Sally J. Pla
Sally J. Pla is the author of ALA Schneider Award-winning THE FIRE, THE WATER, AND MAUDIE McGINN, the Dolly Gray Award-winning THE SOMEDAY BIRDS, and other acclaimed novels and picture books. Her work has gained many awards and starred reviews, and has been included on many state awards lists and “best book” roundups.
Sally has appeared on television and radio as an author and neurodiversity advocate. She also runs A Novel Mind, an online resource for neurodiversity/mental-health/disability representation in children's lit.
Sally believes in the beauty of different brains. We are all stars shining with different lights.
For more, visit her website at sallyjpla.com .
If you like author Sally J. Pla here is the list of authors you may also like
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Angie Thomas
Angie Thomas was born, raised, and still resides in Jackson, Mississippi as indicated by her accent. She is a former teen rapper whose greatest accomplishment was an article about her in Right-On Magazine with a picture included. She holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Belhaven University and an unofficial degree in Hip Hop. She can also still rap if needed. She is an inaugural winner of the Walter Dean Meyers Grant 2015, awarded by We Need Diverse Books. Her debut novel, The Hate U Give, was acquired by Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins in a 13-house auction and will be published in spring 2017. Film rights have been optioned by Fox 2000 with George Tillman attached to direct and Hunger Games actress Amandla Stenberg set to star.
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Anica Mrose Rissi
Writer, storyteller, editrix. Author of picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and YA. Fan of dogs and ice cream. Offers energetic, interactive presentations and writing workshops for students of all ages at libraries, festivals, and schools.
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Anica Mrose Rissi grew up on an island off the coast of Maine, where she read a lot of books and loved a lot of pets. She now tells and collects stories, makes up songs on her violin, and eats cheese with her friends in central New Jersey, where she lives with her dog, Sweet Potato. As a former book editor turned writer and storyteller, Anica has spoken with kids and adults across the country about all pieces of the writing process. Her essays have been published by The Writer magazine and the New -
Tamara Ireland Stone
TAMARA IRELAND STONE spent nearly two decades in the technology industry before she began writing middle grade and young adult fiction. She feels lucky to say she's had two careers she's loved.
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Her New York Times bestseller, EVERY LAST WORD, won the Cybils Young Adult Fiction Award, the Georgia Peach Book Award, and was a YALSA Teens' Top Ten pick; LITTLE DO WE KNOW won the NCIBA Golden Poppy Award for Young Adult Fiction; and her debut novel, TIME BETWEEN US, has been published in over twenty languages. The first book in her middle-grade series, CLICK'D, was a Sunshine State Young Readers Award pick, a Kids' Indie Next pick, a Cybils Award Nominee, and an NCIBA Golden Poppy nominee.
Tamara is a proud nerd, vinyl collector, and movie lover. -
Lindsay Currie
Lindsay Currie is a #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of mysteries for young readers, including the Delta Games series and It's Watching, She grew up on Nancy Drew and loves a good twisty tale. When she's not writing, Lindsay can generally be found looking for an adventure of her own. She loves researching forgotten history and recently relocated from Chicago to a 220 acre farm in downstate Illinois where she finally gets to see stars every night, and take hikes every day.
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Coming soon: THE HOUSE WITH NO KEYS (October 2025) and X Marks the Haunt (February 2026)! For more details on Lindsay's upcoming books, please visit the My Books tab at the top of the page.
To find out more about Lindsay, please visit her website at www. -
Shannon Doleski
Shannon Doleski was born and raised in Cazenovia, New York. After graduating from Niagara University with a degree in English Education, Shannon was a high school and middle school teacher and swim coach in New York and Maryland. She lives in West Texas with her three children, a speckle-eared beagle, and an ornery dachshund.
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Sachiko Kashiwaba
Sachiko Kashiwaba (1953–) is a native of Iwate Prefecture, where she was born in the coastal city of Miyako. She studied at Tohoku Pharmaceutical University in Sendai, and while still in college made her debut as a children's writer by winning the 1974 Kodansha Award for New Writers of Children's Literature with The Marvelous Village Veiled in Mist (tr. 1987), which inspired the Studio Ghibli animated film Spirited Away. She quickly established herself as a leading children's author, with work ranging from novel-length fantasies to nursery tales. Her stories portray other worlds—fantasy worlds—that are direct extensions of the real world. By venturing into those other realities, her characters discover things about themselves that allow the
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Jenni L. Walsh
Jenni L. Walsh is the USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen books for adults and children, spending her days knee deep in words in Philadelphia’s suburbia. Beyond words, Jenni is a mama (of a soulful eleven-year-old, a soccer-loving nine-year-old, and six needy furbabies), a wife, a Philly and 'Nova sports fan.
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But where did it all begin? Jenni spent her early years dabbling in various forms of writing and with her nose in a book. Her writing chops first began to develop through one-page stories. Never fail, the storyline followed the same progression: girl meets boy, girl marries boy, girl and boy have baby. That's it.
Now Jenni has moved on to stories with a bit more depth and, for the mamas, Side by Side is a historical women's fic -
Jasmine Warga
Jasmine Warga is a writer from Cincinnati, Ohio who currently resides in Chicago, Illinois. She is the internationally bestselling author of My Heart and Other Black Holes and Here We Are Now. Her books have been published in over twenty-five countries and optioned for film. Her debut middle grade novel, Other Words For Home, will be published in Spring 2019. Jasmine lives in an apartment filled with books with her husband, two tiny daughters, large dog, and mischievous cat.
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**I am only on Goodreads when one of my publishers sets up a Q&A for me, so the best way to contact me is through my website: www.jasminewarga.com or on twitter: @jasminewarga. Thank you so much for reading my books!** -
Caroline Brooks DuBois
Caroline Brooks DuBois received a Master of Fine Arts in poetry at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. DuBois writes both poetry and prose and a mixture of the two. She was recognized as a Blue Ribbon Teacher for her dedication to her students and excellence in teaching adolescents. Currently, DuBois is the Director of the Literary Arts Conservatory at Nashville School of the Arts High School in Nashville, Tennessee. She lives with her singer-song writer husband, with whom she’s co-written songs, and their two children and dog.
