KEYNOTES

JaNay Brown-Wood, PhD, is an award-winning children’s author, poet, educator, scholar, and a former professor of Early Childhood Education and Child Development. She is the author of Imani’s Moon, which won the NAESP Children’s Book of the Year Award, and Grandma’s Tiny House. She currently lives in Sacramento, CA. Visit janaybrownwood.com.

Nikki Grimes is a New York Times bestselling author and recipient of the Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement, the ALAN Award for significant contributions to young adult literature, the Children’s Literature Legacy Award, and the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. She is the author of Coretta Scott King Award winner Bronx Masquerade and the recipient of five Coretta Scott King Author Honors.

Jason Reynolds is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, recipient of the MacArthur Genius Grant, a Newbery Award Honoree, a Printz Award Honoree, a two-time National Book Award finalist, a 2024 MacArthur Fellow, a Kirkus Award winner, a UK Carnegie Medal winner, a two-time Walter Dean Myers Award winner, an NAACP Image Award Winner, an Odyssey Award Winner and two-time honoree, and the recipient of multiple Coretta Scott King honors, a Coretta Scott King Author Award, and the Margaret A. Edwards Award.

Stacy Wells is a member of the Choctaw Nation, a children’s librarian, and an author. She is passionate about meeting kids where they are and drawn to tell stories that center community and family, with an emphasis on self-discovery and the power of finding your voice. When not reading or writing (or recommending books), she lives life to the fullest in Texas with her family, which includes a red dog named Blu and two very adorable but very mischievous ferrets. Visit her at stacywellswrites.com.

SPEAKERS

Nathalie Alonso is a Cuban American bilingual writer and journalist based in New York City. A seasoned baseball reporter, her writing has appeared in National Geographic, Outside, and Refinery29, among other outlets. She is currently a reporter and producer at MLB.com’s Spanish-language sister site, LasMayores.com. Visit nathaliealonso.com.

Kelly Andrew lost her hearing when she was four years old. She's been telling stories ever since. Kelly lives in New England with her husband, two daughters, and a persnickety Boston Terrier.

Rebecca E. F. Barone is an engineer and author. She has worked on technical projects as diverse as injury analysis for the NFL and engine calibration for hybrid cars. Realizing her love of books in addition to numbers, she now describes the world with words rather than equations. Her first three books, Race to the Bottom of the Earth: Surviving Antarctica, Unbreakable: The Spies Who Cracked the Nazis’ Secret Code, and Mountain of Fire: The Eruption and Survivors of Mount St. Helens together received twelve starred reviews and were featured on numerous “best of year” lists. She lives in Ohio with her family.

Derrick Barnes is the creator of the New York Times bestselling companion picture books The King of Kindergarten and The Queen of Kindergarten. His graphic novel Victory. Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice was a National Book Award finalist and won many other awards. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed, multi-award-winning picture book Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, which received a Newbery Honor, a Coretta Scott King Author Honor, the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award, and the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers. Derrick currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his enchanting wife, Dr. Tinka Barnes, and their four sons, the Mighty Barnes Brothers. You can visit him online at derrickdbarnes.com.

V.T. Bidania was born in Laos and grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has an MFA in creative writing from The New School and is a McKnight Artist Fellow. She is the author of the ASTRID AND APOLLO series, the first children's book series to star Hmong American characters, and A YEAR WITHOUT A HOME, a fictionalized memoir in verse about her family's escape from Laos at the end of the Vietnam War.

Veeda Bybee is an author of fiction and nonfiction. She holds an MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts and has written several books for young readers. Veeda lives with her family in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she reads, writes, and bakes.

Georgina Chadderton (she/they) is an Australian cartoonist. Her work has been featured in outlets including The Nib and Voiceworks Magazine. They are a cofounder of Papercuts Comics Festival, an independent annual celebration of graphic novels held in Adelaide. When they're not drawing, Georgina enjoys eating pizza and playing roller derby.

Soman Chainani is the author of The School for Good and Evil series, which has sold over 4.5 million copies, been translated into 35 languages across six continents, and has been adapted into a major motion picture from Netflix that debuted at #1 in over 80 countries. His book of retold fairytales, Beasts & Beauty, also debuted on the New York Times Bestseller List and is slated to be a limited television series from Sony 3000. EverNever World, his decade-long franchise of fairy tales and fantasy, continues to expand. Together, these books have been on the New York Times Bestseller List for 50 weeks. In 2026, Soman unveils a brand-new universe with YOUNG WORLD, a global political thriller and his debut YA novel. In his career, Soman has visited more than 800 schools around the world, where he continues to share his secret with students of all ages: that reading is the path to a better life.

