Picture Books
CARLOS APONTE was born in New York and raised in Puerto Rico. He attended Parsons School of Design and currently teaches drawing at Fashion Institute of Technology. He is the author/illustrator of A SEASON TO BEE.
TADGH BENTLEY is a picture book author and illustrator originally from the UK, now living in the Hocking Hills of Ohio. His titles include LITTLE PENGUIN AND THE LOLLIPOP, LITTLE PENGUIN GETS THE HICCUPS and SAMSON, THE PIRANHA WHO WENT TO DINNER. www.www.tadghbentley.com
EMMA BERNAY, who also writes under the name EMMA CARLSON BERNE, has written a number of books, both fiction and nonfiction, for children and young adults. She has worked on projects with American Girl Publishing, Simon & Schuster, Scholastic, Sterling Publishing, Capstone, Rosen, MTV Books, and Alloy Entertainment, among others. She is the author of the YA thrillers STILL WATERS and NEVER LET YOU GO. Her most recent book is ROSE SPOKE OUT: THE STORY OF ROSE SCHNEIDERMAN, a nonfiction picture book about a young Jewish immigrant from Poland who galvanized support for better working conditions in the early 1900s. emmacarlsonberne.com
LOUISE BONNETT-RAMPERSAUD is the author of HOW DO YOU SLEEP? and POLLY HOPPER’S POUCH. She was born in England and now lives in Maryland with her family. Her most recent books are THE DYNO-MITE DOG SHOW and THE SPRING UN-FAIR, the first two books in her newest series, The Secret Knock Club.
JOHN CALDERAZZO is the author of the popular WRITING FROM SCRATCH: FREELANCING and has also written the children's book 101 QUESTIONS ABOUT VOLCANOES. His most recent book is RISING FIRE: VOLCANOES AND OUR INNER LIVES. His work has appeared in Audubon, USA Today, Writer's Digest, and dozens of other newspapers and magazines.
PREETI CHHIBBER has spent her life being a fan of being a fan. Hailing from Florida, she spent a decade working in children's publishing in New York before leaving to pursue writing full time. She's written for SYFY, BookRiot, BookRiot Comics, The Nerds of Color, and The Mary Sue, among others. Her short story, "Girls Who Twirl and Other Dangers" was published in the anthology A THOUSAND BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS, and she also contributed to the anthology STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS: STORIES OF LIGHT AND DARK. She is the author of SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME: PETER AND NED’S ULTIMATE TRAVEL JOURNAL; STAR WARS: A JEDI, YOU WILL BE; and the MARVEL: AVENGERS ASSEMBLY middle grade comic series, in which a diverse cast of Marvel characters team up to save the day. Her newest book is SPIDER-MAN’S SOCIAL DILEMMA, the first in a hilarious three-book middle grade series. https://www.preetichhibber.com/
ERIN SODERBERG DOWNING writes novels for kids and teens. Under Erin Downing, she published her debut middle grade novel, BEST FRIENDS FOREVER (OR UNTIL SOMEONE BETTER COMES ALONG), about a mean girl trying to change her reputation. Her other books include, FOR SOCCER-CRAZY GIRLS ONLY, NONE OF THE REGULAR RULES, MOON SHADOW, CONTROLLED BURN, and the series SpacePop, The Quirks, Puppy Pirates, and The Great Peach Experiment. Her latest book for young readers is JUST KEEP WALKING , a story of resilience and the healing and restorative power of wilderness and nature. https://www.erinsoderberg.com
JOE FENTON has worked in the film industry as a concept designer and sculptor on films including The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and The Brothers Grimm. His first picture book, WHAT’S UNDER THE BED?, was a finalist for the Borders Original Voices Award. He is now at work on his second picture book, BOO!
EVAN GRIFFITH is a writer based in Austin, Texas. He studied creative writing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received his MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Prior to relocating to Austin, he worked for five years as an editor at Workman Publishing in NYC where he specialized in non-fiction for children and adults, and he continues to edit books on a freelance basis. Through his role as the youth programming specialist at The Writing Barn, an Austin-based creative writing education center, he also teaches online writing classes for kids. Perhaps most importantly, he has a tuxedo cat named Kylie. Evan’s debut picture book, SECRETS OF THE SEA: THE STORY OF JEANNE POWER, REVOLUTIONARY MARINE SCIENTIST, received a starred review from School Library Journal, was a Junior Library Guild Selection, and was named a best book of the year by the Bank Street College of Education. His debut middle grade novel, MANATEE SUMMER, is about a boy who finds his voice to stand up for endangered Florida manatees, and received a starred review from Kirkus. https://www.evangriffithbooks.com
PAUL GUDE is the author/illustrator of WHEN GIRAFFE MET ELEPHANT, a picture book for young readers about a feisty elephant and a silent giraffe, as well as its sequel, A SURPRISE FOR GIRAFFE AND ELEPHANT. He was featured on the Bravo reality series LOLwork as a member of the Cheezburger humor website’s creative team.