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Rajani LaRocca
Rajani LaRocca was born in India, raised in Kentucky, and now lives in the Boston area, where she practices medicine and writes award-winning books for young people, including Red, White, and Whole, which won a 2022 Newbery Honor, the Walter Dean Myers Award, Golden Kite Award, and New England Book Award. Her other books include: Midsummer’s Mayhem (2019), Seven Golden Rings (2020), Bracelets for Bina’s Brothers (2021), Much Ado About Baseball (2021), Where Three Oceans Meet (2021), My Little Golden Book About Kamala Harris (2021), The Secret Code Inside You (2021), I'll Go and Come Back (2022), and more. She’s always been an omnivorous reader, and now she is an omnivorous writer of fiction and nonfiction, novels and picture books, prose an
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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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Lindsey Stoddard
Lindsey Stoddard was born and raised in Vermont where she helped boil sap in her grandpa's sugarhouse, skied the snowy mountains, and began her love for reading and writing. She taught middle school English for 10 years in Washington Heights, NYC to the most inspiring, creative kids. Their excitement about reading motivated her to pursue her other childhood dream, writing books. She now lives back in Vermont with her husband and two children. She received her MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and is the author of Just Like Jackie, Right as Rain, Brave Like That, Bea Is for Blended, and The Real Deal (10/25/22).
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Celia Krampien
Celia Krampien grew up in a house in the woods on the Bruce Peninsula in Ontario, Canada, and spent her childhood reading, observing the local wildlife, and climbing trees. She currently lives in Oakville , Ontario, with her partner, and enjoys working alongside her silly cat and going for long walks with her nosy beagle. Celia's illustrations have appeared in children's books, newspapers, and magazines.
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Fleur T. Bradley
Fleur (F.T.) Bradley is the author of Double Vision and the (spooky) middle-grade mystery Midnight at the Barclay Hotel (Viking Children’s, Aug. 2020), set in the fictional Barclay Hotel, inspired by the Stanley. Her story “The Perfect Alibi” appeared in Mystery Writers of America’s middle-grade anthology Super Puzzletastic Mysteries, edited by Chris Grabenstein (June 2020, HarperCollins). She regularly does school and Skype visits, as well as librarian and educator conference talks on reaching reluctant readers. Originally from the Netherlands, she now lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and two daughters, and entirely too many cats.
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For more information on Fleur and her books, visit www.ftbradley.com or follow her on Twitter @FTBra -
Christina Collins
Christina Collins grew up in Massachusetts and lives in Northern Ireland, where she’s always on the lookout for castle ruins and secret gardens. She earned her PhD in creative writing from Queen's University Belfast and her MFA in creative writing from George Mason University.
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Joanne Rossmassler Fritz
Joanne Rossmassler Fritz has worked in a publishing company, a school library, and an Indie bookstore. Joanne started writing in school, but didn't get serious about it until she survived her first brain aneurysm rupture in 2005. She joined SCBWI and kept writing. Her second brain aneurysm rupture in 2017 was worse than the first, but she persevered. Her debut MG novel in verse, EVERYWHERE BLUE, released in 2021. Her second, RUPTURED, is out now.
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Emily Bowen Cohen
Emily Bowen Cohen lives in Los Angeles, CA. She won a WORD artist grant in 2016 to create the mini-comic, An American Indian Guide to the Day of Atonement. She was an Inquiry fellow at American Jewish University and also participated in the Reciprocity retreat through Asylum Arts. She graduated from Harvard University in 1997 with a degree in Visual and Environmental Studies.
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Suzanne LaFleur
I grew up outside Boston in Newton, and later Natick, MA. During the school year I went to Catholic school, did a lot of homework, and read a couple books a week. During the summer I read a couple books a day and spent hours swimming and playing outside at our local pool or beach. I was very much a planner, dreamer, and writer, creating plays and shows for my siblings and the neighborhood kids to be in and filling up entire notebooks with novels. I always read late into the night and slept with a book under my pillow.
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I went to college in Lexington, VA at Washington and Lee, where I studied English and European History; I went to grad school in New York City at The New School, where I studied Writing for Children.
Now I divide my time between -
Karla Arenas Valenti
Karla Arenas Valenti is the Pura Belpré award winning author of best selling middle grade novels, chapter books, and picture books.
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Her books are on various state reading lists and have received multiple starred reviews, as well as being being featured on NPR’s Sunday Edition, the Drew Barrymore Show, and several Best of the Year lists, including Kirkus Best Book of the Year, Banks Street Best Children’s Book, School Library Journal’s Best Books, Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year, Evanston Public Library Best Book of the Year, PEOPLE’s pick for best children’s book, and Best Books for kids by Entertainment Weekly.
Karla grew up in Mexico City, in a house built around a tree. Her childhood was filled with fantastical elements, whic -
Jessica Kara
Jessica Kara is the contemporary pen name of fantasy author Jess E. Owen. Jessica writes quiet, optimistic contemporary stories of teens overcoming their misbeliefs and personal challenges. She is the author of A Furry Faux Paw and Don't Ask If I'm Okay (2023), as well as The Summer King Chronicles and the forthcoming Dragon Star Saga.
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Jess currently resides in northwest Montana. -
Christine Day
Christine Day (Upper Skagit) grew up in Seattle, nestled between the sea, the mountains, and the pages of her favorite books. Her debut novel, I CAN MAKE THIS PROMISE (Harper), was a best book of the year from Kirkus, School Library Journal, NPR, and the Chicago Public Library, as well as a Charlotte Huck Award Honor Book, and an American Indian Youth Literature Award Honor Book. Her second novel, THE SEA IN WINTER (Harper/Heartdrum), is coming to shelves on January 5, 2021. She also wrote the forthcoming SHE PERSISTED: MARIA TALLCHIEF (Philomel), an early reader biography in a new series inspired by Chelsea Clinton's bestselling picture book. Christine lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband.
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Her work is represented by Suzie Townsen -
Daniel James Brown
Daniel James Brown lives in the country east of Redmond, Washington, where he writes nonfiction books about compelling historical events.
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Brown's newest book--Facing the Mountain--follows the lives of four young Japanese American men as they and their families bravely confront harsh new realities brought about by the onset of World War II. Facing the Mountain comes on the heels of Brown's New York Times bestseller--The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. That book chronicles the extraordinary saga of nine working class boys who stormed the rowing world, transformed the sport, and galvanized the attention of millions of Americans in the midst of the Great Depression. MGM has acquired the righ -
Joshua S. Levy
Joshua S. Levy is the author of FINN AND EZRA'S BAR MITZVAH TIME LOOP, THE JAKE SHOW, and SEVENTH GRADE VS. THE GALAXY (and its sequels). He is also co-editor of ON ALL OTHER NIGHTS. Josh lives with his wife and children in New Jersey. Visit him at www.joshuasimonlevy.com.
