Sara Andrea Fajardo

Sara A. Fajardo is a founding member of #LatinxPitch for KidLit. Her US debut picture book, Crack Goes the Cascarón, illustrated by Rocio Arreola Mendoza, releases on 2/18/25 from Knopf Books for Young Readers. Her second book, Paka Paka Con La Papa: Alberto Salas Plays Potato Hide-and-Seek, illustrated by Caldecott Honor winner Juana Martinez-Neal releases on 3/18/25 by Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan. More exciting picture books news coming soon!

When Sara first moved to the United States from her native Peru, her spoken English vocabulary consisted of just one word “monkey.” Thanks to Alisal Elementary, a bilingual school in Salinas, California, she not only expanded her vocabulary, she was also taught to celebrate her mixed heritage. It wa

If you like author Sara Andrea Fajardo here is the list of authors you may also like

Buy books on Amazon

Total similar authors (22)

Christian Cooper

Christian Cooper is a science and comics writer and editor and the host and consulting producer of Extraordinary Birder on National Geographic. One of Marvel’s first openly gay writers and editors, Cooper introduced the first gay male character in Star Trek, in the Starfleet Academy series, which was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award. He also introduced the first openly lesbian character for Marvel and created and authored Queer Nation: The Online Gay Comic. Based in New York City, he is on the board of directors for NYC Audubon.
Buy books on Amazon
Nizrana Farook

Nizrana Farook was born and raised in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and the beautiful landscapes of her home country find their way into the stories she writes. She has a master’s degree in writing for young people, and lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and two daughters.
Buy books on Amazon
Gabriella Aldeman

Gabriella Aldeman is a Panamanian American author. She writes picture books in hopes that more children become readers and for all readers to feel seen. She is also a professional translator, and holds degrees from Georgetown University and the College of William and Mary. Gabriella lives in Fairfax, VA, with her partner and two children. Please visit her at https://www.writebetween.com/ or @write_between on Twitter or Instagram.
Buy books on Amazon
Jill Dana

Jill Dana is an author, illustrator, artist, teacher, and filmmaker.

For more about Jill and her books, visit www.JillDanaBooks.com or her social media @JillDanaBooks
Buy books on Amazon
Tomie dePaola

Tomie dePaola (pronounced Tommy da-POW-la) was best known for his books for children.

He had a five-decade writing and illustrating career during which he published more than 270 books, including 26 Fairmount Avenue, Strega Nona, and Meet the Barkers.

Tomie dePaola and his work have been recognized with the Caldecott Honor Award, the Newbery Honor Award, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, and the New Hampshire Governor's Arts Award of Living Treasure.
Buy books on Amazon
Mo Willems

#1 New York Times Bestselling author and illustrator Mo Willems is best known for his Caldecott Honor winning picture books Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and Knuffle Bunny: a cautionary tale.

In addition to such picture books as Leonardo the Terrible Monster, Edwina the Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct, and Time to Pee, Mo has created the Elephant and Piggie books, a series of early readers, and published You Can Never Find a Rickshaw When it Monsoons, an annotated cartoon journal sketched during a year-long voyage around the world in 1990-91.

The New York Times Book Review called Mo “the biggest new talent to emerge thus far in the 00's."

Mo’s work books have been translated into a myriad of languages, spawned animated shorts
Buy books on Amazon
Bob Shea

Bob Shea has written and illustrated over a dozen picture books including the popular Dinosaur vs. Bedtime and the cult favorite Big Plans illustrated by Lane Smith.

His characters and animations have appeared on Nick Jr, Playhouse Disney and PBS Kids.

Bob spends his days writing, drawing and having “conversations” with NPR.
Buy books on Amazon
Kate Messner

Kate Messner is an award-winning author, TED 2012 speaker, and former middle school English teacher. Her books for kids include THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z.,SUGAR AND ICE, and EYE OF THE STORM (Walker/Bloomsbury Dec. 2010) the MARTY MCGUIRE series (Scholastic), SEA MONSTER'S FIRST DAY, and OVER AND UNDER THE SNOW (Chronicle, Books). Kate also wrote SPITFIRE and CHAMPLAIN AND THE SILENT ONE, both Lake Champlain historical novels published by North Country Books.

Kate lives with her family on Lake Champlain, where she loves to read, write, hike, swing on birch trees, and eat chocolate. She also hangs out in various places online.
Visit Kate's website: http://www.katemessner.com

Find Kate on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/KateMessner

...or f
Buy books on Amazon
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.

