John Hare spent his youth in Kansas drawing comic strips about snakes, making spoof yearbooks to entertain his friends, and writing stories about a crime-fighting crocodile. At some point, he decided he better actually do something for a living, so John earned an associate's degree in graphic design and got a job as a production artist at a sportswear company. There he worked his way through a comically bizarre work environment to became art director. Art director tasks included rescuing hummingbirds, fixing broken presses, and playing lots of Unreal and Marathon. Later, he moved to Kansas City and worked as a freelance graphic designer. One day, John picked up a brush and painted a scene for his son's nursery. That's when he realized he st
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Misty Copeland
Misty Danielle Copeland (born September 10, 1982) is an American ballet dancer for American Ballet Theatre (ABT), one of the three leading classical ballet companies in the United States. On June 30, 2015, Copeland became the first African American woman to be promoted to principal dancer in ABT's 75-year history.
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Phil Bildner
Phil Bildner is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books for kids. His latest book is the groundbreaking, #OwnVoices middle grade novel, A High Five for Glenn Burke. He is the author of many children’s picture books including the Margaret Wise Brown Prize winning Marvelous Cornelius, the Texas Bluebonnet Award winning Shoeless Joe & Black Betsy, Martina & Chrissie, Twenty-One Elephants, and The Soccer Fence. Phil is also the author of A Whole New Ballgame, Rookie of the Year, Tournament of Champions, and Most Valuable Players in the critically acclaimed middle grade Rip & Red series.
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Phil grew up in Jericho, New York, a Long Island suburb of New York City. He studied political science at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, -
Joe Cepeda
Joe Cepeda grew up in East Los Angeles, California. At first, he studied to be an engineer. He went back to college later to study art. He has done illustrations for magazines as well as for children's books. Joe Cepeda thinks that children who want to be artists or illustrators should read a lot and study math.
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Joe Cepeda is the illustrator of many awarding-winning picture books including Peeny Butter Fudge by Toni Morrison and Slade Morrison, What a Truly Cool World by Julius Lester, a Family Life Magazine Top 10 Best Books of the Year, a Family Fun Critic's Choice, and BCCB Blue Ribbon Book, Mice and Beans by Pam MuÑoz Ryan, and Gracias the Thanksgiving Turkey by Joy Cowley which was an American Bookseller Pick of the Lists. Mr Cepeda rec -
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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 -
Julie Leung
JULIE LEUNG is an award-winning author of numerous children’s books. Her picture book, The Truth About Dragons is a Caldecott Honor and winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. By day, she works in book publishing. She was raised in the sleepy suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, though it may be more accurate to say she grew up in Oz and came of age in Middle-earth.
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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.
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Terry Fan
Terry Fan received his formal art training at Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, Canada. His work is a blend of traditional and contemporary techniques, using ink or graphite mixed with digital. He spends his days (and nights) creating magical paintings, portraits, and prints. Terry is the cocreator of The Night Gardener, It Fell from the Sky, and Lizzy and the Cloud. Born in Illinois, he now lives in Toronto.
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Atia Abawi
Atia Abawi is a foreign correspondent and author based in the Middle East.
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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 -
Vicki Johnson
Vicki Johnson's debut picture book Molly's Tuxedo illustrated by Gillian Reid and published by Little Bee Books (June 27, 2023), garnered multiple accolades: 2024 NCTE Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children Recommended Book, a CBC Top Ten Teacher Favorites Awards selection, 2024 ALA Rainbow List Selection, and a 2023 Ontario Library Association Top Ten 'Best Bets' Picture Books selection among others. Johnson's second book with the same creative team, Mac Wears a Hat, is available for preorder now. It releases April, 2026.
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Born and raised in rural GA, Johnson is a first-gen graduate of Smith College and Emory Law School, and also studied in the Writing for Children & Young Adults MFA program at VCFA. Follow her on Insta, T -
Maggie C. Rudd
Maggie C. Rudd is from rural North Carolina where she lives with her two boys. When she isn't writing, she is teaching high school, making forts, or outside getting muddy with her kids. She is the author of the picture book I'll Hold Your Hand.
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Liza Woodruff
I grew up in Bristol, Rhode Island. As the youngest of three in my family, I was content watching, listening, daydreaming, and drawing. My love of art took a long and meandering path on the way to children's publishing. I scooped ice cream, worked as a camp counselor, waited tables at a dude ranch, and operated a chairlift at a ski resort. At one point I even hoped to become a veterinarian! But none of these things gave me the satisfaction I longed for.
