Katie Alender grew up in South Florida, where she attended high school at the Palm Beach County School of the Arts, studying Communication Arts. After graduating, she studied film at the Florida State University Film School, and then moved to Los Angeles, where she worked in TV development and production for several years, including a long stint producing dog shows for Animal Planet.

In her spare time, she enjoys writing, reading, gardening, sewing, cooking, playing board games, and hanging out with her family.

THE COMPANION

Katie Alender

Scott Bedford is a London-based creative director who has worked for both global agency networks and cutting-edge technology start-ups. He is also the author of Made by Dad and a Webby Award–winning blogger who loves to make things and draw. He lives with his wife and two sons in Marlow, England.

MEGA-MAZE ADVENTURE!

Scott Bedford

Zillah Bethell was born in a leprosy hospital in Papua New Guinea, spent her childhood barefoot playing in the jungle, and didn’t own a pair of shoes until she came to the United Kingdom when she was eight years old. She was educated at Oxford University and lives in Wales with her family. A Whisper of Horses is her first children’s book.

THE EXTRAORDINARY COLORS OF AUDEN DARE

Zillah Bethell

Lucy Jane Bledsoe is the author of books for adults and young readers. Her fiction has won a Yaddo Fellowship, the Saturday Evening Post Fiction Award, the Arts & Letters Fiction Prize, the Sherwood Anderson Prize for Fiction, a Pushcart nomination, a California Arts Council Fellowship, an American Library Association Stonewall Award, and two National Science Foundation Artists & Writers Fellowships. She’s been a six-time Lambda Literary Award Finalist and a three-time Ferro-Grumley Award Finalist. Her stories have been translated into Japanese, Spanish, German, Dutch, and Chinese.

Lucy loves teaching workshops, cooking, traveling anywhere, basketball, doing anything outside, and telling stories. She's traveled to Antarctica three times, as a two-time recipient of the National Science Foundation’s Artists & Writers in Antarctica Fellowship. She is one of a tiny handful of people who have stayed at all three American stations in Antarctica. She has also stayed in a number of field camps, both on the coast and in the Transantarctic mountains, where scientists are studying penguins, climate change, and the Big Bang.

“A timeless and triumphant story of courage in the face of opposition, as well as a glimpse into the early days of Title IX’s implementation. Knowledgeable about, and appreciative of, the trailblazers who fought for fairness and equal opportunities for women in sports, No Stopping Us Now is an excellent historical novel.” —Foreword Reviews (starred review)

“The cause is just, the action absorbing, the sexist flack still all too familiar.” —Kirkus Reviews

“It's tempting to say that No Stopping Us Now transports us back to the intense battles teen girls faced in the early years of Title IX, except that similar battles rage on today. This timeless story is a must-read for adolescents trying to find themselves and their powerful voices both personally and politically.” —Sherry Boschert, author, 37 Words: Title IX and Fifty Years of Fighting Sex Discrimination

“So many young women athletes today grow up without understanding the importance of Title IX and how hard previous generations struggled for the opportunity to participate in the sports they loved. In writing No Stopping Us Now, Bledsoe not only informs and entertains, she directly connects young readers to an integral part of women's sports history that should never be forgotten.” —Lyndsey D'Arcangelo, sports writer; co-author, Hail Mary: The Rise and Fall of the National Women’s Football League

“Lucy Bledsoe conjures up everyday sexism on the cusp of Title IX with powerful immediacy. From Shirley Chisholm and Gloria Steinem, to macrame and  hip-huggers, we are solidly in 1974. Yet there’s something absolutely contemporary in the way Bledsoe captures the perils, the highs, and the awkward, nonverbal jostling of high school social life. No Stopping Us Now takes a historic moment for women’s sports and replays it in all its sweaty, visceral glory.” —Alison Bechdel, author, Fun Home and The Secret to Superhuman Strength 

“No Stopping Us Now is full of such heart, love and courage. A stunning and brave journey from start to finish, I loved Louisa and her bold crew of superstar athletes who rose up together to be seen, valued and heard. This is a book to be treasured, taught and shared. I want my children and students to know what it means to fight for what you believe in. To take up space, to raise your voice and most of all, to get on the court and play.” —Ellen Hagan, author, Don’t Call Me a Hurricane 

“Time and again, this skilled author reminds her readers of second-wave feminism's triumphs and turning points from the early 1970s...No Stopping Us Now fearlessly invokes a recent past we must become reacquainted with, the better to understand how far women have come and what's at stake for our rights and opportunities." —Bonnie J. Morris, women's history professor and author of What's The Score? Twenty-Five Years of Teaching Women's Sports History

“No Stopping Us Now reminds us of the battles fought, and won, by the first generation of Title IX athletes, those girls and women who made possible all of the opportunities female athletes have today. I guarantee you’ll be rooting for Louisa as she speaks truth to power and stands up to opponents on and off the court.” —Sue Macy, author, Breaking Through: How Female Athletes Shattered Stereotypes in the Roaring Twenties

