Kerry McQuaide is an author-illustrator in New York’s Hudson Valley. She studied in London at Chelsea School of Art and Design, graduated from Parsons School of Design. Her picture book, The Biggest, Highest Wave (a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection), was inspired by her first time surfing, where she was awed by the energy and force of the waves. And while she’s never ridden a wave as high as the one the girl in her story faces, she knows what it’s like to wipe out—in the water and in life—and get back up again. www.kerrymcquaide.com

Awards

THE BIGGEST HIGHEST WAVE was named a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection—an honor given to fewer than 3% of traditionally published children’s books each year!

3 Fun Facts

1. My book was inspired by my first surfing lesson.
2. I love summer, being in the water, and swimming. (But in winter I ice-skate instead!)
3. I draw almost everyday.

Janae Marks is the New York Times bestselling author of the Zoe Washington series, A Soft Place to Land, and A Split Second. She has an MFA in Writing for Children from The New School, and lives in Connecticut with her family. Learn more at janaemarks.com.

Awards

New York Times Bestseller (On Air with Zoe Washington), Indie Bestseller (From the Desk of Zoe Washington + On Air with Zoe Washington), Starred trade reviews (From the Desk of Zoe Washington, A Soft Place to Land, A Split Second), Named a Best Book of the Year by Parents Magazine, Book Riot, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Chicago Public Library, the Boston Globe, the Bank Street College of Education (From the Desk of Zoe Washington), Junior Library Guild selections (From the Desk of Zoe Washington + On Air with Zoe Washington).

3 Fun Facts

1. My favorite color is purple.
2. I have a dog named Cookie.
3. I love the theater.

Barbara McClintock is the award-winning illustrator and author of over 40 books for children. Her books have been translated into a dozen languages; one of her books is a best selling title in Japan.
Barbara is self-educated as an author/illustrator, learning by studying texts and artwork from picture books checked out of public libraries. Originally from New Jersey and North Dakota, she now resides in northeastern CT with her partner and their two overly-helpful cats. barbaramcclintockbooks.com

Awards

Barbara’s books have received five New York Times Best Illustrated Books awards, four ALA Notable Book citations, two Golden Kite Honor awards, a Horn Book/Boston Globe Honor award, a China Times award, a British Fantasy award, Best Book Selections in Time Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, The Wall Street Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, The New York Public Library, Bank Street Books, Kirkus Reviews, and many other awards, citations, starred reviews and recommended reading lists.

3 Fun Facts

1. I wanted to be a cat when I was little.
2. I’d still like to be a cat.
3. My cat Nick thinks he’s a dog, which I find very funny.

Matt Myklusch is the author of nine books, including the Imagine Nation, Jack Blank, Order of the Majestic, and Seaborne series. His lifelong love of comic books and stubborn refusal to grow up inspired him to write for kids. He lives in New Jersey with his family. Find him online at MattMyklusch.com.

Awards

Order of the Majestic: Junior Library Guild selection

3 Fun Facts

1. Worked at MTV for 10 years, produced spring break concerts in Cancun and Acapulco.
2. Love to draw (some of the comic book characters in my books I made up when I was in middle school).
3. Huge Disney fan… sometimes wish I became an Imagineer.

Daniel J. Mahoney is a children’s book author and illustrator whose most recent picture book, We Don’t Eat Our Neighbors, was published with Macmillan in August, 2024. He’s also the author of Monstergarten. When he’s not creating funny picture books, he can be found hiking and biking and remodeling his new house in the country, where he resides with his daughter Shay. Danieljmahoneyauthor.com

3 Fun Facts

1. I am a licensed Radiologic Technologist.
2. I am extremely neat.
3. I love anchovies on practically everything.

Jamie Michalak is a former editor and the author of many children’s books. Her titles include the multiple-star reviewed NIKI NAKAYAMA: A CHEF’S TALE IN 13 BITES, co-written with Debbi Michiko Florence and illustrated by Yuko Kato-Jones; DAKOTA CRUMB: TINY TREASURE HUNTER and DAKOTA CRUMB AND THE SECRET BOOKSHOP: A TINY TREASURE HUNT, illustrated by Kelly Murphy; the FRANK AND BEAN early reader series, illustrated by Bob Kolar; the JOE AND SPARKY early readers series, illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz; and COME ON IN: THERE’S A PARTY IN THIS BOOK!, illustrated by Sabine Timm. www.jamiemichalakbooks.com

Awards

Children’s Book Council 2023 Favorites Award Winner, Florida SSYRA Jr Award Nominee, Cybils Award Finalist, Junior Library Gold Standard Selection, Amazon Best Book of the Year, Kirkus Best Book of the Year, Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year, Bankstreet Best Book of the Year, Library of Congress 52 Great Reads for Kids, CBC Notable Social Studies Book, Mighty Girl Book of the Year, Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Award, Sakura Medal Nominee, Panda Award Shortlist, Young Hoosier Book Award Nominee.

