Following is a list of the distinguished authors and illustrators who will be participating in the 2022 Festival.
| AUTHOR | FEATURED BOOK SYNOPSIS | BIOGRAPHY & HONORS |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Acampora paulacampora.com  | In a tiny Pennsylvania coal town, eighth graders Oscar Villanueva, Ellie Baptiste, and Noah Wright become unlikely friends during Introduction to Clay class. Through art, football, failure, and faith they learn to care for one together. In true friendship, they also discover that some injuries may never heal, some things can never be unbroken and that's okay. | Paul Acampora writes novels and short stories for young readers. Kids, parents, and critics praise Paul's work for its laugh-out-loud humor, rollicking dialogue, and heartfelt characters. With a variety of starred reviews and state library award nominations, including the Texas Blue Bonnet Award Master List, Paul's books are top picks with booksellers, classroom teachers, librarians, and readers of all ages. Paul and his family live in Allentown, Pennsylvania. |
| Sarah Albee sarahalbeebooks.com  | Meet twenty-one women throughout history who broke fashion and norms to do something groundbreaking in this unique middle-grade collection that celebrates trailblazers and troublemakers. From Hatshepsut to Joan of Arc to Frida Kahlo, Troublemakers in Trousers highlights women who, for different reasons, wore men's clothing, pretended to be men, and broke the rules in order to do something they wanted, or needed, to do. | Sarah Albee is the New York Times bestselling author of nonfiction books for kids. Her next title will be out October, 2022, and is called Troublemakers in Trousers: Women and What They Wore to Get Things Done. Other recent titles include Fairy Tale Science; Accidental Archaeologists; North America: A Foldout Graphic History; Dog Days of History; POISON: Deadly Deeds, Perilous Professions, and Murderous Medicines; and George Washington: The First President. She lives in Connecticut with her family. Visit her at www.sarahalbeebooks.com |
| Artie Bennett artiebennett.com  | The humorous, inspirational, heartwarming story of a racehorse descended from the greatest horses to ever run, including Man o' War, who wants nothing more than to follow in their hoofbeats. But there's only one problem: Zippy Chippy isn't terribly good at it. Zippy teaches us to never give up on our dreams, even when their fulfillment may be most elusive. | Artie Bennett is an executive copy editor by day and a writer by night. He is the author of an inspiring, humorous picture-book biography of a hapless, though beloved, horse, THE TRUE STORY OF ZIPPY CHIPPY: THE LITTLE HORSE THAT COULDN'T, which earned a 2021 CCBC Choice Award. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, where he spends his time moving his car to satisfy the stringent demands of alternate-side-of-the-street parking. HuffPost says: "It appears there is no topic Mr. Bennett can't make funny and educational." |
| Suzanne Bloom suzannebloom.com  | Zack and Ike like all the same things (mostly) and do everything together (mostly). Their world is complete until a pup shows up (or is it). What does it take to be best friends? | Making picture books has been a goal since sixth grade. Graduating from Cooper Union did nothing to diminish that dream. After a stint in the last century as an architectural renderer and a toymaker, Suzanne began to meet her imaginary friends. "Many have appeared and more are clamoring to be in the next story." She lives with her family and imaginary friends in the countryside in upstate NY. |
| Valerie Bolling valeriebolling.com  | A joyful, rhyming picture book that is an ode to community and outdoor play. Pedal, pump. Speed bump! Ride, roll, run. Friends and fun! This energetic picture book celebrates community and friendship, following children as they play their way through their vibrant neighborhood. | Valerie Bolling is the author of two books published this year: TOGETHER WE RIDE (April) and RIDE, ROLL, RUN: TIME FOR FUN! (October). She's also the author of LET'S DANCE!, which was published in March 2020 and won SCBWI's Crystal Kite Award in 2021. Valerie has been an educator for almost 30 years, and has five books scheduled for release in 2023. She lives in Stamford with her husband and enjoys traveling, hiking, reading, going to the theater, and dancing. linktr.ee/ValerieBolling |
| Leslie Bulion lesliebulion.com  | Monsoon rains fall. Grasses sprout. Flowers blaze. Join the great migration of wildebeests zebras, and gazelles as they return to feast in the endless open spaces of the Serengeti short-grass plain. In a series of interconnected verses inspired by traditional Swahili poetry, SERENGETI takes readers through the food web on an unforgettable journey of this ecosystem in motion. | Leslie Bulion creates award-winning science poetry steeped in hands-on learning experiences, field observations, research, humor and imagery in a variety of poetic forms. Her illustrated collections invite readers on multi-layered science adventures exploring birds, sea creatures, insects, amphibians, spiders, entire ecosystems, and even human anatomy. Leslie's graduate science background and her years as a school social worker inform both her poetry and her science-infused novels for young readers. Check out her newest science poetry ecosystem exploration, SERENGETI: PLAINS OF GRASS (Peachtree: March 1, 2022). |
| Ann Burg annburg.com  | Flooded, Requiem for Johnstown is an historical fiction novel. Told in multiple voices (including that of the river), Flooded explores social injustice and class divisions through the eyes of those who witnessed the devastating flood of 1889 in the Industrial Town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. | Ann E. Burg worked as an English teacher for many years before becoming a full-time writer. She is drawn to stories of the disenfranchised and voiceless, and is acutely aware that each of us-- even the unnoticed or forgotten, have stories worth remembering. Flooded, Requiem for Johnstown, her most recent verse novel was released during the early days of the pandemic and is now available as a Scholastic Gold paperback. |
| Laurie Calkhoven lauriecalkhoven.com  | With a new sister on the way, Roosevelt Banks has to give up his bedroom and move into the attic, which must be haunted because of all the squeaks and groans coming from the spooky place at the top of the stairs. After his plan to move into a fort in the woods fails, and a ghost-busting exercise goes terribly wrong, Roosevelt-- with the help of Tommy, Josh, and Eddie Spaghetti-- has to find the courage to defeat the biggest, spookiest ghouls ever and turn the Attic of Doom into a Room with a View. | Laurie Calkhoven has never swallowed a frog, battled an imaginary bear, or had a slime war with ghosts like her character. |
| Donna Cangelosi donnacangelosi.com  | MISTER ROGERS' GIFT OF MUSIC is a picture book biography focused on the role music played in Fred Rogers' life. Growing up with asthma, Fred was often stuck inside while other kids played outdoors. He discovered that playing the piano was a great way to express loneliness and other emotions. My book shows how Fred's reassuring songs made children feel special, gave them words for their feelings, and created a neighborhood of kindness throughout the country, for generations. | Donna Cangelosi enjoys writing stories that entertain, enlighten, and inspire kids of all ages. When she is not writing, she works as a child psychologist, helping children deal with feelings that are hard to express with words using play, art, and music. Her debut picture book, MISTER ROGERS' GIFT OF MUSIC, illustrated by Amanda Moeckel, will be published by Page Street Kids, August, 2022. Donna lives with her family in northern NJ. For updates and more information visit donna cangelosi.com |