“The characters are beautifully drawn, the story expertly plotted and moving and as a former D-I basketball player, it is close to my heart.” —Mary Volmer, author, Reliance, Illinois

Long-listed for American Library Association's Notable Books 2020

Best Children's Books of the Year 2020, Bank Street College of Education

"Ms. Bledsoe ably conveys the children’s competence—they know how to hunt and bivouac—but also the youthful limits of their strengths and capabilities, both in the wild and out of it."—The Wall Street Journal

"Nuanced, character-driven action." —Kirkus Reviews

"This adventure story is all about family and survival, and Willa shows amazing strength in supporting her brothers and keeping them all alive. The straightforward narration makes the story accessible for upper elementary, and the action, issues, and themes make it suitable for middle school readers as well." —School Library Connection

"Combining elements of survivalism, resilience in the face of adversity, and adaptation to the unknown, Bledsoe skillfully weaves a tale of adventure and coming of age on the Alaskan frontier. . . . Bledsoe makes Willa a likable, relatable, and strong lead who will appeal to readers of a similar age."—School Library Journal

"It triumphs as an intimate and humane evocation of day-to-day life under inhumane circumstances."—New York Times Book Review

“Bledsoe covers a lot of ground here, imagining her intellectual aunt’s relationship to the queer cultural transformations of the 1950s, as well as the paranoia of the Cold War era.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“This is gripping historical fiction about queer life at the height of the Cold War and the civil rights movement, and its grounding in fact really makes it sing. Like the scientists whose papers she edits, Lucybelle Bledsoe is passionate about the truth. Whether it’s the climate history of the planet as illuminated by cores of polar ice or the pursuit of an authentic emotional life in the miasma of McCarthyism, she operates with piercing honesty.”—Alison Bechdel, author of Fun Home

“A testament to courage and perseverance in the face of oppression, and a compelling, literary page-turner worthy of standing alongside the works of Pat Barker and Graham Greene. A Thin Bright Line reminds us that we are nothing, deep down, without love and dignity.”—Patrick Ryan, author of The Dream Life of Astronauts

“In this ingenious hybrid of fact and fiction, a fine novelist uses her storytelling skills to recover the lost life of a favorite aunt, a bookish, unmarried scientist from Arkansas. With her story Bledsoe also exhumes a dark, clandestine age in American history, the time of Ann Bannon and Patricia Highsmith, but made more intimate and real.”—Christopher Bram, author of Gods and Monster

“An engaging and moving novel about an unforgettable character. Intelligent, unadorned, and unsentimental, it allows us to look at a difficult time in American history with clarity instead of nostalgia.”—Rabih Alameddine, author of An Unnecessary Woman

“Bledsoe injects life and dimension through her often stunning dialogue. With heart and zest, the author depicts Lucybelle's slice of life as both pleasant and harrowing.”—Publishers Weekly

“Through her fictional reconstruction of the life of her namesake, her beloved aunt—who fought the good fight as a pioneering professional and a lesbian in unsympathetic times—Lucy Jane Bledsoe re-creates an important piece of history and imagines what it was like to live it. Poignant in both its conception and execution.”—Lillian Faderman, author of The Gay Revolution

“A story set in mid-20th century America – one that deftly weaves closeted sexuality, Cold War politics and a mysterious death that haunts the author to this day.”—San Jose Mercury News

“Is it possible for a novel to both break your heart and to heal it? . . . Bledsoe is deft in the way she shows . . . various models of how to be a lesbian in the world of the ‘50s and early ‘60s.”—Lambda Literary Review

Winner of the Devil’s Kitchen Fiction Award

"Riveting new collection...fully realized characters; stories that stick to your ribs." —Toronto Star

"In these twelve remarkable stories, the reader journeys from the remotest inner reaches of Alaska to deceptively calm suburban neighborhoods to a research station at the bottom of the world. Yet Lucy Jane Bledsoe's true territory is the wild, uncharted expanse of the heart. A wise and wonderful collection." ―Kirstin Valdez Quade, author of Night at the Fiestas

"This novella and group of stories by Lucy Jane Bledsoe will move and surprise and thrill you. She brings us right into her characters' lives, taking us on unexpected journeys. Through it all,the empowered and vulnerablewomen in this lively fictional world continually find themselves, so as readers welearn more about survival and are reminded of hope. We find ourselves delightfully renewed." ―Allen Gee, author of My Chinese-America

 "From Antarctica to suburbia to the ancient past and a post-apocalyptic future, these tales of kick-ass women adventurers and survivor girls are big-hearted, breathtaking, and profound. Reading Lava Falls is like meeting an animal in the wild: I was rapt, unable to turn away, with no idea what would happen next." ―Micah Perks, author of What Becomes Us

Lucy Jane Bledsoe

Sarah Callender is a passionate mental health advocate and middle school English teacher in Seattle, Washington, where she lives with her husband and two teenage children.  In her copious spare time, she is hard at work on her second novel.

