Author Archives - Page 3 of 32 - Hudson Childrens Book Festival

Rockwell, Lizzy

Lizzy Rockwell is an author, illustrator, muralist and quilter. She illustrated her first book, Apples and Pumpkins, written by her mother, Anne Rockwell in 1989. Since then she has created 40 books as illustrator or author/illustrator. Lizzy was born in New York City and has spent most of her life in Connecticut. The ponds, coastline, forests and her own garden habitats of New England have inspired much of her work. Lizzy has written and illustrated popular books about personal wellness, including her most recent, Taking Care of You. www.lizzyrockwell.com

Awards

The All-Together Quilt, Connecticut Book Award Winner, Plants Feed Me, Booklist top 10 Craft and Garden Books for Youth, The Busy Body Book, ALA Best Science Books for Kids.

3 Fun Facts

1. I love to paddle my wood and canvas canoe named LOON on quiet ponds.
2. My favorite insect is the praying mantis.
3. I have two grown sons and one four year old grandson who all live in New York City.

Colon, Justin

Colón, Justin

Justin Colón‘s debut picture book, The Quacken (S&S), was named a Kid’s Indie Next List book and is currently nominated for state and international awards in Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and Canada. His other books include Impossible Possums and Impossible Possum for Mayor (Disney-Hyperion), The ZomBees (S&S), and Vampurr (FSG/Macmillan, 2026). He presents at schools nationwide and has spoken about his work at/on New York Comic Con, the Boston Book Festival, the Latinx Kidlit Book Festival, EpicFest, SLJ’s Picture Book Palooza, NPR, The Children’s Book Podcast, and more. He is also a professional on-camera/voice actor and proud member of SAG-AFTRA. You can connect with him at justincolonbooks.com.

Awards

THE QUACKEN: 2024 July/August Kid’s Indie Next Pick, Nominated for the following awards: 2025 – 2027: Sunshine State Young Readers Award, Jr. (Florida), Read Aloud Indiana, Primary Award (Indiana), Young Hoosier Book Award (Indiana), Kentucky Bluegrass Award, Grades K-2 (Kentucky), Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Award (Louisiana), Golden Sower Award (Nebraska), Redbud Read Aloud Award (Oklahoma), Volunteer State Book Award (Tennessee), Beehive Book Award (Utah), Surrey Book Award (Canada). THE ZOMBEES: Starred review from School Library Journal.

3 Fun Facts

1. I am also a professional actor for film and tv.
2. I am a beekeeper.
3. I have jumped out of an airplane (twice!)

Rhuday-Perkovich, Olugbemisola

Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich – Author – OP

Rhuday-Perkovich, Olugbemisola

Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich is the award-winning author of many books for young readers, including BCALA Best of the Best Operation Sisterhood; Kirkus Best of the Year It Doesn’t Take A Genius; Notable Book for Global Society 8th Grade Superzero; NCSS/CBC title Someday Is Now; Junior Library Guild selection You’re Breaking My Heart; NAACP Image Award nominee Two Naomis (co-authored with Audrey Vernick); CCBC Choices Title Saving Earth: Climate Change and the Fight for Our Future; and the award-winning Makeda Makes easy reader series. She lives with her family in New York City where she writes, makes things, and needs to get more sleep. olugbemisolabooks.com

Awards

Kirkus Best of the Year, BCALA Best of the Year, Bank Street Best of the Year, Chicago Public Library Best of the Year, School Library Journal Best of the Year, NAACP Image Award Nominee, Notable Book for a Global Society, Junior Library Guild Gold Standard.

3 Fun Facts

1. I love to make toys.
2. I once spent the day on Sesame Street.
3. My hoop earring got stuck to my sleeve when I met First Lady Michelle Obama.

Todd, Traci N.

Todd, Traci N.

Traci N. Todd is the award-winning author of Nina: A Story of Nina Simone ; Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes, and Make a Pretty Sound: A Story of Ella Jenkins.

She is also the editor of many successful books for children, including the New York Times-bestselling The ABCs of Black History. tracitodd.com

Awards

Nina: A Story of Nina Simone was a 2022 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honoree and 2022 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award Winner. Holding Her Own was a 2023 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honoree, a 2023 Sibert Honoree, and Bank Street College Best Children’s Book, Outstanding Merit.

3 Fun Facts

1. I played clarinet in the marching band all through high school and college.
2. “Clue” is one of my favorite movies, but I don’t like the board game.
3. Like Bluey, I enjoy singing random things around the house.

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.

Weyent, Christopher

Weyent, Christopher

Christopher Weyent-A cartoonist for The New Yorker and the Boston Globe, Chris’ award-winning work has been published worldwide in newspapers, magazines, books and in numerous national advertising campaigns. His cartoons are in permanent collection at The Morgan Library & Museum in New York City and in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. The National Cartoonist Society honored Chris with the Silver Reuben Award 2021, 2022 and 2024.
The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard selected Weyant to be a Nieman Fellow, the second cartoonist to receive that honor in Nieman Foundation’s eighty-five year history. He is the winner of the 2015 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for his illustrated children’s book, You Are (Not) Small, written by his wife, Anna Kang, and published by Two Lions Press. In that series written by Kang, he has also illustrated That’s (Not) Mine, I Am (Not) Scared, We Are (Not) Friends, It Is (Not) Perfect & This Is (Not) Enough.
Chris has also illustrated Eraser, Marker (Two Lions), Can I Tell You A Secret?, Will You Help Me Fall Asleep? (HarperCollins) and My Pillow Keeps Moving! by Laura Gehl (Penguin) and Silly Boobies: A Love Story (Two Lions), by Ame Dyckman. His latest picture book, So-Hee & Lowy, written by Anna Kang, arrived on bookshelves in 2025. christopherweyant.com

Awards

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award (2015) – You Are (Not) Small, Christopher Award (2019) –Eraser, NJ Association of School Librarians-NJ Author/Artist of the Year (2022), National Cartoonist Society Silver Reuben Award – (2021, 2022, 2024)

3 Fun Facts

1. Chris once had a 6 foot pet python.
2. Chris hides the initials of his daughters in all of his book art.
3. He loves all things peanut butter and licorice, but never together.

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.