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Already having earned a BA in art and French, I finished a second degree in illustration at the Art Institute of Boston (now Lesley University College of Art and Design). During that time, I began an internship at children's book review magazine The Horn Book which focused my broad interest -
Jessica Whipple
Jessica Whipple writes for adults and children from her home in Lancaster, PA. Her debut picture book titled ENOUGH IS... will be published spring 2023 by Tilbury House, and another titled I THINK I THINK A LOT is forthcoming from Free Spirit Publishing. To see more of her work, purchase her books, or host her at your school (virtually or in-person!), visit AuthorJessicaWhipple.com.
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Kat Zhang
*Please do not message me through Goodreads! Instead, email me at katzhang3 AT gmail DOT com. I don't get on Goodreads often to check messages! Thank you :) *
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Kat Zhang spent most of her childhood tramping through a world weaved from her favorite stories and games. When she and her best friend weren't riding magic horses or talking to trees, they were writing adaptations of plays for their stuffed animals (what would The Wizard of Oz have been like if the Cowardly Lion were replaced by a Loquacious Lamb?). This may or may not explain many of Kat's quirks today.
By the age of twelve, Kat had started her first novel and begun plans for her life as a Real Live Author (she was rather more confident at twelve than she is even now). Said plans didn -
Marcus Pfister
Marcus Pfister was born in Berne, Switzerland, and began his career as a graphic artist in an advertising agency. In 1983, he decided to dedicate more time to artistic pursuits, and began to write and illustrate his first book, The Sleepy Owl, which was published in 1986. His best-known work to date is The Rainbow Fish, which has remained on bestseller lists across the United States since 1992.
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Marcus does most of his illustrations for children's books in watercolors. He begins each book by stretching watercolor paper over a wooden board so that it won't warp when wet. He then copies his rough sketches onto the paper in pencil. At this point, he is ready to begin painting. For backgrounds and blended contours, he uses wet paint on wet paper -
Vikki VanSickle
Everything I need to know in life I learned from children's literature. My work ranges from contemporary middle grade fiction to magical, storytime-ready picture books.
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I am currently living in Toronto where I work in children's publishing in addition to writing. All kids' books, all the time! -
Doreen Rappaport
Doreen Rappaport has written many books of fiction and nonfiction for young readers, specializing in thoroughly researched multicultural history, historical fiction, retellings of folktales and myths, and stories of those she calls the "not-yet-celebrated." Among her recent books is Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., illustrated by Bryan Collier, which received a Caldecott Honor Award and a Coretta Scott King Honor Award for illustration. Doreen Rappaport divides her time between New York City and a rural village in upstate New York.
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Joseph Kuefler
Joseph Kuefler is the author-illustrator of The Digger and the Flower, Beyond the Pond, Rulers of the Playground, and Pillow Places as well as the illustrator of The night Is for Darkness by Jonathan Stutzman. He lives in Minnesota with his wife and children.
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Heather C. Morris
Heather C. Morris is the grateful author of multiple stories for kids – fiction, nonfiction, picture books, and middle grade – including Trunk Goes Thunk! (Gnome Road Publishing, 2024), a ghost story in the Haunted States of America Anthology (Godwin Books/Macmillan, 2024), and the upcoming Backyard Stew (Gnome Road, 2026). She is an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and has written six titles for the educational market. When Heather’s not reading, typing, or doodling, you’ll find her hiking the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains with
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her family. -
Mariana Llanos
Mariana Llanos is a children’s books writer, poet, and translator. Born in Lima, Peru, she’s the author of several books including the 2024 Pura Belpre Honor Book and Oklahoma Book Award Finalist, Benita y las criaturas nocturnas/Benita and the Night Creatures, and the 2022 Oklahoma Book Award winner Run Little Chaski/Corre Pequeño Chaski!. Other titles include Luca's Bridge/El puente de Luca (2021 ALSC Notable Book Awards), Eunice and Kate (Paterson Prize Books for Young Readers) Kutu, the Tiny Inca Princess (Campoy-Ada Awards), the audio story Qoritika and the Three Alpacas, featured on Tiny Tales by Pampers Podcast produced by Sony Music Entertainment. among others. In 2017, Mariana received the Oklahoma Human Rights Award for her work v
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Sydney Smith
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Sydney Smith is a Canadian illustrator of children's books. He was awarded the 2015 Governor General’s Award For Illustrated Children’s Books for Sidewalk Flowers, a wordless picture book which he illustrated with author JonArno Lawson.
Smith studied drawing and printmaking at NSCAD University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It was while studying there that he realized his interest for illustrating children's books. -
Hannah Moushabeck
Hannah Moushabeck is a second-generation Palestinian American author and book worker who was raised in a family of publishers and booksellers and learned the power of literature at a young age. Hannah has worked in publishing for over a decade at companies such as Chronicle Books, The Quarto Group, and Simon & Schuster. She now runs Interlink Publishing, the only Palestinian-owned publisher in the United States, alongside her family.