DEREK TAYLOR KENT is the well-loved author of HarperCollins’s SCARY SCHOOL series. His first picture book is EL PERRO EN SOMBRERO.
VERN KOUSKY is an Adjunct Professor at Touro College and the illustrator of the series Is It Contagious? His debut picture book as an author/illustrator is OTTO THE OWL.
JOYCE LAPIN is the author of IF YOU HAD YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY ON THE MOON. She lives in Simsbury, CT.
DEB LEVINE is the editorial director at Nick.com, the website for the kids’ TV network, Nickelodeon. She also writes freelance magazine pieces for a variety of publications as well as short fiction. She is the author of PARKER PICKS, a wonderfully gross picture book about a kid whose finger gets stuck up his nose.
CHRISTIE MATHESON is a talented writer and collaborator who has written for such magazines as Cooking Light, Glamour, Fitness, Elegant Wedding, Yoga Journal, and Home & Garden. She is the co-author of many cookbook and lifestyle books. Her solo efforts include GREEN CHIC, SALTY SWEETS, and CAKE SIMPLE. She is the author and illustrator of the beautiful children’s picture books TAP THE MAGIC TREE, TOUCH THE BRIGHTEST STAR, PLANT THE TINY SEED, and BIRD WATCH. She is working on her next book for children.
KELLY MCWILLIAMS is a biracial writer in Seattle, where she lives with her family. Previously she has worked as a staff writer at Romper, the millennial parenting site, where she reported on women’s health. In 2004, as a 15-year old, she published DOORMAT (Random House, 2004), a Junior Library Guild selection, and headed to Walnut Hill School for the Arts to finish high school among raucous theater majors. As an undergraduate at Brown University, she studied feminist literary criticism and began writing nonfiction. She is the author of AGNES AND THE END OF THE WORLD, which benefitted from a We Need Diverse Books mentorship, received three starred reviews, and was named a best book of the year by both Kirkus and Bank Street, and of MIRROR GIRLS, which received three starred reviews and was selected as a YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. Her newest novel, YOUR PLANTATION PROM IS NOT OKAY, is a sharp-witted, timely novel that explores cancel culture, anger, and grief, and challenges the romanticization of America's racist past with humor and heart. She is also the co-author, with her mother Jewell Parker Rhodes, of SOUL STEP, a picture book illustrated by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu about the joy and history of step dancing.. https://www.kellymcwilliamsauthor.com
JESSIE OLIVEROS is the author of THE REMEMBER BALLOONS, which won the 2019 Schneider Family Award Honor Book for Young Children and the 2019 Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Text. Her book was also named one of Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best Books and to the Kids Indie Next List. She grew up in Kansas and now makes more happy memories in San Antonio, Texas with her husband and their four children. www.jessieoliveros.com
KATE PALACES NARITA is the author of IT'S A 100 BUG COUNT DAY (FSG Spring 2018). When she's not out and about driving, teaching or cheering on her two teenage sons, Kate Palaces Narita lives, writes, and hikes on a small mountain in central Massachusetts. There's a magical part of Mt. Wachusett in every one of her stories. Be it small wonders like darting dragonflies or gorgeous garden phlox, or large wonders like munching moose or beautiful balsam firs, she celebrates nature's bounty each and every day.
www.katenarita.com
JIYEON PAK is the author/illustrator of MY GRANDMA’S TEA and MY GRANDPA’S CHAIR. Born in South Korea, she lives in Abingdon, Maryland. See more of her work at hello-jiyeon.com.
SOYUNG PAK won the 1999 Ezra Jack Keats award for children's literature. She is the author of DEAR JUNO, hailed as "a new classic" by the Boston Globe, and A PLACE TO GROW, about a family that chooses to move to another country.