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Dianne K. Salerni
DIANNE K. SALERNI, a former fifth grade teacher, is the author of YA and MG novels.
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Her upcoming dark MG fantasy, THE CARREFOUR CURSE, explores gothic themes in a story Publisher's Weekly calls "genre-bending" in a starred review.
The EIGHTH DAY fantasy series follows the adventures of Jax Aubrey, who discovers a secret day between Wednesday and Thursday. ELEANOR, ALICE, & THE ROOSEVELT GHOSTS portrays an alternate historical reality where ghosts are known to be real and threaten the future of a famous family. JADIE IN FIVE DIMENSIONS is an adventure in geometry, physics, and conspiracy theories. -
Larry Dane Brimner
Larry Dane Brimner is the recipient of the 2018 Robert F. Sibert Award for the most distinguished informational book for children for his title Twelve Days in May: Freedom Ride 1961. He is known for his well-researched, innovative, and award-winning nonfiction for young readers, and is the author of multiple acclaimed civil rights titles, including Strike!: The Farm Workers' Fight for Their Rights; and Black & White: The Confrontation between Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene "Bull" Connor.
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Bill Harley
A two-time Grammy award-winning artist and recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the RI Council for the Humanities, Bill uses song and story to paint a vibrant and hilarious picture of growing up, schooling and family life. His work spans the generation gap, reminds us of our common humanity and challenges us to be our very best selves. A prolific author and recording artist, Bill tours nationwide as an author, performing artist and keynote speaker.
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Kashmira Sheth
Kashmira Sheth grew up in Bhavangar, Gujarat, for eight years, when she was three she joined Montessori school. She lived with her grandparents, because her parents lived in Mumbai three hundred miles away from Bhavangar.
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At eight years Sheth, left Bhavangar, for Mumbai.
She did her studying there until she was seventeen. She left Mumbai, to go to college, in Ames Iowa to do her BS at Iowa State University. Many people ask her why she chose Iowa. "I chose Iowa State, because my uncle worked there as a professor." is the answer.
She is the author of 7 books, two of them are picture books, called "My Dadima Wears a Sari." and "Monsoon Rains"
She has three books meant for teens.
The fist one is called "Blue Jasmine"; which is about a girl named Se -
Mike Thayer
Mike Thayer is a proud father of three, lucky husband of one, passionate author, budding podcaster, lifelong gamer, viral blogger, degreed engineer, decent impressionist, inept hunter, erstwhile jock, and nerd.
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He has cast a ring on the slopes of Mt. Doom, eaten a feast at the Green Dragon Inn, cemented Excalibur in a sandstone block, tasted butter beer at Diagon Alley, built a secret door to his storage room, and written a few fantasy books. What else is left, really? -
Rebecca Ansari
Rebecca Ansari lives in a very loud house in Minneapolis with her husband, their four boys, and two huge dogs. After twelve years as an ER doctor, she shelved her scrubs to write magical and mysterious worlds for middle grade readers. She is drawn to any story that evokes, “Please, mom! Just one more chapter!” and she strives to craft the same. When she isn’t writing, you can find her joyously biking and skiing, begrudgingly running, or escaping “up north” with family, friends and a stack of good books.
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Chanel Miller
Chanel Miller is a writer and artist who received her BA in Literature from the College of Creative Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She lives in San Francisco, California.
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(source: Amazon) -
Brian Gehrlein
Brian Gehrlein lives in Liberty, Missouri with his family where he also teaches high school English. His first book, THE BOOK OF RULES (FSG), is about following the rules (lest you be eaten!) and comes out fall 2021. He is an active member of SCBWI, participates in various kid lit critique groups, and is the creator and manager of Picture Book Spotlight, a picture book literary blog featuring interviews with authors, agents, and other industry professionals.
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Brian attended William Jewell College where he graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Education. He recently finished his Master's of Science in Education with an emphasis in Reading from Arkansas State University.
When Brian isn’t writing or drinking coffee or playing with -
Gary D. Schmidt
Gary D. Schmidt is an American children's writer of nonfiction books and young adult novels, including two Newbery Honor books. He lives on a farm in Alto, Michigan,with his wife and six children, where he splits wood, plants gardens, writes, feeds the wild cats that drop by and wishes that sometimes the sea breeze came that far inland. He is a Professor of English at Calvin College.
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Wesley King
The author of fourteen novels and counting, Wesley King has received over twenty literary awards and seen his books published worldwide, optioned for film and television, and translated into numerous languages. King is best known for his collaboration with Kobe Bryant on the #1 New York Times Bestselling Wizenard Series, as well as the Edgar Award-winning OCDaniel, which was also a Bank Street Best Book of the Year and Silver Birch winner. The follow-up, Sara and the Search for Normal, won both the Violet Downey and Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Awards. He also co-authored the YA romantic fiction novel Hello (from here) with New York Times bestselling author Chandler Baker. His next novel, Benny on the Case, will be released in April 2025. It is
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Jenn Bishop
Jenn Bishop is also the author of four other novels for young readers, including the Parents’ Choice Gold Award winner Things You Can’t Say. Her books have been named Junior Library Guild selections and Bank Street College of Education best books and have been finalists for state book awards. She currently calls Cincinnati, Ohio, home. What team do you think she roots for? Visit her online at jennbishop.com.
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Tracey Baptiste
From Thompson-Gale: "Something About the Author"
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I have always loved books. My favorite, was an oversized complete Grimm's Fairy Tales with beautiful illustrations, which I lost when my family moved to the United States. I was fascinated by the stories of the tailor who went up against a giant, and clever Hans, who wasn't so clever as well as the more traditional princess stories. When I was about thirteen, after spending a summer in the library reading Paul Zindel and Judy Blume among other authors, I announced to my best friend that I was going to be a writer. I didn't decide what I wanted to write until I read "The Friends" by Rosa Guy. I had recently moved to Brooklyn, NY, and the book spoke to my situation precisely. It remains one of m -
Reif Larsen
Reif Larsen’s first novel, The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet, was a New York Times bestseller and is currently translated into twenty-seven languages. The novel was shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award and the James Tait Black memorial Prize and was adapted into a movie by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amélie). Larsen's essays and fiction have appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Tin House, One Story, The Millions, Virginia Quarterly Review, Travel + Leisure, Asymptote Journal and The Believer. Larsen is currently serving as the International Writer-in-Residence at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. His second novel, I Am Radar, was published in 2015 by Penguin Press in the US and Harvill Secker in the UK.
