Author Archives - Page 21 of 25 - Hudson Childrens Book Festival

Czajak, Paul

Czajak, Paul

Writing was never Paul’s thing. In fact written on the top of his college writing paper, in bold red, was “F get a tutor”. So Paul went into science. Though his love for writing creative stories never went away and after having kids ideas for stories flooded his brain. When one of those ideas became a book his writing career was born! With books like Monster Needs A Costume, Trees Make Perfect Pets, The Book Tree and his newest tile, The Peculiar Haunted House to be released August 2024, look for Paul to keep doing what he loves, writing stories for awesome readers! www.paulczajak.com

Awards

“The Book Tree” is the Winner of Premio Canpoy-Ada

3 Fun Facts

1. I’m a chemist.
2. I am currently learning how to forge metal.
3. My family owns a Newfoundland named Seamus who is 130lb!

Stemple, Heidi E.Y.

Heidi Stemple didn’t want to be a writer when she grew up. In fact, after she graduated from college, she became a probation officer in Florida. It wasn’t until she was 28 years old that she gave in and joined the family business, publishing her first short story in a book called Famous Writers and Their Kids Write Spooky Stories. The famous writer was her mom, author Jane Yolen. Since then, she has published more than thirty-five books and numerous short stories and poems, mostly for children. Heidi lives and writes on a big old farm in Massachusetts with a dozen deer, a family of bears, three coyotes, two bobcats, a gray fox, tons of birds, and some very fat groundhogs all of whom live outside. Once a year she calls owls for the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. heidieystemple.com

Awards

MA Book Honor and Must Read, The Riverby Award, NSTA Best STEM Book, NSTA Outstanding Science Book, Northern Lights Book Award, Magnolia Award, Short List for the TX Bluebonnet Award, AudioFile Earphones Award, Margaret Wise Brown Honor Book.

3 Fun Facts

1. I sew rainbow hair ties for a local bookstore to get a discount on books.
2. I think bacon is gross.
3. Before I wrote children’s books, I worked in law enforcement.

Yolen, Jane

Yolen, Jane

Jane Yolen, often called “the Hans Christian Andersen of America,” celebrated her 365^th published book in 2018. She is now up to somewhere in the 430 range, with her eye on 500. Her works, which range from very young rhymed picture books to novels for adults and every genre in between. She lives in Massachusetts in the winter and Scotland in the summer. She writes every day. www.janeyolen.com

Awards

Two Nebulas, a World Fantasy Award, the Caldecott, the Golden Kite, three Mythopoeic awards, two Christopher Medals, the Jewish Book Award, the Kerlan Award, the Sophie Brodie Medal, MA Book Honors, and the Catholic Library’s Regina Medal, as well as six honorary doctorates.

3 Fun Facts

1. All three of her children and two of her grands have published books.
2. In 1963, her first picture book (though not her first book) SEE THIS LITTLE LINE was published. This year, her book SEE THIS LITTLE DOT was published.
3. One of her awards set her good coat on fire.

Calonita, Jen

Calonita, Jen

It’s no secret how Jen Calonita knows the inside scoop on Hollywood. A former entertainment editor at a teen magazine, Jen started out her career chronicling backstage life at concerts with Justin Timberlake and interviewing Zac Efron on film sets. It was her work in the entertainment world that inspired her first series, Secrets of My Hollywood Life. The six-book series is about a teen starlet named Kaitlin Burke who grows weary of the fame game, but loves being an actress and it’s been published in nine countries.

Fans have loved getting to know spunky Gilly and the enchanted reform school she attends run by Cinderella’s formerly wicked stepmother in Flunked and the sequel, Charmed. The third book in the Fairy Tale Reform School series, Tricked, will be released March 2017. www.jencalonitaonline.com

3 Fun Facts

1. If I met a genie and could wish for something fun, I’d love to be a Disney princess for the day at Disney World. My personal favorites: Anna or Belle (after all, Belle loves to read!)
2. I am now an avid runner who has completed three half marathons, but I didn’t start running till I was 40!
3. If I could live anywhere, it would be on the ocean. I love the water! I sometimes wonder if I was meant to be a mermaid.

Castaldo, Nancy F.

Castaldo, Nancy F.

Nancy F. Castaldo is an environmental educator and award-winning author, who has written books about our planet for over 20 years from New York’s Hudson Valley. Her books include The Farm That Feeds Us, The Story of Seeds, and Sniffer Dogs. www.nancycastaldo.com @NCastaldoAuthor

Awards

American Bookseller Pick of the Lists,Smithsonian Notable Book For Children, NSTA Outstanding Science Trade title, SCBWI Crystal Kite Awards, Green Earth Book Award, Junior Library Guild Selections, Sigurd F. Olsen honors for nature writing, Eureka Nonfiction Honor, CA Reading Association, Nerdy Book Club Award for Longform Nonfiction, Dorothy Canfield Fisher VT, Bank Street Best Books of the Year, Booklist Top 10 Sci-Tech Books for Youth, Maine Cream of the Crop List, NYC Reads 365 – 5th Grade List, New York State Outdoor Education Association’s Art and Literature Award for the body of her work.