Meet 13-year-old Lucy, mime enthusiast and self-appointed clapper for Henry, her violin superstar of an older brother. Lucy’s family revolves around Henry’s musical career and she handles it with aplomb, but when Henry’s enthusiasm for performing goes south and his depression sets in, even Lucy’s most fervent cheering isn’t enough to change the course of his downfall in Sarah Callender’s BETWEEN THE SUN AND THE ORANGES.

Lucy Bains is smarter than your average 7th grader, but there’s a lot she’s trying to understand.  Like why her brother, a 17-year-old concert violin virtuoso, has lost his will to play, and why her mother is more concerned with Lucy’s helping Henry regain his musical mojo than with Lucy’s own budding mime career, and why their father, who decamped for Peru when Lucy was just a small child and is largely absent from their world, suddenly wants to come visit.  And strangest of all, how did Charles, her best friend, start seeming like someone she might like to kiss?

When Henry’s life takes a tragic turn, Lucy and her mother, desperate to hide from their grief, escape to Peru, hoping to seek solace in the presence of her previously missing father. But when the local bookstore owner, a generous bibliophile (and unapologetic poetry-pusher) who is, like Lucy, no stranger to loss, proves more present than Lucy’s still-elusive father, Lucy must confront some hard truths about love and friendship, guilt and grief, not to mention what happens when a best-friend-turned-crush is crushing on someone else. 

Deftly balancing keen insight into the dynamics of a troubled family in the wake of tragedy with the vivid portrayal of a young teen’s irrepressible spirit, Sarah Callender has penned a timely, masterful tale that today’s middle-grade readers will want to read again and again. BETWEEN THE SUN AND THE ORANGES belongs on a bookshelf next to novels like Counting by 7s and The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise.

BETWEEN THE SUN AND THE ORANGES

Sarah Callender

Alec Carvlin is a children’s book writer who grew up in New Jersey and attended Dartmouth College, where he studied Classics. Despite (or perhaps because of) this deep dive into history and all things "real," Alec enjoys writing stories that are off the beaten path - the funnier the better. He lives in Boston with his dog, Puff. Alec’s debut picture book, HOW TO BAKE A UNIVERSE, blends science with humor and will be published by Norton Young Readers in 2022.

HOW TO BAKE A UNIVERSE, illustrated by Brian Biggs

Alec Carvlin

Leslie Connor is the author of many award-winning books for children, including The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle, National Book Award finalist and winner of the ALA Schneider Family Book Award; Waiting for Normal, winner of the ALA Schneider Family Book Award; A Home for Goddesses and Dogs; All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook; and Crunch. She lives in the Connecticut woods with her family and three rescue dogs. You can visit her online at www.leslieconnor.com.

ANYBODY HERE SEEN FRENCHIE?

Leslie Connor

Lauren Conrad is best known for starring in the MTV hit series The Hills. She is the author of several New York Times bestsellers, including the L.A. CANDY series, and LAUREN CONRAD STYLE, a fashion and beauty guide. She began her fashion career in spring 2008 with the debut of the Lauren Conrad Collection. In 2009 she launched LC Lauren Conrad, exclusively for Kohl's and the line has since expanded to shoes, accessories and sunglasses. Her newest clothing line is paper crown. She has been featured on the covers of Elle, Glamour, Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Rolling Stone, Seventeen, Shape, and Entertainment Weekly, among others. She lives in Los Angeles.

CELEBRATE

Lauren Conrad

Dawn Cusick is the author of Animal Eggs, Bug Butts, and Get the Scoop on Animal Poop, among her many titles aimed at young activists, reluctant readers, and animal lovers, and she has collaborated on books with the National Wildlife Federation. Her books have been named a Best Children’s Book of the Year by Bank Street College of Education, a Children’s Choice Reading List selection by the Children’s Book Council, an Outstanding Science Trade Book by the National Science Teachers Association, an Outstanding Children’s Book Award winner by the Animal Behavior Society, a Best Book for Children by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a National Children’s Choice finalist, a North Carolina State Children’s Book Award finalist, and an Alabama State Children’s Book Award finalist. She lives in Clyde, North Carolina, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she teaches general biology and zoology courses at Haywood Community College. She holds a master’s degree in Biology and is a North Carolina Certified Environmental Educator.

Dawn Cusick

Jenny Fran Davis is an MFA candidate at the University of Iowa, where she was an Iowa Arts Fellow. Her work has recently appeared in Los Angeles Review of Books, Washington Square Review, and Speculative Nonfiction; she is also the winner of the 2020 Tucson Festival of Books Literary Award.

EVERYTHING MUST GO

Jenny Fran Davis

Andrea Debbink is an editor and writer who specializes in immersive nonfiction storytelling—from historical biographies to contemporary topics like environmental stewardship, natural history, and food science. As a former American Girl magazine editor, she also has a knack for creating fun and whimsical content for young readers like DIYs and crafts, seasonal recipes, and STEM projects. When she's not writing or reading, she's exploring the outdoors with her kayak and camera.

