Author Archives - Page 5 of 29 - Hudson Childrens Book Festival

Kaufman, Daniel Newell

Kaufman, Daniel Newell

DANIEL NEWELL KAUFMAN is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker whose documentaries and short films have played at SXSW, Tribeca and Cannes Lions film festivals. Raised in both Los Angeles and Vermont, Daniel’s life is driven by a deep curiosity and love of people. This is Daniel’s debut picture book. He lives with his wife and co-author, Esmé Shapiro, in an old farmhouse in the Hudson Valley.

3 Fun Facts

1. I’ve driven back and forth across the United States 10 times–once through a super storm.
2. My childhood cat lived to be 25 and used to ride on the back of my childhood dog.
3. The secret ingredient in my family’s chicken stew recipe is black currant jelly.

Mirchandani, Raakhee

Raakhee Mirchandani is a journalist, children’s book author, activist and mom — not necessarily in that order. Previously a feature writer and columnist for the New York Post, a managing editor at the New York Daily News and associate editor at the Boston Herald, Raakhee’s work has also appeared in Elle, Glamour, the Wall Street Journal, Redbook and HuffPo, and she was the editor-in-chief of Moneyish, published by Dow Jones. The New Jersey-born daughter of immigrants, Raakhee is a proud supporter of many nonprofits, serving on the boards of the the Hoboken Public Library, Stevens Cooperative School, the Hoboken Shelter and Drag Story Hour NY. When she isn’t reading or writing, Raakhee is either organizing her bookshelves, running races to raise money for the fight against pediatric cancer — or styling her very curly hair with new oils and potions. She lives in Hoboken, N.J., with her husband and daughter, the inspirations for Hair Twins and Super Satya Saves the Day. Raakhee invites you to follow her on Twitter @Raakstar and on Instagram @RaakstarWrites.

Awards

Publisher’s Weekly Indie Bookseller Best Of List Starred reviews in PW and SLJ for previous books.

3 Fun Facts

1. I wish I could have dinner with Ramona Quimby, Harriet the Spy and Charlotte the spider. I have a lot of questions I want to ask them.
2. French fries are my favorite food.
3. I wish I could turn my apartment in to a library and am constantly building bookshelves all over the place!

Call, Kirsti

Kirsti Call is an award winning author who co-hosts the Picture Book Look Podcast and hosts the Coaching for Creatives podcast as a therapist trained life coach. Kirsti loves teaching writing workshops, and visiting schools! She is the author of Mootilda’s Bad Mood (Little Bee), Cow Says Meow (Clarion) Cold Turkey (Little Brown), The Big Screen (Little Simon) and Smarty Ants (Capstone, 2023). Kirstine has an MSW from Boston College and is represented by Charlotte Wenger at Prospect Agency. www.kirsticall.com

Awards

THE BIG SCREAM, (2022, Little Simon) Julia Howard Award, Praiseworthy award.

3 Fun Facts

1. I have lived in Brazil and Japan.
2. I have five children.
3. I have a song for each of my books on youtube.

Frost, Maddie

Maddie Frost is the author-illustrator of the Wombats! graphic novel books, Smug Seagull, Just Be Jelly, Capybara is Friends with Everyone, and more. www.maddie-frost.com

Awards

Capybara is Friends with Everyone has been nominated for the Monarch Award. Wombats! series is JLG selection for graphic novels for early elementary plus.

3 Fun Facts

1. I wrote my first book on my lunch break while working at Barnes and Noble.
2. Madison is my full name.
3. I have two dogs and a daughter named Birdie.

Foody, Amanda

Amanda Foody has always considered imagination to be our best attempt at magic. She is a New York Times, USA Today, and indie bestselling author of fantasy novels, including the Wilderlore series, the All of Us Villains duology, and more. You can find her on Instagram @amandafoody or www.amandafoody.com.

Awards

The Accidental Apprentice was a NYT bestseller, a Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year Selection Title, and has been nominated for state awards and reading lists in four states, including the Connecticut 2023 Nutmeg Awards. It received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publisher’s Weekly. On the YA side of my career, All of Us Villains was a NYT, USA Today, and national indie bestseller, a Junior Library Gold title, and Amazon’s Best YA Book of 2021.

3 Fun Facts

1. Amanda has a Beastly companion of her own, a rambunctious orange tabby named Jelly Bean.
2. Amanda learned how to read by playing Pokemon.
3. Amanda’s favorite hobby outside of writing is cooking. (You could call her a foodie Foody.)