Veronica Chambers is the editor for Narrative Projects at The New York Times. She is a prolific author, best known for the New York Times bestseller Finish the Fight!, as well as the critically acclaimed memoir Mama's Girl and picture book biographies Shirley Chisholm Is a Verb and Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa. Born in Panama and raised in Brooklyn, she writes often about her Afro-Latina heritage. She speaks, reads, and writes Spanish, but she is truly fluent in Spanglish.

Tami Charles is a New York Times bestselling author of many books for children and young adults, including the acclaimed titles All Because You Matter, We Are Here, and Like Vanessa. Before becoming an author, Tami was an educator for fourteen years and now visits schools across the country and abroad, sharing stories that affirm and inspire.

Ernesto Cisneros was born and raised in Santa Ana, California, where he still teaches. He is the author of Efrén Divided, which won the Pura Belpré Children’s Author Award, and Falling Short. He holds an English degree from the University of California, Irvine; a teaching credential from California State University, Long Beach; as well as a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from National University. As an author, he believes in providing today’s youth with an honest depiction of characters with whom they can identify. The real world is filled with amazing people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives. His work strives to reflect that. You can visit him online at ernestocisneros.com.

Sarah Dass was born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago. A graduate of the University of the West Indies and University College London, she works as an Office Administrator by day and writes stories about growing up in the Caribbean by night. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing, or taking walks with her dachshund. The only thing she loves more than a lazy day at home is exploring new countries. Find her online at SarahDass.com and on Instagram @SarahDassWrites.

Hà Dinh was born in Vietnam and immigrated to the United States with her family when she was 5 years old. She graduated from the University of Louisville with a bachelor’s degree in English and Humanities and a Master’s of Art in Teaching in Early Elementary Education. She is married to her high school sweetheart, is a mother of two, the founder of Happy Days in First Grade teaching blog, and a former elementary teacher of 16 years. Hà seeks to inspire kids to share their own stories and make a positive impact in the world.

Marti Dumas is a mom, teacher, and writer from New Orleans. Her stories combine science, humor, family, and magic.

Ryan Estrada (he/him) is the Eisner-nominated co-creator of Banned Book Club, No Rules Tonight, Occulted, Learn to Read Korean in 15 Minutes, and the Student Ambassador series. The best thing he's ever done is marry (co-author) Hyun Sook.

Jerry Faivish has collected Jewish posters since young adulthood, building one of the world's largest private collections. A retired lawyer from Toronto, he is passionate about Judaism, family, history, and confronting antisemitism. The son of Holocaust survivors, he hopes his book will educate young people about the dangers of hatred.

Sharon G. Flake is the author of The Skin I’m In, which has sold over a million copies worldwide and has been translated into numerous languages. Since its publication, Flake has authored over a dozen books, winning multiple Coretta Scott King Honor Awards; ALA Notable and Top Ten Recommended Books citations, and an NAACP Image Award Nomination, among many accolades. She has been writing books from her home (and Panera’s) for over twenty years, including Once in a Blue Moon.

Candace Fleming is the prolific and versatile award-winning author of many books for children and young adults. School Library Journal praised her most recent title, Murder Among Friends, which received four starred reviews, as a "chilling page-turner." Her previous book The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh received six starred reviews, was a Kirkus, PW, Booklist, and SLJ Best Book of the Year, and was hailed by the Wall Street Journal as a “fascinating chronicle.” Candace’s The Family Romanov also received six starred reviews, won the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Nonfiction and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and was recognized as a Sibert Nonfiction Honor Book. Her many acclaimed picture books include Giant Squid, a Sibert Honor Book. Visit her on the web at candacefleming.com.

Author of the New York Times bestselling The Green Kingdom and beloved Inkheart series, Cornelia Funke has been published in 53 languages and her books have sold well over 22 million copies worldwide. Cornelia lives with her two dogs in Tuscany, Italy, where she regularly hosts artists from around the world. Her old olive farm provides a retreat for creatives to be inspired and to collaborate in ever surprising and amazing ways.

