Alexandra Villasante has always loved telling stories–though not always with words. She has a BFA in Painting and an MA in Combined Media (that’s art…
Special Guest Alicia D. Williams is the author of Genesis Begins Again, which received the Newbery and Kirkus Prize honors, was a William C. Morris…
Alisa Alering is a writer and editor living in southern Indiana. She writes fiction for children and adults and non-fiction exploring science, technology, and the…
Special Guest Alison Green Myers is the program director for the non-profit Highlights Foundation, which supports children’s book writers and illustrators. She’s served as a…
Special Guest Amber McBride is currently a professor at the University of Virginia. She received her MFA in Poetry from Emerson College in 2012. She also…
Special Guest An Na was born in South Korea and grew up in San Diego, California. She is the author of three novels: A Step from…
Special Guest Andrea Mosqueda is a Chicana writer. She was born and raised in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley. She currently lives in Brooklyn with her…
Virtual Special Guest Angela Dominguez was born in Mexico City, grew up in the great state of Texas, and now resides on the east coast.…
Anna Raff is an award-winning illustrator of several books for children including The Day the Universe Exploded My Head, World Rat Day, A Big Surprise…
In spite of the adage to write what you know, Anne Marie Pace has never been a vampire, a ballerina, a groundhog, or a tow…
Antwan Eady is a children’s author and a dreamer. Originally from Garnett, South Carolina, he’s now sharing those dreams with the world. Eady is a…
Special Guest Aram Kim is a writer and illustrator as well as a designer of picture books for children. She was born in Ohio, raised…
Ashley Hope Pérez is the author of three novels: Out of Darkness (2015), The Knife and the Butterfly (2012), and What Can’t Wait (2011). Out of Darkness was described by The New York Times…
Ashley Wolff has been a visual artist since she declared herself one at the age of five. She grew up in Middlebury, Vermont, and holds…
Brittany J. Thurman has always listened in on the stories told by her grandmother. These same stories hold space in her writing today. Brittany holds…
Carole Boston Weatherford is an award-winning author of children’s books, including Gordon Parks: How the Photographer Captured Black and White America (NAACP Image Award), Voice…
Carolyn P. Yoder is the founding editor and currently the senior editor of Calkins Creek Books, the fifteen-year-old U.S. history imprint of Boyds Mills &…
Cheryl Willis Hudson is editorial director of Just Us Books, Inc., an independent publishing company that focuses on Black interest books for children and young…
Chris Tebbetts is the author and co-author of many books for young readers. Titles include the #1 New York Times bestselling MIDDLE SCHOOL series with…
Clare Landrigan is a staff developer who is still a teacher at heart. After years serving as an educator and administrator in elementary public schools,…
Cordelia Jensen graduated with a MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2012. Cordelia has three verse…
Author/Illustrator Courtney Pippin-Mathur creates humorous and heartfelt books for kids, including Maya was Grumpy (Flashlight, 2013), Dragons Rule, Princesses Drool (Little Simon, 2017) and Happy…
Crystal Allen is the author of five middle-grade books, all published by Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins. Her accolades include the 2018 SCBWI Sid Fleischman Humor Award…
Dante Medema is an author of books for young readers. Her debut novel, The Truth Project (HarperTeen / Quill Tree Books) was an Indies Introduce…
Daria Peoples’ first job was at nine years old in the children’s section of her hometown library in Paso Robles, California. She worked a little,…
Debbi Michiko Florence is the author of the Jasmine Toguchi chapter book series (JLG selections, the Amelia Bloomer and CCBC Choices lists, and a Cybils Award…
Don Tate is an award-winning author, and the illustrator of numerous critically acclaimed books for children, including Carter Reads The Newspaper (Peachtree Publishers); No Small Potatoes: Junius…
Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Ebony Elizabeth Thomas taught in public schools for several years after graduating from Florida A&M, a historically Black…
Edith Campbell is an Associate Education Librarian in the Cunningham Memorial Library at Indiana State University. She is a founding member of the We Are…
Eileen Robinson has worked with children’s writers all over the world for over twenty years. Former Executive Editor at Scholastic and Editorial Director at Harcourt,…
