Stephanie Seales is the California-born daughter of Panamanian immigrants and a children’s literature expert. Her debut picture book My Daddy Is a Cowboy (Abrams, 2024), illustrated by C.G. Esperanza, received a Caldecott Honor, Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, and six starred reviews. Stephanie is passionate about community and equity and understands the power of story, following Toni Morrison’s advice in writing the books she wants to read. She dreams and creates with her magical canine companion, Pan, near the water in the Hudson Valley, New York. www.stephanieseales.com

Awards

Caldecott Honor; Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award; Publishers Weekly Best Books 2024; The Horn Book Fanfare 2024; New York Public Library Best Books 2024; Six starred reviews

3 Fun Facts

1. I love dogs, especially my sweet Pomeranian, Pan (my next book, Jodie Doesn’t Love Dogs, is about dogs!).
2. I’ve been writing stories since I was 5 years old and the first story I remember writing was inspired by The Land Before Time (dinosaurs are so cool!).
3. I never stopped reading kids books and have a master’s degree in Children’s Literature, so it’s extra cool to be an author now!