Praise for The Wild World Handbook: Creatures

“Hooks readers from the beginning...A treasure trove of animals, familiar as well as not so well-known, and the scientists and activists who help them survive and thrive.”—School Library Journal, starred review

“Animals are always a hot topic for kids, and this STEAM offering for middle-graders is sure to please.”—Booklist

“Filled with history and facts about creatures that are beautifully expressed and explained.”—Beary Into Books

“A wonderful book packed with amazing information!”—The Momma Spot

“A must have for families looking to make a difference in the world...Get ready to be blown away with the awe inspiring illustrations that fill the pages of this environmental stewardship handbook, while gaining practical tools and skills.”—Inspired by Savannah

Praise for The Wild World Handbook: Habitats

PureWow Happy Kid Award Winner 2021 for Best 8+ Book

“This gorgeous book features beautifully detailed illustrations, facts, stories and tips on making your own biome and helping to protect the environment.... A practical guide for young climate activists and junior conservationists.”—CNNUnderscored

“Beautifully illustrated….An entertaining and educational book for environmentally conscious nature lovers that will inspire action.”—Booklist

“Well-designed and smartly organized...providing inspiration that proves that all types of people can enjoy and protect nature.”—Kirkus Reviews

“This accessible guide offers a good balance of detailed information with engaging activities and calls to action....A strong choice to inspire young changemakers for our planet.”—School Library Journal

“Hopeful, even as it leaves no stone unturned on the path to mitigating grave ecological issues like climate change, deforestation and overfishing...The result leaves readers — whether middle grade or middle-aged — informed, inspired and, most importantly, empowered.”—Madison Magazine

“For the quieter kid, or perhaps for an Earth-minded child who may need to stay indoors for part of the summer...With more facts, less adventure, this book offers ecology-based biographies, activities to do indoors, fun facts, places to visit, and information about our world.”—Terri Schlichenmeyer

THE WILD WORLD HANDBOOK: CREATURES

Andrea Debbink

Rachel Dougherty is an author and artist who has established herself as an illustrator of nonfiction picture books. She attended Maryland Institute College of Art and has created editorial and advertising pieces for the Baltimore MTA, Woman to Woman Magazine, Philadelphia Stories, and more. She lives in Philadelphia.

SECRET ENGINEER: How Emily Roebling Built the Brooklyn Bridge

Rachel Dougherty

Susan Farrington graduated from Massachusetts College of Art and has since created art for hundreds of magazines and newspapers. Her diverse client list includes Target, Hallmark, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, UNICEF, and many more. A cover for the children's magazine Cricket led to a dream job when she was commissioned by the MTA Arts for Transit and Urban Design to create a large poster displayed in trains in New York City through 2014. She has licensed several pieces of her art for Urban Outfitters and Midwest CBK, and her work has been recognized in American Illustration, 3x3, Print, and Communication Arts, and is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Transportation in New York. She lives with her family in Massachusetts.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT YOU

Susan Farrington

Adrianne Finlay received her PhD in literature and creative writing from Binghamton University. Originally from Ithaca, New York, she now lives in Cedar Falls, Iowa with her husband, the poet J. D. Schraffenberger, and their two young daughters. She is an associate professor of English and the Program Director of Creative Writing at Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa. Her writing has appeared in Paterson Literary Review, North American Review, The Journal of Popular Culture, and New Linear Perspectives.

Adrianne Finlay

George Foreman is a two-time former heavyweight champion of the world, an Olympic gold medalist, a revolutionary in the grilling industry, and an ordained minister, in addition to being a best-selling author. He lives in Houston, Texas, where he founded the George Foreman Youth and Community Center.

BY GEORGE

George Foreman

Kiley Frank is a writer and freelance editor living in upstate New York. She worked as an Assistant Editor at Atheneum and Simon and Schuster for six years before leaving the NYC area. She reads daily to her two children and hopes—among many things—that they grow up to adore books as much as she does.

TOMORROW IS WAITING

Kiley Frank

Donna Freitas has spoken at nearly two hundred colleges and universities about her nonfiction work. She is the author of The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano, Consent: A Memoir of Unwanted Attention, as well as ten novels for children and young adults. Donna has written for The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Boston Globe, and she has appeared on radio and television, from NPR's All Things Considered to The Today Show. She has been a professor at Boston University and Hofstra University, and is currently a member of the faculty at Fairleigh Dickinson University's MFA program.

THE NINE LIVES OF ROSE NAPOLITANO

Donna Freitas

Brittany Geragotelis, a former Olympic-bound gymnast and magazine editor, is a self-professed pop culture junkie turned author. Her paranormal action book Life's a Witch received 18 million reads on the writing site Wattpad.com. What the Spell is the first published book in the series, followed by Life's a Witch and The Witch Is Back. Brittany lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Matt, and two cats.

