Author Archives - Page 25 of 29 - Hudson Childrens Book Festival

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

Castaldo, Nancy

Award-winning STEM author Nancy Castaldo has written dozens of books about our planet from the Hudson Valley. While the research and photography for her books have taken her worldwide, from the Galapagos to Russia, her new releases this spring focus on the Hudson River — picture book WHALES IN THE CITY and middle-grade RIVERKEEPER.

Nancy loves sharing her adventures with her readers. She believes that we all have the ability to make a difference and always instills that theme in her books. She strives to inform, empower, and inspire her readers. www.nancycastaldo.com @NCastaldoAuthor

Awards

Junior Library Guild Gold Selection, Green Earth Book Award, NSTA Outstanding Trade Book

3 Fun Facts

1. I’ve taken the photographs for many of my books, including my latest, RIVERKEEPER.
2. I was a lifeguard at a Hudson riverside park.
3. Sadly, there weren’t any whales or bald eagles to see in or near the river when I was growing up.

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 fifteen middle grade novels published by Simon & Schuster, including Tear This Down, 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 List, the ALA Rainbow List Top Ten, and SLJ’s Best Books of the Year. She lives in Chappaqua, NY. www.BarbaraDeeBooks.com.

Awards

Winner of the 2024 Rip Van Winkle Award from the School Library Media Specialists of Southeastern NY; Winner of New Jersey’s 2024 Garden State Book Award, Grades 6-8; Washington Post’s Best Children’s Books of the Year; ALA Notable Children’s Books; ALA Rainbow List Top Ten; School Library Journal Best Books of the Year: Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year

3 Fun Facts

1. I’m a diehard Yankees fan.
2. I’m obsessed with the band Radiohead.
3. When I write I have to eat a specific type of cookie. My local grocery store doesn’t always have them, so sometimes I have to order them online.

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). His newest book, J VS. K is coauthored by fellow Newbery winner Kwame Alexander. jerrycraft.com

Awards

Winner of the 2020 Newbery Medal,Winner of the 2020 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Award,#1 New York Times Bestseller, Winner of the 2019 Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature, Finalist for Audie Award – Middle Grade Book of the Year San Francisco Chronicle Bestseller, NEIBA, NAIBA, MPIBA, NCIBA, SCIBA and PNBA Bestseller, Indie Bestseller for Early & Middle Grade Readers, One of Publishers Weekly’s Best Middle Grade Books of 2019,New England Independent Booksellers Association Best Children’s Book of 2019, New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association 2019 Book of the Year for Middle Readers,Top 10 Spring 2019 Indie Next List Pick, Amazon Best Book of the Month, Ages 9-12, 2020 Eisner Award for Best Publication for Kids Nominee,2019 Harvey Award for Best Children’s Book, Nominee, One of Booklist’s 2019 Top 10 Diverse Fiction for Youth, One of Publishers Weekly’s Most Anticipated Children’s Books, Spring 2019, #1 Indie Comics & Graphic Works Bestseller, One of the Best Graphic Novels of 2019 – School Library Journal, One of the 5 Best Fiction Books of 2019 – Washington Post, One of the Best Graphic Novels of 2019 – Washington Post, 2020 Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children – Honor Book, 30 of the Most Influential Children’s Books of All Time – Bookriot.com,One of the Best Books of the Year – Time.com,Best Books of 2019 – New York Public Library, Best Fiction for Older Readers of 2019 – Chicago Public Library, 25 Best Children’s Books of 2019 – New York Times,Best Multicultural Children’s Books of 2019 – Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature,The Best New Gift Books for Kids – People, Kirkus – Best Middle Grade Graphic Novels of 2019, 100 Scope Notes Best Books of 2019, Shelf Awareness – Best Middle Grade Books of 2019, Today.com – Best Graphic Novels of 2019, 2022 Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader’s Choice, 2022 Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona),2022 Charlie May Simon Award (Arkansas), 2021 Nutmeg Book Award (Connecticut), 2020 Connecticut Book Awards (Connecticut), Sunshine State Young Readers Award 2020-2021 (Florida), 2021 Nene Award (Hawaii), 2021 Rebecca Caudill Young Reader’s Book Award (Illinois), 2021 Young Hoosier Book Award (Indiana), 2020-2021 Iowa Children’s Choice Award (Iowa), 2021-2022 Louisiana Readers’ Choice Awards (Louisiana), 2021 Maine Student Book Award (Maine), 2020 – 2021 Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan), 2021 Minnesota Youth Reading Award (Minnesota), 2019 – 2020 Great Stone Face Children’s Book Award (New Hampshire), 2022 North Carolina Children’s Book Award (North Carolina), 2021 Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award (Pennsylvania),2020-2021 Volunteer State Book Award (Tennessee).

3 Fun Facts

1. I met Queen Elizabeth when I was a kid.
2. LeBron James’s SpringHill Company is producing a New Kid live action movie.
3. I went on a rollercoaster for the first time ever in 2025.

Wenzel, Brendan

Brendan_wenzel_Headshot_square – Brendan Wenzel

Wenzel, Brendan

Brendan Wenzel is a NY Times bestselling author and illustrator, with great affection for all things furred, feathered and scaly. When not creating books for children, he is a proud collaborator with many groups working to protect and conserve wild places and creatures. Brendan’s book They All Saw a Cat received a 2017 Caldecott honor. www.brendanwenzel.info

3 Fun Facts

1. I had a pet pig growing up.
2. Both my parents, my brother and my uncle all like to make art as well.
3. When i’m not making books I like watching wildlife.

Chappell, Crissa-Jean

Chappell, Crissa-Jean

Crissa-Jean Chappell was born in Miami and now lives in Brooklyn, New York. Her debut young adult novel, TOTAL CONSTANT ORDER (HarperTeen) is a NYPL Book For The Teen Age and a VOYA Perfect Ten. Chappell’s second novel, NARC (Flux Books) is currently optioned for film. MORE THAN GOOD ENOUGH (Flux Books) is a Florida Book Awards medalist, which Kirkus calls, “compelling and emotionally nuanced.” Chappell’s newest YA novel is SNOWBIRDS (Merit Press, F+W Media, winter 2017). She holds a PhD and MFA from the University of Miami and has taught creative writing and cinema studies for over ten years. www.crissajeanchappell.com

3 Fun Fact

1. When I hear music, I can taste colors and shapes.
2. I grew up in Miami, Florida and lived through several big hurricanes (including Andrew, a category 5 storm).
3. If I feel homesick, I talk to the wild parrots in Prospect Park.