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Polly Holyoke
Polly Holyoke is the author of adventurous fiction for kids. SKYRIDERS, her new series about brave young couriers on their talking flying horses, along with its sequel THE SKY KING, are available now from Viking Children's Books. SKYRIDERS was named one of Bank Street's Best Children's Books of 2024. Her books published by Disney/Hyperion include THE NEPTUNE CHALLENGE (2015) and THE NEPTUNE PROJECT (2013). They have been named to state reading lists in TX, MD, FL, HI and OH. THE NEPTUNE PROJECT won Florida's Sunshine State Young Reader's Award. The last book in the Neptune Trilogy, THE NEPTUNE PROMISE, is available on Amazon and BN.
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A former teacher, Polly loves doing school visits and conducting writing workshops.
She currently lives in Ste -
Lindsay Lackey
Lindsay Lackey has trained as an opera singer, worked in children’s and teen services at the public library, and for a major publishing house in publicity and marketing. Born and raised in Colorado, she now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and their spoiled dog. All the Impossible Things is her debut novel.
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Charles Waters
I was born in Philadelphia and raised in the suburbs of Philly in a town called Yeadon.
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Fun fact: Will Smith grew up 15 minutes from me in one direction and Tina Fey grew up 15 minutes from me in another.
After graduating from Fairleigh Dickinson University, I joined several theater touring companies, including, Poetry Alive! where I first experienced the power of poetry.
For eight years afterward when I wasn't developing my poetic skills, I was acting at Walt Disney World performing in various shows, including, the role of Judge at The American Idol Experience at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
I'm the co-author (with Irene Latham) of various books including: CAN I TOUCH YOUR HAIR? Poems of Race, Mistakes and Friendship, DICTIONARY FOR A BETTER W -
Kathryn Erskine
Kathryn Erskine spent many years as a lawyer before realizing that she'd rather write things that people might actually enjoy reading.
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She grew up mostly overseas and attended eight different schools, her favorite being the Hogwarts-type castle in Scotland.
The faculty, of course, did not consist of wizards, although... how did the headmistress know that it was the wee redhead who led the campaign to free the mice from the biology lab?
Erskine draws on her childhood and her second childhood through her children for her stories. She still loves to travel but nowadays most trips tend to be local, such as basketball and tennis courts, occasional emergency room visits, and the natural food store for very healthy organic chocolate with life savi -
David Barclay Moore
Photo: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders
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Follow DAVID BARCLAY MOORE online at DavidBarclayMoore.com, on Twitter at @dbarclaymoore and on Instagram at dbarclaymoore.
David is a Coretta Scott King / John Steptoe Award-winning author whose novel, The Stars Beneath Our Feet, is being made into a film by actor/director Michael B. Jordan.
Wanna know more?
Writer, filmmaker, photographer, super geek, cherry cobbler gobbler. Knows the Death Star plans backward and forward. Adores Mark Twain, Haruki Murakami and old Prince songs. Loves the ocean. Sincerely wants to fly. David is constantly trying to see the world differently.
He was born and raised in Missouri where he read too many novels and comic books as a child. After studying creative writing at Iowa St -
Rey Terciero
Rey Terciero is a penname of Rex Ogle.
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REX OGLE is an award-winning author and the writer of nearly a hundred children’s books, comics, graphic novels, and memoirs—most notably Free Lunch, which won the ALA/YALSA award for Excellence in Non-Fiction.
Born and raised (mostly) in Texas, he moved to New York City after college to intern at Marvel Comics before moving over to DC Comics, Scholastic, and Little Brown Young Readers. As an editor, he championed over a dozen NY Times Bestsellers and worked on (and often wrote) major brands such as X-Men, Justice League, Star Wars, LEGO, Power Rangers, Transformers, Minecraft, Assassin’s Creed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Neil Patrick Harris’s Magic Misfits.
Rex has written under a lot of pen names, -
Bettye Stroud
Bettye Stroud, a former school library media specialist and author of several children’s books, is on a “mission” to introduce kids to the joys and benefits of reading at an early age. Reading out loud to children is the single most important thing an adult can do to prepare a child for future academic success and life. “Reading is a skill that they will use for the rest of their lives, and embracing it at an early age develops their love of books in addition to expanding their knowledge and vocabulary”, says Ms. Stroud.
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Ms. Stroud’s entire career was spent working with elementary school children. Because she’s read thousands of books over the years, she knew what kind of stories she wanted to tell. After retiring, she joined a writer's grou -
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Chrystal D. Giles
Chrystal D. Giles is a champion for diversity and representation in children’s literature. She made her debut with Take Back the Block, which received multiple starred reviews, was a Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and NPR Best Book, and won the IRA Social Justice Literature Award. Her latest middle-grade novel, Not An Easy Win, received four starred reviews and has been named an ALSC Notable Children's Book. Chrystal lives outside Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband and son.
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Chrystal is represented by Elizabeth Bewley at Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc. -
Jordan Sonnenblick
I am the author of seven books for children and young adults, including Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie. So if youʼre looking for info about some other guy named Jordan Sonnenblick, youʼve got the wrong website.
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Anyway, I know a lot of people are looking for stuff they can use in reports for school, so Iʼll just get this out of the way right up front:
My favorite color is blue.
I have a wife and two kids.
The best pet I ever had was a garter snake I caught when I was eight by a lake in Pennsylvania. I named the snake Hector. Then it gave birth to 20 baby snakes, so I changed its name to Hectoria.
My all-time favorite band is the Beatles, although I like a ton of different music.
My hobbies are playing the drums, guitar, and bass; riding my bicycle a -
Tommy Greenwald
Tommy Greenwald's book GAME CHANGER has been named an Amazon Best Book Of The Month, a 2019 YALSA Top Ten Pick for Reluctant Readers, and a Junior Library Guild Premier Selection. Tommy is also the author of the CRIMEBITERS, CHARLIE JOE JACKSON and PROJECT Z series, among many other books for children.
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Day-job-wise, Tommy is the Co-Founder of Spotco Advertising, an entertainment advertising agency in New York City, and the lyricist and co-bookwriter of JOHN & JEN, an off-Broadway musical.