| Jay Cooper jaycooperbooks.com  | Joe and Rob encounter danger and mystery on the Botsburg Express in this twelfth adventure in the hilarious Bots chapter books series. Many years ago, scientists on Earth sent video satellites out to the end of the universe to see what was hiding in deep space. Now these satellites have begun sending their first videos back to Earth...and the stars of the show are two goofy robots. With easy-to-read language and graphic novel art on almost every page, the Bots chapter books are perfect for emerging readers. | JAY COOPER is the illustrator and writer of over 20 books for kids young and old, including the national best-seller Your Guide To Not Getting Murdered In A Quaint English Village, the Bots graphic chapter series from Little Simon, and a contributor to the New York Times #1 best-selling series, The Last Kids on Earth. Jay is also a graphic designer and creative director of theatrical advertising, having crafted art and advertising for more than 100 Broadway shows. Most importantly, his dog is named Bradley Cooper. |
| Lucy Ruth Cummins lucyruthcummins.squarespace.com  | Stumpkin is the most handsome pumpkin on the block. He's as orange as a traffic cone! Twice as round as a basketball! He has no bad side! He's perfect choice for a Halloween jack-o-lantern. There's just one problem: Stumpkin has a stump, not a stem. And no one seems to want a stemless jack-o-lantern for their window. As Halloween night approaches, more and more of his fellow pumpkins leave, but poor Stumpkin remains. Will anyone give Stumpkin his chance to shine? | Lucy Ruth Cummins is an author, an illustrator, and hot fudge enthusiast. She loves doodling, laughing, napping, and riding bikes with her son Nate. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her little family. |
| Margery Cuyler margerycuyler.com  | Bonaparte is a skeleton whose bones keep coming loose. He is worried about what will happen when school starts. His friends come up with different solutions to keep Bonaparte together, but nothing works until a stray, bone-loving pup comes to his rescue. | Margery Cuyler is the author of more than 50 books, including such classics as 100th Day Worries, Skeleton Hiccups, and That's Good! That's Bad! She has also worked in the children's publishing industry as an editor and publisher. She and her husband, the parents of two grown sons, live in Lawrenceville, NJ. |
| Jacky Davis & David Soman blackpolka.com  | Impossible Mountain- Anna and her little brother Finn have lived their whole lives safe behind the stone wall of their village, never knowing what lay beyond. Until the day they peek over the edge and see the Mountain for the first time. It is Halloween and Lulu must decide on a costume. Should she be Ladybug Girl or something new? She tries many different costumes, but nothing seems right. | Jacky and David are the co-creators of the New York Times Bestselling Ladybug Girl books and Agent Lion, and have written and illustrated other books as well. They live in the Hudson Valley. |
| Barbara Dee barbaradeebooks.com  | Seventh grader Haven is obsessed with the climate crisis--so obsessed that she's experiencing "eco-anxiety." When a sympathetic teacher advises her to focus on something local and specific, Haven joins with classmates to save the town's river from pollution by a local factory-- where her dad works. | Barbara Dee is the author of thirteen middle grade novels published by Simon & Schuster, including HAVEN JACOBS SAVES THE PLANET (Sept. 27, 2022). VIOLETS ARE BLUE (2021) is one of School Library Journal's Best Books of 2021, a Project Lit selection. a 2021 Cybils Finalist, and one of A Mighty Girl's 2021 Books of the Year. MY LIFE IN THE FISH TANK (2020) is one of the 2021 Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year, and is nominated for two state book awards. |
| Corinne Demas corinnedemas.com  | A bunny searches for the perfect Christmas tree, only to discover she didn't have to look very far at all. The story explores the question of what makes something "perfect," and celebrates the joy of friendship. | Corinne Demas is the award-winning author of thirty-five books, including numerous picture books (Saying Goodbye to Lulu, The Littlest Matryoshka, The Disappearing Island, Pirates Go to School ), novels (Returning to Shore), and a memoir, (Eleven Stories High, Growing Up in Stuyvesant Town) . She is the co-author, with Artemis Roehrig, of The Grumpy Pirate, Are Pirates Polite?, Do Doodlebugs Doodle? Amazing Insect Facts, Does a Fiddler Crab Fiddle?, and Do Jellyfish Like Peanut Butter? Amazing Sea Creature Facts. She is a professor Emerita of English at Mount Holyoke College and lives in Western Massachusetts and on Cape Cod. www.corinnedemas.com |
| Abby Denson abbydenson.com  | In this fun graphic novel written for young readers, Kitty Sweet Tooth runs a theater that serves magical (and unpredictable) desserts. Featuring delicious text from author Abby Denson, and bright, colorful illustrations by Utomaru. There's just one thing Kitty Sweet Tooth loves more than going to movies, and that's eating delicious desserts. Now that Pop-Pop's movie theater has fallen on hard times, Kitty decides that only dessert can keep it from closing its doors! | Abby Denson is the author of Uniquely Japan, the Kitty Sweet Tooth series (with artist Utomaru), Cool Tokyo Guide, Cool Japan Guide, Dolltopia, and Tough Love: High School Confidential. She has scripted comics for Amazing Spider-Man Family, Powerpuff Girls Comics, Simpsons Comics, Sabrina The Teenage Witch, Josie and the Pussycats, Disney Adventures, among others. |
| Della Ferreri dellarossferreri.com  | GOD BLESSES ME is an engaging and sweetly-illustrated lift-the-flap book for toddlers. From morning pancakes to bedtime reading, this story helps little ones appreciate life's day-to-day blessings. | Della Ross Ferreri is a teacher and children's writer. She is the author of picture books, board books, early readers, and magazine stories and poems. As a co-founder of Children's Writers of the Hudson Valley, she helps organize local writing workshops and conferences. Della lives in Hyde Park, New York with her husband, children and guinea pigs. Besides writing and teaching, Della enjoys reading, movies, traveling, disc golf, leisurely walks and cheering for her family at running races and baseball games. For more information about Della, visit her website: www.dellarossferreri.com |
| Beth Ferry bethferry.com  | Sample your choice of sweet dreams-- from astronaut to making-the-shot and more-- all served by a truck that flies on moonbeams. You may choose to swim; you may want to fly, there's an endless assortment of flavors to try! | Beth Ferry is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous picture books, including Stick and Stone, The Scarecrow and Swashby and the Sea. She lives with her family by the beach in New Jersey, where she finds inspiration in the salty air. In addition to writing picture books, Beth also writes graphic novels for emerging readers. You can learn more at bethferry.com. |
| Julie Fogliano juliefogliano.com  | This rhythmic, rhyming text by award-winning author Julie Fogliano celebrates the similarities and differences between two unlikely best friends. It will be illustrated by two recent Caldecott Honorees, each depicting one of the characters, Molly Idle and Juana Martinez-Neal. | Julie Fogliano is the New York Times bestselling author of And Then It’s Spring and If You Want to See a Whale, both illustrated by Erin Stead. Booklist has said that Julie “has a knack for capturing the emotional tenor of very specific little kid experiences.” |
| Deborah Freedman deborahfreedman.net  | A small but mighty bird declares it is a dinosaur! But no one believes that dinosaurs still exist. How can it be a dinosaur when it is so little? Dinosaurs didn't have feathers . . . or did they? This tiny dino is here to explain to its animal friends that birds are, in fact, dinosaurs, and all creatures are connected to one big animal family. With a playful ensemble of animal characters and dynamic dialogue, TINY DINO is a spirited and informative picture book for dinosaur lovers of all ages. | Deborah Freedman loves building worlds in picture books as an author and illustrator. Her books have been translated into ten different languages, adopted in classrooms across the country, and honored with many starred reviews and awards. She loves meeting readers of all ages, so please stop by and say hello! |