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
Buy books on Amazon
Rob Sanders

There is more than one author with this name
Buy books on Amazon
Jolene Gutiérrez

Jolene Gutiérrez grew up on a farm in northeastern Colorado, surrounded by animals, plants, and history. Now, she lives with her family and a variety of animals in a suburb of Denver, Colorado. She is an award-winning neurodivergent teacher librarian and has been working with neurodivergent learners at Denver Academy since 1995. She’s a wife of 25+ years and mama to two young adults, three dogs, two cats, and an ever-rotating variety of other rescue animals. Jolene is an active member of SCBWI and The Authors Guild, part of the KidLitCollective and Picture Book Gold groups, and a co-creator of #KidlitZombieWeek. Jolene is represented by agent Kaitlyn Sanchez of Bradford Literary. She’s a contributor to If I Could Choose a Best Day: Poems of
Buy books on Amazon
Sandra Salsbury

I'm Sandra Salsbury, a children's book author and illustrator.

I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where I received a BFA and MFA in illustration from the Academy of Art University.

I am the author/illustrator of THE BABY WHO STAYED AWAKE FOREVER (Doubleday Books for Young Readers 2025), BEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE WORLD (Peachtree 2021), and SPRECKLE'S SNACK SURPRISE (Peachtree 2023), as well as the illustrator of various other books. I live in Berkeley with my husband, daughters, and numerous house plants. The chickens live next door.

Buy books on Amazon
Thomas Harding

Thomas Harding is a bestselling author whose books have been translated into more than 20 languages. He has written for the Sunday Times, the Washington Post and the Guardian, among other publications.

He is the author of HANNS AND RUDOLF which won the JQ-Wingate Prize for Non-Fiction; THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE, which was shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award; and BLOOD ON THE PAGE which won the Crime Writers’ Association “Golden Dagger Award for Non-Fiction”. For all his books, reviews and updates, go to thomasharding.com and follow him on X/ twitter @thomasharding
Buy books on Amazon
Nikkolas Smith

Nikkolas Smith is an Artivist, Concept Artist, Children's Books Author, Film Illustrator, and Movie Poster Designer.
He is also a Master of Architecture recipient from Hampton University. After designing theme parks at Walt Disney Imagineering for 11 years, he has written and illustrated picture books such as The Artivist , The Golden Girls of Rio (nominated for an NAACP Image Award), My Hair Is Poofy And That's Okay, and World Cup Women.

Nikkolas is a proud 2016 White House Innovators of Color fellow, and he is the creator of the "2023 Marvel Artist Series," an apparel line featuring Black superheroes, in collaboration with Target.

As an illustrator of color, Nikkolas creates captivating art that can spark important conversations in today's w
Buy books on Amazon
Andrea L. Rogers

Andrea L. Rogers is a writer from Tulsa, Oklahoma and a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. She graduated from the Institute of American Indian and Alaskan Arts with an MFA in Creative Writing. Currently, she is splitting time between Fayetteville, Arkansas, where she is a Ph.d. student at the University Arkansas and Fort Worth, Texas, where her family lives. Her book Mary and the Trail of Tears: A Cherokee Removal Survival Story was named an NPR Best Book of 202) by both NPR and American Indians in Children’s Literature.
Ms. Rogers is on the Board of the Fort Worth Public Library.

A member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, she is currently revising a middle grade mystery, writing an adult literary horror nov
Buy books on Amazon
Gabriella Aldeman

Gabriella Aldeman is a Panamanian American author. She writes picture books in hopes that more children become readers and for all readers to feel seen. She is also a professional translator, and holds degrees from Georgetown University and the College of William and Mary. Gabriella lives in Fairfax, VA, with her partner and two children. Please visit her at https://www.writebetween.com/ or @write_between on Twitter or Instagram.
Buy books on Amazon
Caroline L. Perry

Buy books on Amazon
Gabriela Orozco Belt

Gabriela Orozco Belt is a children’s book author who lives in a small town in the Mojave Desert. Inspired by her experiences of growing up bilingual and bicultural, she writes stories for children so they can see themselves in books. Gaby’s debut picture book, Only for a Little While, serves to soften and process the feeling of being uprooted and see change as a temporary difficulty that families can get through with mutual support. When not teaching, writing, or reading, she can be found spending time with her husband, three children, and extended family.
Buy books on Amazon
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.
Buy books on Amazon
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.

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
Buy books on Amazon
Medeia Sharif

I was born in New York City and I presently call Miami my home. I received my master’s degree in psychology from Florida Atlantic University. After becoming a voracious reader in high school and a relentless writer dabbling in many genres in college, I found my niche writing for young people. Today I'm a writer for all age levels published through various presses. In addition to being a writer, I'm a public school teacher. My memberships include Mensa and SCBWI.
Buy books on Amazon
Harshini Vankineni

Harshini Vankineni is a writer, and a perpetual student of literature and languages. She is an immigrant from India and lives in Southern California with two Light-bearers and a Rock, also known as children and husband. She knows four languages, which makes it impossible for her to ever finish her reading list!

Harshini writes picture books, young adult and new adult fiction. What Color is the Baby? : A Celebration of Skin Tones is her debut picture book by Candlewick Press. She is a member of SCBWI and loves writing conferences, retreats and coffee. In her spare time, you can find her snuggled with her Kindle E-reader or binging a web series.
Buy books on Amazon