"Fast and cinematic."—School Library Journal

"A thriller for fans of plot-driven stories."—Kirkus Reviews

Brittany Geragotelis

Born in Mexico City, Leopoldo Gout is a visual artist, award-winning author, filmmaker, and producer. A graduate of Central Saint Martins School of Art in London, he has written, packaged, published, and developed books for more than a decade, and was the head of his own imprint, Leopoldo & Co, at Atria/Simon & Schuster. He has produced award-winning films and television series, including Molly’s Game, American Jesus, and Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, and the forthcoming Get Millie Black (with novelist Marlon James, for HBO/Channel 4) among others, and was co-president of the James Patterson Entertainment company for many years. He is the co-author and illustrator of the forthcoming Monarca (HarperOne). 

He lives in New York City. For more information go to http://www.leopoldogout.net/.

Piñata

Leopoldo Gout

John Grogan has spent more than twenty-five years as a newspaper journalist, most recently as metropolitan columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Previously he worked as a reporter, bureau chief, and columnist at newspapers in Michigan and Florida. He also is the former editor in chief of Rodale's Organic Gardening magazine. His work has won numerous awards, including the National Press Club's Consumer Journalism Award. He lives with his wife, Jenny, in the Pennsylvania countryside.

John Grogan

Jorey Hurley studied art history at Princeton, received her law degree at Stanford, and studied surface and textile design at FIT. In addition to her books, Jorey has worked with brands such as The Land of Nod, One Kings Lane, Minted, Papyrus, and IKEA, and her fine art prints have decorated the sets of The Mindy Project. She worked as a textile designer for Hable Construction in New York City and is now based in San Francisco where she lives with her husband and their two children.

Jorey Hurley

Deepa Iyer is a South Asian American writer, lawyer and activist who has worked on immigrant and racial justice issues for over two decades. Deepa is the creator of the social change ecosystem map framework and the host of the Solidarity Is This podcast. Currently the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Building Movement Project, she has held positions at a number of institutions including South Asian Americans Leading Together, Race Forward, the US Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center, and the Asian American Justice Center. Deepa’s first book, We Too Sing America: South Asian, Arab, Muslim and Sikh Immigrants Shape Our Multiracial Future (The New Press 2015), received a 2016 American Book Award. Deepa has received fellowships from Open Society Foundations and the Social Change Initiative, and in 2019, she received an honorary doctoral degree from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Deepa is an immigrant who moved to Kentucky from Kerala (India) when she was 12 years old. Deepa is active online @dviyer (Twitter),  @deepaviyer (Instagram) and at www.deepaiyer.com.

Untitled

Deepa Iyer

Natasha Khan Kazi is an author and illustrator who was born in Bangladesh and immigrated to the U.S. when she was 5 years old. An ELL student, picture books were Natasha’s window into English and western culture, and she always dreamed of sharing her own stories one day.  Natasha has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh and over fourteen years of experience in storytelling, social media, and online community building. Combining her passion for education and art, she launched Islamimommy (www.islamimommy.com), a platform for Islamic education through arts and crafts. Natasha started putting in her ten thousand hours to be an artist as soon as she could hold a crayon. Into adulthood, she spent evenings drawing, learning, painting, and drawing some more. She currently lives in a California beach city with her family of picture book readers. In her spare time, she loves thrift store treasure hunting and learning about new cultures. Natasha has two picture books forthcoming with Versify/HarperCollins, debuting with MOON’S RAMADAN in 2023.

Natasha Khan Kazi

Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Julia Keller, former chief book critic for The Chicago Tribune. writes both fiction and non-fiction. Her critically acclaimed mystery series begins with A Killing in the Hills and continues through seven additional novels. The Dark Intercept is a science fiction trilogy for young adults. Other books include Mr. Gatling's Terrible Marvel: The Gun That Changed Everything and the Misunderstood Genius Who Invented It, a biography of the inventor of the Gatling Gun; and Back Home, a YA novel narrated by a young girl whose father returns from the Iraq War with a traumatic brain injury. 

Julia's next book, which will be published by Grand Central in 2023, is Quitting; A Life Strategy / The Myth of Perseverance -- and How the New Science of Giving Up Can Set You Free. A screenplay that she co-wrote, Spider & Jessie, will be produced this summer. Like her mystery series, it is set in her home state of West Virginia and deals with the tragic toll of the opioid epidemic in small-town America.

FAST FALLS THE NIGHT

Julia Keller

Christine Kendall is the author of The True Definition of Neva Beane as well as the award-winning novel Riding Chance, which was nominated for a NAACP Image Award in the category of Outstanding Work for Youth/Teens. Her short fiction has appeared in numerous publications and she serves as a juror for the New York City Book Awards. Christine lives in Philadelphia where she co-curates and hosts the Creative at the Cannery Prose Reading Series.

THE TRUE DEFINITION OF NEVA BEANE

Christine Kendall

Like so many other writers, I grew up with my nose in a book. My mother believed children should be seen reading and not heard whining about boredom, and regularly took us to the Rockville Public Library with grocery bags to fill with books. Along with grabbing new titles each visit, I often chose the same ones over and over again. And I reread treasured personal copies of my favorites until they fell apart.

The books I connected with as a child left a bigger impression on me than almost anything I come across today. I still think of the characters, stories, random facts and tidbits that I absorbed years ago. That’s why I love writing for kids—in the hopes that they'll pick up something I write more than once, and let it become part of who they are.