To read woefully outdated information about Tommy, visit tommygreenwald.com. (To send an email telling him how much you liked whatever book it was that you just read, holla at tommy@tommygreenwald.com.) -
Jack Cheng
Jack Cheng is a Shanghai-born, Detroit-based author of critically acclaimed fiction for young readers. His debut middle grade novel, See You in the Cosmos, won the Golden Kite and Great Lakes, Great Reads awards. Jack has visited schools across the globe speaking with students about finding their paths as writers and artists. He is a 2019 Kresge Artist Fellow.
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Cindy Baldwin
Cindy Baldwin the author of the critically acclaimed novels WHERE THE WATERMELONS GROW, BEGINNERS WELCOME, THE STARS OF WHISTLING RIDGE, and NO MATTER THE DISTANCE (2/2023). She lives just outside Portland, Oregon, with her husband and daughter.
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(PS, Goodreads friends! I am no longer accepting friend requests on Goodreads.) -
Gail Donovan
Gail Donovan was fired from her first job in an ice cream shop for making the sundaes too big. She now works in a library and writes middle grade novels, including IN MEMORY OF GORFMAN T. FROG, named to the New York Public Library’s 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing list; FINCHOSAURUS, winner of the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award; as well as the trilogy SPARROW BEING SPARROW (Publishers Weekly, starred review), SPARROW SPREADS HER WINGS (Maine Literary Award winner for Young People's Literature), and SPARROW, ALWAYS. She has also written for the Rainbow Fish & Friends picture book series based on the bestselling work of Marcus Pfister. Donovan lives on the coast of Maine, where she jumps in the ocean all year round.
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Trudy Ludwig
Trudy Ludwig is a nationally acclaimed speaker and an award-winning author who specializes in writing children's books that help kids connect and engage with their peers in kind, caring ways. She has received rave reviews from educators, experts, organizations, and parents for her passion and compassion in addressing friendship, bullying, and cyberbullying issues at schools and conferences around the country.
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An active member of the International Bullying Prevention Association, Trudy collaborates with leading US experts and organizations and has been profiled on national/regional media outlets. She has also served as content advisor for Sesame Workshop's "Good Birds Club" TV episode and as an expert panel member on Sesame Workshop's video s -
Cliff Burke
Cliff Burke has taught reading and writing in China, Hong Kong, the US, and the UK. His first novel, An Occasionally Happy Family, was a 2022 Spirit of Texas Book and was selected for several state reading lists. His most recent novel, My Not-So-Great French Escape, was released in March 2023.
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Visit him online at cliffburke.com -
Mina Javaherbin
Mina Javaherbin was born in Iran and immigrated to the United States, where she is now a practicing architect. She lives in Southern California.
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Deke Moulton
DEKE MOULTON is a writer currently living in the US Pacific Northwest. They are a former US Army drill sergeant and trained as an Arabic linguist during their time in service. Don't Want to Be Your Monster, their debut book, is a 2024 Sydney Taylor Book Award Honor Book and a Kirkus Reviews' Best Middle Grade Books of 2023.
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They are represented by Rena Rossner. -
Shanthi Sekaran
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Shanthi Sekaran was born and raised in California, and now lives in Berkeley. Her recent novel, Lucky Boy, was named an IndieNext Great Read, an Amazon Editors' Pick, and a Best Book of 2017. It was also the Penguin Random House "One World, One Book" selection for 2017. Her work has also appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Review of Books, Huffington Post, Mutha Magazine, and The Rumpus. Her first middle grade novel, The Samosa Rebellion(Harper Collins), comes out in Fall 2021. When she's not writing books, she writes for the NBC drama, "New Amsterdam." -
Alex Thayer
Alex Thayer is a former film and television actress and elementary school teacher. She lives in New England with her two sons. She is the author of Happy & Sad & Everything True and Bad Cheerleader.
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Don P. Hooper
Don P. Hooper is a writer and filmmaker of Jamaican heritage (and a programmer in a former life). His short story “Got Me a Jet Pack” is part of the New York Times bestselling anthology Black Boy Joy. His directing work has been featured in the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, the New York Television Film Festival (award winner), the New York City Horror Film Festival, the New Jersey Horror Con and Film Festival (award winner), and more. He does voice-over in video games and documentaries. True True is his debut novel.
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Jacquetta Nammar Feldman
Jacquetta Nammar Feldman loves writing poetry and stories of all kinds. When she's not curled up with a book or typing at her computer, she can be found hiking the beautiful hills of Austin, Texas. She earned her bachelor of science in advertising from the University of Texas at Austin, and she’s currently a candidate for a master of fine arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults at the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
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Brian G. Buckmire
Brian G. Buckmire is a felony trial attorney, currently with the firm Hamilton Clarke. He is also an ABC News contributor.
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Previously, Buckmire hosted the Law&Crime network show "Law&Crime Daily." He was a homicide defense attorney in a New York City Public Defenders office. -
Angela Cervantes
Angela Cervantes is the award-winning author of several popular children's novels including Lety Out Loud, which won the Pura Belpré Honor Award in 2020.
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Her other novels include The Cursed Moon, which won Florida's Sunshine State Young Readers Award. Angela's other middle grade novels include the Frida Kahlo-inspired mystery, Me, Frida and The Secret of the Peacock Ring; Allie, First At Last; and Gaby, Lost and Found.
Her latest children’s novel is Anomalies 53: Into the Shadows which is book 1 of a two-book series published by Harper Collins.
Additionally, Angela authored the junior novelization for Disney/Pixar's animated-film, Coco and Disney's animated film, Encanto. She also collaborated with American Girl Dolls for the novel Maritza: -
Tanya Guerrero
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Tanya Guerrero is Filipino and Spanish by birth, but has been fortunate enough to call three countries home—the Philippines, Spain, and the United States. Currently, she lives in a shipping container home in the suburbs of Manila with her husband, daughter, and a menagerie of rescued cats and dogs. She has volunteered for animal welfare organizations since 2008, focusing on Trap/Neuter/Return and Rescue/Foster/Adopt. In her free time, she grows her own food, bakes, and reads. Farrar, Strauss and Giroux BYR has published three of her middle grade books, How to Make Friends with the Sea (2020), All You Knead is Love (2021) and Adrift (2022), which have been nominated for state awards, been selected for the Junior Library Guild Gold Standard S -
Alyson Gerber
Alyson Gerber is the NYTimes and USA TODAY bestselling author of The Liars Society series and critically acclaimed, middle grade novels. A former marketing director, Alyson earned her MFA in creative writing at the New School. She grew up in New England and now lives in New York City with her family. Follow her @AlysonGerber and at alysongerber.com
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Elizabeth Santiago
Elizabeth Santiago is a fiction writer, creative writing teacher and narrative coach. Her forthcoming debut novel, The Moonlit Vine/Claro de Luna, will be released in May of 2023 by Lee and Low, the largest multicultural children's book publisher in the United States. She obtained her PhD in Educational Studies from Lesley University, Master of Education from Harvard University, and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Emerson College.