| Nancy Furstinger nancyfurstinger.co  | Chris P. Bacon was born with malformed legs, but with the help of a wheelchair made of construction toys, he's become a hero to people with similar challenges. Nancy Furstinger profiles Chris P. Bacon and many other animals in Unstoppable-- all of whom are making their way around with the help of prosthetics, braces, orthotics, and wheelchairs! Readers will meet the caretakers, prosthetists, vets, and loving families that help to make recovery possible. | Nancy Furstinger is the author of nearly 100 books, including many on her favorite topic: animals! She started her writing career in third grade, when her class performed a play she wrote while recovering from chicken pox. Since then, Nancy has been a feature writer for a daily newspaper, a managing editor of trade and consumer magazines, and an editor at two children's book publishing houses. |
| Maria Gianferrari mariagianferrari.com  | Join a young child and their dog as they experience every minute of the day to its fullest from the second they wake up to the moment they fall asleep. Readers will love barking, wagging, and sniffing along with the gentle cues in the book. | Maria Gianferrari is a picture book reading/writing, tea-drinking, dog-loving, birdwatching resident of Massachusetts. Maria writes books that honor our bonds with creatures both domestic and wild, and that celebrate the natural world around us. Her most recent book is Icecyle: Poems about the Life of Ice, illustrated by Jieting Chen. Maria’s other recent releases include Being a Dog: A Tail of Mindfulness, illustrated by Pete Oswald, Bobcat Prowling illustrated by Bagram Ibatouilline and Be a Tree!, illustrated by Felicita Sala, with more nature and creature books to come in 2023. |
| John Patrick Green investigatorsbooks.com  | When rare paintings go missing, the InvestiGators are called on the scene...the ART SCENE! Mango and Brash go undercover and under canvas as internationally renowned painters to expose a crook who has truly mastered the art of CRIME! Can they recover the missing masterpieces and save the city art museum's fundraising gala before it's too late-- and they run out of appetizers? Find out in this latest pièce de résistance of action-packed illustrated fun. | John Patrick Green is a human with the human job of making books about animals with human jobs, such as Hippopotamister, Kitten Construction Company, and InvestiGators. John is definitely not just a bunch of animals wearing a human suit pretending to have a human job. He is also the artist and co-creator of the graphic novel series Teen Boat!, with writer Dave Roman. John lives in Brooklyn in an apartment that doesn't allow animals other than the ones living in his head. |
| Lisa Greenwald lisagreenwald.com  | From Lisa Greenwald, the beloved author of the TBH and Friendship List series, comes a novel about one girl's quest to discover the ins and outs of friendship-how and why of some friendships end-and to prove that despite some friendship fails, she's totally best friend material! | Lisa Greenwald is the author of Dear Friends, the Pink & Green trilogy, the Friendship List series, the TBH books and five other novels for tweens and teens. A graduate of The New School's MFA program in Writing for Children, she lives in New York City with her husband, daughters and mini bernedoodle Kibbitz. Visit her at www.lisagreenwald.com |
| Susanna Hill susannahill.com  | From high up in the sky, the Moon has spent her whole life watching Earth and hoping for someone to visit. Dinosaurs roam, pyramids are built, and boats are made, but still no one comes. The Moon can't help but wonder...will friends ever come visit her? Maybe, just maybe, the Apollo 11 Space Mission is the answer! Educational back matter includes out-of-this world facts about the moon, space flight, and the individuals who made the mission possible. A scannable QR code allows readers to listen to the exciting countdown to Apollo 11's liftoff. | Susanna is the New York Times Bestselling Author of MOON'S FIRST FRIENDS: ONE GIANT LEAP FOR FRIENDSHIP, and the award-winning author of over 25 more books for children, including PUNXSUTAWNEY PHYLLIS, CAN'T SLEEP WITHOUT SHEEP, and the popular WHEN YOUR LION NEEDS A BATH series. Susanna lives in New York's Mid-Hudson Valley with her children and her two rescue dogs. She loves chocolate, animals, and being outdoors. |
| Susan Hood susanhoodbooks.com  | When the Germans invade Ukraine, Zhanna, a young Jewish girl, must leave behind her friends, her freedom, and her promising musical future at the world's top conservatory. This middle grade nonfiction book-in-verse tells the moving true story of how young Zhanna (alias "Anna") and her sister Frina outplayed their pursuers while hiding in plain sight during the Holocaust. | Susan Hood is the award-winning author of more than 200 books for young readers, including Lifeboat 12, Ada's Violin, and Shaking Things Up. She's passionate about writing true stories about real kids in both picture books and middle grade books in verse. She lives in Connecticut with her family and loves to visit K-8 schools nationwide. To find out more, go to susanhoodbooks.com |
| Katey Howes kateyhowes.com  | We all hold the seed of something wonderful inside us, just waiting for the right moment to bloom. In A Poem Grows Inside You, the seed of an idea waits for the rhythm of the rainfall to awaken it, then takes root and begins to grow. At once a celebration of the deep connection creatives have with their art and an acknowledgement of the courage it takes to let it into the sun, this beautifully illustrated picture book encourages readers to nurture their talents and boldly share them with the world. | Katey Howes is thrilled to be making books for children. She also makes bad jokes, great apple crisp, and messy mistakes. A former physical therapist, Katey now divides her time between writing award-winning stories, raising kids with a love of books, and contributing to parenting, literacy, and STEM websites. Find her online at kateyhowes.com, on Twitter @kateywrites, and on Instagram @kidlitlove |
| Melissa Iwai melissaiwai.com  | Lili loves to cook baos, and Nai Nai has taught her all the secrets to making them, from kneading the dough lovingly and firmly to being thankful for the strong and healthy ingredients in the filling. But when Nai Nai realizes that they are out of cabbage, she sends Lili up to Babcia's apartment on the sixth floor to get some. What follows is a race up and down the stairs as Lili helps all the grandmothers in her building borrow ingredients for different dumplings. Energized by Melissa Iwai's engaging artwork and kinetic storytelling, Dumplings for Lili is a joyful story of sharing food, friendship, and love in all their forms. | Melissa Iwai is the children's book author and illustrator of Dumplings for Lili, Soup Day, Pizza Day. She has illustrated over thirty picture books during her career, including Chanukah Lights Everywhere, My Snow Globe, Let's Go to the Hardware Store, Thirty Minutes Over Oregon, and many moreWhen she's not working, Melissa loves to cook and develop her own recipes. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and son. All of her books may be viewed at: http://www.melissaiwai.com/ To keep up with on-going daily sketches and work-in-progress pieces from current book projects, follow her on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/melissaiwai1/ |
| Susie Jaramillo @sujaramillo  | In "Kiki Can! / ¡Kiki puede!," follow Kiki's journey to fly and get inspired by her yes, I can attitude! Learn about the power of words to instill grit and resilience in your little chickies, in both English and Spanish. | Susie Jaramillo is an artist, a storyteller, an entrepreneur, and a mom. An eternal student of cultures from around the world, she was born in Venezuela and raised between Caracas and Florida. At seventeen, she moved to New York City to study art at Pratt Institute, where she honed her crafts in painting and printmaking. She now resides in Brooklyn with her husband and two children. |