Primo Gallanosa is a full-time husband, dad, and author-illustrator. He grew up watching a lot of cartoons, which eventually led him to attending California Institute of the Arts to study animation. He ended up becoming a terrible animator, but he loved the art of story and some even said he was kind of okay at it. Now he makes picture books and middle grade graphic novels. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and son.

SAVANNA GANUCHEAU a comic artist from New Orleans. She coauthored her first graphic novel, Bloom, with Kevin Panetta in 2019. Bloom received a distinction from the Junior Library Guild, a GLAAD Award nomination, and Amazon’s pick for Best Graphic Novel of 2019. In 2021, she adapted the novel Turtle in Paradise into the graphic novel format. Ganucheau has been creating comics since she was in third grade, and self-published her work in local comic book shops throughout high school. She has also contributed to comic series such as Adventure Time, Lumberjanes, Jem and the Holograms, and The Backstagers.

Elyssa Gavin teaches English for Speakers of Other Languages at the middle school level. She previously taught kindergarten and first-grade special education classes, providing her with great insight into her audience. This is her debut picture book. She lives with her family in Olathe, KS.

Dan Gemeinhart is the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of the middle-grade novels The Midnight Children, The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise, The Honest Truth, Some Kind of Courage, Scar Island, and Good Dog, as well as the picture books Once Upon a Friend and The Gingerbread Monster. A former elementary teacher-librarian and lifelong reader, he lives with his wife and three daughters in a small town in Washington state.

Alex Gino loves glitter, ice cream, gardening, awe-ful puns, and stories that reflect the diversity and complexity of being alive. Their first novel, Melissa, was a winner of the Children’s Stonewall Award, the Lambda Literary Award, and the Children’s Choice Book Award. For more about Alex, please visit them at alexgino.com.

Christopher Greenslate is an award-winning writer and filmmaker whose work has been featured at film festivals worldwide and been highlighted by The New York Times, TIME Magazine, and National Public Radio.

McCall Hoyle is an award-winning author and teacher librarian. She writes heartfelt books for kids of all ages and believes one of the best ways to spread hope is by writing about the special bond between dogs and their humans. When McCall isn’t writing or teaching, you can find her training one of her four-legged friends for agility, obedience, or dock diving in the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains she calls home.

Emiko Jean is a New York Times bestselling author of young adult and adult fiction. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages. She lives in Washington with her family.

Kathy Kacer’s many books have won numerous awards, including the Silver Birch and the Jewish Book Award. A former psychologist, Kathy travels the globe speaking to children and adults about the importance of keeping the memory of the Holocaust alive. Kathy lives in Toronto with her family.

Michelle Kadarusman is a Canadian-based children’s author, who spends part of the year in Australia. She is twice-nominated for a Governor General’s Literary Award and her work has been translated into Spanish, German, Japanese and Turkish. Her middle-grade novels have earned many nominations and honors, including the Freeman Book Awards, TD Award for Children’s Literature, Green Earth Books Awards, USBBY Outstanding International Books and Malka Penn Award for Human Rights in Children’s Literature.

Adib Khorram is a queer Iranian-American author. His critically acclaimed novels include DARIUS THE GREAT IS NOT OKAY, DARIUS THE GREAT DESERVES BETTER, KISS & TELL, and THE BREAK UP LISTS. When he's not writing, he enjoys yoga, figure skating, electric guitar, food, wine, tea, board games, and explaining to people why Kansas City has the best barbecue. You can find him on online at adibkhorram.com.

Jane Kurtz was born in Portland, Oregon, but spent most of her childhood in Ethiopia. Jane speaks about being an author at schools and conferences and helped start Ethiopia Reads (EthiopiaReads.org), a nonprofit that has opened the first libraries for children in Ethiopia. She is the author of many books for children, including The Bone Wars, illustrated by Alexander Vidal; What Do They Do with All that Poo?, illustrated by Allison Black; Do Kangaroos Wear Seat Belts?, illustrated by Jane Manning; Anna Was Here; Clara the Triumphant Rhinoceros, illustrated by Claire Messer; and the American Girl book Lanie.

Ryan La Sala is a bestselling and award-winning author known for his genre-defying, queer-centered horror and fantasy, including The Honeys and Beholder. His work has been featured in The New York Times, NPR, Entertainment Weekly, and more. He writes to you from New York, overseen by his cat, Haunted Little Girl. He can hold his breath for one minute and three seconds. You can ping him on his shell phone at ryanlasala.com.