Taylor, Sophia

Taylor, Sophia

Sophie Taylor is an indie children’s author based in upstate New York. When she’s not writing stories, she’s feeding her chickens, cuddling her cat, and teaching kids, teens, and creative adults how to write and create worlds of wonder. https://heymoonpress.com/

Awards

For “What Cats Dream About” a book I put out last year. Amazon Best Seller, Top 10 in cat books during first month.
Currently: Top 100 in Baby & Toddler Bedtime & Dreaming Books, Top 100 in Children’s Cat Books (Kindle Store), Top 100 in Cat, Dog & Animal Humor

3 Fun Facts

1. My furry friend is a cat named Dorian Wilde Gray, who’s as mysterious and adventurous as his literary namesakes.
2. When I was a kid growing up in Texas, I dazzled audiences with my trick horseback riding skills, like a modern-day cowboy!
3. When I’m not spinning tales for kids, I’m delving into the realms of science fiction and fantasy, conjuring up worlds filled with intergalactic adventures and magical quests.

Clark, Yvette

Yvette Clark is the author of the middle-grade novels Glitter Gets Everywhere and The House Swap, which was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. A Brit by birth and a New Yorker by design, Yvette lives in Manhattan with her husband, children, and a small blue cat. www.yvetteclark.com

Awards

Glitter Gets Everywhere: Booklist Starred Review. The House Swap: Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and OwlCrate Junior March Selection.

3 Fun Facts

1. I organize my bookshelves by color.
2. I decided aged ten to move from England to New York after reading Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume. I moved here fifteen years later!
3. I love to trampoline.

Wulfekotte, Dana

Dana Wulfekotte is a children’s book author-illustrator and freelance animator. She is the author and illustrator of Peanut Gets Fed Up, and the illustrator of The Remember Balloons, a Schneider Family Honor Award book. She was born in Seoul, South Korea, raised in New Jersey, and currently lives in New York with her husband and two rabbits. http://www.danawulfekotte.com

Awards

Schneider Family Honor, JLG Selection, Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Picture Book

3 Fun Facts

1. I have two pet rabbits.
2. I was born in South Korea and came to the US as a baby.
3. When I was a kid I had a pet iguana named Humphrey.

Hooper, Don P.

Hooper, Don P.

Don P. Hooper is a writer and filmmaker of Jamaican heritage (and a programmer in a former life). His short story “Got Me a Jet Pack” is part of the New York Times bestselling anthology Black Boy Joy. His directing work has been featured in the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, the New York Television Film Festival (award winner), the New York City Horror Film Festival, the New Jersey Horror Con and Film Festival (award winner), and more. He does voice-over in video games and documentaries. True True is his debut novel. www.donphooper.com

Awards

True True received a starred review by Publisher’s Weekly, who wrote, “Hooper presents valuable lessons on the healing power of community, forgiveness, and sharing one’s truth.”
“BIPOC youth will find resonance here; privileged audiences, perhaps, need this most of all.” —School Library Journal, starred review of Audio Book.
Black Boy Joy was an instant New York Times bestseller and received 5 starred reviews.

3 Fun Facts

1. I’m a voice over actor, who has voiced several commercials.
2. I received a martial arts scholarship to college.
3. I was once part of a team that designed solar cars and made dogs play soccer.

Ekster, Carol Gordon

Ekster, Carol Gordon

Carol Gordon Ekster grew up in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating from Boston University and getting a Master’s degree in reading and language she was a passionate elementary school teacher for 35 years. At the end of her career she began writing unexpectedly. Carol is a member of SCBWI, 12×12, The Writing Barn’s Courage to Create, and part of the group blog, Writers’ Rumpus. When Carol is not immersed in her writing life she might be doing yoga, walking or biking. You can find out more about her books and writing life here: https://carolgordonekster.com.

Awards

Where Am I Sleeping Tonight?-A Story of Divorce, Boulden Publishing, 2008, was a finalist for About.com’s Readers’Choice Awards for Best Children’s Book for Single Parent Families, 2012. Ruth the Sleuth and the Messy Room, Character Publishing, 2011, received the Children’s Literary Classics Seal of Approval in July 2013. Before I Sleep: I Say Thank You, 2015, Pauline Books and Media, was a finalist for the ACP Excellence in Publishing Awards 2016 and a third place winner in the Catholic Press Association awards in the children’s book category, 2016. And You Know What?, Clavis Books, 2017, was a CLEL Bell Picture Book Awards Nominee for Talk (2018) and an SCBWI Crystal Kite Award finalist 2018 in the New England region. Some Daddies was a finalist for the SCBWI Crystal Kite Awards 2022 in the Northeast Region.

3 Fun Facts

1. I was a 4th grade teacher for 35 years.
2. My daughter and grandson live in Italy.
3. My favorite books from childhood was the Nancy Drew series.