2026 HCBF Archives - Page 7 of 8 - Hudson Childrens Book Festival

Masiello, Ralph

Masiello, Ralph

Ralph Masiello was born and raised in the state of Massachusetts where he lives with his daughters Alexa and Talia. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design (BFA, Illustration, 1985), Ralph has illustrated for magazines, newspapers and books, created posters and prints, and shown his fine art paintings in galleries throughout the world. Beginning with The Icky Bug Alphabet Book in 1986, Ralph has has become internationally known for the children’s books he’s written and illustrated. Since 1987, he has visited over 3,300 schools all over the world, inspiring children with his life story, humor, and art. www.ralphmasiello.com

Awards

Society of Illustrators Award of Merit (2 times).

3 Fun Facts

1. I am an aggressive skier!
2. I like Lima beans.
3. I used to race motocross

Crews, Nina

Crews, Nina

Nina Crews is an author and illustrator of child centered stories like I’m Not Small, One Hot Summer Day, The Neighborhood Mother Goose, and A Girl Like Me, written by Angela Johnson. Her books Extraordinary Magic: The Storytelling Life of Virginia Hamilton, Seeing Into Tomorrow: Haiku by Richard Wright (poems by Richard Wright,) and Not Done Yet: Shirley Chisholm’s Fight for Change, by Tameka Fryer Brown, celebrate storytellers and changemakers.

Honors include best book lists from the ALA Notable Committee, the Black Caucus of the ALA, Kirkus Reviews, Junior Library Guild, Bank Street College of Education, and others. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. www.ninacrews.com

Awards

Liftoff: How the Apollo Moon Missions Made Alma Thomas’s Art Soar – Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature’s Best Books of 2025 ; Big Family Beach Day -Kirkus Best Book of 2025; Extraordinary Magic: The Storytelling Life of Virginia Hamilton – Bank Street Children’s Book Committee – Best Books list of the Year 2024; 2023 New York State Library Association’s Empire State Award.

3 Fun Facts

1. I love looking at art and one of my favorite books as a kid was The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. I thought it would be fun to live in the museum like those kids did.
2. I love looking at the moon, but I wouldn’t want to live there. It is either too hot or too cold and there is nothing green and growing.
3. My living room is filled with plants, and I love green growing things.

Gehl, Laura

Gehl, Laura

Laura Gehl is the award-winning author of more than fifty books for kids, including board books, lift-the-flap books, picture books, and early readers. Her 2026 releases include Attack Bunnies, Puppies Know and Grow, Bunnies Know and Grow, Odd Bugs, and Becca and Bubbe’s Bucket List. Laura lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland with her husband and four kids. When she isn’t writing, she’s usually walking in the woods, eating ice cream, or reading—sometimes all three at the same time! You can visit Laura online at www.lauragehl.com.

Awards

Odd Birds was a Blueberry Honor Book, a Cybils Finalist, a Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year selection, and a Kirkus Best Books of the Year selection. Donut, My Pillow Keeps Moving, and Frog Can Hop were chosen as Junior Library Guild gold standard selections. Donut was also an Indie Next Selection and a Dolly Parton Imagination Library Selection. Apple and Magnolia received three starred reviews, was a Kirkus best book of the year, a Cybils Award Finalist, a Charter Oak Children’s Book Award nominee, and a White Ravens International Children’s and Youth Literature Selection. Baby Astronaut was A Mighty Girl Best Book of the Year. One Big Pair of Underwear was a Charlotte Zolotow Highly Commended Title, International Literacy Association Honor Book, and Booklist Books for Youth Editors’ Choice.

3 Fun Facts

1. My current favorite flavor of ice cream is Oreo Cheesecake (this changes frequently).
2. My family fosters cats and kittens. We have fostered nine cats so far.
3. The animal I am best at imitating is a lion; I am great at roaring!

Zunon, Elizabeth

Zunon, Elizabeth

Elizabeth Zunon was born in Albany, New York, and spent her childhood in Côte d’Ivoire, West
Africa. As a little girl, she loved to draw, paint, make up dances, and play dress-up. As she grew up,
she didn’t really change! Elizabeth now lives in Albany with her husband and young son, where she
explores a multicultural world through painting, collage, silk-screening, embroidery, and more. Her
work is largely influenced by the people, places and things from her childhood in Côte d’Ivoire as
the product of two cultures. www.Lizzunon.com

Awards

Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, Children’s Africana Book Award, New York Times List of 52 Great Books for Toddlers, Bank Street College of Education Best Books of the Year.

3 Fun Facts

1. I speak French.
2. I love to bake.
3. I cannot paint without music!

Ferry, Beth

Beth Ferry is the author of over 40 books for young readers, including Stick and Stone, The Scarecrow and Growing Home. She lives with her family by the beach in New Jersey, where she finds inspiration in the salty air. In addition to picture books, Beth writes graphic and middle grade novels. You can learn more at bethferry.com

Awards

Barnes & Noble Book of the Year, New York Times bestseller, Junior Library Guild gold selection

3 Fun Facts

1. I have two bulldogs – an English and a Frenchie.
2. I collect sea glass.
3. I only grow pumpkins in my garden.

Wan, Joyce

Wan, Joyce

Joyce Wan is best-selling author-illustrator known for creating bold, bright, irresistibly adorable books for young children. With over 30 published titles and more than 2 million copies in print, her work has delighted readers worldwide. Her illustrations blend a modern kawaii aesthetic with heartfelt storytelling, bringing cozy worlds of joy, love, and childhood wonder to life. Her books include You Are My Cupcake, Sleepyheads, and Be My Yummy ABC. Joyce lives in northern New Jersey with her husband and daughter. www.wanart.com

Awards
You Are My Cupcake was selected for a 2025 New York Times Best Board Books list, Society of Illustrators Original Art Show, Dream Big was recognized by the American Library Association as a 2020 Amelia Bloomer Book List Selection, Whale in My Swimming Pool was a Junior Library Guild selection.

