Authors & Illustrators

From breaking gender barriers to being the forerunner in children's books illustrating, the subjects in the following titles selected by the editors at Junior Library Guild were ordinary people who did extraordinary things.

With a rattle and a roll, award-winning author and artist Brian Floca takes readers on a ride across the country on the Transcontinental Railroad in 'Locomotive,' a September publication from Simon & Schuster.

Later this month, cartoonists Jeff Kinney, Dav Pilkey, Lincoln Peirce, and Stephan Pastis will present “Drawn Together: Cartoonists Benefit Moore, Oklahoma School Libraries,” two fundraising events for the city of Moore, OK, in which the kid lit stars will discuss their inspiration and creative processes and answer questions from the audience.

Kadir Nelson’s evocative biography of Nelson Mandela receives stellar treatment in this exceptional DVD presentation from Weston Woods. Forest Whitaker’s rich voice reads the story with background music and crowd sound effects that draw viewers in. Be sure to read the starred review.

Children’s book classics such as Green Eggs and Ham and The Cat and the Hat will be available in ebook format for the first time beginning on September 24. Fifteen of author/illustrator Dr. Seuss's (aka Theodor Geisel) beloved titles will make their digital debut on that date, keeping the original layouts and iconic illustrations from their print editions, says publisher Random House Children’s. By November 2013, a total of 41 ebooks will be available for children, parents, and educators.

New baby sisters, substitute teachers, and friends (even if it’s a bowling ball) are frequent themes in short novels for young readers. Favorite authors such as Karen English and Andrea Cheng deliver new titles in popular series, while Neil Gaiman and Mal Peet (who usually write for older readers) provide humor and thought-provoking storytelling for kids who are getting comfortable reading on their own. The following titles selected by the editors of Junior Library Guild are just the ticket.

Gina Damico wraps up her Croak series in "cracktastic" style with the fall release of ​Rogue. If you loved ​Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, it's a good bet you'll be smitten with ​Fangirl, "written by a writer writing about a writer writing." The question posed in ​After Eden​, from Helen Douglas, circles around when it is or isn't right to keep a secret, especially when a loyal friend and a whole planet depend on it.

They say that there are more children’s book authors and illustrators in Brooklyn than any other city in the nation.  How appropriate then that they should be the ones behind the inaugural Atlantic Avenue Children’s Literature Contest.  The rules are simple: If you have never written a published children’s book then you are eligible.  You [...]

In time for the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, John Lewis—former chairman of SNCC and now Congressman—collaborated with his comics-obsessed staffer Andrew Aydin and veteran graphic novelist Nate Powell on a powerful new graphic novel memoir, March.