C Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Hudson Childrens Book Festival

Curato, Mike

Curato, Mike

Mike Curato is the author and illustrator of picture books including the award winning Little Elliot series and Where Is Bina Bear?, and Flamer, his debut young adult graphic novel, which was awarded the 2020 Lambda Literary Award and the 2021 Massachusetts Book Award. He also illustrated All the Way to Havana by Margarita Engle, Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian, The Power of One by Trudy Ludwig, and What If… and The Sharey Godmother, both written by Samantha Berger. His new book, What Are You?, by Christian Trimmer, will be available for purchase at the festival before its release! www.mikecurato.com

Awards/Honors
2020 Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Young Adult (Flamer)
2021 Massachusetts Book Award for Middle Grade/Young Adult (Flamer)
2021 SCBWI Golden Kite Award Honor Illustrated Book for Older Readers (Flamer)
2014 Society of Illustrators Original Art Show Founder’s Award (Little Elliot, Big City)
2015 Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Honor (Little Elliot, Big City)

3 Fun Facts

1. Mike loves singing karaoke
2. He has a very cute dog named Leia
3. Mike was born and raised in the Hudson Valley

Crews, Nina

Crews, Nina

Author and illustrator Nina Crews creates books that celebrate childhood and the power of imagination. Her debut title, One Hot Summer Day, will celebrate its 30th year in print in 2025. Nina is best known for her distinctive photocollage style and interpreting poetry in books like A Girl Like Me, The Neighborhood Mother Goose, and Seeing Into Tomorrow: Haiku by Richard Wright. More recently, Nina has put her camera aside to create digital illustrations for the books I’m Not Small, a story of milestones and mastery, as well as the non-fiction titles Extraordinary Magic: The Storytelling Life of Virginia Hamilton and Not Done Yet: Shirley Chisholm’s Fight for Change. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and son. www.ninacrews.com

Awards

Nina is the recipient of the 2023 New York State Library Association’s Empire State Award. Nina’s work has been recognized by the ALA Notable Committee, the Black Caucus of the ALA, The Horn Book, Junior Library Guild, NCTE, CCBC, New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library, Bank Street College of Education, and many others.

3 Fun Facts

1. I always wanted to be an artist.
2. My parents are the author/illustrators Donald Crews and Ann Jonas.
3. My favorite color is all of them.

Clark, Marc

Clark, Marc

Marc Clark’s first book, The Princess Fables, is an Amazon #1 Best Seller and has won several awards, including Best Children’s Book at both the 2014 Great Midwest and Beach Book Festivals.

The Royal Fables, his second book, was an Amazon #1 New Release and was Runner Up, Best Children’s Book at the 2015 Paris Book Festival. All proceeds from the book fund pediatric cancer research at the Texas Children’s Hospital.

He is currently at work on his new fairytale/cookbook, The Picky Princess, with noted nutrition expert, food journalist, TV personality, and author, Carolyn O’Neil MS, RD. www.thefableskingdom.com

3 Fun Facts

1. Produced the HBO Family Series, 30 X 30 Kid Flicks
2. Created Jerry Seinfeld’s 50th Birthday Video for his party at the Rainbow Room atop Rockefeller Center
3. My initials spell my first name: Marc Angelo Robert Clark

Crowl, M. Tara

Crowl, M. Tara

M. Tara Crowl is the author of EDEN’S WISH and EDEN’S ESCAPE, released by Disney-Hyperion in 2015 and 2016. She has loved reading and writing stories since she was a kid growing up in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She studied Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California and worked in Hollywood after graduation, but then moved to Sydney, Australia for a Master’s program in writing at Macquarie University. She now lives with her husband between New York City and their farm in the northern Catskills. www.mtaracrowl.com

3 Fun Facts

1. The M. in my name stands for my first name, Meagan.
2. I’m also a farmer. My husband and I have a farm where we raise cattle.
3. My sister is a librarian in Atlanta.

Castrovilla, Selene

Castrovilla, Selene

Selene Castrovilla is the award-winning author of eight books, including four picture books about the American Revolution. Her forthcoming book, Revolutionary Rogues: John André and Benedict Arnold, reveals the sinister story that took place in the Hudson Valley: Arnold’s treason! Her previous books include Revolutionary Friends: General George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette and By the Sword. Selene visits with students across the country in-person and virtually, talking about the humanity in American history. She lives on Long Island with her two sons and their rescue cats. Visit www.SeleneCastrovilla.com.

3 Fun Facts

1. I love the color purple. I have a purple computer, a purple car and even a purple house!
2. I had no idea I would write about the American Revolution when I was a kid. I thought it was so boring — especially George Washington and his wooden teeth! It took me by surprise when I found out all the amazing things he did, and he became my hero.
3. My sons and I rescue cats! We have six cats right now, plus we feed a lot more every day.

Collier, Bryan

Collier, Bryan

In 1989, Bryan Collier received a B.F.A from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. He then became the assistant director then director of a self- taught painting studio for children called the Harlem Horizon Art Studio located at the Harlem Hospital Center, NYC.

After a seven year persuit to make children’s books,Collier published, “Uptown” in which he both wrote and illustrated and won the coretta Scott King Award and the Ezra Jack Keats Award. Bryan Collier went on to win four Caldecott Honors for, Martin’s Big Words, Rosa, Dave the Potter, and Tromebone Shorty as well as winning nine CSK Awards and Honors for such books as Visiting Langston, Freedom River, Rosa, Martin;’s Big Words’ Knock, Knock, Uptown, I, too,am America, Dave the Potter and Tromebone Shorty. In 2014, Bryan Collier was the U.S nominee for the Hans Christian Anderson Award. www.bryancollier.com

Calkhoven, Laurie

Calkhoven, Laurie

Laurie Calkhoven has never swallowed a frog, knocked over a rabbit hutch, or sung too loud in music class. She is the author of more than 50 books for young readers, including the G.I. Dogs series and You Should Meet Kids Who are Saving the Planet. www.lauriecalkhoven.com

Awards
– Beacon of Freedom Award
– Bank Street Best Books
– Northern Lights Book Award

3 Fun Facts

1. love to learn random presidential facts (like my character Roosevelt).
2. I have never swallowed a frog.
3. My birthday is the same day as Harry Potter’s!

Chandler, Matt

Chandler, Matt

Matt Chandler is an award-winning children’s book author from Buffalo, New York. He is a former newspaper editor, freelance magazine writer and the author of 22 books. He regularly visits elementary schools for author visits to share his experiences as a writer with students. He writes primarily non-fiction books including many titles on sports and four books about ghosts and haunted places! www.mattchandlerwriting.com

3 Fun Facts

1. I wrote my first book when I was six-years-old!
2. I once had a job dressing up as Clifford the Big Red Dog for bookstore events.
3. I am terrified of eating Zucchini . . . REALLY terrified.

Czajak, Paul

Czajak, Paul

Writing was never Paul’s thing. In fact written on the top of his college writing paper, in bold red, was “F get a tutor”. So Paul went into science. Though his love for writing creative stories never went away and after having kids ideas for stories flooded his brain. When one of those ideas became a book his writing career was born! With books like Monster Needs A Costume, Trees Make Perfect Pets, The Book Tree and his newest tile, The Peculiar Haunted House to be released August 2024, look for Paul to keep doing what he loves, writing stories for awesome readers! www.paulczajak.com

Awards

“The Book Tree” is the Winner of Premio Canpoy-Ada

3 Fun Facts

1. I’m a chemist.
2. I am currently learning how to forge metal.
3. My family owns a Newfoundland named Seamus who is 130lb!

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.