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Her debut picture book Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine (Chronicle Books) won The New England Book Award and The Arab American Book Award. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts on the homelands of the Pocumtuc and Nipmuc Nations. -
Nicholas Day
Nicholas Day is the author of The Mona Lisa Vanishes, illustrated by Brett Helquist, winner of the Robert F. Sibert Award and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for nonfiction; A World Without Summer, illustrated by Yas Imamura; and Nothing: John Cage and 4’33”, illustrated by Chris Raschka. For adults, he’s the author of Baby Meets World, a work about the science and history of infancy, which Mary Roach called “a perfect book.” He lives in Northampton, Massachusetts, with his family.
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Jessica Lanan
Jessica Lanan is the author and illustrator of Jumper: A Day in the Life of a Backyard Jumping Spider and The Fisherman and the Whale, a Colorado Book Award finalist and winner of the Bull-Bransom Award for wildlife art. She has illustrated many other books including The Lost Package by Richard Ho, Just Right: Searching for the Goldilocks Planet by Curtis Manley and the upcoming Thank You Moon by Melissa Stewart. Jessica aims to help young readers discover the beauty and diversity of their world by creating picture books that are inspiring, accessible, and memorable. She lives in Boulder, Colorado.
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Debbie Ridpath Ohi
Debbie Ridpath Ohi is a children's book author and illustrator who lives in Toronto, Canada. She is the author and illustrator of Where Are My Books?, Sam & Eva, and the upcoming I Want To Read ALL The Books (Simon & Schuster Books For young Readers). Her writing and/or illustrations have appeared in over 20 books for young people, including titles by Michael Ian Black, Judy Blume, Linda Sue Park, and others. You can find out more about Debbie and her work at DebbieOhi.com .
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Lucy Ruth Cummins
Lucy Ruth Cummins is an author, illustrator, and art director. She is the executive art director of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers where she has worked for two decades on picture books, middle grade books, and young adult novels. She also manages a team of talented art directors and designers.
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Lucy made her critically acclaimed debut as an author and illustrator with A Hungry Lion, or a Dwindling Assortment of Animals. She is also the author-illustrator of Stumpkin, Vampenguin, and Our Pool.
She is the illustrator of several books written by other authors, including Truman, written by Jean Reidy; Sounds Like School Spirit, written by Meg Fleming; and The Rescuer of Tiny Creatures, by Curtis Manning. She is also the author of Sleepy -
Scott Rothman
SCOTT ROTHMAN is a writer of picture books, screenplays, theater, and humor pieces. Scott’s debut picture book ATTACK OF THE UNDERWEAR DRAGON (Random House) and its sequel RETURN OF THE UNDERWEAR DRAGON were both National Indie bestsellers and are being developed into a musical kids TV series by Mercury Filmworks with best-selling illustrator Pete Oswald and Tony-award winning composer Bill Sherman.
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His most recent book KITTYBUNKPORT was featured on the TODAY SHOW and was selected by Jenna Bush Hager for her Summer Reading List. Scott’s book WARM AND FUZZY (Tundra, illustrated by Brian Won) received a starred review from Booklist who called it a “fun and helpful read about overcoming anxieties.”
Scott’s other kid’s books include the Virginia -
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. -
Levi Pinfold
Levi Pinfold was born in the Forest of Dean. From a young age he loved books and comics and spent many of his days drawing and writing his own stories.
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At the age of seven, Levi went to watercolour classes where he was introduced to the medium that he still works in. His love of stories, painting and the work of illustrators such as Maurice Sendak, Alan Lee and Dave McKean led him to study Illustration at the University College Falmouth, where he developed narrative illustrations in his own style - a stunning, stylised realism - creating his imagery from imagination.
Alongside painting, Levi writes stories in his spare time. Since graduating from University in 2006, Levi has worked as a self employed illustrator. The Django, his debut picture -
Lauren Castillo
Lauren Castillo received her MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She is the author and illustrator of the Caldecott Honor winning book Nana in the City, and the new early chapter book series Our Friend Hedgehog. Lauren has also illustrated several critically acclaimed picture books, including Kirkus Prize finalist Imagine by Juan Felipe Herrera, Twenty Yawns by Jane Smiley, and Yard Sale by Eve Bunting. She currently draws and dreams in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
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Kjartan Poskitt
Kjartan Poskitt is an author and TV presenter who is best known for writing the Murderous Maths children's series of books. Poskitt was educated at Collingwood College, Durham. In addition to his popular science and maths books, which include books on Isaac Newton (Dead Famous: Isaac Newton and his Apple), puzzles, practical jokes and secred codes, Poskitt has written a book of magical tricks, a GCSE Maths support book and four Rosie and Jim annuals. In 2007, Poskit published the first in a new series of children's novels called Urgum the Axeman.