Here are a few facts about me: I’m a Pakistani-American Muslim who was born and raised in Maryland, and enjoy sharing and writing about my culture and religion. I've also written about a bunch of other topics, from spies to space travel, that take me out of my reality and on adventures. While not quite as thrilling, I’ve had a few adventures of my own, managed to get to some pretty fantastic places on our planet, and met incredible people. I'm slightly obsessed with Spain, ceramic tiles and pottery, food, flamenco, and good coffee. When I’m not cooking up a story, I’m often actually cooking food or baking treats. I also spend time writing and editing for international organizations that work to improve the health and lives of people around the world.

I’ve been extremely lucky to have a talented editor who encouraged me to write for kids after my elder son was born, as well as lifelong friends who’ve helped shape me into the person I am. Most important, I have two young readers at home who I’m excited to see relish a book, and when impressed, start it over again.

Hena Khan

Jen Klein lives in Los Angeles with boys and animals, all of whom are unruly and ill-behaved. When she’s not writing young adult romance books, Jen is an Emmy-nominated television writer and producer.

HEARTS MADE FOR BREAKING

Jen Klein

Lindsey Klingele is the author of The Marked Girl, The Broken World, and The Truth Lies Here, which was named a 2018 Junior Library Guild Selection, a 2019 Michigan Notable Book, and was featured in this video and this video on Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls. She currently works as a staff writer for Disney Channel's time-travel mystery series Secrets of Sulphur Springs.

Lindsey was raised in Michigan and now enjoys living in Los Angeles, especially since it's home to great television shows, excellent cheeseburgers, and her pit bull, Bighead.

“Klingele’s spooky, sci-fi-tinged mystery reads like a YA X-Files in the best possible way.”--Booklist

“A surprisingly heartfelt coming-of-age story wrapped in a zany package.”--Kirkus Reviews

“[M]arvelous...a believable story for teens who love coming-of-age stories in the vein of Stranger Things or science fiction shows like The Twilight Zone or The X-Files. This one has great appeal for most teens who enjoy classic science fiction and a good mystery.”--School Library Journal

“A fun and entertaining read. Recommended.”--Teen Librarian Toolbox (SLJ blog)

“A magical debut with a big heart.”--Elissa Sussman, author of Stray

“Klingele turns the typical portal fantasy inside out.”--Publishers Weekly

“Debut novelist Klingele balances high-stakes action, plot twists, and comedic scenes...while keeping the plot rolling...A solid purchase for libraries where action-packed titles and urban fantasy series are popular.”--School Library Journal

“This entertaining series opener will leave teens waiting impatiently to find out what is in store for this likable cast of characters...should appeal to reluctant readers as well as fantasy fans.”--Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

THE TRUTH LIES HERE

Lindsey Klingele

Andrew Kolb is an artist, designer, and illustrator. Shortly after obtaining his diploma in graphic design at Conestoga College he continued on to the Queensland College of Art in Brisbane, Australia, for his Bachelor of Design. Andrew has been featured in numerous galleries, countless exhibits, and a number of respected publications. He has collaborated with clients ranging from start-ups to major television networks on everything from fitness apps to animated shorts. He lives in Kitchener, Ontario.

NEVERLAND: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting

Andrew Kolb

Hope Lim is a children’s book author from South Korea who now lives in San Francisco with her family. She majored in English Literature and earned a master’s degree in Conference Interpretation. For many years, she navigated the world of diplomats, working as a conference interpreter for the US State Department. Then motherhood ushered her into the world of children’s literature, where she discovered the power of picture books, which transcends time, place, and language.

Hope Lim

Jenny McLachlan lives in England with her husband and daughters, and has taught English at the high school and college level. She is currently a curriculum teacher at a high school and an Advanced Skills Teacher who works with children and teachers in schools throughout her native country. Flirty Dancing is her first novel.

LOVE BOMB

Jenny McLachlan

Mitra Modarressi graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in illustration. She has written and illustrated several picture books for children. Mitra lives in San Francisco, California, where she and her family keep an eye out for owls in nearby Golden Gate Park.

OWLET'S FIRST FLIGHT

Mitra Modarressi

Joseph Moldover is a clinical psychologist who works with children, teenagers, and their families.   He lives with his wife and their four children in Massachusetts.  He has published a number of short stories, mostly under the name Joseph Sloan. Every Moment After is his debut novel.

EVERY MOMENT AFTER

Joseph Moldover

Walter Dean Myers’s fiction and nonfiction books have reached millions of young people. A prolific author of more than one hundred titles, he received every major award in the field of children’s literature. He wrote two Newbery Honor Books, eleven Coretta Scott King Award winners, three National Book Award finalists, and the winner of the first Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. He also received the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults and was the first recipient of the Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. He was a 2010 United States nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award and was nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Award numerous times. From 2012 to 2013, he served as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature with the platform “Reading is not optional.”

When asked about his readers, Walter would often say, “Young people are some of the best people I know.” In his most-beloved books, Walter explored the themes of taking responsibility for your life and reminding readers that everyone always gets a second chance. Myers passed away in 2013.

