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.

Carin Berger is the award-winning author and illustrator of almost a dozen picture books for children, including The Little Yellow Leaf, a New York Times Best Illustrated Book, All of Us, and Finding Spring. She is also the illustrator of Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant by Jack Prelutsky and Are We Pears Yet? by Miranda Paul. She and her family divide their time between NYC and Cupcake, their home, in the Hudson Valley. Carin spends all of her spare time tending her garden. Cupcake makes an appearance in and was the inspiration for In the Night Garden. http://www.carinberger.com/

Awards

New York Times Best Illustrated Book (The Little Yellow Leaf)

3 Fun Facts

1. My house in Hillsdale appears in the book.
2. I really do have a hoot owl in my garden.
3. The cat in the book is inspired by my daughter’s cat, Cosy.

Kristen Balouch has created almost a dozen books for children. She has collaborated on projects from exclusive designed toys and furniture for the Guggenheim Museum, fabric collections for Little House Cottons, fine art shows in New York City, and teamed with various licensing partners. Kristen splits her time between the Adirondacks and a tiny top-floor apartment in Brooklyn, New York. She likes cooking for friends and family, wandering to scout out good food, and being outside. www.kristenbalouch.com

Awards

Ezra Jack Keats Award, Charlotte Zolotow Commended, CCBC Best Book of the Year, Middle East Book Award, Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year, The Golden Kite Honor Award, Illustration Category.

3 Fun Facts

1. Kristen has a new puppy named Porter.
2. Kristen likes Chocolate.
3. Kristen does not like marshmallows.

Jennifer Baker is a publishing professional of 20 years, the creator/host of the Minorities in Publishing podcast, and a faculty member of the MFA program in Creative Nonfiction at Bay Path University and a writing consultant at Baruch College. Jennifer is also the editor of the short story anthology Everyday People: The Color of Life (Atria Books, 2018) and the author of the YA novel Forgive Me Not (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2023). Her fiction, nonfiction, and criticism has appeared in various print and online publications. Her website is: jennifernbaker.com.

Awards

Jennifer Baker’s essay “What We Aren’t (or the Ongoing Divide)” was listed as a Notable Essay in The Best American Essays 2018. She received a 2017 NYSCA/NYFA Fellowship and a Queens Council on the Arts New Work Grant for Nonfiction Literature. In 2019, she was named Publishers Weekly Superstar for her contributions to inclusion and representation in publishing. Forgive Me Not was listed by New York Public Library as a “Best Books for Teens 2023,” included on the Texas Library Association’s 2024 TAYSHAS Reading List, and Electric Literature’s “Best Novels of 2023.”

3 Fun Facts

1. Jennifer is an amateur baker who has won local competitions.
2. Jennifer is an active cyclist and a big fan of NYC’s new bike lanes.
3. Jennifer’s biggest goal is to travel to every country in Asia and eat all the things!

Lynnor Bontigao is a Philippine-born author-illustrator. Her debut as an author-illustrator, SARI-SARI SUMMERS, is a nostalgic love letter to the Philippines and grandmothers with a bonus sweet recipe. She also illustrated THE WORLD’S BEST CLASS PLANT(one of Kirkus Reviews’ 2023 Best Picture Books) written by award-winning authors Liz Garton Scanlon & Audrey Vernick. Lynnor loves stories where family relationships, culture, and food are intertwined. Lynnor Bontigao lives in NJ with her family and 1 tiny dog.

Awards
Lynnor is the recipient of the 1st annual 2020 SCBWI Tomie dePaola Professional Development Award, the 2020 Kweli/SCBWI Emerging Voice Award, and the 2021 Kweli Sing the Truth! Mentorship. PRAISE FOR SARI-SARI SUMMERS(Candlewick 2023)

Lively text provides an engrossing picture of the Philippines. . . thoughtful portrayals of Filipino customs along with speech bubbles featuring both Tagalog and English lend an authenticity. Bontigao’s debut brims with heart-warming delight as the loving intergenerational relationship between Nora and her lola making ice candy shows how food brings a community together. —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Delectable. . . This sweet summer tale has Tagalog words interspersed throughout the dialogue, mostly terms of endearment that reflect the cozy relationships with family and the community. . . . Like a sari-sari store, brimming with joy and heart. —Kirkus Reviews

Readers get to share Nora’s eagerness as they are treated to a two-page spread depicting colorful, delectable items stacked neatly on the store shelves. . . . This sweet story of intergenerational love will resonate with many readers. —Booklist

