2026 HCBF Archives - Page 2 of 5 - Hudson Childrens Book Festival

Schotter, Roni

Schotter, Roni

Roni Schotter is the award-winning author of 31 books for children, with a 32nd book coming in June, 2026. Well-known books of hers include NOTHING EVER HAPPENS ON 90TH STREET and THE BOY WHO LOVED WORDS. All of her books celebrate imagination & the power of words. www.ronischotter.com

Awards

National Jewish Book Award, Children’s Choice Platinum Award, Parents’ Choice Gold Award, Emmy Award for ABC After School Special adaptation of A Matter of Time, starred reviews in SLJ & Kirk’s, NCTE citations, etc.

3 Fun Facts

1. Favorite Flavors: Mocha, Cinnamon, Ginger.
2. Favorite Month: May, my birthday month.
3. Favorite Fun: Playing with my 2 Granddaughters.

McQuaide, Kerry

2026 Kerry McQuaide Author Bio Pic – Kerry McQuaide

McQuaide, Kerry

Kerry McQuaide is an author-illustrator in New York’s Hudson Valley. She studied in London at Chelsea School of Art and Design, graduated from Parsons School of Design. Her picture book, The Biggest, Highest Wave (a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection), was inspired by her first time surfing, where she was awed by the energy and force of the waves. And while she’s never ridden a wave as high as the one the girl in her story faces, she knows what it’s like to wipe out—in the water and in life—and get back up again. www.kerrymcquaide.com

Awards

THE BIGGEST HIGHEST WAVE was named a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection—an honor given to fewer than 3% of traditionally published children’s books each year!

3 Fun Facts

1. My book was inspired by my first surfing lesson.
2. I love summer, being in the water, and swimming. (But in winter I ice-skate instead!)
3. I draw almost everyday.

Canino, Jeffrey

Canino, Jeffrey

Jeffrey Canino is a writer and educator working out of New York’s Hudson Valley. He is a coauthor of Besties: Work It Out, Besties: Find Their Groove, and Besties: Prank War. He earned his MA in English literature from the State University of New York at New Paltz. www.jeffreycanino.com

Awards

Texas Little Maverick; Junior Library Guild Gold State Selection.

3 Fun Facts

1. Collects rare books.
2. Has three cats.
3. Does many passable celebrity impressions.

Venable, Colleen A.F.

Venable, Colleen A.F.

Colleen AF (Ann Felicity) Venable is the author of many books for kids including adapting the classic Junie B. Jones series into graphic novels, and the indie bestselling Katie the Catsitter series. She’s been nominated for multiple Eisners, dozens of state awards, and was longlisted for a National Book Award for her YA graphic novel debut, Kiss Number 8. Colleen splits her time between an itty-bitty room in Brooklyn, New York, and a big 150 year old house in Western Massachusetts. colleenaf.com

Awards

National Book Award Longlist, Eisner Nomination, SLJ Best Book, PW Best Book, Kirkus Best Book, Bank Street Best Book.

3 Fun Facts

1. The AF stands for my middle names Ann Felicity, which I always use because I have a cousin my exact age with the same name!
2. When I’m not writing I work at animal rescues for bunnies, baby bats, and penguins!
3. I once had a job as a lumberjack and started a national holiday based on that: National Pancake Day!

Marks, Janae

Janae Marks is the New York Times bestselling author of the Zoe Washington series, A Soft Place to Land, and A Split Second. She has an MFA in Writing for Children from The New School, and lives in Connecticut with her family. Learn more at janaemarks.com.

Awards

New York Times Bestseller (On Air with Zoe Washington), Indie Bestseller (From the Desk of Zoe Washington + On Air with Zoe Washington), Starred trade reviews (From the Desk of Zoe Washington, A Soft Place to Land, A Split Second), Named a Best Book of the Year by Parents Magazine, Book Riot, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Chicago Public Library, the Boston Globe, the Bank Street College of Education (From the Desk of Zoe Washington), Junior Library Guild selections (From the Desk of Zoe Washington + On Air with Zoe Washington).

