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Reidy, Jean

Reidy, Jean

When Jean Reidy was a kid, she was a reader, a writer, a poet and a dreamer. She’s happy to still be that kid at heart. Her bestselling and award-winning picture books have earned their spots as favorites among readers and listeners of all ages and from all over the world. Truman, also illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins, was a Parents’ Choice Gold Award winner, a Charlotte Zolotow Honor winner, a Colorado Book Award winner and was recognized on “Best of” lists by School Library Journal, the New York Times, NPR and Amazon. Visit Jean at https://jeanreidy.com/.

3 Fun Facts

1. I’ve never had a pet spider, but I have resided with an assortment of not-so-well-behaved turtles, parakeets, lizards, goldfish, hamsters and even one feisty, fire-bellied toad.
2. My favorite food is crunchy peanut butter … right off the spoon.
3. I’m a fan of football, train trips and tall, tall mountains.

Rissi, Anica Mrose

Anica Mrose Rissi is the award-winning author of more than a dozen books for kids and teens, including picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and YA. Her essays have been published by The Writer and the New York Times, and she plays fiddle in and writes lyrics for the band Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves. Anica grew up in Maine and spent many years in New York City, where she worked as an executive editor in children’s book publishing. She currently lives in central New Jersey with her very good dog, Sweet Potato. Learn more at anicarissi.com.

Awards

Honors include the Maine Literary Award, the Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers, Horn Book Fanfare Best Books of the Year, Texas Library Association’s Tayshas Reading List and 2×2 Reading List, multiple foreign translations and starred reviews, and Junior Library Guild Selection.

3 Fun Facts

1. Loves writing scary stories, but gets easily spooked
2. Plays the violin in an electro-country band called Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves
3. Lives with a very good dog named Sweet Potato

Roehrig, Artemis

Artemis Roehrig is the author (with co-author Corinne Demas) of three nonfiction picture books with Cornell Lab/Persnickety Press: Do Doodlebugs Doodle? Amazing Insect Facts, Does A Fiddler Crab Fiddle?, Do Jellyfish Like Peanut Butter? Amazing Sea Creature Facts and two rhyming picture books with Scholastic: Are Pirates Polite? and The Grumpy Pirate (out in June). Artemis is also the author for Storey Publishing’s Tattoos That Teach series. When she isn’t busy with her two kids or finishing her YA manuscript, she works with invasive insects for the Department of Environmental Conservation at UMass Amherst. www.artemisroehrig.com

California Reading Association Silver Eureka Award for Do Doodlebugs Doodle? Amazing Insect Facts

3 Fun Facts

1. I have four pet tarantulas.
2. I have been playing the violin since I was four and a half.
3. I didn’t go on an airplane until I was 18.

Roy, Jennifer

Jennifer Roy is the best-selling, multiple award-winning author of YELLOW STAR. Her books MINDBLIND, JARS OF HOPE and PLAYING ATARI WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN also won numerous awards. Roy also co-authored the TRADING FACES series with her twin sister Julia DeVillers. Jennifer‘s latest books are for American Girl, where she and her twin wrote the books for the first historical twin dolls – NICKI and ISABEL! Roy’s books, NICKI’S JOURNAL and MEET ISABEL AND NICKI, were published in February and August 2023, along with the dolls and merchandise they helped envision. Roy lives in Saratoga Springs, New York with her family.

Awards

YELLOW STAR – Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award, New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, National Jewish Book Awards Finalist, School Library Journal Best Book, Sydney Taylor Book Awards Honor Book, ALA Notable Children’s Book, William Allen White Award (Kansas State), Lamplighter Award AudioFiles “Headphones Award” (Recorded Books), and received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and School Library Journal. MINDBLIND received a starred review from Booklist and was a ALA/YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults. It was also on numerous state book lists. JARS OF HOPE – Magnolia Book Award. PLAYING ATARI WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN – Sunshine State Young Readers Award Books 2019-2020 List for Grades 6-8 and Bank Street Books Best Children’s Books of the Year.