Elise Broach is the author of nearly thirty books for children, ranging from picture books to young adult novels. Her picture book When Dinosaurs Came…
Special Guest After earning her master’s degrees in Children’s Literature and English Literature from Simmons College in Boston, Emily joined the editorial team at Roaring…
Emily Jenkins’ picture books include A Greyhound, A Groundhog, Toys Meet Snow, Lemonade in Winter, and most recently, All-of-a-Kind Family Hanukkah, winner of the Sydney Taylor Award. That New…
Emma D. Dryden founded drydenbks LLC (www.drydenbks.com), a premiere children’s editorial & publishing consultancy firm, after 25 years experience as editor and publisher of Margaret…
Emma Otheguy is the author of the bilingual picture book Martí’s Song for Freedom (Lee & Low, 2017) about Cuban poet and national hero José…
Eric Bell is the author of ALAN COLE IS NOT A COWARD (Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins, 2017) and ALAN COLE DOESN’T DANCE (Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins, 2018),…
Erin Dionne’s latest book for tweens is Secrets of a Fangirl (2019). She’s the author of 6 other books for young readers, including the 2014…
Erin Entrada Kelly received the 2018 Newbery Medal for Hello, Universe, a 2021 Newbery Honor for We Dream of Space, and the 2017 APALA Award…
Ernesto Cisneros is the award-winning author of EFRÉN DIVIDED. He was born and raised in Santa Ana, California, where he still teaches. As an author,…
Felicia Rose Chavez is an award-winning educator with an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the University of Iowa. She is author of The Anti-Racist Writing…
Franki Sibberson is a literacy consultant with 33 years of classroom experience in Dublin, Ohio. She is past-president of the National Council of Teachers of…
Georgia Heard received her M.F.A. in poetry writing from Columbia University and is a founding member of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project in…
Gina Maccoby is a New York literary agent representing authors of literary and commercial fiction and nonfiction for adults and children, including New York Times…
Before Grace Lin was an award-winning and NY Times bestselling author/illustrator of picturebooks, early readers and middle grade novels, she was the only Asian girl…
Harold is an executive editor at Kane Press. He is also the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Children’s Book Publishing, a comprehensive guide…
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.…
Hilda Eunice Burgos is the author of the middle-grade novel Ana María Reyes Does Not Live in a Castle, which was recognized as an ALA…
Special Guest Jacqueline Alcántara is a freelance illustrator and educator spending her days drawing, rehabbing houses and adventuring with her dogs. She is fueled by…
Jalissa Corrie is a Marketing and Publicity Manager at Lee & Low Books, the largest multicultural children’s book publisher in the United States, and a…
Virtual Special Guest Janet Wong is a graduate of Yale Law School and a former lawyer who switched careers to become a children’s author. Her…
Jennie Dunham has been a literary agent in New York, New York for 8 years before she founded Dunham Literary, Inc. in 2000. She represents…
Jennifer Baker was named the 2019 Publishers Weekly Star Watch “SuperStar” because her “varied work championing diversity in publishing has made her an indispensable fixture…
Jennifer Gennari is the author of Muffled (Simon & Schuster, 2020), a Junior Library Guild selection, and My Mixed-Up Berry Blue Summer (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,…
Jennifer, a graduate of Harvard Graduate School of Education, is the author of over a dozen award-winning children’s books including SMALL AS AN ELEPHANT (IRA…
Special Guest Jennifer Rofé works primarily in the middle grade and picture book spaces, and she especially loves working with author-illustrators and illustrators. Overall, she…
Jennifer Swanson is the award-winning author of over 40+ nonfiction books for children, mostly about science and technology. Jennifer’s love of STEM began when she…
Special Guest K. X. Song is a Highlights Foundation Diversity fellow and a HG Wells Turnill Prize honoree. Her picture book, My Elastical Fantastical Bubble,…
Kashmira Sheth writes picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, and young adult fiction. Her books have received many awards and honors, including the Asian/Pacific…
Kat Brzozowski is a senior editor at Swoon Reads/Feiwel & Friends. She has edited a wide range of young adult fiction, including Anna-Marie McLemore’s When…
Katura J. Hudson is a children’s book author, editor, and a communication strategist. A native of New Jersey and graduate of Rutgers University, she got…
