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Gehl, Laura

Gehl, Laura

Laura Gehl is the award-winning author of more than fifty books for kids, including board books, lift-the-flap books, picture books, and early readers. Her 2026 releases include Attack Bunnies, Puppies Know and Grow, Bunnies Know and Grow, Odd Bugs, and Becca and Bubbe’s Bucket List. Laura lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland with her husband and four kids. When she isn’t writing, she’s usually walking in the woods, eating ice cream, or reading—sometimes all three at the same time! You can visit Laura online at www.lauragehl.com.

Awards

Odd Birds was a Blueberry Honor Book, a Cybils Finalist, a Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year selection, and a Kirkus Best Books of the Year selection. Donut, My Pillow Keeps Moving, and Frog Can Hop were chosen as Junior Library Guild gold standard selections. Donut was also an Indie Next Selection and a Dolly Parton Imagination Library Selection. Apple and Magnolia received three starred reviews, was a Kirkus best book of the year, a Cybils Award Finalist, a Charter Oak Children’s Book Award nominee, and a White Ravens International Children’s and Youth Literature Selection. Baby Astronaut was A Mighty Girl Best Book of the Year. One Big Pair of Underwear was a Charlotte Zolotow Highly Commended Title, International Literacy Association Honor Book, and Booklist Books for Youth Editors’ Choice.

3 Fun Facts

1. My current favorite flavor of ice cream is Oreo Cheesecake (this changes frequently).
2. My family fosters cats and kittens. We have fostered nine cats so far.
3. The animal I am best at imitating is a lion; I am great at roaring!

Gordon, David

Gordon, David

David Gordon has art directed and/or worked on visual development, layout, and character design for numerous production companies from Lucasfilm to Pixar, including such movies as Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., A Bug’s Life, and Cars; BlueSky’s Robots and Nickelodeon’s Spongebob Squarepants. He has also written and illustrated many children’s books, among them Hansel and Diesel, The Three Little Rigs, The Ugly Truckling, and Smitten. He is one of the illustrators of Jon Scieszka’s 52-book, NY Times best-selling series, Trucktown. His newest book is Extremely Cute Animals Operating Heavy Machinery, also a NY Times Bestseller. www.davidgordonbooks.com

3 Fun Facts

1. I LOVE all kinds of machines, especially heavy ones!
2. I started drawing when I was three and never stopped.
3. I’m lactose intolerant.

Gantos, Jack

Gantos, Jack

JACK GANTOS is the author of forty-nine books for children from the “ROTTEN RALPH” picture books, collections of “JACK HENRY” short stories, upper elementary and middle school “JOEY PIGZA” and “NORVELT” novels, young adult books—LOVE CURSE OF THE RUMBAUGHS, DESIRE LINES, HOLE IN MY LIFE and THE TROUBLE IN ME. His work can lead readers from the cradle to the grave.

Mr. Gantos was a professor at Emerson College where he developed the Master’s Degree Program in Children’s Literature, Writing and Publishing. He now spends his time writing and is an active speaker at book and literacy conferences, schools and libraries. His works have received a Newbery Award, Scott O’Dell Award, Newbery Honor, Printz Honor, Sibert Honor, National Book Award Finalist nomination, and he is the 2010 recipient of the NCTE/ALAN AWARD for his contribution to the field of Young Adult and Children’s Literature. DEAD END IN NORVELT received both the 2012 John Newbery Award and the Scott O’Dell award for Historic Fiction. This was followed by the companion novel, FROM NORVELT TO NOWHERE. THE KEY THAT SWALLOWED JOEY PIGZA, the final book in the “Joey Pigza” series was released in 2014 and nominated for the Kirkus Prize. His most recent book, THE TROUBLE IN ME, is now available. www.jackgantos.com

Grabenstein, Chris

Grabenstein, Chris

CHRIS GRABENSTEIN is a #1 New York Times bestselling author whose books include the LEMONCELLO LIBRARY series, the WONDERLAND series, and THE ISLAND OF DR. LIBRIS. He is also the coauthor of fun and funny page-turners with James Patterson, including I FUNNY, TREASURE HUNTERS, and WORD OF MOUSE. www.chrisgrabenstein.com

Fun Facts:

1. Chris used to vacation every summer in St. Petersburg, Florida, the location where WELCOME TO WONDERLAND: HOME SWEET MOTEL takes place.
2. Chris had mice in his first New York City apartment who used to stand on his alarm clock, just like they do in WORD OF MOUSE (coauthored with James Patterson).
3. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library will be a TV movie on Nickelodeon in the Fall of 2017.