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He also wrote the theme tune for the children's art program SMart, as well as the title theme and music for the first two series of Brum. He is also the creator of a logic puzzle, Kjarposko.
He has b -
Jonathan Graziano
Jonathan Graziano is a Richester, NY, native who currently resides in New York City with his geriatric pug and muse, Noodle. Together they enjoy people watching, snacking, and spending time together on the couch. It is Jonathan's hope (he has learned not to speak for Noodle) that people find joy in this story and seek to rescue or adopt a dog the next time they want to bring one into their family.
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Andy Harkness
Andy Harkness attended the Columbus College of Art and Design in Ohio from 1991-1993 and was hired at Disney Feature Animation in 1994. He began his career as a clean-up animator on "Pocahontas", and after three years in clean-up, moved into the layout department. In 2004, he was hired as an Art Director at Sony Pictures Animation on "Open Season".
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In 2006 Harkness moved back to Disney and worked as an Art Director and Visual Development artist on many films. His first children's book, BUG ZOO was published in 2016. He currently works as a visual development artist at Sony Pictures Animation.
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Aimée M. Bissonette
Aimée Bissonette was born the sixth of seven children. She grew up with her suitcase never fully unpacked - her family moved many times and she attended 8 different schools before graduating from high school. Aimée earned her Bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University and her Law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School. She has worked as an occupational therapist, teacher, lawyer, and small business owner. In addition to her books for children, Aimée has published a book for K-12 teachers and administrators on the legal issues associated with technology in the schools. She lives with her husband, family, and dogs in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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Alice Hemming
Alice Hemming is the author of over fifty books for children, including the bestselling Dark Unicorns series (Scholastic), and picture book, The Leaf Thief with illustrator Nicola Slater (Scholastic 2020), which has sold across the world and been translated into nineteen languages. Alice lives in Hertfordshire, UK with her husband and two children, and works in a writing shed at the top of her garden.
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Young Vo
Young Vo learned to draw before he could write. He drew a lot of characters, then began to write stories for them. There were not many job choices that he could make, so he decided to be an anuimator, illustrator, and author. Now he writes and draws his stories before the sun rises, then during the day, he animates.
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Kirsten W. Larson
Author of WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: EMMA LILIAN TODD INVENTS AN AIRPLANE illustrated by Tracy Subisak (Calkins Creek, 2020), A TRUE WONDER: The Comic Book Hero Who Changed Everything (Clarion, 2021), and THE FIRE OF STARS: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of, illustrated by Katherine Roy (Chronicle, 2022), THE LIGHT OF RESISTANCE, illustrated by Barbara McClinktock (Roaring Brook, 2023), as well as more than two dozen nonfiction books for young people. Represented by Lara Perkins of Andrea Brown Literary.
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Michelle Markel
Michelle Markel has written several notable nonfiction picture books, including the The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau, (PEN Picture Book Writing Award) Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 (Jane Addams Flora Stieglitz Award; Orbis Pictus Honor) and Tyrannosaurus Math (Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choice). Her upcoming title is Balderdash: John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children’s Books. She teaches classes in writing for children at UCLA Extension’s Writers Program, and is a founding member of the Children's Authors Network. Visit her at her website:www.michellemarkel.com
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Monica Arnaldo
Monica Arnaldo grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, where she was sometimes allowed inside her older brother's forts. Drawn to illustration by her passion for children's books, she combines a variety of media to create images full of character. She and her husband live in Montreal, Quebec, with their daughter, Beatrice.
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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.
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Cindy Williams Schrauben
Cindy Williams Schrauben lives in Michigan where she writes books for kids that range from the truly serious to the seriously silly. Before embarking on this path, Cindy held positions as a teacher, administrator, and more. She loves sharing the message that ‘It’s never too late to dream!’ When not writing, working with other authors, or honing her craft, Cindy might be found dissecting her grandsons’ shenanigans for story ideas, reading on the floor in the bookstore, or eating ice cream…ideally all at once. Learn more at www.cindyschrauben.com or www.direct.me/cindywilliamsschrauben
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Carrie Finison
Carrie Finison began her literary career at the age of seven with an idea, a box of markers, and her father’s typewriter. She has been writing off and on ever since, though she has (somewhat regretfully) traded in the typewriter for a laptop. Her picture books include DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS, illustrated by Brianne Farley (Putnam, 2020) - a Junior Library Guild selection; DON'T HUG DOUG, illustrated by Daniel Wiseman (Putnam, 2021) - an ALA Notable Children's Book; LULU & ZOEY: A SISTER STORY, illustrated by Brittany Jackson (Running Press Kids, 2022); HURRY, LITTLE TORTOISE, TIME FOR SCHOOL, illustrated by Erin Kraan (Random House Studio, 2022). Her latest picture book is PIGS DIG A ROAD (Putnam, 2024) She lives outside Boston with her husband
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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 -
Annie North Bedford
Annie North Bedford is the pen name of Jane Werner Watson. She was a major contributor of the Golden Books based upon the Walt Disney films.
