About the Author

Kate Messner is passionately curious and writes books for kids who wonder, too. Her award-winning titles include picture books like Once Upon a Book, Over and Under the Snow, and The Scariest Kitten in the World; middle-grade novels like All the Answers and Breakout; the Fergus and Zeke easy reader series; the Ranger in Time chapter book adventures; and the History Smashers illustrated nonfiction series. A former middle-school Language Arts teacher, she splits her time between New York's Champlain Valley and Florida's Gulf Coast. Visit her online at katemessner.com and find her on social media at @katemessner.
 
Rajani LaRocca was born in India, raised in Kentucky, and now lives in the Boston area, where she practices medicine and writes award-winning books for young readers, including the Newbery Honor-winning middle-grade novel in verse, Red, White, and Whole. She’s always been an omnivorous reader, and now she is an omnivorous writer of fiction and nonfiction, novels and picture books, prose and poetry. She also co-hosts the STEM Women in KidLit Podcast. Learn more about Rajani and her books at RajaniLaRocca.com and Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at @RajaniLaRocca.
 
Karina Yan Glaser started writing The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street when her uncle dared her to write a book. Now she is a New York Times bestselling author. Karina’s novels have been translated into twelve languages and have been optioned for film by Amy Poehler. Her latest book, A Duet For Home, earned three starred reviews, was featured on The Today Show, was selected for numerous Best Of lists, nominated for eight state book awards, and was a Teen Readers Choice Award Finalist, among other honors. One of her proudest achievements is raising two kids who can’t go anywhere without a book. She lives in New York City with her husband, two teenagers, and an assortment of rescue animals. Find her online at http://www.karinaglaser.com.
 
William Alexander won the National Book Award for his debut novel, Goblin Secrets, as well as the Earphones Award for his narration of the audiobook. Other honors include the Eleanor Cameron Award, two Junior Library Guild Selections, a Mythopoetic Award finalist, an International Latino Book Award finalist, and a Cybils Award finalist. Like the protagonist of his books Nomad and Ambassador, William is the son of a Latino immigrant to the US. He teaches in the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults and lives in Vermont. Visit him online at WillAlex.net.
 
Eliot Schrefer is a New York Times bestselling author who has twice been a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. He also received the Stonewall Honor for best LGBTQIA+ teen book and a Printz Honor for best young adult book from the American Library Association. His science writing has appeared in Discover, Sierra, USA Today, Nautilus, and The Washington Post Magazine. He has an M.A. in animal studies from NYU, is on the faculty of Hamline University's MFA for Writing for Children and Young Adults, and lives with his husband in New York City. Visit him online at eliotschrefer.com.
 
Kekla Magoon is the author of many novels and nonfiction books for young readers, including The Season of Styx Malone, The Rock and the River, How It Went Down, and Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther Party's Promise to the People. She has received the Margaret A. Edwards Award, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, the John Steptoe New Talent Award, three Coretta Scott King Honors, the Walter Award Honor, an NAACP Image Award, and been a finalist for the National Book Award. Kekla conducts school and library visits nationwide and serves on the Writers’ Council for the National Writing Project. Kekla holds a B.A. from Northwestern University and an M.F.A. in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts, where she now serves on faculty. Visit her online at keklamagoon.com.

Kat Fajardo (they/she) is a Honduran Colombian award-winning cartoonist and illustrator from the lively and magical place of Loisaida, New York City. They are the creator of Miss Quinces, which was a National Indie Bestseller, received two starred reviews, and was selected as a summer reading pick by Entertainment Weekly, Publishers Weekly, The Horn Book, and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It was the first Graphix title to be simultaneously published in English and Spanish (as Srta. Quinces). They are a graduate of the School of Visual Arts, and their work has been recognized by online publications such as Remezcla, El Hispanic News, School Library Journal, Huffington Post Latino Voices, and more. Kat loves to create playful and colorful work about self-acceptance and Latine culture. When they aren’t making comics, you might find them collecting small junk for scrapbooking, listening to spooky podcasts, or chasing after their sock-stealing pups, Mac and Roni. Kat lives in Austin, Texas. Visit them online at katfajardo.com.

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Rajani LaRocca is a physician and an author of books for young readers, such as Midsummer’s Mayhem and Summer Is for Cousins. She received a Newbery Honor for her novel Red, White, and Whole. Rajani was born in Bangalore, India, immigrated to the United States when she was very young, and became a naturalized citizen of the United States at the age of fifteen. She now lives in eastern Massachusetts with her family. She invites you to visit her online at rajanilarocca.com.