Julie Leung is an award-winning author of numerous children’s books. Her picture book, The Truth About Dragons, was a 2024 Caldecott Honor Book and winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. She is also the author of Paper Son, Mr. Pei's Perfect Shapes, and The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee, all of which received multiple starred reviews. By day, she works in book publishing.

Carole Lindstrom is the author of the New York Times bestselling and Caldecott Award-winning We Are Water Protectors, The Gift of the Great Buffalo, and Red River Rose. She is Anishinaabe/Métis and is a proud member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe Indians. She was born and raised in Nebraska and currently makes her home in Maryland.

E. Lockhart is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the LIARS novels: We Were Liars, Family of Liars, and We Fell Apart. We Were Liars is also an original series on Prime Video. Her other books include Again Again, Genuine Fraud, and The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. She has been a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the National Book Award and an honoree for the Printz Award. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Mariama J. Lockington is an adoptee, author, and educator. She has been telling stories and making her own books since the second grade, when she wore shortalls and flower leggings every day to school. Mariama’s middle grade debut, For Black Girls Like Me, earned five starred reviews and was a Today Show Best Kids’ Book of the Year. Her sophomore middle grade novel, In the Key of Us, is a Stonewall Honor Book and was featured in the New York Times. Her young adult debut, Forever Is Now, won the Schneider Family Book Award. Mariama calls many places home but currently lives in Kentucky with her wife, her sausage dog Walter, and an abundance of plants.

Torrey Maldonado is the author of many award-winning, popular middle grade novels, including Hands, What Lane?, and Tight. Just Right is his picture book debut. He is a teacher in Brooklyn, New York, where he was born and raised. His books reflect his students’ and his experiences.

Dinara Mirtalipova is an award-winning folk illustrator and designer who was born and raised in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. She is the illustrator of Woven of the World—which received a BolognaRagazzi Special Mention for Nonfiction, a BIBF Ananas Grand Prix, and a Society of Illustrators Book Silver Medal—among many other books. She works and lives in northeast Ohio. Learn more about Dinara at mirdinara.com or on Instagram @mirdinara.

Daniel Miyares is the critically acclaimed author-illustrator of NIGHT OUT, which was called a “pleasure” by Publishers Weekly in a starred review, and FLOAT, which the Boston Globe called a “perfect wordless picture book.” He is also the illustrator of NIGHT WALK TO THE SEA, written by Deborah Wiles, described as “majestic” by Bulletin Center for Children’s Books, and THAT IS MY DREAM! a picture book version of Langston Hughes’ “Dream Variation,” hailed as “a must-read” by Kirkus in a starred review. He lives in Kansas with his family.

Rich Moyer is a syndicated cartoonist, award-winning animator, and the author-illustrator of the Ham Helsing graphic novel series. A natural when it comes to uproarious storytelling and high-energy art, Rich has made the children’s graphic novel space his newest endeavor. He currently lives with his wife and daughters. He invites you to visit him online at richmoyer.com.

Laura Taylor Namey is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of young adult fiction including Reese’s Book Club pick A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, A British Girl’s Guide to Hurricanes and Heartbreak, and If We Never End. A proud Cuban American, she can be found hunting for vintage treasures and wishing she was in London or Paris. She lives in San Diego with her husband and two children. Visit her at LauraTaylorNamey.com.

Colleen Nelson is a teacher and award-winning author of over twenty books for young people. When she’s not writing, you can find her walking her dog, Rosie, exploring new places, or enjoying a strong cup of coffee and a good book…maybe at the library. Colleen has lived in New York City and Japan, but currently calls Winnipeg, Canada home.  

S. D. Nelson is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in the Dakotas and the author and illustrator of inspiring children’s books that celebrate Lakota and Indigenous cultures. Awards include an American Indian Library Association Honor Book, an ALA Robert F. Sibert Honor, and two Spur Awards from Western Writers of America. His original paintings are held in many national collections, including the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, South Dakota State Historical Society, the Crazy Horse Memorial and State Historical Society of North Dakota. He lives in Cottonwood, Arizona.   

R.J. Owens is an author who’s been engaged as a community storyteller with the Oakland Tribune, a retail advertising copywriter, and an attorney editor for a legal treatise. Walk the Walk is inspired by his interest in the civil rights movement and in portraying the resiliency and courage of children in trying situations. R.J. is a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a longtime resident of Oakland, California.