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She died in 2004. -
Rachel Más Davidson
Rachel Más Davidson is the author-illustrator of I Love You Mucho Mucho (Beaming Books) and The Helping Sweater (Little, Brown), and the illustrator of Pocket Full of Sads (Penguin Random House), The Littlest Food Critic (Nancy Paulsen Books), and I Like Your Face (Kids Can Press).
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Rachel is a Cuban-American who lives with her family in Texas. She works from home and has two canine “coworkers'' that are always keeping her company and making things slightly smelly. Some of Rachel’s favorite things to do include…eating cake with her family, going to art museums, receiving long hugs from her Abuela, sitting on her front porch, telling the stray cats to stop pooping in her flowerbeds, and writing and illustrating charming little books for kiddo -
Mrs. MacLeod
THE BARNES & NOBLE PICTURE BOOK OF THE YEAR
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Mrs. & Mr. MacLeod live in a small cabin, under a big tree, on a medium sized hill, with their five growing children. HOW TO EAT A BOOK is their debut picture book in The Grunions series featuring Sheila, Gerald and Geraldine Grunion.
PRAISE FOR HOW TO EAT A BOOK:
“If Lewis Carroll, Piet Mondrian and Shel Silverstein had ever decided to write a book together, these are the kids and the book they would have conceived.”
– The New York Times
“A time-warping joyride of graphic delight and conceptual dexterity.”
– The New York Times
HOW TO EAT A BOOK
★ – BARNES & NOBLE PICTURE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023
★ – KIDS' INDIE NEXT LIST 2022
★ – BEST BOOKS OF 2022 SLJ
★ – BANK STREET COLLEGE OF EDUCATION BEST CHILDREN'S BO -
Roz MacLean
Roz MacLean lives on beautiful Vancouver Island where she loves to make art, spend as much time as possible in the forest and near the ocean. While she now writes and illustrates full time, she worked for over a decade supporting students with disabilities and diverse needs in schools. Roz incorporates her passion for inclusion and promoting positive mental health in her books.
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Patrick Hulse
Patrick Hulse makes stuff for kids. Sometimes that stuff comes in a book, or wrapped in a tiny box, or stuck to the side of a giant glowing teddy bear. His debut picture book, At Our Table illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight, received starred reviews from Kirkus and School Library Journal. Patrick has authored and designed craft projects for Todd Oldham Studio, Kid Made Modern, Walmart’s Smarts & Crafts, Making with MoMA, and Crewcuts by J.Crew. He’s made pictures for Honest History Magazine and written poems for NYC’s Fifth Avenue.
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Praise for AT OUR TABLE:
“An essential purchase for all libraries...a poignant debut.”
-School Library Journal, starred review
“Marvelously exemplifies the diversity of American holiday traditions and offers a more nua -
Lori Alexander
Lori Alexander loves to read and write! She has written picture books like BACKHOE JOE (Harper, 2014) and FAMOUSLY PHOEBE (Sterling, 2017) as well as the FUTURE BABY board book series (Scholastic, 2019). She also writes non-fiction chapter books, such as ALL IN A DROP (2019) and A SPORTING CHANCE (2020), both from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
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Lori resides in sunny Tucson, Arizona, with her scientist husband and two book loving kids. She runs when it’s cool and swims when it’s hot. Then she gets back to reading and writing.
Visit Lori at www.lorialexanderbooks.com or on Twitter @LoriJAlexander -
Jackie Azúa Kramer
Jackie Azúa Kramer is an award-winning and internationally translated children’s book author. Her picture books include THE GREEN UMBRELLA, 2017 Bank Street College Best Children’s Books of the Year; IF YOU WANT TO FALL ASLEEP; THE BOY AND THE GORILLA, 2021 SCBWI Crystal Kite Award winner; I WISH YOU KNEW, Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books and Parents’ Magazine Book Club Pick; MILES WON’T SMILE; DOROTHY AND HERBERT: AN ORDINARY COUPLE AND THEIR EXTRAORDINARY COLLECTION OF ART, Junior Library Guild Gold Selection. Her upcoming picture books are MANOLO AND THE UNICORN, WE ARE ONE, EMPANADAS FOR EVERYONE and BOOGIE IN THE BRONX.