3 Fun Facts

1. I’m a self-taught artist.
2. I have two pet canaries named Sunny & Ringo.
3. I am an avid karaoke singer.

Magaziner, Lauren

Lauren Magaziner Incorruptibles author photo – Lauren Magaziner

Magaziner, Lauren

Lauren Magaziner is the internationally bestselling author of The Incorruptibles series, the Case Closed series, The Mythics series, and three other stand-alone books for middle grade readers. Lauren grew up in New Hope, Pennsylvania. After receiving a B.A. in Creative Writing and Philosophy at Hamilton College, Lauren Magaziner worked on two delightful Scholastic magazines, where many of her coworkers didn’t believe her last name was real. She currently lives in Philadelphia, where she writes full time. www.laurenmagaziner.com.

Awards:

Lauren’s books are international bestsellers, are available in 12 languages, have been Junior Library Guild selections, have been on the Indie Next List, been an Amazon bestseller, earned starred reviews, been on state lists, and have been optioned for a TV movie with Nickelodeon.

3 Fun Facts

1. I usually work on four books at a time, all in different stages of the writing process. I love having a revolving door of projects.
2. I plot all my work on a giant whiteboard. For The Incorruptibles, I had to keep track of about 15 different character’s squads, backstories, and internal arcs.
3. The quickest manuscript I’ve ever written was The Mythics: Marina and the Kraken. It took me 11 days to complete the first draft.

Kelly, David A.

Kelly, David A.

David A. Kelly gets to go to the moon, baseball stadiums, and football games for his job. David is the author of over thirty five children’s books that have sold close to 2 million copies, including his bestselling Ballpark Mysteries and Football Mysteries series. David’s latest picture book, Tee Time on the Moon, takes readers to the Moon with Alan Shepard as he hits two golf balls during the Apollo 14 mission. He currently lives outside of Boston. For more information, visit davidakellybooks.com, or find him on Instagram and Facebook at @DavidAKellyBooks or find him on X/Bluesky at @DavidAKelly, Instagram/Facebook at @DavidAKellyBooks .

Awards

Maryland Blue Crab Award, New York Public Library Best Books for Kids, Bank Street College Best Children’s Book, and Booklist Top 10 Sports Books, alongside state reading awards and being featured on Amazon’s “Best Books of the Month” for titles like The Gold Medal Mess.

3 Fun Facts

1. I once met Hank Aaron.
2. My favorite food is french fries.
3. I’m terrible at spelling!

Katz, Alan

Alan Katz has written 50+ highly acclaimed books for kids, including Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs, Got Your Nose!, Really Stupid Stories for Really Smart Kids, Oops!, Zooloween, the Lieographies series, and The Funniest Joke Book Ever for Kids (plus a new animal joke book!).
Alan is also a six-time Emmy-nominated writer for TV series including The Rosie O’Donnell Show, The Tony Danza Show and Double Dare, animated shows including Taz-Mania, Pinkalicious and Goof Troop, and network specials including the Grammy Awards and the Tony Awards.

He and his journalist wife (and co-author of an upcoming book!) Rose Horowitz live in Milford, CT. Visit him at alankatzbooks.com

Awards

Utah Children’s Poetry Book Award Winner, North Carolina Children’s Book Award Winner, Colorado Children’s Picture Book of the Year Winner

3 Fun Facts

1. I’ve never eaten a pickle or had a cup of tea.
2. I’ve had a ventriloquist dummy named Jerry since I was four. He’s the best!
3. I just might be the biggest New York Mets fan ever.

Stemple, Heidi E.Y.

Stemple, Heidi E.Y.

Heidi E.Y. Stemple didn’t want to be a writer when she grew up. In fact, after she graduated from college, she became a probation officer. It wasn’t until she was 28 that she joined the family business, publishing her first short story in a book called Famous Writers and Their Kids Write Spooky Stories. The famous writer is her mom, Jane Yolen. Since then, she has published 50 books.

Heidi lives and writes on an old farm in Massachusetts that she shares with wild animals and birds. Once a year she counts owls for the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. heidieystemple.com

Awards

Golden Kite Honor, NSTA Best STEM, NSTA Outstanding Science, Northern Lights Book Award, Massachusetts State Book Award (and honor), Riverby Award, and more.

3 Fun Facts

1. I am the daughter of author Jane Yolen
2. My 50th book will publish in January 2027
3. In my best year calling and counting owls for the Audubon XMas Bird Count I called down 67 owls (cue sixxxxx-sevvvvvvvvennnnnn!)