Huy Voun Lee arrived in New York City as a Cambodian refugee at the age of six. She quickly developed a lifelong love for art and origami, both of which influence her colorful cut-paper style. Huy has written and illustrated many books for children, including Like a Dandelion, which was a Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of the Year, a Bank Street Best Book of the Year, and a CCBC Choice. She lives in New York City with her family.
 
 

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Karina Yan Glaser started writing The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street when her uncle dared her to write a book. Now she is a New York Times bestselling author. Karina’s novels have been translated into twelve languages and have been optioned for film by Amy Poehler. Her latest book, A Duet For Home, earned three starred reviews, was featured on The Today Show, was selected for numerous Best Of lists, nominated for eight state book awards, and was a Teen Readers Choice Award Finalist, among other honors. One of her proudest achievements is raising two kids who can’t go anywhere without a book. She lives in New York City with her husband, two teenagers, and an assortment of rescue animals. She invites you to find her online at karinaglaser.com

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Kekla Magoon is the author of many novels and nonfiction books for young readers, including The Season of Styx Malone, The Rock and the River, How It Went Down, and Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the People. She has received the Margaret A. Edwards Award, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, the John Steptoe New Talent Award, three Coretta Scott King Honors, the Walter Award Honor, an NAACP Image Award, and been a finalist for the National Book Award. Kekla conducts school and library visits nationwide and serves on the Writers’ Council for the National Writing Project. Kekla holds a B.A. from Northwestern University and an M.F.A. in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts, where she now serves on faculty. She invites you to visit her online at keklamagoon.com.
 
Kat Fajardo (they/she) received a Pura Belpré Honor for Illustration for their first graphic novel, Miss Quinces (published in Spanish as Srta. Quinces). Born and raised in New York City, Kat now lives in Austin, Texas, with their pups, Mac and Roni. They invite you to visit them at katfajardo.com.

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Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich is the author of many novels for young readers, including Operation Sisterhood; It Doesn’t Take A Genius; 8th Grade Superzero; Two Naomis, co-authored with Audrey Vernick, which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award; Saving Earth: Climate Change and the Fight for Our Future; Above and Beyond: NASA’s Journey to Tomorrow; and the picture books Someday Is Now and Mae Makes A Way. She is a member of the Brown Bookshelf, and editor of the We Need Diverse Books anthology The Hero Next Door. Olugbemisola lives with her family in New York City where she writes, makes things, and needs to get more sleep. She invites you to visit her on Instagram @olugbemisolarhudayperkovich and at her website olugbemisolabooks.com.

Kat Fajardo (they/she) received a Pura Belpré Honor for Illustration for their first graphic novel, Miss Quinces (published in Spanish as Srta. Quinces). Born and raised in New York City, Kat now lives in Austin, Texas, with their pubs, Mac and Roni. They invite you to visit them at katfajardo.com.

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Mike Jung is the author of Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities, Unidentified Suburban Object, and The Boys in the Back Row. He is a library professional by day and a writer and ukulele player by night, and he was a founding member of the #WeNeedDiverseBooks team. He lives in Oakland, California, with his family. He invites you to visit him online at mikejung.com.

Kat Fajardo (they/she) received a Pura Belpré Honor for Illustration for their first graphic novel, Miss Quinces (published in Spanish as Srta. Quinces). Born and raised in New York City, Kat now lives in Austin, Texas, with their pups, Mac and Roni. They invite you to visit them at katfajardo.com.
 

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Martha Brockenbrough is the author of more than twenty books for young readers and is the program director at the University of San Francisco’s MFA in Writing for Young Readers. She founded National Grammar Day (March 4), has written game questions for Cranium and Trivial Pursuit, and is the author of the Frank and the Puppy series, This Old Dog, and To Catch a Thief, which won the Sid Fleischman Humor Award. Martha lives in Seattle with her family. She invites you to visit her online at marthabrockenbrough.com.

Kat Fajardo (they/she) received a Pura Belpré Honor for Illustration for their first graphic novel, Miss Quinces (published in Spanish as Srta. Quinces). Born and raised in New York City, Kat now lives in Austin, Texas, with their pups, Mac and Roni. They invite you to visit them at katfajardo.com.

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Kat Fajardo is an award-winning comic artist and illustrator based in NYC. A graduate of The School of Visual Arts, she’s editor of La Raza Anthology and creator of Bandida Comics series. She’s made work for Penguin Random House on The First Rule of Punk (written by Celia C. Pérez), CollegeHumor, and several anthologies. You can find her working at her Brooklyn studio creating playful and colorful work about self-acceptance and Latinx culture. Or drooling over puppies at a cafe.

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