3 Fun Facts

1. My favorite color is purple.
2. I have a dog named Cookie.
3. I love the theater.

Lindstrom, Carole

Carole Lindstrom is the author of the New York Times bestselling and Caldecott Award-winning We Are Water Protectors. She is Anishinaabe/Métis and is a proud member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe Indians. She was born and raised in Nebraska and currently makes her home in Maryland. carolelindstrom.com

Awards

Caldecott Award, Charlotte Huck Award, Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, Carter G. Woodson Award

3 Fun Facts

1. I have a cat with thumbs.
2. I loved stuffies and have a ton of them.
3. Sometimes I eat ice cream for lunch. 🙂

McClintock, Barbara

McClintock, Barbara

Barbara McClintock is the award-winning illustrator and author of over 40 books for children. Her books have been translated into a dozen languages; one of her books is a best selling title in Japan.
Barbara is self-educated as an author/illustrator, learning by studying texts and artwork from picture books checked out of public libraries. Originally from New Jersey and North Dakota, she now resides in northeastern CT with her partner and their two overly-helpful cats. barbaramcclintockbooks.com

Awards

Barbara’s books have received five New York Times Best Illustrated Books awards, four ALA Notable Book citations, two Golden Kite Honor awards, a Horn Book/Boston Globe Honor award, a China Times award, a British Fantasy award, Best Book Selections in Time Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, The Wall Street Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, The New York Public Library, Bank Street Books, Kirkus Reviews, and many other awards, citations, starred reviews and recommended reading lists.

3 Fun Facts

1. I wanted to be a cat when I was little.
2. I’d still like to be a cat.
3. My cat Nick thinks he’s a dog, which I find very funny.

Wedelich, Sam

Sam Wedelich lives in Nyack, NY with her family. Her newest picture book is A Quick Trip to the Store. She’s also the creator of the popular Real and Totally True Chicken Little series and the illustrator for Farting Fish by Alice Harman and Bearplane! by Deborah Underwood. She loves making fun and funny books for kids and their grown-ups. samwedelich.com

Awards

2025 CBC Children’s Favorite Award, 2023 Triple Crown Award Winner, Cybils award finalist, Indie Next List Pick, 2022 Washing Children’s Choice Award Nominee.

3 Fun Facts

1. I am also a musician and love to sing and play guitar.
2. I’m originally from Texas, YEE-HAW!
3. I’m terrible at playing chess, but feel pretty confident I could draw a chess board!

Harper, Janelle

Janelle Harper is a Bronx native who proudly carries her New York accent wherever she goes. Janelle’s artistic work is inspired by city life and the diverse experiences of the African Diaspora. She comes from a long line of educators and has spent nearly two decades teaching dance in NYC public schools. As a children’s author, Janelle is passionate about representation and hopes to create stories that make children fall more in love with themselves. When she’s not thinking about her next book, Janelle is at home enthusiastically playing along with TV game shows like The Price Is Right. https://www.janelleharperauthor.com

Awards

Starred reviews from Kirkus Review, Horn Book and Publishers Weekly, Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, Black Caucus ALA Best of the Best 2024, The Best Children’s Books of the Year 2025 Edition, 2025 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People.

3 Fun Facts

1. My favorite animal is a unicorn.
2. My lucky number is 13.
3. I’ve visited 5 of the 7 continents (Australia and Antarctica are on my bucket list).

Chen, Sylvia

Chen, Sylvia

Born and raised in Queens, New York, Sylvia Chen has also lived and worked in Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Paris, and Tokyo, and now resides in Essex County, New Jersey. As an Asian American children’s book author, she recently celebrated her debut picture book TRICKY CHOPSTICKS (illustrated by Fanny Liem and published by Atheneum/Simon & Schuster) and her newest picture book SPARKLES FOR SUNNY: A Lunar New Year Story (illustrated by Thai My Phuong and published by Flamingo Books/Penguin Random House). Sylvia loves crafting picture books that spark kids’ interest in STEAM and creative thinking. https://www.sylviaichen.com/

Awards

SPARKLES FOR SUNNY was featured as a 2026 January/February Kids’ Indie Next List Pick by the American Booksellers Association. In addition, TRICKY CHOPSTICKS was the 2025 Crystal Kite Award Winner (Atlantic Division) and was also awarded for the 2025 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People (Kindergarten to Fifth Grade category), by the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and the Children’s Book Council (CBC). TRICKY CHOPSTICKS was also chosen as the recommended Elementary picture book for May in the National Education Association (NEA)’s Read Across America for 2025-2026.

3 Fun Facts

1. I love making DIY costumes and crafts when I have a good chance to create them.
2. I like sneaking secret meanings into my books.
3. And I really enjoy drinking boba tea!