K Archives - Hudson Childrens Book Festival

Kase, Lori Miller

Lori Miller Kase is an award-winning journalist, short story writer, essayist and young adult author. A life-long reader, she’s wanted to be an author since elementary school. But she is a procrastinator, so she did a lot of other kinds of writing before she finally got around to penning her first book. The Accident, her debut novel, was the 2024 YA finalist for The Tassy Walden Awards for New Voices in Children’s Literature. The mother of two grown children, Lori writes from Connecticut, where she lives with her husband, a bossy dog named Joey, and an ever-expanding collection of books. www.lorimillerkase.com

Awards

The Accident was the YA finalist for the 2024 Tassy Walden Awards for New Voices in Children’s Literature. I’ve also received several awards from the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists for “Excellence in Journalism” and The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction.

3 Fun Facts

1. I once had an article on the front page of The New York Times
2. My first publication was a poem called “I Saw a Whale,” featured in my elementary school newsletter when I was eight.
3. I had a brief stint as a keyboardist in a band called Suburbia

Kang, Anna

Kang, Anna

Anna Kang won the 2015 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for her debut picture book, You Are (Not) Small and has since published five more books in that series, as well as Christopher Award winner Eraser, and several others. Her picture books have sold a half-million copies worldwide. Kang, along with her illustrator-husband, Christopher Weyant, was the 2022 NJASL Author-Illustrator of the Year. She received her M.F.A. from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and has won several screenwriting awards and fellowships, including the Sundance Institute’s Screenwriters Lab and Film Independent Lab. Visit her at www.annakang.com.

Awards

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, The Christopher Award, CBC Teacher Favorites List, CBC/ILA Children’s Choices Reading List, Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist, Wisconsin State Reading Assoc. Picture This List, Cooperative Children’s Book Center’s Best-of-the-Year List, CCBC Choices Best-of-the-Year List, Bank Street College of Education Best Books of the Year List, ALA Notable Children’s Book, Parents’ Choice Awards – Silver Honor, NPR Best Books of the Year List.

3 Fun Facts

1. I love pickles of all kinds from all cultures.
2. I love animals, especially dogs, alpacas, otters, elephants, and manatees.
3. My rescue dog, Auggie, looks like a sea otter.

Karas, G. Brian

Karas, G. Brian

G. Brian Karas is an artist and author best known for his work in children’s picture book illustration. His work has received numerous awards, including honors from the American Library Association, the New York Times and starred reviews from major publications. He lives in the Hudson Valley of New York where he enjoys working in his studio, being outdoors and spending time with his family. gbriankaras.com

Awards

New York Times Best Illustrated, Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor,ALA Notable Book,Please Touch Museum Annual Book Award, Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Award

3 Fun Facts

1. I like to cook (and eat!) all kinds of food but my favorites are pizza and donuts.
2. I like to dance though I’m a terrible dancer.
3. I like scary movies.

Kramer, Kara

Kramer, Kara

Kara Kramer is an illustrator and mixed media artist living in Brooklyn, NY. She has illustrated several picture books including Make Meatballs Sing: The Life and Art of Corita Kent, Erno Rubik and His Magic Cube, and is author/illustrator of the interactive picture book Tell Me a Lion Story. She explores many mediums and loves being in the creative process. www.karakramer.com

Awards

Best Stem Books K-12 2025
2024 Junior Library Guild Selection
2022 Bologna Ragazzi Award Amazing Bookshelf Selection
2022 ALA Notable Children’s Book

3 Fun Facts

1. I love to ski because it feels like I am drawing with my feet in the snow.
2. I stink at whistling.
3. Can’t choose a favorite color, in love with too many!

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.