This is a love letter to grandparents who live far away and the special bond that develops when grandchildren get to spend time with them. . . . The illustrations, digitally created, capture the busy street where the store is located as well as the love shared between Nora and her lola. . . . Celebrating the special bond between a child and an older relative, along with the setting and language details of the Philippines, makes this a highly recommended title. —School Library Journal

Familial bonds burnish Bontigao’s affectionate solo debut in this empowering intergenerational tale featuring a child’s creative problem-solving. . . . Digital art mimics colored pencil and pastel textures, and standout images portray a bustling community, the shop’s myriad contents, and the feel of hot days in this story of how thoughtful entrepreneurship can serve and delight. —Publishers Weekly

3 Fun Facts

1. I ❤️ watching KDramas,
2. I am learning to play the ukulele
3. I am terribly afraid of caterpillars.

Lyriq Blue and Ranier Blue are a daddy daughter duo out of Upstate NY who decided to create “The Light In Me” as a way to help kids like Lyriq with their self-esteem. blyriqmusic.com/tlim

Awards
Featured at the Catskill “Books and Breakfast“ event in January 2023
Interviewed by Stephanie Rivas live on WTEN News 10 in January 2023

3 Fun Facts

1. Lyriq is a performer who’s stage name is a play on her real name.
2. Ranier is a self taught producer who makes music with Lyriq
3. Lyriq loves converse and Air Force one sneakers.

Gabrielle Balkan is best known for non-fiction books that delight readers ages 0-12 with curious and essential facts about the United States, animal record-breakers, ground-breaking artists, and foundational tools, like maps! Her books include The 50 States, Book of Bones, Who’s That Dinosaur, What a Map Can Do, and Meet the Megafauna. Reviews say: “A standout picture book that both entertains and teaches.” — Kirkus, Starred Review. Teachers say: “Gabrielle’s presentation was rooted in student friendly, higher order, fun, and rigorous material! I was HOOKED and invested! She was EXEMPLARY!”. Visit her at www.gabriellebalkan.com and @gabriellebalkan.

Awards

International Literacy Association Teacher’s Choice Pick (2018)
A Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List Title (2019)
Indiana Authors Award Shortlist title (2022)
Indiana Authors Award Shortlist title (2020)

3 Fun Facts

1. Grew up across from the Indiana State Fair
2. Recently got her braces off.
3. Once spent the night in the crypt of a cathedral

Valerie Bolling was an educator for 30 years and is passionate about creating stories in which all children can see themselves and feel seen and heard, valued and validated. Her debut picture book, LET’S DANCE!, was published in March 2020 and won SCBWI’s Crystal Kite Award in 2021.

Valerie is the author of five more picture books (Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection I SEE COLOR; Kirkus Prize Finalist TOGETHER WE SWIM; TOGETHER WE RIDE; RIDE, ROLL, RUN: TIME FOR FUN!; and BING, BOP, BAM: TIME TO JAM!) as well as a Scholastic Acorn early reader series, RAINBOW DAYS.

Sharing her books with children and inspiring them to write their own stories brings Valerie immense joy! Valerie and her husband live in Connecticut and enjoy traveling, hiking, reading, going to the theater, and dancing. 
linktr.ee/ValerieBolling

Awards

SCBWI Crystal Kite Award fro LET’S DANCE! Kirkus Prize Finalist for TOGETHER WE SWIM My books have also been on “Best of” lists.

3 Fun Facts

1. I grew up in an extended family. I was the only child in a house of seven adults, living with my mother, grandmother, three great-aunts, and great-grandparents.
2. I have traveled to five of seven continents. In the future, I hope to have the opportunity to visit Australia and Antarctica.
3. I am never without a book. I have always loved to read. I read in the car, while waiting in lines, and on exercise equipment.

I enjoy the solitude of country living in the northern foothills of the Catskill Mountains with my wife Cathleen and my big dog Bean. I am a retired teacher and now spend my time fly fishing, skiing, gardening, practicing yoga, and playing with my grandson. Being a visiting author at the Hudson Children’s Book festival is a dream come true.  www.rickbobrick.com

3 Fun Facts

1. I spent most of my 40-year teaching career at the Hudson JHS which of course is the home of the Hudson Children’s Book Festival!
2. I am an avid home gardener and an amateur poultry farmer raising and caring for laying hens, broiler chickens, and Heritage Bronze turkeys.
3. I was very fortunate to have a niece talented enough to illustrate our book series; it became a family collaboration that has exceeded our wildest expectations.