Faruqi
When Reem Faruqi taught second grade, her favorite time was “Read Aloud” time. Now, her favorite time at home is reading with her daughters. Reem Faruqi is the award-winning author of “Lailah’s Lunchbox,” a picture book based on her own experiences as a young Muslim girl immigrating to the United States. Of Pakistani origin, Reem […]
Reul
Sarah Lynne Reul is an author, illustrator and award-winning animator who likes science, tiny things and drawing on photos. Originally from Brooklyn, she now lives just north of Boston with her family. After some years in science museum education and non-profit admin, she was lured back to school by the magic of making drawings come […]
Malia
Jen Malia speaks to students, parents, teachers, librarians, administrators, community leaders, and writers about children’s books, autism, and neurodiversity. An autistic mom of three autistic kids, she is the author of the children’s chapter book series The Infinity Rainbow Club and the picture book Too Sticky! Sensory Issues with Autism. With over twenty-five years of […]
Magaziner
Lauren Magaziner is the author of the Case Closed series, The Mythics series, The Only Thing Worse Than Witches, Pilfer Academy, Wizardmatch and an upcoming upper middle grade fantasy series call The Incorruptibles. Originally from New Hope, Pennsylvania, Lauren started writing novels when she was thirteen–and never stopped. A proud graduate of Hamilton College’s creative […]
Wong
Jack Wong (黃雋喬) is the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award-winning author/illustrator of WHEN YOU CAN SWIM (Scholastic) as well as the picture books THE WORDS WE SHARE (Annick Press, Fall 2023), and ALL THAT GROWS (Groundwood Books, Spring 2024) and The Music Inside Us: Yo-Yo Ma & His Gifts to the World (Spring 2025). Jack was […]
Sterling
Michelle Sterling is a children’s book author, photographer and speech-language pathologist living in Orange County, California. Many of her stories are inspired by her heritage, family traditions, and her love of gastronomy and food history. When Lola Visits, Michelle’s first picture book illustrated by Aaron Asis, received four starred reviews, was an ALA Notable Children’s […]
Mazeika
Katie Mazeika is an award-winning author and illustrator specializing in telling stories based on real people and events. She is passionate about highlighting disabled voices in her work. Her author/illustrator debut, Annette Feels Free: The True Story of Annette Kellerman, World-Class Swimmer, Fashion Pioneer, and Real-Life Mermaid, was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, […]
Burke Kunkel
Angela Burke Kunkel is an educator by day and a writer in the very early mornings. Her debut picture book, Digging For Words, José Alberto Gutiérrez and the Library He Built (Schwartz & Wade), celebrates perseverance, community, and the power of books. Digging For Words was named an ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book, and is the […]
Agostini
Buffalo, NY native Alliah L. Agostini is an award-winning marketer who has marketed everything from iconic brands to scrappy start-ups, but motherhood helped her return to her first love: children’s literature. She writes and speaks to spread joy, truth, and to help more children see themselves reflected on the page. Alliah is a widely sought-after […]
Venable
Colleen AF Venable is the author of indie bestseller Katie the Catsitter graphic novel series with Stephanie Yue (nominated for 14 state awards), as well as the National Book Award Longlisted Kiss Number 8, a graphic novel co-created with Ellen T. Crenshaw. Her other books include The Oboe Goes Boom Boom Boom with Lian Cho, […]