Mitali Perkins has written many books for young readers, including You Bring the Distant Near (nominated for a National Book Award), Bamboo People, Tiger Boy, and Rickshaw Girl (adapted into a film), all of which explore crossing different kinds of borders. Her goal is to make readers laugh or cry, preferably both, as long as their hearts are widening.

Jennie Poh was born in London, England, and spent her formative years in Malaysia, returning to the UK at the age of nine. Having been inspired by the Rainforest of Borneo and the Norfolk countryside, Jennie feels a deep connection with nature and conservation, which influences her work. Jennie now lives in Surrey with her two daughters and Pru, her marmalade cat.

Eric Darnell Pritchard is an educator, scholar, writer and the endowed Brown Chair in English Literacy and Associate Professor of English at the University of Arkansas. They are also the founding Director of the Community Literacies Collaboratory, which supports literacy partnerships for children, adolescents, and adults in Arkansas and nationally. A lifelong lover of picture books and biographies, Clothes to Make You Smile is Eric’s debut book for young readers.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author and Emmy Award Winner Joshua Pruett is the only human being on Earth to have written for both MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 and DOCTOR WHO.
 
Currently working on the widely anticipated return of Disney’s PHINEAS AND FERB, Joshua is perhaps best known for his work as a TV Writer on MILO MURPHY'S LAW, the original feature for Disney Plus, PHINEAS AND FERB THE MOVIE: CANDACE AGAINST THE UNIVERSE and THE LAST KIDS ON EARTH, the Emmy-Award Winning Netflix animated series.

Sophia Robinson is a mom, elementary teacher and first-time children’s book author with a special place in her heart (and bookshelves) for picture books. Sophia’s debut picture book, Beautiful Black Boy (illustrated by Ken Daley), is set to be released in April 2026. Her second picture book will be published in the fall of 2026. When she is not teaching or writing, Sophia can be found in Ontario, Canada with her son, having adventures and planning their next vacation. Follow her on Instagram, @sophiarobinson_author

Delia Ruiz is a Latine teacher-turned author from San Antonio, Texas. Her books include the ¡1, 2, 3 Baila! bilingual board book series and Roqui’s Pandero Beat, winner of the International Latino Book Award. Delia hopes to inspire the next generation of writers who also come from immigrant households. She lives in Puerto Rico.

Ahmad Saber is a young adult author who grew up on an all-girls college campus next to a massive fort in Pakistan. He now lives in British Columbia Canada, and loves Broadway (favorite show = Phantom), travel (favorite place = Paris), and Taylor Swift (favorite track = August.) He's also a self-professed Chocolate Chip Cookie Connoisseur and has crowned New York's Culture Espresso as the best in the world. Ramin Abbas has MAJOR Questions is his debut novel and is based in part on his own lived experience, exploring the inherent challenges of being queer and Muslim, and the struggle to reconcile faith with sexuality.

Ahmad is also a medical doctor specializing in rheumatology by day but his passion truly burns at night when he sits down to tell stories with heart. Follow him around @itsahmadsaber, or visit his website at SaberBooks.ca

Dan Santat is a children's book writer, a commercial illustrator, and the creator of Disney's animated hit, The Replacements. He lives in California with his wife, two kids, a rabbit, a bird, and a cat.

Sonia De Los Santos has been singing in Spanish and English since 2007 and has been nominated for a Latin Grammy Award.  Sonia's most recent work includes writing three illustrated bilingual children’s books based on her songs that will be published by Norton Young Readers, the children’s imprint of W. W. Norton & Company.  The first book, La Golondrina, will be released in February 2026.  https://www.soniadelossantos.com/

VICTORIA SETIAN started her career in Gotham City, specifically the third floor of DC Comics in the heart of New York City. Her writing chops eventually landed her a role on the DC interactive team, and since then she’s continued her crossover work with credits including the Batman: Arkham series, Mortal Kombat X, and Just Cause 4. She’s a game developer conference speaker and NYU Game Center Incubator advisor, and she helped pilot the Girl Scouts Game Design patch with Women in Games International. When she’s not tinkering on her next project, she’s hanging with her family or practicing Armenian folk dance.