| Leslie Kimmelman lesliekimmelman.net  | The importance of choosing the right punctuation and just the right words can make the difference between EATING dinner and BEING dinner! Join a hilariously charming group of ghouls, ghosts, zombies, and other monster creatures as they learn some basic points of grammar. | Leslie Kimmelman is the author of more than fifty children's prize-winning picture books and early readers, whose subjects reign from the friendship between a bat and a sloth, to an group of mensches that also happen to be monsters, to a medieval tale of the Eight Knights of Hanukkah. |
| Jackie Azúa Kramer jackieazuakramer.com  | In the heart of Manhattan lived a librarian and a postal clerk who loved art so much they collected it. Over the years, Dorothy and Herbet brought home hundreds of works of art-- from little known SoHo artists to luminaries such as Chuck Close and Christo and Jeanne-Claude-- to their small, empty-walled apartment, much to the surprise and curiosity of their eight cats and tank of fish. Their passion for art and support of artists was so impressive, Dorothy and Herbert became famous themselves! | Jackie is an award-winning and internationally translated children's author. She earned her MA in Counseling in Education from Queens College. Her acolades include Best Children's Book of the Year 2017, the 2017 Parents Magazine Silver Medal, the 2020 Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year, and more. She lives with her family in Long Island, NY, and often travels to her family's roots in Ecuador, Puerto Rico and Spain. |
| Kevin Kurtz kevkurtz.com  | This fun facts book for kids includes 500 stupendous science facts for ages 9 to 12. You'll find weird and wonderful facts about topics like prehistoric life, the deep sea, weather, minerals, the human body, the solar system, and even your own backyard! | Kevin Kurtz is an award-winning author of 25 (and counting) children's books about science and nature. He has worked with scientists studying marine life along the Atlantic coast, studying volcanoes in the South Pacific, and studying the crater from the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs. He lives in upstate New York. You can learn more about Kevin and his books at www.kevkurtz.com. |
| London Ladd londonladd.com  | When the Universe decides to create a child, she draws from the earth, rich, dark, and full of everything that gives life, including eyes like black star sapphires and full lips to speak the truth. With help from the Sun and the Moon, they create a child of the Universe: beautiful, powerful, and boundless with the brilliance of Black Gold. This lyrical picture book is a joyous, poetic, celebration of Black children and a reminder of the Universe's unconditional love in stunning verse and captivating collage. | London Ladd's illustrations have been featured in numerous picture books and magazines, along with community-based murals. Ladd's critically acclaimed children's books include March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World (Scholastic), Frederick's Journey: The Life of Frederick Douglass (Disney/Jump at the Sun), as well as other titles. He uses a unique mixed media approach combining cut paper textured with acrylic paint, tissue paper, colored pencil, pen & ink and touches of digital to bring his diverse subjects to life. |
| Mylisa Larsen mylisalarsen.com  | Fifth period is hands down the best time of day in Connor U. Eubanks Middle School, because that's when Mr. Lewis teaches Jazz Lab. So his students are devastated when their beloved teacher quits abruptly. Once they make a connection between budget cuts and Mr. Lewis's disappearance, they hatch a plan: stop the cuts, save their class. Soon, they become an unlikely band of crusaders, and their quest quickly snowballs into something much bigger: a movement involving the whole middle school. But the adults in charge seem determined to ignore their every protest. How can the kids make themselves heard? | Mylisa Larsen has been telling stories for a long time. This has caused her to get gimlet-eyed looks from her parents, her siblings and, later, her own children when they felt that certain stories had been embellished beyond acceptable limits. She now writes children's books where her talents for hyperbole are actually rewarded. She is the author of the picture books, How To Put Your Parents To Bed, If I Were A Kangaroo and Ho Ho Homework. Her debut novel, Playing Through The Turnaround, is coming out this October. She has lived in eight states and two countries and has loved things about all of them. You can visit her online at mylisalarsen.com |
| Matthew Loux mattloux.com  | When Delia Bean finds herself competing for an internship position at the Time Museum, the last thing she expects is to be sent on time-traveling adventures with an unlikely gang of kids from across the eons. From a cave-boy to a girl from the distant future, Delia's team represents nearly all of human history! They're going to need all their skills for the challenge they've got in store . . . defending the Time Museum itself! | Matthew Loux is the author and artist of the Middle Grade Graphic novel series the Time Museum, Salt Water Taffy, and Prunella and the Cursed Skull Ring (out in Fall 2022). Matthew Lives in New York. |
| Lauren Magaziner laurenmagaziner.com  | Marina has been waiting for Pairing Day --anxiously-- for as long as she can remember. Because it's day she gets to bond with her animal familiar for life, like every other ten-year-old in the land. Except after the ceremony ends, Marina doesn't have one. And she's not alone . . . Kit, Ember, Pippa, and Hailey also don't have familiars. They quickly discover something special is happening: they are Mythics. In times of unrest, the Mythics must earn their mythical beast companions in quests of courage. But danger lurks everywhere as there are others seeking this mysterious power. And only the Mythics can save the world! | Lauren Magaziner is the author of the Case Closed series, The Mythics series, The Only Thing Worse Than Witches, Pilfer Academy, and Wizardmatch. She is originally from New Hope, Pennsylvania, and she currently lives in Philadelphia, where she writes full-time. On Lauren's Pairing Day, she bonded with her perfect familiar: a warm, cuddly, charmingly cantankerous cat. You can visit Lauren at www.laurenmagaziner.com. |
| Kristin Mahoney kristinmahoneybooks.com  | Elfie Oster was sure that Hampshire Academy was going to be the perfect school for her. She was sure about it right up to the minute she got expelled. On her first day. It was all a misunderstanding, but until she can find a way to fix things, Elfie has to go back to Cottonwood Elementary. Where she's never really fit in. Or had friends. But sometimes when everything goes wrong, you figure out what truly matters--and what doesn't. So really, this terrible, horrible, surprisingly hilarious year may be the best thing that's ever happened to Elfie. | Kristin Mahoney is the author of three novels for young readers, Elfie Unperfect, The 47 People You'll Meet in Middle School and Annie's Life in Lists. Kristin grew up in Sanford, North Carolina. She now lives in South Orange, NJ with her husband, two daughters, and a sweet goofy dog. |
| Erin McGill @wallcojr  | Weird, Wild and Wacky Presidential Pets. From Andrew Jackson's mouthy parrot to Martin Van Buren's tiger cubs. | Erin McGill was born and raised in New York. She received a BFA from Pratt Institute. She is the author and illustrator of I DO NOT LIKE AL's HAT, I DO NOT LIKE THAT NAME, MATCHY MATCHY, IF YOU WANT A FRIEND IN WASHINGTON and the forthcoming WE AlSO SERVED. She lives in New York City with her husband and dog. |
| Nicole Melleby nicolemelleby.com  | Eleven-year-old Joey is angry. All the time. And she doesn't understand why. She has two loving moms, a supportive older half-brother, and, as a triplet she's never without company. Her life is good. But sometimes she loses her temper and lashes out. After an incident at Joey's apartment building leads to her family's eviction, Joey is desperate to figure out why she is so angry. A new unit on genetics in her science class makes Joey wonder if maybe the reason is genetic. Does she lose control because of the donor her mothers chose? The Science of Being Angry is a heartwarming story about what makes a family and what makes us who we are. | Nicole Melleby, a Jersey native, is the author of highly praised middle-grade books, including the Lambda Literary finalist Hurricane Season and ALA Notable Children's book How to Become a Planet. She lives with her wife and their cat, whose need for attention oddly aligns with Nicole's writing schedule. |