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Her first loves remain creative writing and teaching, never losing her desire to create characters based on her beloved community, or support students in leveraging storytelling to be better overall writers. She lives in Boston with her husband Kevin, son Ezekiel, and very vocal cat Mr. Felix. -
Matthew J. Kirby
Matthew Kirby was born in Utah, and grew up in Maryland, California, and Hawaii. As an undergraduate he majored in history, and then went on to pursue an M.S. in school psychology. For ten months out of the year he works with students, and during the rest of the year he writes. He and his wife currently live in northern Utah.
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Benjamin Klas
Pronouns: ze/zem/zer or he/him/his
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Benjamin Klas is a Queer author from Saint Paul, MN. He lives with his partner and son. Second Dad Summer (One Elm, 2020) was his first novel; the sequel, Everything Together, came out 2021. -
Patricia Hruby Powell
Patricia Hruby Powell is the author of Josephine: the Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker (Chronicle 2014), illustrated by Christian Robinson, (Sibert, CSK, Boston Globe Horn Book, Ragazzi International Honoree; Parent's Choice Gold, etc.) and Loving vs. Virginia (Chronicle 2017) illustrated by Shadra Strickland; Struttin' With Some Barbecue: Lil Hardin Armstrong Becomes the First Lady of Jazz (Charlesbridge 2018) winner of SMA Nonfiction for Youth. Forthcoming is: Lift as You Climb: The Story of Ella Baker (Simon & Schuster 2020); untitled Woman's Suffrage Project (Chronicle 2021)
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Erin Bow
TEN THINGS ABOUT ME:
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1. I'm a physicist turned poet turned YA novelist.
2. I am world-famous in Canada, which is kind of like being world-famous in real life.
3. I write books for young readers and people like me who didn't grow up. All my books will either will make you either cry on the bus or snort milk out your nose. I am dangerous to your dignity and should be stopped.
4. I needed WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS to have a happy ending, so I wrote a middle-grade book called STAND ON THE SKY
5. I needed a book with a Spock-like hero who was also a queer girl, so I wrote THE SCORPION RULES, and its sequel THE SWAN RIDERS.
6. I think cats can actually talk, but don't find us worthy, hence PLAIN KATE.
7. I hate horror, so I wrote a horror: SORROW'S K -
Brigit Young
Brigit Young is the author of four middle grade novels: WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS, THE PRETTIEST, BRIGHT, and BANNED BOOKS, CROP TOPS, AND OTHER BAD INFLUENCES. Additionally, Brigit has published poetry and short fiction in dozens of literary journals and taught creative writing to kids of all ages.
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Brigit lives in New Jersey with her husband, daughters, gecko, and dog. She loves British mystery TV shows, hanging out with her fabulous kids, and tending to her garden. -
Sydney Dunlap
Sydney Dunlap is an award-winning author and former elementary school teacher who has worked extensively with youth facing challenging circumstances. She enjoys reading and writing heartfelt, hopeful books that explore tough topics not often addressed in middle grade literature. Her 2023 debut novel, IT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY, tackles social media safety and has received a Crystal Kite Honor, several medals, and is featured on four state reading lists. Her subsequent novel, RACING THE CLOUDS, received a starred review from School Library Journal and was praised by Highlights Foundation for its outstanding mental health representation. A lifelong animal lover, Sydney lives with her husband and their two dogs and three cats, all rescues. You ca
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Tara Dairman
Tara Dairman is the author of the middle-grade novels THE GIRL FROM EARTH'S END (3.14.23, Candlewick), and ALL FOUR STARS, THE STARS OF SUMMER, STARS SO SWEET, and THE GREAT HIBERNATION (all published by Penguin Random House). Tara's debut picture book, DESERT GIRL, MONSOON BOY, illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan, was named to many best-of-the-year lists. Tara is also a recovering full-time RVer (2.5 years all over North America) and a decade before that, a round-the-world honeymooner (2 years, 74 countries!).
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Tara holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from Dartmouth College and is represented by Ammi-Joan Paquette of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.
Blog: taradairman.com/blog
Facebook: facebook.com/TaraDairmanAuthor
Twitter: twitter.com/#!/TaraDa -
Mei Yu
Mei Yu is a diverse artist, whose artwork and cheerful personality are loved by youth and parents around the world. She has one of the most popular art channels on YouTube, with over 1.5 million subscribers, 450 million views, and 1,000 art videos. Mei's stories and artwork have been featured in various local and national newspapers, on TV, and radio since 2004.
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Mei's YouTube channel: youtube.com/meiyu -
Shelia P. Moses
Poet, author, playwright, and producer Shelia P. Moses was raised the ninth of ten children on Rehobeth Road in Rich Square, North Carolina. She is the co-author of Dick Gregory's memoir, Callus on My Soul, as well as the award-winning author of several books for young readers. Shelia lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Ali Standish
Ali Standish, author of the critically acclaimed The Ethan I Was Before, split her time growing up between North Carolina and several imaginary worlds. The only award she ever won in school was for messiest desk, but that didn’t stop her from going on to get degrees from Pomona College, Hollins University and and the University of Cambridge. She still spends most of her time in her imagination, but you might just spot her walking her two rescue dogs with her Finnish husband around her neighborhood in Raleigh. You can visit her online at www.alistandish.com.
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Mariama J. Lockington
Mariama J. Lockington is an adoptee, author, and educator. She has been telling stories and making her own books since the second grade, when she wore shortalls and flower leggings every day to school. Mariama’s middle-grade debut, For Black Girls Like Me, earned five starred reviews and was a Today Show Best Kids’ Book of 2019. Her sophomore middle-grade book, In The Key of Us, is a Stonewall Honor Award book and was featured in the New York Times. Her debut young adult novel, Forever is Now, is the 2024 winner of the Schneider Family Book Award. Mariama holds a Masters in Education from Lesley University and a Masters in Fine Arts in Poetry from San Francisco State University, she calls many places home, but currently lives in Kentucky wi
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Nancy Tandon
Nancy Tandon is a former speech/language pathologist and author of middle grade novels, including The Way I Say It (Charlesbridge) and The Ghost of Spruce Point (Aladdin). Nancy lives in Connecticut with her family and is a fan of literacy outreach programs of all kinds.