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Jackie strives to write books that meet children where they are and reflect what children see in the mir -
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 Flett
Julie Flett is a Cree-Metis author, illustrator, and artist. She has received many awards including the 2017 Governor General's Award for Children's Literature for her work on When We Were Alone by David Robertson (High Water Press), the 2016 American Indian Library Association Award for Best Picture Book for Little You by Richard Van Camp (Orca Books), and she is the three-time recipient of the Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Award for Owls See Clearly at Night; A Michif Alphabet, by Julie Flett, Dolphin SOS, by Roy Miki and Slavia Miki (Tradewind Books), and My Heart Fills with Happiness, by Monique Gray Smith (Orca Books).
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Her own Wild Berries (Simply Read Books) was featured in The New York Times and included among Kirk -
Donalyn Miller
Donalyn Miller has worked with a variety of upper elementary and middle school students and currently teaches fifth grade at O.A. Peterson Elementary in Forth Worth, Texas. In her popular book, The Book Whisperer, Donalyn reflects on her journey to become a reading teacher and describes how she inspires and motivates her middle school students to read 40 or more books a year. In her latest book, Reading in the Wild, Donalyn collects responses from 900 adult readers and uses this information to teach lifelong reading habits to her students. Donalyn currently facilitates the community blog, The Nerdy Book Club and co-writes a monthly column for Scholastic’s Principal-to-Principal Newsletter. Her articles about teaching and reading have appear
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Avery Monsen
Avery Monsen is a writer, actor, and artist who lives in Los Angeles. He illustrated and co-authored the national bestseller, All My Friends Are Dead, as well as I Feel Relatively Neutral About New York and K is For Knifeball. He’s also written for the television shows, Billy On The Street and Trip Tank. His writing and drawings have been published in McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, The Believer, and several newspapers around the country, and he was recently named one of the New Faces of Comedy at the 2017 Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal. As an actor, he’s appeared on 30 Rock, The Tonight Show, High Maintenance, Maron, Adam Ruins Everything, and Alexa & Katie.
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Bill Cotter
Bill Cotter was born in Dallas in 1964, and has labored as an antiquarian book dealer and restorer since 2000. He presently lives in Austin with his girlfriend, the poet Annie La Ganga, and Travis, an inextinguishable roach who divides his time between the shower and the silverware drawer.
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Sean Taylor
Sean Taylor started writing poetry as a teenager. In 1993, he came across a newspaper article which reported that a goat slaughtered in Iran had been found to have teeth made of gold. He tried writing a story for children. It was called 'The Goat with the Golden Teeth' and it won second prize in a competition run by the British newspaper 'The Independent' and Scholastic Children's Books. Since then, Sean has focussed on writing for children and has published over forty books for young readers of different ages. As well as writing, he has many years’ experience visiting schools, where he works with poetry and storytelling to encourage young people to write themselves. He lives partly in England (where he was born) and partly in Brazil( where
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X. Fang
Hello! I’m X. Fang. I am a visual artist and maker of books for young readers. I was born in Taiwan, raised in Atlanta, Georgia, bounced around Brooklyn and Philly before settling down in Midcoast Maine with my husband, son, and dog.
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Yesenia Moises
Yesenia Moises is an Afro-Latina illustrator and designer with a specialty in product design. Her work proudly portrays people of diverse backgrounds playing leading roles in fantasy adventures that are brimming with color. Yesenia is the author-illustrator of Stella’s Stellar Hair and the illustrator of Honeysmoke: A Story of Finding Your Color.
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Jean Marzollo
Jean Marzollo was an American children's author and illustrator best known for the I Spy series, a best-selling and award-winning collection written entirely in rhythm and rhyme and illustrated by Walter Wick. Over her career, she wrote more than 100 books for children, parents, and educators, including Help Me Learn Numbers 0-20, The Little Plant Doctor, and Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King. Born and raised in Connecticut, she graduated from the University of Connecticut and earned a master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She taught high school English and later worked in educational publishing, serving for 20 years as editor of Scholastic’s Let’s Find Out Magazine. Later in life, she began illustrating her own b
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Devin Elle Kurtz
Devin Elle Kurtz lives in San Diego, California, with her dog, Kira, and her thirty-three houseplants. She’s been painting in Photoshop since the age of two when her artist mom first offered her a tablet pen. She was the lead background painter on the TV show “Disenchantment” at Rough Draft Studios from 2019-2021. The Bakery Dragon is her first picture book as an author-illustrator.