Special Guest Kelly Dyksterhouse is a literary agent with Raven Quill Literary Agency. She specializes in fiction and non-fiction from PB to YA. Kelly has…
Special Guest Kelly Light lives in New York but grew up down the shore in New Jersey surrounded by giant pink dinosaurs, cotton candy colors,…
Kelly Starling Lyons is a founding member of The Brown Bookshelf, teaching artist and award-winning children’s book author. Her mission is to center Black heroes,…
Dr. Kimberly N. Parker currently prepares preservice teachers as the Assistant Director of the Teacher Training Center at the Shady Hill School in Cambridge, MA.…
Laura M. Jiménez is the Department Chair for Language & Literacy Education at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. She teaches children’s…
Laura Pegram is the founding editor and publisher of the award winning literary magazine, Kweli Journal, and the director of the Kweli Color of Children’s…
Laura Shovan is a children’s author, educator, editor, and Pushcart Prize-nominated poet. Laura’s debut novel-in-verse, THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY, won multiple awards,…
Special Guest Lauren MacLeod is a literary agent at The Strothman Agency. She works on both adult nonfiction and young adult and middle-grade books. She…
Laurie Calkhoven is the author of more than 50 books for young readers ranging from award-winning nonfiction early readers to YA adaptations of adult books.…
Leah Henderson is the author of several critically acclaimed books for young readers including Daddy Speaks Love, A Day for Rememberin’, and Together We March.…
Leeza Hernandez illustrates children’s books in between working full time as an art director and freelance surface pattern designer. Her latest books include Did You…
Lesléa Newman is the author of 75 books for readers of all ages including the children’s classic, Heather Has Two Mommies, the middle-grade novel Hachiko…
Special Guest Linda Camacho is an agent with Gallt & Zacker Literary. After graduating from Cornell University, Linda interned at Simon & Schuster and Writers…
Linda Epstein is a senior agent at Emerald City Literary Agency, in the east coast office. She represents novels for children and teens as well…
Lynsey Burkins is an elementary educator from Central Ohio. Racial and Social Justice work has been her passion long before she started teaching. After completing…
Special Guest Maika Moulite is a Miami native and the daughter of Haitian immigrants. She loves writing: books, think pieces, journal entries, neverending lists, you…
Special Guest Maritza Moulite graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s in women’s studies and the University of Southern California with a master’s…
Special Guest Meera Trehan read as much as she could as a child, memorized poems, and ate enough cookies to earn the nickname “Monster” after…
Meg Medina is a Newbery and Pura Belpré award-winning author of picture books, middle grade, and YA fiction. She is the author of Merci Suárez Changes…
Mia García was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She moved to New York where she studied creative writing at The New School,…
Mike loves drawing and writing almost as much as he loves cupcakes and ice cream (and that’s a LOT!). He is the author and illustrator…
Miranda Paul is an award-winning children’s author of more than a dozen picture books including One Plastic Bag, Water is Water, I Am Farmer and Are We…
Mitali Perkins has written many novels for young readers, including Rickshaw Girl (chosen by the New York Public Library as one of the top 100 books for…
A proud product of the Detroit Public Schools, Dr. Nancy D. Tolson received her Masters and PhD from the University of Iowa, researching the history…
Special Guest Nicole Valentine (www.nicolevalentinebooks.com) is an author of middle grade fiction. She earned her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the…
New York Times bestselling author Nikki Grimes is the recipient of the 2020 ALAN Award for outstanding contributions to young adult literature, the 2017 Children’s Literature Legacy…
Nikki Shannon Smith is the author of eleven books, ranging from picture books to young adult. Her work includes the Azaleah Lane chapter book series…
Nisha Sharma is the author of the critically acclaimed YA novel My So-Called Bollywood Life and the follow up, Radha and Jai’s Recipe for Romance.…
NoNieqa Ramos is an educator who wrote THE DISTURBED GIRL’S DICTIONARY, a 2018 New York Public Library Best Book for Teens and a 2019 YALSA…
Nora Shalaway Carpenter’s YA debut The Edge of Anything was a 2020 Best Book of the Year (Kirkus Reviews and A Mighty Girl), a Cybils…
Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich is the author of 8th Grade Superzero, a Notable Book for a Global Society and Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People.…
Padma Venkatraman is the author of THE BRIDGE HOME which has garnered 8 stars, and has been honored as one of the best books of…
Pamela Bobowicz has worked for numerous publishers on fiction, non-fiction and licensed projects for all ages. In her current role at Workman Publishing, she looks…
Special Guest Pat Cummings is the author and/or illustrator of over 40 books for young readers. Along with teaching children’s book classes at Pratt and…
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…
Paula Chase-Hyman doesn’t mind being known as a Jane of all trades, Queen of none. But a single theme has followed throughout her career in…
Phoebe knows a thing or two about finishing a manuscript. She and her team of editors are responsible for the estate programs of C.S. Lewis, Maurice…
Rebecca M. Davis is Editorial Director of Astra Young Readers and Wordsong, imprints of Astra Books for Young Readers, a division of Astra Publishing House.…
Rebecca is the author of a diverse range of picture books and poetry collections for children, including Lemonade Sun, One Day, The End, The Knowing…
Regina Brooks is the founder and president of Serendipity Literary Agency LLC, based in Brooklyn, New York. Her agency has represented and established a diverse…
Special Guest Rona Shirdan is living her best life as a writer, freelance copy editor, and proofreader. She is the mother of two adult sons…
Special Guest Ruth Horowitz’s most recent picture book Saving Eli’s Library, was released in October 2020. Her other six books for young children include Are…
Saraciea J. Fennell is the founder of The Bronx is Reading—Bronx Book Festival. She is also a book publicist who has worked with many award-winning…
Sarah Aronson began writing for kids and teens when someone in an exercise class dared her to try. Since then, she has earned an MFA…
Special Guest Sarah Suk (pronounced like soup with a K) lives in Vancouver, Canada where she writes stories and admires mountains. When she’s not writing,…
Sera Rivers is a Senior Literary Manager at Martin Literary & Media Management and is currently accepting queries for middle grade and young adult fiction…
Special Guest Shannon Gibney is a writer, educator, activist, and the author of See No Color (Carolrhoda Lab, 2015), and Dream Country (Dutton, 2018) young…
Special Guest Shelly Romero (she/her) is an associate editor at Scholastic. She graduated from Stephens College with a bachelor’s degree in English and attended the…
The author of the YA doc dramedy Symptoms of a Heartbreak, Sona Charaipotra is not a doctor — much to her pediatrician parents’ chagrin. They…
Steve Light grew up in an enchanted place known as New Jersey. He went on to study Illustration at Pratt Institute, he also had the…
Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen is an award-winning children’s book author whose books include Chicks Rule, The United States vs. Jackie Robinson (2019 ALSC Notable Children’s Books List),…
Special Guest Sunita Apte is an editor at Reycraft Books/Benchmark. She is the half-Indian, half-Hungarian child of immigrants. She has lived and traveled in Asia,…
Susan Campbell Bartoletti’s picture books, novels, and nonfiction have received dozens of awards, including the Newbery Honor, the Sibert Award and honor, the Orbis Pictus…
Teresa Robeson (teresarobeson.com) draws upon her Chinese heritage, immigrant sensibilities, as well as her background in science and love of nature when she writes. Her…
Tracey Baptiste is the New York Times bestselling author of Minecraft: The Crash, as well as the creepy Caribbean series The Jumbies which includes The…
Traci Chee is the New York Times bestselling author of The Reader Trilogy and We Are Not Free (HMH, June 2020). An all-around word geek,…
Vanessa Brantley-Newton is a self-taught illustrator, doll maker, and crafter who studied fashion illustration at FIT and children’s book illustration at the School of Visual…
Special Guest Veera Hiranandani is the author of The Night Diary (Kokila), which has received many awards including the 2019 Newbery Honor Award, the 2019 Walter Dean Myers…
Wade Hudson’s career as a writer spans more than three decades. A native of Mansfield, Louisiana, he majored in political science at Southern University. After…
Special Guest Yvonne Wakim Dennis is an award winning author of nonfiction books for children and adults including A Kid’s Guide to Native American History…
Intimate and inspiring workshops for children's authors and illustrators.
