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

Collins, Leroy

I grew up Hudson NY. I graduated from Hudson High in 1995. I was the new york state rushing leader while attending Hudson. I attended Dean junior college, Alfred st college and the University of Louisville. I played football at each school. I also have an Associate, Bachelor, and Masters degrees. I live in Fulton NY and currently I am married with 3 boys. This true story follows a young man’s journey as he battles back from injuries sustained in a tragic automobile accident. From the vantage point of his wheelchair an NFL game on TV inspires him to dream the impossible.

3 Fun Facts

1. I was in a terrible car accident
2. I grew up in Hudson
3. I played football in the NFL

Connor, Leslie

Connor, Leslie

Leslie Connor is the author of the middle grade novels, Crunch, Waiting for Normal, winner of the ALA Schneider Family Book Award, All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook, a finalist for the E.B. White Read Aloud Award, The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle, a National Book Award finalist and winner of the ALA Schneider Family Book Award, and A Home for Goddesses and Dogs. Leslie’s most recent title is Anybody Here Seen Frenchie? about an unusual pair of devoted friends. She lives with her husband and two rescue dogs in a little house in the Connecticut woods. www.leslieconnor.com

Finalist for the National Book Award
Two-time winner of the ALA Schneider Family Book Award.

3 Fun Facts

1. I’m surprised that I’m a writer.
2. I eat weird things like peanut butter and pickle sandwiches.
3. I love being upside down.

Castle, Jennifer

Castle, Jennifer

Jennifer Castle grew up writing stories in her head on long school bus rides and was constantly looking for ways to turn her ideas into reality. Eventually, one of her “big ideas” became a published novel, and since then she has written twelve books for kids and teens, including Butterfly Wishes series, Together at Midnight, and Famous Friends. Jennifer lives in New Paltz with her husband, two daughters, and two striped cats, who also work part-time as her writing assistants. www.jennifercastle.com

3 Fun Facts

1. Blaire Wilson, American Girl’s Girl of the Year 2019, and I share two things in common: we both live in the Hudson Valley and we both have food sensitivities.
2. I’m a Ravenclaw.
3. My favorite book of all time is A SWIFTLY TILTING PLANET by Madeleine L’Engle.

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

Nina Crews is an author and illustrator of child centered stories like I’m Not Small, One Hot Summer Day, The Neighborhood Mother Goose, and A Girl Like Me, written by Angela Johnson. Her books Extraordinary Magic: The Storytelling Life of Virginia Hamilton, Seeing Into Tomorrow: Haiku by Richard Wright (poems by Richard Wright,) and Not Done Yet: Shirley Chisholm’s Fight for Change, by Tameka Fryer Brown, celebrate storytellers and changemakers.

Honors include best book lists from the ALA Notable Committee, the Black Caucus of the ALA, Kirkus Reviews, Junior Library Guild, Bank Street College of Education, and others. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. www.ninacrews.com

Awards

Liftoff: How the Apollo Moon Missions Made Alma Thomas’s Art Soar – Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature’s Best Books of 2025 ; Big Family Beach Day -Kirkus Best Book of 2025; Extraordinary Magic: The Storytelling Life of Virginia Hamilton – Bank Street Children’s Book Committee – Best Books list of the Year 2024; 2023 New York State Library Association’s Empire State Award.

3 Fun Facts

1. I love looking at art and one of my favorite books as a kid was The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. I thought it would be fun to live in the museum like those kids did.
2. I love looking at the moon, but I wouldn’t want to live there. It is either too hot or too cold and there is nothing green and growing.
3. My living room is filled with plants, and I love green growing things.

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!