| Christy Mihaly christymihaly.com  | "Barefoot Books WATER: A Deep Dive of Discovery" introduces young readers to one of the most important topics on Earth: our water. It's a big, kid-friendly book, beautifully illustrated by Mariona Cabassa. A droll water droplet character guides readers through topics ranging from the water cycle to freezing and melting to the ways in which water literally shapes the planet. The fun format includes science sidebars for deeper analysis, gatefolds and booklets with hands-on activities, and suggestions for actions kids can take to protect our water. Kirkus gave WATER a starred review. | Christy Mihaly is a former lawyer who decided a decade ago that writing for kids was more fun. She has written nonfiction on topics from free speech to food to fashion, as well as fiction and poetry. Her 2022 picture books are "The Supreme Court and Us" (about--yes--the U.S. Supreme Court) and "Patience, Patches," in which a dog narrates what happens when a baby joins the family. Christy also practices playing cello from time to time, and loves to walk (and snowshoe) in the woods around her Vermont home. |
| Kate Milford clockworkfoundry.com  | Nothing is what it seems and there's always more than one side to the story as a group of strangers trapped in an inn slowly reveal their secrets in this new standalone mystery set in the world of the best-selling Greenglass House, from a National Book Award nominee and Edgar Award--winning author. The rain hasn't stopped for a week, and the twelve guests of the Blue Vein Tavern are trapped by flooded roads and the rising Skidwrack River. Among them are a ship's captain, tattooed twins, a musician, and a young girl traveling on her own. To pass the time, they begin to tell stories, each a different type of folklore, that eventually reveal more about their own secrets than they intended. | Kate Milford is the New York Times bestselling author of Greenglass House (winner of the Edgar award for juvenile literature, long-listed for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, and a nominee for the Andre Norton Award and the Agatha Award for Children's/YA) as well as The Raconteur's Commonplace Book, The Thief Knot, Bluecrowne, Ghosts of Greenglass House, The Boneshaker, The Broken Lands, The Left-Handed Fate, The Kairos Mechanism, and the forthcoming Rialto (2022) and Seacritters! graphic novel series with Lucy Bellwood (2023). Kate grew up in Riva, Maryland, and now lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family. You can find more at www.greenglasshousebooks.com. |
| Florence Minor minorart.com  | Get smitten with kittens in this rhyming picture book perfect for read-alouds. There's so much to love about kittens--from their cute little mews to their unstoppable mischief-making! Turn to the back of the book for fascinating facts about cat behavior and care. | Having grown up in a family of animal lovers, Florence’s love of animals is not surprising. Her childhood pets included dogs, birds, and turtles, and as an adult she has always shared her home with fabulous felines. Her previous books with her husband, Wendell, If You Were a Penguin, If You Were a Panda Bear, My Farm Friends (which she ghost-wrote) and How To Be a Bigger Bunny all feature animals of various species. Her upcoming book with Wendell, SMITTEN WITH KITTENS, will be published in February 2022. Visit Florence at minorart.com and on Facebook and Instagram. |
| Wendell Minor minorart.com  | Award-winning author and artist Wendell Minor uses simple language and striking autumn settings to celebrate jack-o'-lanterns in this reissue of a Halloween classic. The perfect holiday read aloud, Pumpkin Heads takes readers and trick-or-treaters from the pumpkin patch for picking, all the way home for carving, and gets everyone in the Halloween spirit. | Wendell Minor has illustrated, written and collaborated with many awesome authors. As a nature lover and history buff, Wendell loves sharing those interests with children through more than 60 books he has had published with Jean Craighead George, Tony Johnston, Robert Burleigh, Charlotte Zolotow, Margaret Wise Brown, Buzz Aldrin, Mary Higgins Clark, and last but not least, his wife Florence. His work has been exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the country. Visit Wendell at www.minorart.com and on Facebook and Twitter. |
| Marie-Therese Miller marie-theresemiller.com  | Sly as a Fox: Are Foxes Clever? is filled with fascinating facts about foxes. Readers will be surprised to learn about the crafty ways foxes build their dens, hunt for food, and even escape predators! | Marie-Therese Miller is the author of nonfiction books for children and teens. Her most recent selections include Sly as a Fox: Are Foxes Clever?, Let's Talk About It! A Sesame Street Guide to Resolving Conflict, A Dog's Best Friend: A Sesame Street Guide to Caring for Your Dog, and Five-Minute Friendship Starters: A Sesame Street Guide to Making a Friend. Miller earned her PhD from St. John's University, where her academic focus was James Thurber's humorous writing. She teaches Children's and YA Literature at Marist College. Miller and her husband have five children and a grandson. |
| Amanda Moeckel-Calatzis amandamoeckel.com  | This sensitive, life-affirming biography not only portrays the life of this beloved TV personality, but focuses on Fred's most memorable songs and musical TV moments, and captures the enduring magic of his music in brilliantly colorful abstract illustration. Readers will not only learn about what music meant to Fred Rogers, but find the encouragement and inspiration to brighten their own lives with song. | Amanda Moeckel-Calatzis is a picture book writer and illustrator with an MFA in Illustration from School of Visual Arts. She made the art for Mister Rogers' Gift of Music and is the author-illustrator of Khalida and the Most Beautiful Song. She lives in Warwick with her husband, two children and two senior dogs. |
| Roxie Munro roxiemunro.com  | Take a walk through an exciting city created from the letters of the alphabet. Follow maze-like paths and along the way find items starting with the letter featured on each page. Lush color and rich details are a treat to the eye. Maze and seek-n-find answers at the end. Includes a giant pull-out ABCity poster. | Roxie is the author/illustrator of more than 45 nonfiction, STEM, and concept children's picture books, many using "gamification" to engage and teach. She's received numerous awards (including the New York Times Best Illustrated, Cook Honor for STEM, IBBY Bronze Metal, more); many starred reviews (SLJ, Horn Book, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, ALA Booklist); and appeared on a lot of Best of Year Lists (NYPL, Bank Street, Chicago Public Library, ALA's Booklist, Smithsonian, more). She's had 14 covers for The New Yorker magazine published and has created 12 interactive books apps. Roxie speaks at book and library conferences and does in-person and online school visits. Info: www.roxiemunro.com. |
| Diana Murray dianamurray.com  | Jingle-jingle! Neigh, neigh, neigh! Clap your hooves for Christmas Day! There's so much for unicorns to do to get ready for Christmas! They send out cards by shooting stars, they trim their trees with rainbow flowers, and they sing the Unicorn Christmas Song. But when Santa and his weary reindeer arrive, it's up to the unicorns to help deliver the gifts in this celebratory companion to the best-selling Unicorn Day and Unicorn Night. | Diana Murray is the author of over twenty children's books, including the bestselling UNICORN DAY series, HELP MOM WORK FROM HOME!, GOODNIGHT VEGGIES, GROGGLE'S MONSTER HALLOWEEN, and more. She grew up in New York City and still lives nearby with her husband, two children, and a dancing dog. http://www.dianamurray.com |
