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Laiz, Jana

Jana Laiz is a writer with a purpose. The author of the triple award-winning novel, Weeping Under This Same Moon, Moonbeam Silver Medal Winner, The Twelfth Stone, Elephants of the Tsunami, “A Free Woman On God’s Earth, The True Story of Elizabeth “Mumbet” Freeman, The Slave Who Won Her Freedom, Thomas & Autumn, Simon Says ~ Tails Told By The Red Lion Inn Ambassador, Billy Budd in the Breadbox, The Story of Herman Melville & Eleanor, and Blanket of Stars, Jana believes that honoring diversity can change the world. She is the very first Writer-In-Residence at Herman Melville’s beloved Arrowhead. www.janalaiz.com

ForeWord review Gold Medal Winner
Moonbeam Children’s Book awards Silver medalist
International Reading Association Notable

3 Fun Facts

1. I have a Pitbull
2. I play the Irish penny whistle and the harp
3. I was the Jacks Champion in high school

Lerangis, Peter

Peter Lerangis’s books have sold nearly 7 million copies and been translated into 35 languages. His nine N.Y. Times bestsellers include the entire Seven Wonders series and his 39 Clues books. Beasties, about five kids who become Central Park animals, is his latest, as is Throwback, a time-travel trilogy. Many of his novels have been Junior Library Guild selections, and his YA novel Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I Am, won an ALA Schneider Award. He’s also performed on Broadway, run a marathon, rock-climbed in Yosemite during a 6.1 earthquake, and graduated Harvard with a degree in biochemistry. peterlerangis.com

Awards
ALA Schneider Award for best book depicting the disability experience
ALA Quick Picks
Multiple Junior Library Guild Awards
ALA Best Books
New York Public Library Best Books
Bank Street Library Best Books

3 Fun Facts

1. My left pinkie has camptodactyly, which means it can’t straighten, and I have worked it into the plot of a book.
2. I sang and acted in a Broadway show.
3. The letters of my full name can be rearranged into Sergeant Peril.

Lehman, Barbara

Lehman, Barbara

Barbara Lehman was born in Chicago, attended Pratt Institute, and now is based in the Hudson Valley. Her illustrations have been included in exhibitions at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, The Art Institute of Chicago and the Central Children’s Room of the New York Public Library and she has shared her book work with children at the Whitney Museum of American Art. The New York Times bestseller THE RED BOOK was awarded a Caldecott Honor. www.barbaralehmanbooks.com

Awards
Some honors that my books have received: Caldecott Honor, New York Times Bestseller List, Premio Andersen [Italy], ALA Notable books, Junior Library Guild Selections, CCBC Best Books of the Year, Kirkus Best Children’s Books, New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, Parent’s Choice Gold, Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year, The Horn Book Fanfare list.

3 Fun Facts

1. I used to work at a skating pond in high school.
2. I love all pasta shapes.
3. I put catsup on my grilled cheese. No seriously, just try it.

Lehrhaupt, Adam

Lehrhaupt, Adam

Adam Lehrhaupt is the award-winning author of multiple books, including Warning: Do Not Open This Book!, Please: Open This Book!, Chicken in Charge, I Will Not Eat You, Wordplay and Idea Jar. He has traveled to six continents, performed on Broadway, and lived on a communal farm. He firmly believes that opening a book is a good thing, even if there are monkeys in it. Adam currently lives in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA, with his wife, two sons, and two bizarre dogs. Follow Adam on twitter, Instagram, and Google+ @lehrhaupt for the occasional brilliant thought or picture, and at adamlehrhaupt.com.

3 Fun Facts

1. My mom has a farm with both chickens and sheep.
2. I enjoy skiing.
3. I’m really not this short, it’s an optical illusion. I’m just really far away.

Lewis, Kevin

Lewis, Kevin

Kevin Lewis plays with words like kids play with blocks. He can arrange them in rhythmic rows (CHUGGA CHUGGA CHOO CHOO, 1998), stack them up (THE LOT AT THE END OF MY BLOCK, 2001) and then knock them down again (THE RUNAWAY PUMPKIN, 2003). He takes them on the car (MY TRUCK IS STUCK, 2002), to the playground (DINOSAUR DINOSAUR, 2006), in the tub (TUGGA TUGGA TUG BOAT, 2006), and he’s even been known to use them to get his own way (NOT INSIDE THIS HOUSE, 2011). He lives in a large, 200-year old farmhouse in New York’s Hudson Valley with his husband and a dog named Kat.

3 Fun Facts

1. I have a huge model train collection.
2. I have a dog named “Kat.”
3. I like to bike and hike.

Ladd, London

Ladd, London

London started his career painting murals. His big break came when he illustrated March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World (Scholastic), written by Christine King Farris, the older sister of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Since then London has illustrated numerous titles including Frederick’s Journey: The Life of Frederick Douglass, an ALA Notable Children’s Book for Middle Readers. London is represented by Lori Nowicki of Painted-Words. www.londonladd.com

3 Fun Facts

1. My favorite snack while working is eating various favors of M&M’s like dark chocolate, peanut, almond, peanut butter and pretzel mixed into fresh buttery popcorn. Many artistic problems were solved chewing on it.
2. I really enjoy going to the gym, especially after eating my popcorn 😉
3. I love shopping at thrift stores and used bookstores. Not many things are better than spending days going to multiple stores.

LaMonica, Lisa

LaMonica, Lisa

Lisa LaMonica is an author and illustrator in upstate New York who has received awards for her art and books including a grant from the Kaplan Fund. She was nominated for Artist of the Year in 2002 by the Columbia County Council on the Arts. Lisa currently writes for WMHT and the Times Union. www.lisalamonica.com

3 Fun Facts

1. I have been to several places in the Caribbean where pirates roamed.
2. I have twice been featured on PBS/WMHT
3. I buy, fix up and sell old houses.

LaReau, Kara

LaReau, Kara

Kara LaReau was born and raised in Connecticut. She received her Masters in Fine Arts in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts and later worked as an editor at Candlewick Press and at Scholastic Press. She is the author of picture books such as UGLY FISH, illustrated by Scott Magoon, and NO SLURPING, NO BURPING! A Tale of Table Manners, illustrated by Lorelay Bové; a chapter book series called The Infamous Ratsos, illustrated by Matt Myers; and a middle-grade trilogy called The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters, illustrated by Jen Hill. Kara lives in Providence, Rhode Island with her husband and son and their cat. www.karalareau.com

3 Fun Facts

1. I am a bit like the Bland Sisters in that I can be a bit of a homebody (and, like Kale, I tend to part my hair on the side).
2. I am NOT like the Bland Sisters in that I don’t like cheese sandwiches or darning other people’s socks. (I don’t even like darning my own socks.)
3. I’m working on the final story in the Bland Sisters trilogy right now!

Luper, Eric

Luper, Eric

Eric Luper’s more than 20 titles include the Key Hunters series and The Chocolate Lab series, Jeremy Bender vs. the Cupcake Cadets, and Seth Baumgartner’s Love Manifesto. He’s also been doing super-cute books with Cartoon Network for numerous televised shows such as The Amazing World of Gumball, The Regular Show, Teen Titans Go and Ben 10. In addition, Luper writes Mad Libs books for Star Wars, Star Trek and Scooby-Doo. One of his books was recently optioned for motion picture. Eric lives near Albany, but he spends many of his weekends in nearby Lake George. www.ericluper.com

3 Fun Facts

1. I worked to rebuild a castle in southern France
2. I had a job taking care of owls, hawks and eagles… and a few ornery vultures too!
3. My favorite topping on pizza is… another slice of pizza!