Author Archives - Hudson Childrens Book Festival

Grant, Shauna J.

Grant, Shauna J.

With a love for all things pink and magical, Shauna J. Grant is a New York Times Best-Selling cartoonist who creates cuteness! She is the creator of the early readers graphic novel series Mimi and the first Black artist to work on Scholastic’s Baby-Sitters Club Little Sister graphic novels. Shauna specializes in stories that focus on emotions, empathy, and finding magic in oneself. Her diverse, bubbly, anime-inspired comics have been published by Scholastic, First Second, and IDW. Born and raised in New York City, Shauna now resides in Newburgh, NY with her magical puppy Sugarpaws, drawing comics that people of all ages can fall in love with.

Awards

New York Times Bestseller, USA Today Bestseller

3 Fun Facts

1. Sailor Moon inspired Shauna to become a cartoonist!
2. Shauna has a lifelong love of pink.
3. While cute things are her favorite, she really enjoys spooky movies!

Neal, Christopher Silas

Christopher Silas Neal is an award-winning author and illustrator of picture books including the Over and Under series with author Kate Messner, which was praised for its “stunning retro-style illustrations” (New York Times). He makes books that feature animals, shapes, science, friendship and silliness, and strives to create diverse and inclusive characters that reflect the kids and parents who read his books. Neal’s author debut titled “Everyone” was praised by Publisher’s Weekly as “simple, honest, lyrical”. His board book series (Animals Colors, Animal Shapes) received starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus. He speaks about his books, the art making process, and his career at schools, conferences, libraries and book festivals across the country. Neal is a Mexican/European-American artist who lives with his wife and two boys in Brooklyn, NY.

Awards

Silver Medal From the Society of Illustrators, E.B. White Read Aloud Award, Golden Kite Award, Marion Vannett Ridgway Award, ALSC Notable Children’s Books, SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books, Charlotte Zolotow Award

3 Fun Facts

1. I’m a former drummer
2. I’m a self-taught artist
3. I was an only child.

Lee, Emeline

Lee, Emeline

Emeline Lee is an author of children’s literature. Her picture books include Bonnie’s Rocket (illus. Alina Chau; Lee & Low Books), a STEM-friendly story set during Apollo 11, and Gwei the Hungry Ghost (illus. Basia Tran; Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers), a whimsical story inspired by Chinese food and folklore. She studied English literature and environmental sustainability at Columbia University and lives in New Jersey. In her free time, Emeline enjoys hiking in nature, eating hot pot, and crocheting cozy things. Find her on social media at @EmelineLeeBooks. www.emelinelee.com

Awards

Bonnie’s Rocket (written by Emeline Lee, illustrated by Alina Chau, and published by Lee & Low Books 2022), 2023 Skipping Stones Honor Award, 2024 Yellowhammer Book Award Honors (by the Alabama School Library Association).

3 Fun Facts

1. I’m half Chinese and half Korean.
2. I love to crochet and make everything from stuffed animals to sweaters!
3. I’m a big fan of Star Trek (a Trekkie) and love sci-fi and fantasy stories in all forms.

Aldridge, Ethan

Aldridge, Ethan M.

Ethan M. Aldridge is a bestselling author, illustrator, and cartoonist. He is the creator of the ESTRANGED duology, The Pale Queen, The Deephaven Mystery series, The Legend Of Brightblade, and more. He lives in Brooklyn with his husband Matthew, and their dog Kitsune. https://ethanaldridge.weebly.com

Awards

DEEPHAVEN (A New York Public Library selection for Best Books Of 2023, A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection, nominated for the Mythopoeic Award), ESTRANGED (a JLG selection, Indie Bestseller, and YALSA Great Graphic Novel For Teens), THE LEGEND OF BRIGHTBLADE (an American Library Association pick for Best Graphic Novels For Children).

3 Fun Facts

1. I hide my dog somewhere in all of my comics.
2. I play the banjo (badly but enthusiastically).
3. My last job before making books was decorating cakes.

Weinstein, Ellen

Ellen Weinstein_photo by Deborah Feingold – Ellen Weinstein

Weinstein, Ellen

Ellen Weinstein is the author and illustrator of Five Stories, published by Holiday House, 2024, the illustrator of the picture book Yayoi Kusama: From Here to Infinity, published by the Museum of Modern Art, and the author and illustrator of Recipes for Good Luck: The Superstitions, Rituals, and Practices of Extraordinary People, published by Chronicle Books. Clients include Time Magazine, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic, amongst many others. Awards include SCBWI 2025 Crystal Kite, Junior Library Guild Gold Selection, Bank Street College, Children’s Book Council, and the Society of Illustrators. www.ellenweinstein.com

Awards

Children’s Book Council Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People, Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of the Year,
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Crystal Kite Winner, A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, A CSMCL Best Multicultural Children’s Book of the Year, Society of Illustrators, Seven pieces of work in the Permanent collection of the Library of Congress