| Matt Myklusch mattmyklusch.com  | All Jack Blank knows is his bleak, dreary life at St. Barnaby's Home for the Hopeless, Abandoned, Forgotten, and Lost, but everything changes one morning when he receives two visitors. The first is a deadly robot that tries its best to blow him up. The second comes from a secret country called the Imagine Nation, a place where all the fantastic and unbelievable things in our world originate, including Jack. Jack discovers that he has an amazing ability, one that could make him the savior of the Imagine Nation and the world beyond, or the biggest threat they've ever faced. | Matt Myklusch is the author of the ORDER OF THE MAJESTIC series, the JACK BLANK trilogy, and the SEABORNE series. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and family, where he is always behind schedule on his next book. |
| David Opie spacemandave.com  | All birds have feathers, wings, and beaks. But birds come in many colors, shapes, and sizes. There are over 10,000 types of birds and they differ widely in everything from their habits to their homes. And yet, despite this diverse tapestry of textures, sounds, and sights, they are all part of the same enormous family. Even little Kiwi, who struggles to see at first how they fit in, finds that they too belong to this fascinating family of feathered friends. | David Opie was born and raised in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. He received his BFA in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design and went on to earn his master's degree from the MFA "Illustration As Visual Essay" program at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. His author-illustrator debut picture book, All the Birds in the World, was published by Peter Pauper Press in June of 2020. He has taught at the Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago and the Lyme Academy College of Fine Art and was a full-time instructor at the American Academy of Art in downtown Chicago. He currently teaches at the University of New Haven. David and his wife live in coastal Connecticut with their spaniel. |
| Roxane Orgill roxaneorgill.net  | In 1958, Esquire magazine planned a special issue to salute American jazz. Graphic designer Art Kane pitched a crazy idea: gather as many musicians as could be found and take a big group photograph. He didn't own a good camera and he didn't know how many would show up. Could he pull it off? In twenty-one poems, Roxane Orgill steps into the frame of the famous photograph Harlem 1958 and re-creates that serendipitous day. | Roxane Orgill is an award-winning writer of nonfiction books for children and adults. Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph, earned six starred reviews and is a collection of poems inspired by the iconic photo of 57 jazz musicians standing on a Harlem stoop. Her book Siege: When Washington Kicked the British out of Boston and Launched a Revolution is also written in verse. Roxane began writing for children in 1997 with a picture book biography, If I Only Had a Horn: Young Louis Armstrong. |
| John Parra johnparraart.com  | From award-winning artist John Parra comes a touching and deceptively simple picture book based on his childhood experience about the bond between a father and son, hard work, and the links between nature, art, and creativity. | John Parra is an award-winning illustrator, fine artist, designer and educator, best known for award-winning picture books. Frida Kahlo and her Animalitos was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year and a Smithsonian Best Book of the Year. His books have received Pure Belpre Honors three times and multiple other commendations. |
| Matt Phelan mattphelan.com  | Wherever there is injustice, nefarious plots, or threats to society, the Sheep, the Rooster, and the Duck are there to stop them! A sly villain with a plan to cause havoc across the globe is no match for three extraordinary animals and their two young human friends. From acclaimed author and artist Matt Phelan, The Sheep, the Rooster, and the Duck is a hilarious, action-packed, and highly illustrated middle grade adventure. | Matt Phelan is an award-winning, New York Times-bestselling author/illustrator of picture books, middle grade novels, and graphic novels for young readers. Matt has received the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction (The Storm in the Barn), the Carolyn Field Award (Around the World and Snow White), the Jefferson Cup (Bluffton), and has been nominated for five Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, including best writer/artist and best new graphic album for Bluffton. In 2014, Matt was awarded the Free Library of Philadelphia/Drexel University Children's Literature Citation. |
| James Preller jamespreller.com  | Bored and ignored by your busy parents, you decide to go outside and build a fairy house. Just when you're sure nothing is going to happen, you meet Bert the Below Average: a real, live fairy. He's not exactly what you had in mind. But he'll do. Let the adventures begin! | James Preller published his first book in 1986, more than half a lifetime ago. His books have demonstrated wide-ranging interests and abilities, from picture books in haiku to Young Adult novels. He is most widely known for the Jigsaw Jones series, as well as numerous novels including The Courage Test, Six Innings, Blood Mountain, and Bystander. His most recent novel, Upstander, is a standalone prequel/sequel to Bystander. James lives with his family in Delmar, NY and frequently - happily, gratefully - travels to schools far and near as a visiting author. He maintains a lively blog at jamespreller.com |
| Jean Reidy jeanreidy.com  | Sylvie hangs on a silvery thread, safely hidden under her damp, dark fire escape. Sure, it's a little too close to the dumpster below, but if she stays carefully out of sight, she can watch over her people in the apartment building above. Lately though, her people seem to be missing... something. Sylvie wants to help, but she's always stayed out of view. After all, not everyone appreciates a spider who calls attention to herself. When a most audacious idea comes to her, though, can Sylvie muster her moxie and risk stepping into the spotlight? | Jean Reidy's bestselling and award-winning picture books have earned their spots as favorites among readers and listeners of all ages and from all over the world. She is honored to be a three-time winner of the Colorado Book Award, a Parent's Choice Gold Award Winner, a Charlotte Zolotow Honor winner and recognized on "Best of" lists by School Library Journal, the New York Times, NPR and Amazon. Jean writes from her home in Colorado where she lives a short walk from her neighborhood library, which she visits nearly every day. |
| Lisa Robinson author-lisa-robinson.com  | Chock-full of facts and humor, this picture book biography is about legendary ice cream makers Ben and Jerry living their Americone Dream. It all began when two groovy guys, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, met when they were twelve years old. Ben liked art, Jerry liked science, and they both loved ice cream! They started a business together... and when the doors of Ben and Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream finally opened, crowds flocked. Through their inventiveness, passion, and activism, Ben & Jerry dreamed of making the world a better, more delicious place-- one scoop at a time. | Lisa Robinson is a child psychiatrist and children's book author who lives in the Boston area. She works as a therapist for adults, teens, and children and teaches an elective course, Creativity and the Unconscious Mind, in Lesley University's Creative Writing/MFA program. She is the author of two fiction and three nonfiction picture books. In her free time she reads voraciously and flies through the air on aerial silks at her local circus studio. |