3 Fun Facts

Certifications:
1. Certified National Geographic Educator
2. Project Wild Certified
3. Project WET Trained (NSTA Approved)

McAnulty, Stacy

McAnulty, Stacy

Stacy McAnulty is an award-winning children’s book author, who used to be a mechanical engineer, and who dreams of someday being a dog therapist, a correspondent for The Daily Show, an astronaut, and a Green Bay Packer coach. She’s written over 30 books, including the middle-grade novel, The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl, and the popular Our Universe picture book series. Her debut middle-grade nonfiction, Save the People! Halting Human Extinction was favorably reviewed in the New York Times. Most of her books include a STEM angle or an adorable dog—some have both. Originally from upstate NY, she now lives in Kernersville, NC. www.stacymcanulty.com

Awards
– Indie Bestseller The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl
– Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor Recipient for Excellent Ed
– 2019 Mathical Prize Winners for The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl
– The 2021-2022 Vermont Golden Dome Book Award Winner for Millionaires for the Month

3 Fun Facts

1. I believe intelligent life exists beyond Earth, but I’d really like to know for sure!
2. I studied mechanical engineering in college and then worked designing first-class airline seats. (Yet, I’ve never sat in a first-class airline seat.)
3. Local roots! Both my parents were born and raised in Hudson, and we adopted my first dog, Mandy, from the Columbia-Greene Humane Society.

Formento, Alison Ashley

Formento, Alison Ashley

Alison Ashley Formento is the author of the new chapter book One Alien & Four Furry Tails Tales and award-winning nature picture books This Tree Counts!, This Tree, 1, 2, 3, These Bees Count!, These Seas Count!, and These Rocks Count! Her young adult novel Twigs was featured in Publisher’s Weekly as a notable new release for teen readers. Alison has written for several national publications including The New York Times, The Writer , and Parenting. She loves visiting schools and libraries and donates a portion of book proceeds to AmericanForests.org. www.alisonashleyformento.com

3 Fun Facts

1. I love to tap dance.
2. I love burnt brownies, but I don’t like ice cream.
3. I met Nelson Mandela when he first visited America after being released from prison. He was so kind and it’s something I’ll never forget.

Dee, Barbara

Dee, Barbara

Barbara Dee is the award-winning author of fourteen middle grade novels published by Simon & Schuster, including Unstuck, Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet, Violets Are Blue, My Life in the Fish Tank, Maybe He Just Likes You, Star-Crossed and Halfway Normal. Her books have been named to many best-of lists, including the Washington Post’s Best Children’s Books of the Year, the ALA Notable Children’s Books, the ALA Rise: A Feminist Book Project List, the ALA Rainbow List Top Ten, and SLJ’s Best Books of the Year. She lives in Chappaqua, NY. www.BarbaraDeeBooks.com.

Awards

School Library Journal’s Best Books 2022 and 2021; 2020 ALA Notable Book; 2020 ALA Rise: A Feminist Book List; 2018 ALA Rainbow List Top Ten; Washington Post Best Children’s Books of the 2019; NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People; Bank Street Best Books of the Year (several times); A Mighty Girl’s Best Books of the Year (several times); 2020-21 and 2021-22 Project Lit selections; Goodreads Choice finalist; multiple state book award nominations; multiple starred reviews.

3 Fun Facts

1. I’m scared of roller coasters.
2. My favorite band is Radiohead.
3. My favorite team is the NY Yankees.

Walton, K.M.

Walton, K.M.

K.M. Walton is the award-winning author of Cracked, Empty, and Ultimatum. She recently adapted her debut contemporary YA novel, Cracked, into a full-length play. She edited and contributed to her music-focused YA anthology, Behind the Song. K.M. co-authored Teaching Numeracy: 9 Critical Habits to Ignite Mathematical Thinking for mathematics teachers K – 8. She graduated from West Chester University and taught middle school language arts. She’s so passionate about acceptance that she gives school presentations—middle school through university level—titled: “The Power of Human Kindness.” K.M. lives in PA with her husband, two sons, and cat. Visit kmwalton.com or Instagram: @kmwalton.

3 Fun Facts

1. I recently started painting abstract art, and I’m up to 86 pieces!
2. Napoleon Dynamite is my all-time favorite movie. Gosh.
3. I recently adapted my debut novel CRACKED into a full-length play.

Craft, Jerry

JERRY CRAFT is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the graphic novels New Kid, Class Act, and School Trip. New Kid is the only book in history to win the John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature (2020); the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature (2019), and the Coretta Scott King Author Award for the most outstanding work by an African American writer (2020). Jerry is a contributor to Black Boy Joy (Delacorte Press) and House Party (Joy Revolution Books). He was born in Harlem and grew up in the Washington Heights section of New York City.

3 Fun Facts

1. I was a reluctant reader until I was an adult.
2. I met Queen Elizabeth when I was a kid.
3. I saw the original Star Wars on opening day. Still have the button they gave me!