MONSTER

Walter Dean Myers (Estate of)

The Honorable Sean O’Brien is a former White House speechwriter who now teaches at Georgetown University. He served as Director of Speechwriting to Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden, and Special Assistant to President Barack Obama. He has also served as Speechwriter to the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Navy, and Chief of Staff to Congressmen Mike Quigley and Bill Foster. He’s also pretty funny, having performed with Chicago’s Second City, New York’s Upright Citizens Brigade, and Amsterdam’s Boom Chicago, and was featured in Newsweek and the Washington Post for his one-man comedy show in Washington, DC. He has ghost-written pieces for others in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and LA Times, and has written under his own byline in the Irish Echo, The Well, Politico, and elsewhere.

Sean O'Brien

Tod Olson is the author of the How to Get Rich historical fiction series for kids, as well as numerous books for the school/library and classroom markets. He has written for national magazines on the Columbine school shooting, homeless teens, the murder of Matthew Shepherd, and many other stories of interest to children and young adults. During his 25 years in children’s publishing he has edited and developed several collections of books for both school/library and the classroom. Tod holds an MFA from Vermont College.

INTO THE CLOUDS: The Race to Climb the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain

Tod Olson

Rebecca Paley, a New York Times best-selling co-author, began her career as a police reporter for a daily newspaper in Upstate New York. After more than a decade on staff for People and then TV Guide, Rebecca, whose work has also appeared in publications such as The New York Times and Mother Jones, turned to writing memoirs, lifestyle guides, and young adult nonfiction. Since then, she has written books with a wide range of subjects, including Broadway stars, Olympic athletes, business leaders, and beauty gurus. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children.

Paley Collage- Featured Image

Rebecca Paley

Bronwen Pardes is an alumna of Vassar College and New York University’s graduate program in human sexuality. She has taught sexuality education at middle schools, high schools, and colleges in New York City. Students often referred to her as “The Sex Lady.” Bronwen currently works as an HIV counselor at a major hospital in Manhattan.

DOING IT RIGHT

Bronwen Pardes

Joanna Pearson grew up in the actual Livermush Capital of the World – Shelby, North Carolina – but thankfully she never had to compete in a Miss Livermush pageant! She received both her medical degree and a Master’s in Fine Arts from Johns Hopkins University, and is currently completing her residency in psychiatry in Baltimore, Maryland. Her poetry and essays have appeared in The New York Times “Modern Love” column, the Journal of the American Medical Association, StorySouth, and the Bellevue Literary Review, among other publications.

EVERY HUMAN LOVE

Joanna Pearson

Jessica Peill-Meininghaus has been making art for more than twenty years. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and their four children.

I'M A GNOME!

Jessica Peill-Meininghaus

Anitha Rao-Robinson is a writer, conservationist, and creator of the Kindness Is Everything podcast. A former accountant, Anitha now devotes her time to writing and helping animals. Her debut picture book, A Family For Faru, was recognized by CBC as one of the Fall 2020 picture books they couldn't wait to read. Anitha lives on a hobby farm in Milton, Ontario with her family, which includes many animals.

SARI SISTERS illustrated by Anoosha Syed

Anitha Rao-Robinson

Qasim Rashid is a human rights lawyer and host of The Qasim Rashid Show on Sirius XM. He received his JD from Richmond Law and is former fellow at Harvard University. A 2020 Democratic nominee for US Congress, Qasim's writing has appeared in a variety of outlets including TIME, Washington Post, Politico, and USA Today. He's additionally been featured in The New York Times, CNN, and NPR. Qasim's debut children's book, Hannah & the Ramadan Gift, was published by Penguin Randomhouse, Viking Books. His social media handle across platforms is @QasimRashid and his website is www.qasimrashid.com.

HANNAH AND THE RAMADAN GIFT, illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel

Qasim Rashid

Alex Sanchez is the author of the award-winning young adult RAINBOW trilogy that includes Rainbow Boys, selected as an American Library Association (ALA) Best Book for Young Adults and praised by School Library Journal as a book that could “open eyes and change lives.” Two sequels, Rainbow High and Rainbow Road, were both Lambda Award finalists and chosen as New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age. His middle grade novel, So Hard To Say, was the winner of the 2005 Lambda Literary Award. His novel, The God Box, was selected as an ALA Popular Paperback for Young Adults. His novel, Getting It, won the Myers Outstanding Book Award for Human Rights. His novel, Bait, won the Florida Book Award Gold Medal for young adult fiction and the Tomás Rivera Mexican-American Children’s Book Award. And his latest novel, Boyfriends with Girlfriends was chosen both as an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers and by the Bank Street College of Education Children’s Book Committee as a Best Children’s Book of the Year. Additionally, in 2011 Alex was the winning recipient of the Lambda Literary Foundation’s Outstanding Mid-Career Novelist’s Prize.