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Eoin Colfer
Eoin Colfer (pronounced Owen) was born in Wexford on the South-East coast of Ireland in 1965, where he and his four brothers were brought up by his father and mother, who were both educators.
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He received his degree from Dublin University and began teaching primary school in Wexford. He has lived and worked all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy. After the publication of the Artemis Fowl novels, Eoin retired from teaching and now writes full time. He lives in Ireland with his wife and two children. -
Linda Sue Park
Linda Sue Park is a Korean American author of children's fiction. Park published her first novel, Seesaw Girl, in 1999. To date, she has written six children’s novels and five picture books for younger readers. Park’s work achieved prominence when she received the prestigious 2002 Newbery Medal for her novel A Single Shard.
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Janet Tashjian
Janet Tashjian is a middle-grade and young adult novelist who’s been writing books for children for fifteen years. Her first novel Tru Confessions was made into a critically acclaimed Disney TV movie starring Clara Bryant and Shia LaBeouf. The Gospel According to Larry is a cult favorite and Fault Line is taught in many middle and high schools. Her novels My Life As a Book, My Life As a Stuntboy, and My Life As a Cartoonist are all illustrated by her teenage son, Jake. Their collaboration continues with Einstein the Class Hamster coming in August.
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Janet lives with her family in Los Angeles, enjoying her respite from the long Boston winters. When she isn’t writing, she’s rewriting.
Janet has been doing school visits for fifteen years; you can -
Erin Soderberg Downing
I read and write lots of funny, adventurous, & heartwarming books for kids, tweens, and teens (and even a few romantic comedies for adults, too!) that are ultimately about finding your place, finding your people, and finding your voice. I always love book recommendations, so please send them my way. As a reader, I'm partial to contemporary romantic comedy, thrillers that keep the pages turning and have well-built characters, funny/original voices, quirky characters, and always kids' books with humor and heart.
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Natalie Lloyd
Natalie Lloyd is the New York Times Bestselling Author of novels for young readers (and the young at heart).
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Her first novel, A Snicker of Magic (2014), was an ALA Notable Book, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, a top 10 Kids Indie Next Pick and an NPR, iBooks and Parents Magazine best book of the year for children. The book has been optioned for television by Sony Tristar. Natalie’s other novels include The Key to Extraordinary (Scholastic 2016), The Problim Children series (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen 2017), and Over the Moon (Scholastic 2019). These novels have won accolades from Entertainment Weekly, Junior Library Guild, SIBA, Amazon and Bank Street College of Education, among others. Silverswift, her first Audible Origin -
Katherine Applegate
#1 New York Times bestselling author Katherine Applegate has written many books for young readers, including THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, winner of the 2013 Newbery Medal.
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Katherine’s picture books include THE BUFFALO STORM, illustrated by Jan Ormerod (Clarion Books); THE REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF IVAN, THE SHOPPING MALL GORILLA, illustrated by G. Brian Karas (Clarion Books); SOMETIMES YOU FLY, illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt (Clarion Books); and ODDER: AN OTTER’S STORY, illustrated by Charles Santoso (Feiwel & Friends).
She’s written or co-written three early chapter series for young readers: ROSCOE RILEY RULES, a seven-book series illustrated by Brian Biggs (HarperCollins); DOGGO AND PUPPER, a three-book series illustrated by Charlie Alde -
Jason Reynolds
Jason Reynolds is an American author of novels and poetry for young adult and middle-grade audience. After earning a BA in English from The University of Maryland, College Park, Jason Reynolds moved to Brooklyn, New York, where you can often find him walking the four blocks from the train to his apartment talking to himself. Well, not really talking to himself, but just repeating character names and plot lines he thought of on the train, over and over again, because he’s afraid he’ll forget it all before he gets home.
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Deva Fagan
I write fantasy and science fiction for readers of all ages. I live in Maine with my husband and our dog. When I'm not writing I spend my time reading, playing video games, doing geometry, and drinking copious amounts of tea.
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NOTE: My comments on books I've read are not meant to be critical reviews, but are just my own reactions. I don't generally use stars, but I do occasionally mark a book with five stars if it's one that feels like it will become a long-term favorite, because it's exactly my sort of book, and caters to my specific tastes as a reader. There are plenty of books I read and really admire that are clearly excellent books, but which are not so exactly "for me" that I give them five stars. I will unabashedly stop reading books I -
Erin Frankel
Erin Frankel is a children’s book author. She loves telling stories of empathy and wonder. Her picture books include A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen, which is an Orbis Pictus Award Recommended Title and a Texas Blue Bonnet Award Nominee, as well as Remembering Barkley, and the Weird! series. Forthcoming titles include Mary Oliver, Holding on to Wonder (2025) and Piece by Piece: How Stephen Sondheim Made Musical Puzzles Come Alive (2026). Erin lives with her family in Pittsburgh, where she writes, teaches, and hopes. She is represented by Lindsay Auld at Writers House. You can also connect with her on Instagram @erinfrankelwrites
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Justina Ireland
Justina Ireland is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books including Dread Nation and its sequel Deathless Divide, the middle-grade novel Ophie's Ghosts, which won the Scott O'Dell award for historical fiction, and a number of Star Wars books including Flight of the Falcon: Lando’s Luck, Spark of the Resistance, A Test of Courage, Out of the Shadows, and Mission to Disaster. She is a former editor in chief of FIYAH Literary Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction, for which she won a World Fantasy Award. She holds a BA in History from Georgia Southern and an MFA in Creative Writing from Hamline University.
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Kristin Varner
Kristin Varner grew up in the Rocky Mountains of Utah, where she fell in love with animals at a young age. Kristin received her degree in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design and has created art for children’s books, games, apparel, and toys. Her debut graphic novel, Horse Trouble (2021), received an American Library Association Best Graphic Novel for Children Award. Dog Trouble (2024) her second middle grade graphic novel has already received a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Award.