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Akiko Miyakoshi
Akiko Miyakoshi (1982–) was born in Saitama Prefecture, and graduated from the Department of Visual Communication Design at Musashino Art University. Her picture book Taifū ga kuru (Typhoon Comes) won the Nissan Children’s Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix in 2009, and her Mori no oku no ochakai e (The Tea Party in the Woods) garnered the Japan Picture Book Awards Grand Prize in 2011. Her other works include Piano no happyōkai (Piano Recital) and Kore dare no? (Whose Is This?).
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Heidi Poelman
Heidi Poelman loves writing about inspiring people and ways to strengthen families. She is the author of several books for children, including the Little Heroes series, A is for Abinadi, A is for Adam, I Can Love Like Jesus, and Jesus Worked Miracles. She is also the author of The Two-Minute Secret to Staying in Love and A Mother's Greatest Gift. Heidi received her degrees in communication from Brigham Young University (BA) and Wake Forest University (MA). She lives in Utah with her best-friend husband and their four bright-eyed children. Learn more at www.heidipoelman.com.
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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
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Cat Min
Cat Min is an illustrator, animator, and writer. Cat grew up as a shy kid in Hong Kong, where she spent most of her childhood drawing and making comic books out of printer paper and staples with her best friend. She studied animation and film at New York University, Tisch School of the Arts, and completed the Illustration & Visual Storytelling Summer Residency Program at the School of Visual Arts in New York. She is also a member of SCBWI. Her (not so) guilty pleasures are: McDonald's french fries, sappy romance comics, mobile escape game apps, visual novels, and all things cheese.
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Molly Beth Griffin
From Molly Beth Griffin's Website: "I am a graduate of Hamline University's MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults, and a writing teacher at the Loft Literary Center in the Twin Cities. ... Though my writing reaches across all age groups and genres, it all demonstrates my passion for exploring young people's changing relationship to the natural world."
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Kiera Wright-Ruiz
Kiera Wright-Ruiz is a writer and recipe developer. She has written for publications like The New York Times, Food52, Serious Eats and The Kitchn. Her work explores the diversity of food and amplifies underrepresented communities. Her first book, I Want To Be Spaghetti!, explores how a little ramen packet finds self-love and belonging in a spaghetti-obsessed world. It will be available on July 2023 from Kokila. And her debut recipe book, The Half-Latinx Cookbook, publishes in 2025 from Harvest. When not writing, she is probably eating onigiri with her husband and dog somewhere in Tokyo, where she is based.
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Find more about her work @kierawrr and kierawrightruiz.com. -
Renee Kurilla
Renee Kurilla is a children's illustrator, author, and designer. She loves drawing nature, animals, and working on projects that require a little bit of research.
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She has illustrated many books for kids including ORANGUTANKA (by Margarita Engle), CHICKS RULE! (by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen), RIGHT THIS VERY MINUTE (by Lisl H. Detlefsen), and the ADA LACE series (by Emily Calandrelli).
ONE SPRINGY, SINGY DAY, Renee's debut picture book as both author and illustrator, publishes in March 2021. THE FLOWER GARDEN, Renee's first young graphic novel, publishes in Spring 2022.
Renee has a BFA in Illustration and a Diploma in Graphic Design from Lesley University College of Art and Design. Before transitioning to a full time career in children’s books, s -
Beatrice Alemagna
Beatrice Alemagna was born in Bologna, Italy in 1973. She graduated from the Istituto Superiore for industrial arts in Urbino, Italy. She has won numerous international awards for her illustration. She now lives in Paris, France, where she works as an author and illustrator as well as a designer of childrens books, posters and collages.
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Will Smith
Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
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Will Smith is an actor, producer and musician, two-time Academy Award nominee, Grammy Award and NAACP award winner who has enjoyed a diverse career encompassing films, television and multi-platinum records.
Starting as a rapper in 1985, Smith is best known for his acting roles in “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”, I AM LEGEND, the BAD BOYS and MEN IN BLACK film series, HITCH and most recently, ALADDIN. His vast filmography also includes transformative portrayals of true-life icons in ALI and THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS, both which garnered him Academy Award nominations, as well as his role in CONCUSSION. Smith recently produced and starred in 2020’s biggest box o -
Raj Haldar
Better known by his stage name Lushlife, Raj Haldar is an American rapper, composer, and producer from Philadelphia, PA.