3 Fun Facts

1. I am a third generation resident of the Lower East Side,
2. A proud mini-dachshund mom,
3. And library kid

Litwin, Megan

Litwin, Megan

Megan Litwin is the author of books for children like Gather Grateful; Twinkle, Twinkle, Winter Night; the Dirt and Bugsy early reader series…and more underway. A former classroom teacher with a Master of Arts in Children’s Literature from Simmons University, Megan considers growing lifelong readers to be her lifelong work. https://www.meganlitwinbooks.com/

Awards

Gather Grateful is a 2026 ALA Notable, CCBC Choice, and Golden Kite Award Finalist; Twinkle, Twinkle, Winter Night was a 2023 Massachusetts Book Award “Must-Read” and Crystal Kite Award Finalist (New England region); Dirt and Bugsy was a 2023 Cybils Award Finalist.

3 Fun Facts

1. I grew up in upstate NY with a dog, bunnies, goats, and chickens.
2. Once upon a time, I was terribly afraid of bugs – but now I write about them!
3. Fall is my favorite time of year.

Moss, N. West

N West Moss Author Photo – Tracy Miracle

Moss, N. West

N. West Moss is the author of the memoir Flesh & Blood and the short story collection The Subway Stops at Bryant Park. Her essays and short stories have appeared in McSweeney’s, The Saturday Evening Post, and The New York Times, among other publications. Birdy is her first book for young readers. She lives in New Jersey. https://www.nwestmoss.com/

Awards

The Great American Fiction Contest at The Saturday Evening Post, The Diana Woods Memorial Prize for non-fiction from Lunch Ticket, 3 Faulkner-Wisdom gold medals.

3 Fun Facts

1. Writing for children is in my genes. My father Lloyd Moss’ Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin is a Caldecott Honor-winning children’s book illustrated by Marjorie Priceman, that uses rhythmic verse and playful art to teach counting and musical group names.
2. My mother gave me a filing cabinet for my 7th birthday. That should tell you what a bookworm and writer I’ve been since the beginning.
3. The two passions of my life are writing and teaching. I love having the excuse to sit with students of all kinds and talk about great writing with them, whether it’s their own writing or published work. I also like the way we teachers have a chance to create a little mini culture in our classroom where the values I like get to prevail. So my classes tend to be a place where we laugh a lot, and also where we value a solid work ethic. I usually end up loving a lot of my students, even if we never meet again, and when I’m teaching writing, I always ALWAYS see my writing in a new way because of my students.

Cliff, Cynthia

CynthiaCliff_LoRes_©AmandaGood – Cynthia Cliff

Cliff, Cynthia

Cynthia Cliff is an author and self-taught artist who grew up in rural Virginia surrounded by farms and woodlands. This upbringing provided her with a love of history, nature, and folklore—themes that find their way into her whimsical, folk-art inspired story-telling. She has a number of children’s book including A Day at the Museum, A Weekend Trip, The Wild Garden, and Pie for Breakfast. Her upcoming book Mary E. and the Apple Tree, published by Greenwillow Books, out in 2026, is about one girl’s experiences growing up on her family’s orchards and is inspired by her own families’ story. www.cynthiacliff.com

3 Fun Facts

1. I started drawing late in life.
2. I backpacked on the Appalachian Trail at 10 yrs old.
3. I can write upside down and backwards.

Levine, Sara

Sara Levine_author photo – Monica Palenzuela

Levine, Sara

Sara Levine is a veterinarian, science educator, and award-winning picture book author of over a dozen books. Her titles, which include A Peek at Beaks, Hello Dog/Hello Human, and A Terrible Place for a Nest have received the AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Books, Animal Behavior Society Award, and Mathical Book Prize. She is a native New Englander and currently lives in Stony Creek, Connecticut. www.saralevinebooks.com

Awards

Sara’s books have received multiple awards, among them: Utah Beehive Book Award, Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year, Cook Prize honor book for best STEM picture book, AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books, Monarch Award Master List, Junior Library Guild selection, Animal Behavior Society Children’s Book Award, and Mathical Book Prize.

3 Fun Facts

1. She grew up on a farm with over 100 animals.
2. Sara is a veterinarian.
3. She taught at nature centers, including the Massachusetts Audubon Society for over 20 years.

Lewis, K.E.

KennethLewis-BazemoreStudios-scaled – Kenneth Lewis

Lewis, K.E.

K.E. Lewis is the author of Never Take Your Rhino on A Plane, Because of Dads, and appears in The Haunted States of America Anthology. Raised in Bishopville, SC, where the weather is hot and the accent thick, K.E. is a Carolinian through and through, gravitating towards good music, good food, and fascinating culture (and oh, good cake!) kelewis.world

Awards

The Sid Fleischman Humor Award

3 Fun Facts

1. Never Take Your Rhino on a Plane was sparked by a real (and awful) plane experience.
2. I’ve worked in museums creating dynamic cross-curricular experiences for children.
3. My plan is to get an African Grey parrot not only as my feathered friend, but also as my honest, talking, breathing sounding board.