3 Fun Facts

1. I’m a twin author!
2. I have a rescue pug named Bridget!
3. I love to paint!

Reynolds, Jason

Reynolds, Jason

New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds is the author of the critically acclaimed When I Was the Greatest. He is a National Book Award Finalist, a Kirkus Prize winner, a Walter Dean Myers Award winner, an NAACP Image Award Winner, and the recipient of multiple Coretta Scott King honors. His work includes the recently published Long Way Down and Miles Morales: Spider Man , as well as, The Boy in the Black Suit, All American Boys (cowritten with Brendan Kiely), As Brave As You , the first two books in the Track series, Ghost and Patina . He is on faculty at Lesley University, for the Writing for Young People MFA Program. www.jasonwritesbooks.com

3 Fun Facts

1. I know how to crochet…REALLY well.
2. I have thirteen tattoos.
3. My last haircut was 14 years ago.

Rogers, Jacqueline

Rogers, Jacqueline

Some of my notable published work is the Beverly Cleary’s backlist, including the wonderful Ramona series in 2013-14. I loved working with Laura Bush and Jenna Bush Hager on the picture book, “Our Great Big Backyard” in 2016, a NY Times #1 Bestseller. Recently, I illustrated two picture books for Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman. The first, “Little Ree” also a bestseller, and then “Little Ree, Best Friends Forever” came out in 2018. 2019 welcomed “Goblin Moon” published by Harper Collins. An original halloween poem I wrote and illustrated. While I still love to illustrate other authors’ manuscripts, I have found that my love for developing characters has led me to writing and illustrating my own picture books and now graphic novels. Writing for an older age group is very exciting, and I am working in photoshop and procreate to build a digital style to go with these stories. www.jacquelinerogers.com

Our Great Big Backyard written by Laura Bush and Jenna Bush Hager was a #1 New York Times bestseller in 2016.
Little Ree written by The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond reached #4 on the NY Times bestselling list in 2017.

3 Fun Facts

1. I love to make all kinds of art, including pottery, sculpture,and mosaics, as well as painting and drawing.
2. Monsters are my favorite things to draw.
3. Ramona and Beezus are exactly like my daughters.

Ransome, James E.

Ransome, James E.

James E. Ransome has been honored with the 2023 Children’s Literature Legacy Award by the American Library Association in recognition of his exceptional contributions to Children’s Literature. With a career spanning over 33 years, James has illustrated more than 70 books. His passion for drawing begins in Rich Square, NC, and as a teenager, he moved to Bergenfield, NJ, before pursuing a BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York.

Ransome’s remarkable talent has garnered him numerous accolades, including the prestigious Coretta Scott King Awards, ALA Notables, a Jane Addams Award, and NAACP Image awards. He resides in New York. jamesransome.com

Awards

5 Starred Reviews and 2025 Golden Kite Non Fiction Finalist

3 Fun Facts

1. I’m a big Football fan, team is the Miami Dolphins.
2. I love playing Chess
3. And watching movies.

Raschka, Chris

Raschka, Chris

Chris Raschka has made more than sixty books for children, including Yo! Yes?, Five for a Little One, and A Ball for Daisy. His work has earned one Caldecott Honor and two Caldecott Awards, the Ezra Jack Keats Award and has been selected five times for the New York Times Best Illustrated Books List. He lives in New York City.

3 Fun Facts

1. Wednesday is oatmeal day at our house.
2. The names of my last four cats have all begun with the letter A.
3. I once gave private art instruction

Rotner, Shelley

SHELLEY ROTNER is an award-winning author and photo-illustrator of over sixty children’s books. Her books are about inclusivity that help children navigate their world. LOVE IS A BIG FEELING, FAMILIES, SHADES OF PEOPLE, NATURE SPY GUIDE are recent titles. TRUE YOU-A GENDER JOURNEY and FINDING HOME-WORDS FROM KIDS SEEKING SANCTUARY were recent recipients of the Junior Literary Guild gold award.

Ms Rotner is also a noted free-lance photojournalist, whose work has appeared in Time Magazine, National Geographic’s World Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, Food and Wine Magazine and GoNomad.

She has traveled extensively for UNICEF documenting programs about children and education. www.shelleyrotner.com

Awards

Junior Literary Guild Gold Award for FINDING HOME-Words From Kids Seeking Sanctuary and for TRUE YOU- A Gender Journey.

3 Fun Facts

1. I stand on my head everyday.
2. I eat ice cream every day.
3. I read every day