| Lizzy Rockwell lizzyrockwell.com  | A small green tadpole wonders who or what he is. Is he a frog, is he a fish? Where did these legs come from? A level G easy reader from the award winning I Like to Read series from Holiday House. | Lizzy Rockwell writes and illustrates picture books which illuminate the mysteries and logic of the natural world, spark conversation about emotions and personal wellness, and one which tells the true story of how a group of friends came together to make a quilt for their library. Lizzy also illustrated many books by other authors, including her mother, Anne Rockwell. |
| Artemis Roehrig artemisroehrig.com  | Gus the Pirate is always grumpy, but can the wise Pirate Queen convince him to change his ways? There is one grumpy pirate. They call him Grumpy Gus. He grunts and gripes and grouses, and always makes a fuss. Can Gus turn his frown upside down before the other pirates make him walk the plank? All kids can relate to feeling grumpy like Gus, and this swashbuckling pirate adventure teaches kids the importance of trying to have a positive attitude! | Artemis Roehrig is the coauthor (with Corinne Demas) of five picture books, including the award-winning Do Doodlebugs Doodle? Amazing Insect Facts, and Are Pirates Polite?. Artemis is also the author of Storey Publishing's Tattoos That Teach series. She is also the co-host (with Rajani LaRocca) of the podcast STEM Women in KidLit. When she isn't writing or podcasting, Artemis works as an entomology technician for the Department of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts, and plays the violin with her community theater. She lives with her family in Western Massachusetts. |
| Dave Roman yaytime.com  | It's summer vacation for the students of Astronaut Academy, and Maribelle Mellonbelly is throwing the best party ever on her private Beach Planet! But tensions heat up fast when Hakata Soy's arch rival, Rick Raven, arrives. And soon the whole planet is heating up-- with a giant volcano threatening to blow its top! Unless they can work together save the planet, the students of Astronaut Academy will be toast. But can they put aside their differences in time to turn the tides? | Dave Roman is the author/illustrator of the Astronaut Academy series (winner of Maryland's Black-Eyed Susan Book Award) and writer of the graphic novels Teen Boat! (with John Patrick Green) and Agnes Quill: An Anthology of Mystery. Roman is a professor at the School of Visual Arts, a former editor at Nickelodeon Magazine, and is currently series editor for First Second's Science Comics and History Comics series of nonfiction graphic novels. He lives in New York City and draws webcomics like Starbunny, Inc. |
| Misa Saburi misasaburi.com  | In Bearnard Writes a Book, the hilarious follow up to Bearnard's Book, Bearnard decides to write a book for his best friend Gertie. | Misa Saburi (MEE-sah sah-BUR-ree) is a Japanese illustrator who was born in Sleepy Hollow, NY and raised in Tokyo, Japan. She now lives in Brooklyn, NY. Some images are made in Photoshop while some on paper with ink and watercolor, often while watching soccer games and listening to Japanese radio shows. |
| Alyssa Satin Capucilli alyssacapucilli.com  | Seeds -- check! Shovel - check! Biscuit and friends are ready to visit the community garden. From planting flowers with new friends to feeding the birds, there are so many ways to help in the garden! Celebrate the joy of community with Biscuit, everyone's favorite little yellow puppy in the first ever Level One I Can Read, perfect for children eager to start reading on their own. | Alyssa Satin Capucilli is the author of over 100 books for young readers including Biscuit, the popular bestseller used to launch the My First I Can Read Series from HarperCollins. With over seventy-five titles in the series as well as over twenty-three million books in print, Biscuit has been deemed a modern classic and has been translated into numerous languages worldwide. |
| Jennifer Sattler jennifersattlerbooks.com  | One, Two, Saddle up Lou. Little Buckaroo saddles up for a great day with horsey companion, Lou. But it will take more than a cowboy hat and spiffy red boots to get them on their way. Written to the nursery rhyme of "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe," this perfect book for little cowpokes combines counting and a bit of barnyard antics. From Jennifer Sattler, the award-winning artist of One Red Sock, Dirty Birdies, and Oink-Oink! Moo! Cock-a-Doodle-Doo! | Jennifer Sattler is the award winning author and illustrator of several children's books including SYLVIE, the popular series CHICK 'N' PUG and PIG KAHUNA and FRANKIE THE BLANKIE . Sleeping Bear Press has printed a line of her original board books including Dirty Birdies and Jungle Gym. She grew up outside of Philadelphia and then went on to study painting and drawing at the University of New Hampshire and then the Hope School of Fine Arts at Indiana University in Bloomington. In 1996, she won a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts . Her books have won The Mockingbird Award for picture books and The Georgia Children's book Award. Jennifer lives in upstate New York. |
| Drew Sheneman drewsheneman.net  | A hilarious guided tour of the solar system and why Earth is the best place to call home sweet home. | Drew Sheneman is an award winning syndicated cartoonist and author/illustrator of children's books. |
| Mark Shulman markshulman.info  | A full-color, full-length graphic-novel biography of the Fighting Founding Father. Packed with interesting facts (not seen on Broadway) and funny, sharp text, Mark's entire Show Me History biography series - from Disney to Einstein - dares you NOT to learn tons of fun, true stories! | Mark has been a camp counselor, a radio announcer, a maitre d' in a fancy restaurant, a New York City tour guide, and a creative advertising guy. His many books are about many things--sharks, storms, robots, palindromes, gorillas, dodo birds, Star Wars, Ben Franklin (twice), how to hide stuff, how to voodoo your enemies, and how to make a video from start to finish. Mark is from upstate New York, but he has lived in New York City for so very long that he tawks like he's from da Bronx. So do his kids. |
| Annie Silvestro anniesilvestro.com  | Dylan loves playing, drawing, dreaming, and, best of all, dragons! But his days and weeks are so full - with piano lessons, science club, baseball practice, karate class, and more - that when the dragon of his daydreams shows up, there's never any time to play. How can Dylan let his family know that his busy schedule needs room for dragon time? | Annie Silvestro is a lover of books who can often be found shuffling piles of them around so she has a place to sit or someplace to put her teacup. She is the author of DYLAN'S DRAGON, SUGAR AND SPICE AND EVERYTHING MICE, BUNNY'S BOOK CLUB GOES TO SCHOOL, BUTTERFLIES ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, THE CHRISTMAS TREE WHO LOVED TRAINS, MICE SKATING, and BUNNY'S BOOK CLUB, named a Kids' Indie Next List Pick, an Amazon best book of the year for 2017, and a 2018 pick for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Annie lives with her sons by the beach in NJ where she laughs loudly and often. Visit Annie at www.anniesilvestro.com or on Twitter and Instagram @anniesilvestro. |
| Heidi Stemple heidieystemple.com  | A mouse, adrift in the ocean during a storm, finds comfort when he sees other boats who ride out the storm nearby until the storm passes and it's time to be together. | Heidi didn't want to be a writer when she grew up. In fact, after she graduated from college, she became a probation officer in Florida. It wasn't until she was 28 years old that she gave in and joined the family business, publishing her first short story in a book called Famous Writers and Their Kids Write Spooky Stories. The famous writer was her mom, author Jane Yolen. Since then, she has published more than thirty-five books and numerous short stories and poems, mostly for children. Heidi lives and writes on a big old farm in Massachusetts. |