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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 -
Margret Rey
Margret Elizabeth Rey (May 16, 1906 – December 21, 1996), born Margarete Elisabeth Waldstein, was (with her husband H. A. Rey), the co-author and illustrator of children's books, best known for their Curious George
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Although she was born in Germany, she fled to Brazil early in her life to escape Nazism. While there, she met her future husband Hans (who was a salesman and also from Germany). They married in 1935 and moved to Paris, France that same year.
While in Paris, Hans's animal drawings came to the attention of French publisher, who commissioned him to write a children's book. The result, Rafi and the Nine Monkeys, is little remembered today, but one of its characters, an adorably impish monkey named Curious George, was such a success tha -
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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Sam Lloyd
Sam Lloyd studied at Brighton University where she gained a BA Hons in Illustration. Now Sam is the author and illustrator of many successful picture books for children. Her picture books include Happy Day, Sad Dog which won the Sainsbury’s Baby Book Award in 2003, Mr Pusskins which won the Booktrust Pre-School Award in 2006 and the V & A Illustration Award. Most recently Calm Down Boris published by Templar in 2006 has been chosen by Richard and Judy for their Christmas Picks.
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As well as writing and illustrating books, Sam also enjoys yoga, swimming, camping and doing outdoorsy things. She has been all over the world, including travels to India and Australia. Sam also does a lot of voluntary work with children, painting murals. -
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Taraji P. Henson
Taraji Henson is an American film and television actress. She is best known as Cookie Lyon on the Fox drama series Empire for which she won a Critics' Choice Award, a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Emmy Award. In 2008 she received an Academy Award nomination for her role in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Henson is also a singer and provided the vocals for the Three 6 Mafia track "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp". The song won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2006.
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Henson is a graduate of Howard University where she studied drama, a supporter of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), and is the single mother of a grown son. -
Randy Cecil
Randy Cecil has illustrated many books for children, including LOOKING FOR A MOOSE by Phyllis Root, And HERE'S TO YOU! by David Elliott, He is also the author-illustrator of GATOR and DUCK. Randy Cecil lives in Houston.
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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. -
Sarah Glenn Marsh
Sarah Glenn Marsh has been an avid fantasy reader since the day her dad handed her a copy of The Hobbit and promised it would change her life. She believes we all deserve happy endings and is an author of books for everyone, including many young adult, middle grade, and picture book titles.
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She lives in Richmond, Virginia with her family, including one sweet daughter, one slightly dull sword, and the chaos of many pets, like a turtle named Muffin who she definitely did not bring back from any haunted swamp. Our Rogue Fates is her first adult novel. -
Antwan Eady
Originally from Garnett, South Carolina, Antwan Eady is author of the award-winning picture book Nigel and the Moon, illustrated by Gracey Zhang.
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Down the dirt roads of South Carolina’s Low Country is where Eady’s understanding of—and appreciation for—family, community, and nature unfolded. Now he shares those stories with the world. His upcoming titles include: The Last Stand, Poemhood: Our Black Revival (a Young Adult poetry anthology), The Gathering Table, Micah’s Rise, and Before the Bridge.
When he isn’t writing, he’s visiting schools, libraries, and colleges throughout the country.
A graduate of Clemson University, Antwan now lives in Savannah, Georgia. -
Winsome Bingham
Winsome Bingham is an author and literacy advocate for reading and authentic representation of children and communities in children’s literature. She is a connoisseur of soul food and a master cook (at KidLit dinner parties, reunions, and get-togethers).
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Winsome is a teacher by trade and a US Army war and disabled veteran by circumstance. She received both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education, and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults.
You can find her cooking up soul food on Sundays or taking THE WALK to the polls with friends and family. Winsome can also be found writing on a deck while waiting patiently with a camera to capture a submarine shooting out of the water. She lives on a fictional army post called FORT GOODE whe -
Rashmi Sirdeshpande
Rashmi Sirdeshpande is an award-winning British Indian author of both fiction and nonfiction.
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Rashmi gave up her beloved job as a lawyer to spend more time stretching and squeezing words into stories. In 2018, she was selected for the Penguin Random House WriteNow mentoring program and started her writing career by signing with Puffin Books.
Rashmi loves learning about new things, writing, and uses her platform to be the author that she was missing in her childhood. -
Constance Lombardo
I an the author/illustrator of the middle grade series starring Mr. Puffball. My first picture book, Everybody Says Meow, has cats AND a dog, a duck, and more (and I drew them!) My other two picture books are Tiny Spoon vs Little Fork (illustrated by Dan and Jason,) and Itty Bitty Betty Blob (illustrated by Micah Player.)
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I like bookstores, museums non-scary movies, swimming holes, and taking walks with my old beagle, Louie. -
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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