J. C. PHILLIPPS lives in Connecticut and is the author and illustrator of THE SIMPLES LOVE A PICNIC, MONKEY ONO, WINK: THE NINJA WHO WANTED TO NAP, and WINK: THE NINJA WHO WANTED TO BE NOTICED. Her newest book is DRAGON RIDER, the fourth book in her middle grade graphic novel series PACEY PACKER UNICORN TRACKER. She is also a collage and watercolor artist and a founding member of the WeHa Artists Emporium. http://www.jcphillipps.com/
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. After college, she moved to New York City, where she worked as a cheesemonger and book editor. She now tells and collects stories, makes up songs on her violin, and eats cheese with her friends in Princeton, New Jersey, where she lives with her dog, Arugula. As a former editor turned full-time writer, Anica has spoken with kids and adults across the country about all stages of the writing process, from ideas and drafting to revisions and beyond. She is the author of the Anna, Banana chapter-book series; the picture books WATCH OUT FOR WOLF!, THE TEACHER’S PET, and LOVE, SOPHIA ON THE MOON; and the YA novels ALWAYS FOREVER MAYBE and NOBODY KNOWS BUT YOU. Her essays have been published by The Writer magazine and the New York Times, and she plays fiddle in and writes lyrics for the band Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves. Her newest book is a collection of scary stories for middle grade readers titled HIDE AND DON’T SEEK. http://www.anicarissi.com
JEWELL PARKER RHODES is the author of the modern classic VOODOO DREAMS, a novel about famed voodoo priestess Marie Laveau, as well as VOODOO SEASON, YELLOW MOON, and HURRICANE: A NOVEL, which follow Marie Laveau’s modern day descendant. She is also the author of MAGIC CITY, a novel about the race riots in Tulsa, Oklahoma, during the early 20th century. DOUGLASS’ WOMEN is a fictional account of Frederick Douglass and the two women who loved him. Her nonfiction works include FREE WITHIN OURSELVES and PORCH STORIES: A GRANDMOTHER’S GUIDE TO HAPPINESS. Her first middle grade novel, NINTH WARD, set against the backdrop of Hurricane Katrina, was a Coretta Scott King Book Honor winner, and she’s written seven other critically acclaimed novels for young readers: SUGAR; BAYOU MAGIC; TOWERS FALLING; GHOST BOYS, which is a New York Times, IndieBound, and Publishers Weekly bestseller, received four starred reviews, and is a #1 Kids’ Indie Next List pick; BLACK BROTHER, BLACK BROTHER, which received three starred reviews, was a YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers selection, and has been nominated for over a dozen reader’s choice awards; and PARADISE ON FIRE, which was a Kids’ Indie Next List pick and was lauded for doing “heroic work in connecting global forces to local reality” by the New York Times. Her most recent book for middle grade readers is TREASURE ISLAND: RUNAWAY GOLD, a reimagining of the classic novel Treasure Island set in modern-day Manhattan, in which three children much navigate the city’s hidden history, dodge a threatening crew of skater kids, and decide who they can really trust in order to hunt down a long-buried treasure. She is also the co-author, with her daughter Kelly McWilliams, of SOUL STEP, a picture book illustrated by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu about the joy and history of step dancing. The driving force behind all of Jewell’s work is to inspire social justice, equality, and environmental stewardship. jewellparkerrhodes.com
ANNE ROCKWELL is an author and illustrator whose name is well known to everyone who brings young children and books together—parents, booksellers, teachers, and librarians around the world. Her work has won countless awards and includes WELCOME TO KINDERGARTEN, HERE COMES THE NIGHT, BIG WHEELS, THE TOOLBOX, MY PRESCHOOL, BIG GEORGE, and TRUCK STOP. Her most recent books are LIBRARY DAY, LET’S GO TO THE HARDWARE STORE, MY SPRING ROBIN, and her historical picture book, A SPY CALLED JAMES.
annerockwell.com
BERNADETTE ROSSETTI-SHUSTAK is the author of the board book for babies and toddlers, I LOVE YOU THROUGH AND THROUGH, and its sequel, I LOVE YOU THROUGH AND THROUGH AT CHRISTMAS, which have collectively sold over 5 million copies and have been translated into multiple languages. Bernadette’s books for children are about unconditional love, acceptance, and hope. https://bernadetterossettishustak.com
FRANCESCO SEDITA is the co-author (with Prescott Seraydarian) of the middle grade graphic novel series The Pathfinders Society, which begins with THE MYSTERY OF THE MOON TOWER and continues with THE CURSE OF THE CRYSTAL CAVERN and THE LEGEND OF THE LOST BOY. He’s also the author of the Miss Popularity chapter book series, the co-creator (with Prescott Seraydarian) of the Emmy-winning Who Was? show on Netflix, and the author of many other books through his role at Penguin Young Readers. Most recently, he is the author of THIS IS THE FIRST BOOK I WILL READ TO YOU, illustrated by Magenta Fox, a picture book about a new dad getting ready to share his love of reading with his baby for the very first time, and OUR ITALIAN CHRISTMAS EVE, co-written by his sister Danielle Sedita and illustrated by Luciano Lozano, a festive tribute to food and family. When he isn't making stuff, Francesco is cooking in his apartment in New York City, or binge-watching a series with his husband, or playing with their cute cat, Alfredo. francescosedita.com
JUDGE JUDY SHEINDLIN is television’s beloved Judge Judy whose top rated syndicated show is watched by millions. Her first book, DON’T PEE ON MY LEG AND TELL ME IT’S RAINING, co-authored with Josh Getlin of the Los Angeles Times, is a prescriptive and controversial look at how the legal system affects families. She is also the author of BEAUTY FADES, DUMB IS FOREVER and KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID, both New York Times bestsellers. With Bob Tore, she has written two children’s books, WIN OR LOSE BY HOW YOU CHOOSE and YOU CAN’T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER. Her new website, What Would Judy Say, features biweekly videos on topics as diverse as retirement and marriage that invite readers to share their own ideas.
www.whatwouldjudysay.com
EMILY SNAPE is the author/illustrator of several novelty books, including MOTOR-MIX and BABY SAYS “BALL!.” Her editorial clients include Nickelodeon, BBC, Nintendo, Nestle, and Colgate. She lives in London, England, and can be visited at www.emilysnape.co.uk.