Writers Workshops Faculty | highlightsfoundation.org

Andy Boyles

Andy is the science editor at Highlights magazine and its trade book division, Boyds Mills Press. He used to write about psychiatry and molecules at medical centers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Galveston, Texas, but he hasn't done that since he joined Highlights seventeen years ago.

Andy Gutelle

Andrew is a writer, editor, and editorial consultant who has participated in the development of many publishing projects for children. He has written non-fiction books for many publishers, including Random House, Putnam, Workman, and Time-Life Books for Children. Andy received five Emmy nominations for his work on the television show Reading Rainbow.

Bernette Ford

Bernette founded Color-Bridge Books, LLC, an independent packaging and consulting company, in January 2003, to package a wide range of children’s books, including board books and novelty books, picture books, easy readers, and first chapter books, for publishers to the trade and supplementary school markets.

Candace Fleming

Candace is an award-winning author of numerous books for children. She discovered the joy and music of children’s books by reading aloud to her two sons.

Carolyn P. Yoder

Carolyn is currently editor of Calkins Creek Books—the U.S. history imprint of Boyds Mills Press. Calkins Creek specializes in nonfiction and historical fiction picture books, chapter books, and novels. Carolyn is also the senior editor of history for Highlights for Children.

Christine French Cully

Christine French Cully is the editor in chief of all Highlights for Children, Inc. publications, including Highlights magazine, Highlights High Five, books, and digital print. Chris’s experiences in the children’s magazine business are deep and varied.

Clay Winters

Clay Winters has served in almost every job imaginable connected with trade publishing. He has sold and marketed books as a retailer, wholesaler, and representative of trade publishing houses both giant and modest. Clay is a cofounder of Boyds Mills Press with Kent Brown and Larry Rosler.

Deborah Gonzales

Debbie Gonzales is the author of eight “transitional” readers for Giltedge and a contributor for ReaderKidZ, a website dedicated to the advancement of literacy for the K–5 set. A Montessori teacher, former school administrator, and curriculum consultant specializing in academic standards annotation, Debbie now devotes her time to teaching at St.

Eileen Spinelli

Eileen is an award-winning author and poet whose work includes the 1991 Christopher Award winner, Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch. Eileen has published over 30 books for children. Some of her recent titles include The Dancing Pancake, Do You Have A Cat, The Best Story, Miss Fox's Class Earns a Field Trip, and How To Clean Your Room.

Eric Rohmann

Eric Rohmann is a painter, printmaker, and author. His work includes the Caldecott Award winning book, My Friend Rabbit; the Caldecott Honor book, Time Flies; and most recently, the highly praised, Bone Dog.

Harold Underdown

Harold is an independent editor who works with authors and publishers. He has worked at Macmillan, Orchard, and Charlesbridge, and has experience in trade and educational publishing.

Helen Hemphill

Helen Hemphill’s debut novel Long Gone Daddy won the Teddy Award and was named to the New York Public Library’s Books for the Teen Age, 2007. Booklist named her second novel Runaround a 2007 Top Ten Youth Romance, and The Adventurous Deeds of Deadwood Jones, her most recent novel, was the recipient of the 2008 Virginia M.

Jerry Spinelli

With titles like Do the Funky Pickle, There’s A Girl in My Hammerlock, and Who Put That Hair in My Toothbrush?, Jerry Spinelli has won the hearts of many young readers. His 1991 release Maniac Magee won the Newbery Medal, and his eighteenth book, Wringer, received a Newbery Honor.

Joëlle Dujardin

Joëlle is a senior editor at Highlights magazine. She began her career in children’s publishing at Henry Holt and Company. She then spent several years at Carus Publishing Company, where she divided her time between Cricket Books and various nonfiction magazines, including Ask, Muse, and Faces.

Julie Vosburgh Agnone

Julie is Vice President for National Geographic Kids, which publishes NG Kids magazine for ages 6-14 and NG Little Kids for preschoolers. During her career at the National Geographic Society, Julie has written, edited, and managed magazines and books for children, educational products for schools, lesson plans for teachers, and electronic media for beginning and ESL readers.

Kathi Appelt

Kathi is the author of more than thirty books for children and young adults. Her award-winning books include Miss Lady Bird’s Wildflowers: How a First Lady Changed America (Growing Good Kids Award), Bubba and Beau, Best Friends (Irma and Simon Black Award), and My Father’s Summers: A Daughter’s Memoir (Paterson Prize for Young Adult Poetry).

Kathleen Hayes

Kathleen Hayes, currently editor of Highlights High Five™, has taught graduate courses in early childhood education at Bank Street College, has worked as a staff developer with New Jersey and Albuquerque public school teachers, and was the primary consultant and project manager of Bank Street’s collaboration with Macmillan/McGraw-Hill’s 2008 science program (PreK–Grade 2 materials) and

Kathryn Erskine

Kathy spent fifteen years as a lawyer before turning to her first love: writing. Her debut novel, Quaking, was one of YALSA’s Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. Her novel Mockingbird won the 2010 National Book Award, Young People’s Literature. She has published two other novels, Ibhubesi: The Lion and The Absolute Value of Mike.

Kent L. Brown, Jr.

Kent is the executive director of the Highlights Foundation, Inc. He is editor in chief emeritus of Highlights for Children, Inc., and the former publisher of Boyds Mills Press, the trade division of Highlights, which he co-founded in 1990. He serves Highlights for Children, Inc. as a director.

Kim T. Griswell

Kim is a developmental editor for Portable Press, publisher of Uncle John’s Bathroom Readers and the Uncle John’s For Kids Only series. She worked for Highlights, Inc. for nine years, serving as a senior editor for Boyds Mills Press and as coordinating editor of Highlights.

Marilyn Salerno

Marilyn is the SCBWI New England Coordinator. She has been active in SCBWI and writing for the children’s market since 1988. Marilyn, a retired early-childhood teacher, is also an accomplished pianist and an avid tennis player. She frequently teaches the course Writing for the Children’s Market for the Educational Collaborative in Dedham, Massachusetts.

Mary-Alice Moore

Mary-Alice is the editorial director, Book Publishing, Boyds Mills Press and Highlights for Children. She manages the New Products production and staff at the Highlights editorial offices in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, developing new book products and programs for continuity book clubs, retail, and other trade channels.

Mitali Perkins

Mitali was born in Kolkata, India, and immigrated at age seven to the United States with her family. Her award-winning books for young readers include Bamboo People, Monsoon Summer, Rickshaw Girl, Secret Keeper, and the First Daughter books.

Patricia Lee Gauch

Former vice president and editor at large of Philomel Books, Patti is now a fulltime writer and lecturer. She has authored more than 40 picture books and novels for young readers, including the highly acclaimed Thunder at Gettysburg; This Time, Tempe Wick?; and Christina Katerina and the Box.

Peter P. Jacobi

Peter is professor emeritus of journalism at Indiana University and a consultant with magazines and corporations, helping CEOs, writers, and editors learn to express their ideas more effectively. His articles have appeared in World Book, the New York Times, Highlights, and others.

Robbin Gourley

Currently the senior art director for Boyds Mills Press, Robbin brings a wealth of publishing experience and a passion for children’s books. From 2001–2010 she was the creative director at Farrar, Straus & Giroux, where she worked with editor Margaret Ferguson and Uri Shulevitz on his Caldecott Honor title How I Learned Geography.

Sandy Asher

Variety and quality characterize Sandy’s work, which includes twenty-five books, among them the award-winning Too Many Frogs! and its companion books What a Party! and Here Comes Gosling; more than three dozen plays; and over two hundred articles, stories, and poems published in magazines.