Author Archives - Page 8 of 32 - Hudson Childrens Book Festival

Bean, Cara

Bean, Cara

Cara Bean is an obsessive doodler, author, and art educator. Here I Am, I Am Me: An Illustrated Guide to Mental Health is her first book for adolescents. She is also the author of Draw 500 Faces and Features, and her work has been featured in Pen America Illustrated, The Women’s Review of Books, and Teaching Arts Magazine. Cara enjoys watching the beginning of complex ideas emerge from the simple act of doodling on paper. She provides interactive workshops on creativity with people of all ages and backgrounds in various public forums. Cara lives on the Southcoast of Massachusetts with her partner Matt and their dog Raisin. https://www.carabeancomics.com/

Awards

2018 Liminka Comics Center Resident, Oulu, Finland
2019 Cornish Center for Cartoon Studies Fellow, Cornish, New Hampshire, USA

3 Fun Facts

1. I love drawing squirrels.
2. It annoys me when erasers on pencils leave a mark on the paper instead of erasing.
3. I am always searching for the perfect green hoodie.

Lukoff, Kyle

Kyle Lukoff is the author of many books for young readers. His debut middle-grade novel, Too Bright To See, received a Newbery honor, the Stonewall award, and was a National Book Award finalist. His picture book When Aidan Became A Brother also won the Stonewall, and his book Call Me Max has been banned in schools across the country. He has forthcoming books about history, unicycles, breakups, and lots of other topics. While becoming a writer he worked as a bookseller for ten years, and then nine more years as a school librarian. kylelukoff.com

Awards

2 Stonewall awards, 1 Newbery honor, 1 National Book Award finalist, 1 National Book Award long list.

3 Fun Facts

1. I love climbing trees!
2. I worked at five different Barnes and Nobleses in three different states
3. I really want to have a pair of sugar gliders as pets.

Love, Jessica

Jessica Love is the award winning author & illustrator of Julián Is a Mermaid, Julián at the Wedding and A Bed of Stars. She studied Visual Art at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and then Drama at The Juilliard School. She lived New York City for 15 years making plays, and now she lives in the Hudson Valley with her husband and son, and making books. jesslove.format.com

Awards

The Stonewall Book Award, The Ezra Jack Keats Award, The Bologna Children’s Book Fair Opera Prima Award, The Klaus Flugge Prize, a Society of Illustrators Silver Medal and the Golden Poppy Book Award.

3 Fun Facts

1. I am an actor, as well as an author/illustrator.
2. My first book, Julián is a Mermaid is now a feature length film, created by Cartoon Saloon in Ireland!
3. My studio is an old one-room school house that I heat with wood.

Budhos, Marina

Marina Budhos is the author of several books for young adults and adults. Her newest novel, We Are All We Have, was a Best Kirkus Book of 2022. Among her prior books are Watched, which received a Walter Award and an Asian Pacific American Honor, The Long Ride, Tell Us We’re Home, and Ask Me No Questions, recipient of numerous honors. She has also published the adult novels The Professor of Light and House of Waiting, and three works of nonfiction, including her co-authored books with husband Marc Aronson, Sugar Changed the World, an LA Times Book Finalist and Eyes of the World: Robert Capa, Gerda Taro & The Invention of Modern Photojournalism, both of which were YALSA Nonfiction Finalists. Her books have been published in several countries and her short work has appeared in publications such as The Daily Beast, LitHub, The Kenyon Review, Ploughshares, The Nation, Travel & Leisure, the Los Angeles Times, and in anthologies. She has received an NEA Literature Fellowship, a Rona Jaffe Award for Women Writers, three Fellowships from the New Jersey Council on the Arts, and has been a Fulbright Scholar to India. She is a professor emerita at William Paterson University. She frequently gives talks around the country and abroad. https://marinabudhos.com

Awards

Watched received an Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature YA Honor (APALA) and a Walter Award Honor (We Need Diverse Books), Eyes of the World was a 2017 YALSA Finalist in Nonfiction. I have received an NEA Literature Fellowship, a Rona Jaffe Award for Women Writers, three Fellowships from the New Jersey Council on the Arts, and have been a Fulbright Scholar to India.

3 Fun Facts

1. My sister-in-law’s brother has operated the Howard Hotel and Ca’Mea for years.
2. I was the first girl to wear pants at my elementary school once it was allowed (first day it was announced).
3. I once hitchhiked with a college roommate from the state of Washington to San Francisco, much to the horror of my young adult sons.

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.