3 Fun Facts

1. By day, I’m a writer at a toy company. One of my jobs is naming toys.
2. My best friend is my dog, Lucy Caboose.
3. I love to go surfing with my son (although we’re not very good at it!).

Megan Pamela Ruth Madison, Ph.D. is a lifelong student of Black feminism and early childhood education. She grew up in Northern Michigan, and now lives on Lenape land in Harlem. With Jessica Ralli, Dr. Madison co-authors “First Conversations,” a series of award-winning board books on topics like gender, consent, bodies, love, grief, justice, and disability. Their debut book, Our Skin: A First Conversation about Race, has sold more than 100,000 copies and is being used to support anti-racist teaching and caregiving around the world. They are both proud members of Jews for Racial and Economic Justice. Ceasefire NOW! https://www.firstconversations.com/

Awards

Bank Street Los mejores libros infantiles en Español, Bank Street Best Books, Rise: A Feminist Book List, “Read with Pride” Book Pick, Kirkus Best Book, Parents Magazine Best Book, School Library Journal Best Book, National Council for the Social Studies Notable Book, ALA Notable Book and a bunch of starred reviews.

3 Fun Facts

1. I love being Black and queer.
2. I danced ballet when I was a kid.
3. It took me a long time to learn how to read.

Lyn Miller-Lachmann is the author of the YA historical novel Torch (Carolrhoda Lab, 2022), winner of the 2023 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature and a 2022 Booklist Editors’ Choice. She wrote the picture book Ways to Play (Levine Querido, 2023), illustrated by Gabriel Alborozo, and co-authored with Zetta Elliott the middle grade verse novel Moonwalking (FSG, 2022). Her nonfiction includes a biography of Temple Grandin in the She Persisted chapter book series and Film Makers: 15 Groundbreaking Women Directors (co-authored with Tanisia Tee Moore). Her YA historical novel in verse Eyes Open will be published by Carolrhoda Lab in spring 2024. https://lynmillerlachmann.com

Awards

Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature (Torch) Booklist Editors’ Choice, 2022 (Torch) Kirkus Best Books of 2022 (Torch and Moonwalking) Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books + Outstanding Merit, 2023 (Torch and Moonwalking) New York Public Library Best Books of 2022 (Moonwalking) Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection (Eyes Open, Torch, and Moonwalking).

3 Fun Facts

1. I’ve built a giant LEGO town that includes many buildings I’ve designed myself.
2. I used to live in Portugal.
3. I used to DJ weddings and parties but sold my equipment when I moved to New York City.

Maria Elizabeth Ausherman, a teacher and independent scholar, lives in Stuyvesant, New York with her husband, Steven Taylor, a photographer. She has two wonderful grown-up daughters and an awesome granddaughter. She enjoys travel, hiking, reading, and spending time with her family, friends, and neighbors.

The author of Masters of Shape: The Lives and Art of American Women Sculptors, Behind the Camera: American Women Photographers Who Shaped How We See the World, The Photographic Legacy of Frances Benjamin Johnston, and co-author with Patricia Jennings of Georgia O’Keeffe’s Hawaii, she earned her B.A. in Geography from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an M.A. in Cinema Studies from the City University of New York and an M.Ed. in Social Science Education from the University of Georgia in Athens, where she also obtained a graduate certificate in historic preservation and completed coursework and a dissertation for a Ph.D. in Art. 

Awards
– League of Women Voters Citizenship Award
– Cherokee Rose Garden Club Award
– Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist for Historical (Non-Fiction)
– Starred Reviews

3 Fun Facts

1. Maria wants people to love art history as much as she does.
2. Maria loves team work. She played wing on the Varsity Women’s Field Hockey team at the University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill where she grew up.
3. Maria’s favorite job of all time was using a 1733 Danish map to find historic plantation sites on St. John, the smallest of the three main U.S. Virgin Islands.