Ko, Christine

Ko, Christine

Christine J. Ko is an author, mother, practicing physician, and a Professor of Dermatology and Pathology at Yale University. Her debut children’s book, Sound Switch Wonder, was inspired by her son, Owen Whang, and was written to include more representation of deaf people and the spectrum and range of deafness. Christine lives with her husband and their daughter and son in New Haven, Connecticut. https://soundswitchwonder.com

Awards

SCBWI Virtual ShopTalk

3 Fun Facts

1. I read books out of page order.
2. I LOVE chocolate!
3. I also love the endorphin-rush of exercise.

Kantorovitz, Sylvie

Sylvie Kantorovitz grew up in France and now lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley. She is the creator of a middle-grade graphic-novel about her young years in France: SYLVIE (ages 9-14) “Enchanting and witty.” (School Library Journal). She is the creator of two series, also in comics format: MONTI AND LEO (ages 7-9) “Monti and Leo’s friendship radiates warmth throughout.” (Kirkus) and PICKLE (ages 3-6) “expressive characters… silly charm… certain to delight.” (Booklist). She is also the illustrator of the bestseller, WHEELS ON THE BUS, A RAFFI SONG TO READ. www.sylviekantorovitz.com

Awards

SYLVIE: Bank Street Best Book of the Year, Junior Library Guild selection.
MONTI AND LEO: Junior Library Guild selection, ALA’s Best Graphic Novels for Children.
PICKLE: Junior Library Guild selection, Horn Book Summer Reading selection

3 Fun Facts

1. I’m easy to recognize: I have very short hair and a French accent
2. I love spirals! I manage to include 2 in my autograph
3. My favorite drink is carrot juice.

Kramer, Jackie Azúa

Kramer, Jackie Azúa

Jackie Azúa Kramer- Many lives ago I was born into a Puerto Rican and Ecuadorian loving family. Together we travelled to far away places.Now I’m an author, and wile away my time writing children’s picture books. What ties these all together are my dreams and imagination. Most of the time you’ll find me reading, watching old movies, globe trekking and whenever possible sharing laughter & food with my family. jackieazuakramer.com/

Awards

Bank Street College Best Children’s Books of the Year; Junior Library Gold Selection; Best Books Canadian Children’s Book Centre; Chicago Public Library-Best of the Best Books; Winner of Japan’s 31st Bronze Kembuchi Picture Book Award; Winner of 2021 SCBWI Crystal Kite Award; Silver Medal-Parents’ Choice Awards.

3 Fun Facts

1. I swam with dolphins.
2. I speak Spanish fluently.
3. I once worked as an actor.

Keller, Joy

Joy Keller is the author of fun and fantastic picture books, including MONSTER TRUCKS, MISS TURIE’S MAGIC CREATURES, and FUNGUS IS AMONG US! When she’s not writing about mythical beasts and weird science, she can be found teaching fourth graders how to write their own stories. She lives in Fairport, NY, with her husband, kids, and lots of pets. www.joykellerauthor.com

All my books have received positive reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, and School Library Journal.

3 Fun Facts

1. I’m a fourth grade teacher, so I get lots of story ideas from the students I work with every day.
2. My family fosters cats. We ended up adopting our last foster kitten, so now we own FOUR cats!
3. I play ukulele—it’s so much fun!

Kimmelman, Leslie

Leslie Kimmelman is the author of more than 50 popular books for children, and was a longtime children’s book editor. At Sesame Workshop, she was one of the creators of Julia, an autistic character on the Street. She lives in Westchester County, NY. lesliekimmelman.com

Awards

Write On, Irving Berlin! won the Charlotte Award from the New York State Reading Association. Hot Dog! Eleanor Roosevelt Throws a Picnic won a Eureka Award from the California Reading Association. Everybody Says Shalom was a Sydney Taylor Honor Book; several others were Sydney Taylor Notable Books.

3 Fun Facts

1. I worked at Sesame Street for more than 25 years, and was on a first name basis with Elmo, Cookie Monster, Julia, and friends.
2. When I read the Anne of Green Gables books in fourth grade, I was such a fan that I officially changed my middle name from “Ann” to “Anne.”
3. If I weren’t a writer, I’d want to be a wildlife photographer.