| Hudson Talbott hudsontalbott.com  | A Walk In The Words is a memoir told in visual metaphors of the author's journey through the challenges of dyslexia and how his challenges helped him discover his strengths, becoming an artist, writer and storyteller. Walk was cited a s an ALA Schneider Family Honor Book in 2022. | Hudson Talbott has written and illustrated about 28 books for young readers. His first book We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story, became a feature length film by Steven Spielberg. He also worked with Stephen Sondheim on a book version of the composer's musical Into the Woods. Hudson's books have won several awards over the years. Hudson lives in the Hudson Valley with his partner Jay, two cats and a golden doodle named Morgan. |
| Kyra Teis kyrateis.com  | A child makes a music-filled visit to her grandparents' apartment on the Lower East Side, dancing to klezmer music, and connecting its Old Country beginnings to its new rockin' vibe. | Kyra Teis is a children's book author-illustrator, graphic novelist, and avid seamstress. She works in a cozy studio in Schenectady, NY, which is crammed full of books and fabrics from all over the world. When she's not making art, you can find her and her husband cheering wildly at their two daughters' soccer games and musical theatre productions. |
| Lisa Thiesing lisathiesing.com  | Whether big or small, a family is for reading, for laughing, for holding you tight. And, perhaps most importantly, loving you for who you are. A Family Is... is the heartwarming and sweetly illustrated follow-up to A Friend Is... . This lovely book celebrates all the many different kinds of families and the joys of having one. | Lisa Thiesing has happily been an illustrator and/or author for many years. She has always wanted to make children's books and when she was little she began by writing tremendously original stories about boys being saved from wells by their dogs. Lisa still likes to write about dogs! Lisa grew up in NYC and earned her BFA from Parsons School of Design. She also studied early childhood development at Bank Street College and received a Montessori certificate. Lisa now resides in the beautiful Hudson valley. |
| Iza Trapani izatrapani.com  | Moo-ve and groove to this fanciful picture book retelling of "Skip to My Lou" as the farm animals put on their dancing shoes for a hoedown! | Iza Trapani was born in Poland and at age seven moved to the US, where her relatives gave her a large Mother Goose Treasury. She learned English through those rhymes, not knowing that someday her dream of becoming a children's book author and illustrator would come true. Iza's best selling nursery rhyme extensions, including The Itsy Bitsy Spider and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star have sold millions of copies and are widely used in schools and libraries across the U.S. and abroad. Skip to My Moo, a collaboration with Maddie Frost, is Iza's latest release. You can learn more about Iza and her books at www.izatrapani.com |
| Laurie Wallmark lauriewallmark.com  | Much like us, dinosaurs love to have fun. In Dino Pajama Party, dinosaurs from all around gather together to play instruments, dance, and sing before bedtime. But soon the dinosaurs grow tired and need their rest. This rhyming picture book is sure to have kids following the dinos' lead and ready to go to sleep. | Laurie Wallmark writes picture book biographies of #WomenInSTEM as well as other types of children's books. They have earned multiple starred trade reviews and received awards such as Outstanding Science Trade Book and Cook Prize Honor. Laurie has an MFA in Writing from VCFA and is a former software engineer and computer science professor. You can find Laurie on the Web at www.lauriewallmark.com and @lauriewallmark. |
| Joyce Wan wanart.com  | A delightful, encouraging read-aloud all about the wonder and possibilities in every child featuring a super special narwhal friend and a sweet and enduring message of love and encouragement. | Award-winning author-illustrator, Joyce Wan, designed her first greeting card when she was in first grade for a city-wide greeting card design contest. The design won first place and was subsequently sold through a major department store chain. Twenty years later, that design would inspire a line of greeting cards and the launch of her design studio Wanart. She has now published 27 books for children including the best-selling "YOU ARE MY CUPCAKE." Her books have sold a combined total of over 1 million copies worldwide. |
| Dana Wulfekotte danawulfekotte.com  | Peanut the stuffed penguin does everything with Pearl. That means napping and playing, but it also means getting drooled on and dragged around. One day, Peanut has had enough, and she decides to slip out of Pearl's backpack. At first, life without Pearl is all Peanut ever dreamed of. Freedom! Independence! But then it gets rather lonely. Peanut begins to wonder if Pearl has found a new favorite toy. Luckily, Peanut could never be replaced, and Pearl shows up just when Peanut needs her the most. | Dana Wulfekotte is a freelance animator and an author and illustrator of children's books. She was born in South Korea, raised in New Jersey, and currently lives in Queens with her husband and two rabbits. |
| Wendy Xu artofwendyxu.com  | With echoes of Studio Ghibli, award-nominated creator Wendy Xu's solo graphic novel debut is a story of self-acceptance and friendship-- with a magical twist. Sophie is a young witch whose mother and grandma put pressure on her to attend the best magic school in the realm, even though her control over her magic is shaky at best. To help her prepare for the school's entrance exams, they send her away to train with relatives she's never met. However, Sophie's Great Aunt and cousin Sage won't let Sophie near a spell book. Instead, they make her do chores. | Wendy Xu is a bestselling, award-nominated Brooklyn-based illustrator and comics artist. She is the creator of the middle grade fantasy graphic novel TIDESONG (2021 from HarperCollins/Quilltree) and co-creator of MOONCAKES, a young adult fantasy graphic novel published in 2019 from Oni Press. Her work has been featured on Catapult, Barnes & Noble Sci-fi/Fantasy Blog, and Tor.com, among other places. |
| Jane Yolen janeyolen.com  | An unlikely and entirely unforgettable friendship between Flora, an elephant calf stolen from her African home, and David, the circus impresario and magician who adopts, trains, and ultimately liberates her, in this tale freely inspired by actual events. | Jane Yolen, is the author of more than 400 books, for all ages. Her works have won awards from the Caldecott to the Nebula. She lives and writes in both Massachusetts and Scotland. |
| Hyewon Yum hyewonyum.com  | A lion family navigates their fears of going to the doctor in this adorable, hilariously relatable companion to Lion Needs a Haircut. | Hyewon Yum is the author and illustrator of Lion Needs a Haircut; Grandpa Across the Ocean; Last Night, a Fiction Honorable Mention for the Bologna Ragazzi Award and winner of the Golden Kite Award; There Are No Scary Wolves, winner of the Society of illustrators' Founder's Award; The Twins' Blanket, a Junior Library Guild selection; Mom, It's My First Day of Kindergarten!, which won the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award and was selected as a Kirkus Best Book of the Year; and Saturday is Swimming Day, which earned her a Charlotte Zolotow Honor. Yum lives in Brooklyn, New York. |
| Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo jzulferr.com  | Ever since her mother's cancer diagnosis, Cal spends her afternoons on nearby Mt. Meteorite, where legend maintains a magical meteorite landed fifty years ago. Cal becomes obsessed with scaling the mountain to find this magic she believes will heal her broken family. Then Cal meets Rosine Kanambe, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Together, the girls set out to scale the mountain. As they dig deep to face its many challenges, Cal learns from Rosine what real courage looks like and begins to wonder if the magic she's been looking for is really the kind she needs. | Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo is the author of Each of Us a Universe, A Galaxy of Sea Stars and Ruby in the Sky, which earned two starred reviews and which Booklist called "quietly magical." She is also a volunteer with IRIS-Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services in New Haven, Connecticut. She lives in Ellington, Connecticut, with her family |