Jamie Smart was named Illustrator of the Year at the British Book Awards 2024, Best Laugh Out Loud Illustrator of the Year at the Lollies Awards 2024, and won Illustrated Children's Book of the Year for Bunny vs Monkey: Multiverse Mix-Up. He studied art in college, but it was just an excuse to practice drawing animals with googly-eyes. Jamie has illustrated comics for The Sunday Times, and is the creator of the Max and Chaffy comic series for young readers.

Matthew Dow Smith is a writer and comic book artist whose work has appeared in Mike Mignola’s Hellboy, DC’s Starman, and many others.

He was the writer of the X-Files: Origins comic book series, the third volume of the Dark Crystal: Creation Myths graphic novel series, and several Doctor Who comic book stories for IDW, the BBC, and BBC America.

He is the writer and artist of DC’s middle grade graphic novel Misfits of Magic, and creator-owned digital comics Amelia Shadows: Daughter of Darkness, Johnny Chaos, and Arch-Nemesis. He lives on the east coast of the US.

Laurel Snyder is the author of many children’s books, including Endlessly Ever After, Orphan Island, and Charlie & Mouse, which won the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award. She lives with her family in Atlanta, GA.

Heidi EY Stemple, author of WREN’S NEST, has written more about birds than bugs. But she is fascinated by the biodiversity in the bug world. She, like Lydia, gets her passion for her job from her mom, author Jane Yolen. She has written and published almost 50 books and numerous short stories and poems, mostly for children. Heidi lives and writes on a big old farm in Massachusetts that she shares with one very large cat who lives inside, and a dozen deer, a family of bears, three coyotes, two bobcats, a gray fox, some very fat groundhogs and tons of birds and bugs who live outside. Once a year she calls owls for the Audubon Christmas Bird Count.

As the mother of one child with brain cancer and another with ADHD, Shannon Stocker is passionate about advocating for children with disabilities. She’s authored picture books such as the 2023 ALA Schneider Family Book Award winner Listen: How Evelyn Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion and Warrior: A Patient’s Courageous Quest, among others. Although Shannon completed medical school, her own disability (RSD/CRPS) prevented her from doing a residency—a plot twist for which she is now grateful. She believes that whether or not everything happens for a reason, we all feel broken sometimes … but it is also possible to become stronger at the seams. Shannon lives in Louisville, KY with her husband Greg, her children Cassidy and Tye, way too many critters, and a hidden stash of dark chocolate. Stronger at the Seams is her debut YA novel.

Phuong Truong grew up in Ottawa and dreamed of being a rock star, a lawyer, or an author. She happily achieved one of these goals with her picture book Everyone is Welcome and her Olive Tran chapter book series. She works in book publishing and lives with her family in Toronto, Ontario.

Ngozi Ukazu is a New York Times-bestselling author and the creator of Check, Please!, an online graphic novel whose printing campaign remains the most funded webcomics Kickstarter ever. She graduated from Yale University with a degree in Computing and The Arts, and later received a masters in sequential arts and comics. She enjoys trekking through nature, giving talks at colleges, and all things fandom. Since 2020, her cartoons have appeared in The New Yorker.

Tanaya Winder is an author, singer, motivational speaker, and teaching artist. She comes from an intertribal lineage of Southern Ute, Pyramid Lake Paiute, and Duckwater Shoshone Nations, where she is an enrolled citizen. Tanaya's performances and talks emphasize the importance of "heartwork" - everyone has a gift to help heal the world. She blends storytelling, singing, and spoken word in her teaching and healing-centered coaching. This is her first children's book.

Sujin Witherspoon is a Korean American author, artist, and lover of words she can’t pronounce. Her first novel, Bingsu for Two, was an Indie Bestseller in the Pacific Northwest. She earned her degree in English from the University of Washington and now spends her time writing, exploring Seattle, and going on very slow hikes. Find her online at sujinwitherspoon.com

Kobi Yamada is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of What Do You Do with an Idea?, Finding Muchness, Because I Had a Teacher, and many other bestselling, award-winning books. In addition to being the creator of inspiring books and products, he is also the president of Compendium. He lives with his family in the Pacific Northwest.