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She lives on a wooded island near Seattle, Washington with her husband and daughter and is often distracted while working in her studio by one rambunctious kitty and one big, snoozing dog. When she’s not drawing cute animals in her studio, she’s p -
Jasmine Warga
Jasmine Warga is a writer from Cincinnati, Ohio who currently resides in Chicago, Illinois. She is the internationally bestselling author of My Heart and Other Black Holes and Here We Are Now. Her books have been published in over twenty-five countries and optioned for film. Her debut middle grade novel, Other Words For Home, will be published in Spring 2019. Jasmine lives in an apartment filled with books with her husband, two tiny daughters, large dog, and mischievous cat.
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**I am only on Goodreads when one of my publishers sets up a Q&A for me, so the best way to contact me is through my website: www.jasminewarga.com or on twitter: @jasminewarga. Thank you so much for reading my books!** -
Alyson Gerber
Alyson Gerber is the NYTimes and USA TODAY bestselling author of The Liars Society series and critically acclaimed, middle grade novels. A former marketing director, Alyson earned her MFA in creative writing at the New School. She grew up in New England and now lives in New York City with her family. Follow her @AlysonGerber and at alysongerber.com
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Rey Terciero
Rey Terciero is a penname of Rex Ogle.
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REX OGLE is an award-winning author and the writer of nearly a hundred children’s books, comics, graphic novels, and memoirs—most notably Free Lunch, which won the ALA/YALSA award for Excellence in Non-Fiction.
Born and raised (mostly) in Texas, he moved to New York City after college to intern at Marvel Comics before moving over to DC Comics, Scholastic, and Little Brown Young Readers. As an editor, he championed over a dozen NY Times Bestsellers and worked on (and often wrote) major brands such as X-Men, Justice League, Star Wars, LEGO, Power Rangers, Transformers, Minecraft, Assassin’s Creed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Neil Patrick Harris’s Magic Misfits.
Rex has written under a lot of pen names, -
Karla Arenas Valenti
Karla Arenas Valenti is the Pura Belpré award winning author of best selling middle grade novels, chapter books, and picture books.
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Her books are on various state reading lists and have received multiple starred reviews, as well as being being featured on NPR’s Sunday Edition, the Drew Barrymore Show, and several Best of the Year lists, including Kirkus Best Book of the Year, Banks Street Best Children’s Book, School Library Journal’s Best Books, Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year, Evanston Public Library Best Book of the Year, PEOPLE’s pick for best children’s book, and Best Books for kids by Entertainment Weekly.
Karla grew up in Mexico City, in a house built around a tree. Her childhood was filled with fantastical elements, whic -
Claire Swinarski
Claire Swinarski is the author of multiple books for both kids and adults. Her writing has been featured in The Washington Post, Seventeen, Milwaukee Magazine, and many other publications. She lives in small town Wisconsin with her husband and three kids, where she writes books, wears babies, and wrangles bread dough. You can follow her on Instagram @claireswinarski.
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Chanel Miller
Chanel Miller is a writer and artist who received her BA in Literature from the College of Creative Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She lives in San Francisco, California.
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(source: Amazon) -
Glenda Armand
Glenda Armand was born in New Orleans and grew up in Los Angeles where she attended public schools. She received degrees from Pomona College, Cal State University Dominguez Hills and Azusa Pacific University.
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Glenda taught for many years in public and private schools. As an elementary school teacher, she taught pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. In middle school, she was a teacher of English and history. The highlight of her teaching career came in the historic year of 2008. That year, she and fellow teacher, Diane Tregarthen, took a class of 23 eighth graders on a five-day field trip from Los Angeles to the nation’s capital.
Glenda is the author of picture books and chapter books. She writes contemporary fiction, historical fiction and bi -
Maria Tureaud
Maria Tureaud hails from the Wild Atlantic Way on the west coast of Ireland. A Developmental Editor of fourteen years, and acclaimed author of children's and adult fiction, you can find her drinking tea in New Jersey as she dreams of moving home to her beloved County Clare, Ireland.
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Kerry O'Malley Cerra
Kerry O'Malley Cerra is an award-winning author of middle-grade books and picture books.
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Her first novel, Just a Drop of Water, was published on September 2, 2014, by Sky Pony Press. It won a Florida Book Award, the Crystal Kite Award, and was named to VOYA's Top Shelf Fiction for Middle Readers' 2014 list. In addition, the book was a finalist for the 2015-2016 Maine Student Book Award, the 2017-2018 Garden State Teen Book Award (New Jersey), the 2016-2017 Truman Award list (Missouri), and the 2018 Nene Award (Hawaii). It won runner-up for the 2016-2017 Magnolia Award (Mississippi).
Her second novel, Hear Me (Sept. 6, 2022, Carolrhoda Books, an imprint of Lerner Publishing), is based on the author's own hearing loss/deaf experience. This cont -
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Chad Morris
Chad Morris coauthored The Wild Journey of Juniper Berry, Virtually Me, Mustaches for Maddie, Squint, and Willa and the Whale, with his wife, Shelly Brown. He is also the author of the Cragbridge Hall series (The Inventor's Secret, The Avatar Battle, and The Impossible Race). He has won the Utah Book Award, the Buckeye Award, and the Nebraska Book Award, and the Silver Foreword INDIES award for Juvenile fiction. Chad also wrote one of the short stories in True Heroes: A Treasury of Modern-day Fairy Tales Written by Best-selling Authors. His story was based on JP Gibson, an amazing boy who faced cancer with courage, heart, and a basketball dream.
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Chad grew up wanting to become a professional basketball player or a rock star. (Inspired by Ani -
Elaine Vickers
Elaine Vickers lives with her husband and three kids in Southern Utah, where she writes books and teaches college chemistry. She always wanted to be a writer and a teacher, except when she wanted to be an architect, an artist, a pediatrician, a judge, or a famous actress. Visit her at elainevickers.com.
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Kate Allen
Kate Allen grew up in Massachusetts and lives in Minneapolis, USA, with her family. She studied writing in college. The Line Tender is her first novel.
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Kristin Varner
Kristin Varner grew up in the Rocky Mountains of Utah, where she fell in love with animals at a young age. Kristin received her degree in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design and has created art for children’s books, games, apparel, and toys. Her debut graphic novel, Horse Trouble (2021), received an American Library Association Best Graphic Novel for Children Award. Dog Trouble (2024) her second middle grade graphic novel has already received a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Award.
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She lives on a wooded island near Seattle, Washington with her husband and daughter and is often distracted while working in her studio by one rambunctious kitty and one big, snoozing dog. When she’s not drawing cute animals in her studio, she’s p