Originally from Mexico, Alex received his master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Old Dominion University and for many years worked as a youth and family counselor. He now divides his time between Florida and Thailand. When not writing, he speaks to groups around the country on the importance of being true to who you are.

THE GREATEST SUPERPOWER

Alex Sanchez

Ted Sanders is the author of the short story collection No Animals We Could Name (Graywolf 2012), winner of the 2011 Bakeless Prize for Fiction. His stories and essays have appeared in many publications, including the Southern Review, Confrontation, Georgia Review, Gettysburg Review, and the O. Henry Prize Stories anthology. A recipient of a 2012 National Endowment for the Arts literature fellowship, he lives with his family in Urbana, Illinois, and teaches at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. The Box and the Dragonfly is his first book for younger readers. You can visit him online at www.tedsanders.net.

THE STARLIT LOOM

Ted Sanders

Jacque Lynn is a children’s book writer originally from Texas who enjoys making complex notions about the world around us accessible to kids. She lives in the Connecticut woods with her husband, Tom, and a cat that looks like an owl. When not penning picture books, she also writes about food and travel. Jacque’s website is www.byjacquelynn.com and she’s on Instagram: byjacque.

Jacque Lynn Schiller

Christian Schoon was born in South Dakota, and grew up in Luverne, Minnesota. After a senior high school year as an exchange student in Sweden, he attended several Midwestern universities, graduating from the U of Nebraska School of Journalism. He paid for college by singing in a succession of touring rock bands. Following several years as an in-house copywriter/scriptwriter with the Walt Disney Company in Burbank, Christian supplied freelance copy for a variety of entertainment industry clients and wrote scripts for live-action and animated TV. Currently, he writes from his rural Iowa home, where he and his wife are active in several animal welfare groups and help rehab abused horses at their farm, which also hosts a fluctuating number of cats, dogs and ferrets.

Christian Schoon

A children’s book writer, illustrator, and former editor, as well as a member emeritus of the Board of Advisors for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Barbara was a teacher at Bank Street College of Education’s Graduate School, the Writer’s Voice in New York City, and The Institute of Children’s Literature. Barbara founded The Manuscript Workshop and served as its director for twenty-one years.

COWS SWEAT THROUGH THEIR NOSES: and Other Freaky Facts About Animal Habits, Characteristics, and Homes

Barbara Seuling

Ruby Shamir is an award-winning children's book author, a collaborator, an adaptor of adult non-fiction for children, and a literary researcher based in New York City.

Her work as a collaborator has been reviewed as “lyrical,” “eloquent,” “winning,” “thoughtful,” “personal and appealing.” She has done research, editorial planning, editing, adapting, and writing, for many high profile non-fiction best-sellers.

My What's the Big Deal About... picture and chapter books on American history and civics have won several awards. What’s the Big Deal About Elections was named to the Garden State Book Award 2021 Nominees list. What's the Big Deal About First Ladies received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews. That book and What's the Big Deal About Freedom were chosen for the International Literacy Association Children’s Choice Award list.

To The Moon, her award-winning middle grade adaptation of Jeffrey Kluger's Apollo 8, got excellent reviews including a starred review from the School Library Journal and received the 2019 Mathical Award Winner in the Grades 6-8 Category and the 2019 Christopher Award in the Books for Young People category.

Ruby's public policy and political experience includes working for three and a half years in the Clinton White House and leading Hillary Rodham Clinton’s New York Senate office. Her professional experience also includes policy development work for the AFL-CIO and writing coaching for the marketing department at IBM. She received her MBA from the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College and her BA from Bates College where she graduated cum laude.

She lives in the Bronx, New York, with her husband and three children. Follow Ruby on Twitter @ruby_shamir.

CHASING THE TRUTH

Ruby Shamir

Jeffrey Shandler is an assistant professor in the Department of Jewish Studies at Rutgers University. He is the author of While America Watches: Televising the Holocaust. He lives in New York City.

EMIL AND KARL

Jeffrey Shandler

Lauren Shippen, author of The Infinite Noise, is a writer best known for her work in fiction podcasts. She is the creator and sole writer of the popular audio drama, The Bright Sessions. She went on to executive produce The AM Archives and co-produce Passenger List before founding Atypical Artists, a company dedicated to audio storytelling. She wrote MARVELS, an audio adaptation of the popular comic, released in 2019 by Marvel and Stitcher. Lauren was named one of Forbes's 2018 30 Under 30 in Media and one of MovieMaker Magazine's and Austin Film Festival’s 25 Screenwriters to Watch. She was born in New York City and grew up in Bronxville, New York. She currently lives in Los Angeles but travels frequently to New York.

Some Faraway Place

Lauren Shippen

Kathryn Siebel teaches and writes in Seattle, Washington. She has worked in educational publishing and as a library paraprofessional. Kathryn is a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Her debut novel, The Trouble with Twins, was nominated for Carnegie Medal and selected for the International Literacy Association's list of Choice Books for Young Readers. Her newest middle grade novel is The Haunting of Henry Davis.

Scroll up to filter for specific author types (fiction, non-fiction, children's), or Illustrators.