Zhao, Kyla

Zhao, Kyla

Kyla Zhao writes novels starring women and girls of color who challenge gender stereotypes, including May the Best Player Win, Valley Verified, and The Fraud Squad. She and her books have been featured by media outlets such as CBS, NBC, ABC, Good Morning America, Vogue, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Buzzfeed, South China Morning Post, etc. Kyla has also been selected as a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, a Tatler Leader of Tomorrow, and awarded a Certificate of Recognition by the California State Assembly. She now works at a tech company in Silicon Valley after graduating from Stanford University in 2021. https://www.kylazhao.com

Awards

American Library Association (ALA) Feminist Book Project 2025 selection; Forbes 30 Under 30; Tatler Leader of Tomorrow; Certificate of Recognition by California State Assembly.

3 Fun Facts

1. I draft in font size 7.
2. I am a chocolate fiend but cannot stand plain chocolate (best combo: with peanut butter).
3. I love snapping photos of quirky custom license plates.

Zunon, Elizabeth

Zunon, Elizabeth

Elizabeth Zunon was born in Albany, New York, and spent her childhood in Côte d’Ivoire, West
Africa. As a little girl, she loved to draw, paint, make up dances, and play dress-up. As she grew up,
she didn’t really change! Elizabeth now lives in Albany with her husband and young son, where she
explores a multicultural world through painting, collage, silk-screening, embroidery, and more. Her
work is largely influenced by the people, places and things from her childhood in Côte d’Ivoire as
the product of two cultures. www.Lizzunon.com

Awards

Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, Children’s Africana Book Award, New York Times List of 52 Great Books for Toddlers, Bank Street College of Education Best Books of the Year.

3 Fun Facts

1. I speak French.
2. I love to bake.
3. I cannot paint without music!

The Hudson Children’s Book Festival is a 501c3 charity.

Hudson Children’s Book Festival, Inc., established in 2009 in the historic City of Hudson, NY, strives to create, nurture and sustain a culture of literacy in partnership with our community and schools in Hudson and the surrounding areas. The mission is to foster a love of reading by connecting children with world-class authors and illustrators at the annual free festival and special school and community events. Since 2024, Hudson Children’s Book Festival is a 501(c)3 charity. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

 

This free, public event fosters a love of reading as families meet and greet world-class creators of books for children of all ages

Copyright 2026 Hudson Children's Book Festival

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