Robin Rosenthal is an author, illustrator, and art director. She has illustrated TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE and the Big Ideas for Little Philosophers and Big Ideas for Little Environmentalists series of board books. SWEET BABE! is her authorial debut. She grew up in Connecticut and now lives in Brooklyn, New York with her family. You can see more of her work at robinrosenthal.com.

Awards

TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE: 1. Kirkus Best Picture Books of 2020, 2. School Library Journal/Betsy Bird’s 2020 Math Books for Kids, 3. Starred Kirkus Review; BIG IDEAS FOR LITTLE PHILOSOPHERS: Featured in The New York Times 2020 Holiday Gift Guide. SWEET BABE! is receiving great advance reviews so far, you can read them here: https://www.robinrosenthal.com/sweet-babe

3 Fun Facts

1. I used to be the cook on a dude ranch. In a related fact, I broke my foot square-dancing.
2. I love to kayak and have kayaked in Alaska and Mexico and the NYC harbor…
3. What else… I am lactose intolerant but carry Lactaid pills with me everywhere because I LOVE. CHEESE.

Alyssa Reynoso-Morris is a queer Afro-Latine/x Dominican and Puerto Rican award-winning storyteller. Her ability to weave compelling stories has opened many doors for her as an author and speaker. She is also a mother and community organizer. During the day, she works with community members, non-profit organizations, and government officials to make the world a better place. Then she puts her writer’s hat on to craft heartfelt stories about home, family, food, and the fun places she has been. Alyssa was born and raised in The Bronx, New York, and currently lives in Philadelphia, PA, with her family. She is the author of Plátanos Are Love & Los plátanos son amor (a NCTE Charlotte Huck Recommended Read); The Bronx Is My Home; Gloriana Presente: A First Day of School Book & Gloriana Presente: De la República Dominicana al Bronx; Bold, Brilliant and Latine; and Pieces of Home. She hopes you enjoy her stories. You can learn more about her at alyssaauthor.com

Awards

Plátanos Are Love – Recommended Literature List (2024), California’s Department of Education
Plátanos Are Love – KNEA Reading Circle List – Primary Title (2023), Kansas National Education Association
Plátanos Are Love – Charlotte Huck Recommended Read (2023), NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English)
Powerful Latina in Education (2023), Powerful Latina Awards – Presented by El Sol Latino Newspaper and Hispanic Media
Author of the Year Award (2023), Philadelphia Latin American Book Festival

3 Fun Facts

1. I’m bilingual. I speak English and Spanish.
2. I love to travel. I’ve lived in 4 different countries (USA, Dominican Republic, India and Tanzania).
3. I’m a mom of three. I have a 5 year old and 4 month old twins.

Angeli Rafer is a Filipino-American illustrator and comic artist based in the diner capital of the world (AKA New Jersey). She is a self-taught digital artist, with a passion for telling stories about everyday magic — from cooking and first crushes to cute animals and bad puns. Her first graphic novels include Ghosts Don’t Eat Potato Chips (The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids #3) and Dragons Don’t Cook Pizza (The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids #4). Her work also appears in several anthologies: Hellcat Press’ Screams Heard Round the World, Dark Lady Returns, and the Sequential Artist Workshop’s Rhythms. https://angelirafer.com/

3 Fun Facts

1. I love to draw cute dogs and have drawn over 200 daily dog doodles as an art challenge from 2016 to 2017.
2. I practiced kendo–the modern Japanese martial art based on kenjutsu that uses shinai (bamboo swords) and bogu (protective armor)—for 6 years, and now practice archery for fun.
3. I worked on an archeology dig site in Italy and learned how to reconstruct Roman vases for a museum display.

Shannon C.F. Rogers is an award-winning multiracial American writer of Filipinx and European descent. She studied writing at the University of New Mexico and Antioch University Los Angeles while serving as an educator, after-school program director, and lost mitten finder at schools in Albuquerque, Chicago, and NYC. She lives in Brooklyn, NY. https://www.shannoncfrogers.com/

Awards

2024 Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature, NYPL’s Best Books for Teens 2023, A Junior Library Gold Standard Selection

3 Fun Facts

1. I have a red belt in Tae Kwon Do.
2. I’m a Saggitarius.
3. I love karaoke.

Michael Rex has been writing and illustrating children’s books since 1995. He is the creator of over 50 books, including the #1 Bestseller, and Halloween favorite “Goodnight Goon,” and its follow up “We’re Going on a Goon Hunt.” His picture books include “Eat Pete” and the popular “Facts vs. Opinions vs. Robots.” His current graphic novel series “Your Pal Fred” is about the nicest boy in the apocalypse, and in 2017 his Fangbone graphic novels were turned into an animated TV show. He loves traveling the country to visit schools and talk about his work with students of all ages, has a Master’s degree in Arts Education, and also taught high school art for three years in the Bronx. He lives with his wife, two sons and a dog in Leonia, NJ.  https://www.instagram.com/fangbone_rex/?hl=en

Awards

Facts vs. Opinions vs. Robots was on 12 state reading lists.

3 Fun Facts

1. I like to stay up very, very late.
2. I can draw really, really fast.
3. I like to wear hats.

Anna Raff is an award-winning illustrator of many books for children including PARTY ANIMALS, IF I WERE A KANGAROO, YOU MAKE ME SNEEZE! Her book THE DAY THE UNIVERSE EXPLODED MY HEAD was a Kirkus Best Book of the Year and New York Public Library Best Book. Anna is on the faculty of the School of Visual Arts in the MFA Illustration as Visual Essay Program and Illustration Summer Residency. She lives in New York City, where there are reportedly five rats per human resident.
 www.annaraff.com

Awards

Kirkus Best Book of the Year; NY Public Library Best Book; Starred Reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist; Society of Illustrators: Original Art

3 Fun Facts

1. I can juggle.
2. Orange is my favorite color.
3. I’m allergic to cats and dogs, but I LOVE them!