Katie Yamasaki works primarily as a muralist and picture book creator. She has painted more than eighty murals around the world, and her most recent books include Dad Bakes, Place Hand Here, and Mural Island. Her new picture book, Ripples, will be published by Norton Young Readers in April 2026.  She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family.  https://www.katieyamasaki.com/

MODERATORS

Alicia Abdul is a high school librarian in Albany, NY. She shares her reading (and dresses) on Instagram @ReadersBeAdvised and blogs at https://readersbeadvised.com/. She's served or chaired on several YALSA book committees, presents at local, state, and national conferences on books, programs, and graphic novels, and is an adjunct for two graduate programs primarily teaching young adult literature.

Denise Dávila is an assistant professor of children's literature and literacy education at the University of Texas at Austin who has served on multiple book award committees. Her research agenda focuses on families' engagement with children's books by/for/and about members of marginalized communities to support early literacy development.

Hilda Gonzalez has been the Librarian at Roycemore School in Evanston Illinois for the last six years. She got her start in Public Libraries and is really passionate about books for young readers. "Ms. Hilda" is loved by students young and old for her library skills and her ability to appreciate and validate every student who enters her door. Hilda is currently serving on the Blueberry Award Committee. The Evanston Public Library created the Blueberry Award in 2021 to fill a nationwide vacuum: no other children’s literature awards exclusively celebrate the best nature books that promote climate stewardship. 

Brandi Grant has 12 years experience as a school librarian and currently is a middle school librarian at Pearson Middle School in Frisco ISD. The mission statement that guides her professionally is to strive to educate, prepare, and inspire all students to achieve their highest potential with various resources, a contagious love of reading and a positive and fun environment. What she holds tight is to provide a safe, inclusive, and flexible learning environment where whoever enters through the doors feels that they are free to COLLABORATE, INNOVATE, and ESCAPE.

Karen Grenke is the Library Co-Director at The Town School (NYC) and the Resident Librarian at the Onteora Club. She is a second generation librarian, hailing from Canada by way of Taiwan. Her book-related projects have been published in SLJ and she’s twice been a panelist at Book Expo. Karen is a company member of Nerve Tank Media and a recipient of an Audio Verse Award for Best Storyteller. She is the current co-chair of the Education and Information Technology committee for the New York State Association of Independent Schools.

Mandi Harris (Cherokee Nation) is a children’s librarian and PhD student at the University of Washington Information School, where she uses Indigenous Systems of Knowledge to examine children’s literature, education, and the futures of libraries. She is an American Library Association Spectrum Doctoral Fellow. Mandi has a Master of Library and Information Science degree from the University of Washington and has a decade of experience working in youth services at public libraries.

Yesica Hurd is a Children's Librarian and writes reviews for Horn Book. She also served on the 2023 Newbery Committee.

Mary R. Lanni is a librarian and book reviewer based out of Denver, Colorado. She has been reviewing for SLJ since 2015, and she has a strong passion for supporting youth literacy. Her first book, Early Learning Through Play: Library Programming for Diverse Communities (Libraries Unlimited) was published in 2019, and her second book, Using Nursery Rhymes with Today's Kids: Their Legacy and Evolution (Bloomsbury/Libraries Unlimited) is set for publication in early 2026.  Find her at www.maryrlanni.com or on YouTube @MaryLanniReads

Louie Lauer is an elementary library media specialist for Fargo Public Schools, with 13 years of experience in this role. An avid reader, Louie is also a frequent presenter at regional and state conventions, a reviewer for SLJ, and has just finished his participation as a member of the 2024 Seuss Geisel Committee. When he doesn’t have his nose in a book, he can be found enjoying lake life in central MN, finding new regions of the globe to explore and spending time with his nine-year old dog, Truly.

Mina Leazer is a career educator. After 20 years of teaching French and ESL, she enrolled in the Teacher2Librarian program offered by New York City Public Schools. She has taught in Paris, Cairo, Amman, and East Brunswick, NJ. She has a BA in French from the University of Pennsylvania, an MA in TEFL from the American University in Cairo, and a MS in Library Science from Long Island University. She is a writer and loves the human story. She currently lives in Manhattan with her husband and their two cats, Alistair and Saoirse. 

Ashley Leffel is a librarian at the Plano Public Library. Before becoming a librarian, she taught music for many years. She loves reading all types of books and fangirling for her favorite authors. When not reading or reviewing, she enjoys Broadway musicals and can quote just about every episode of Bob’s Burgers.

Sabrina "Bina" Ponce is Children's Services Librarian at West Hollywood Library, part of LA County Library. She has provided library services to families as well as probation and at-promise youth for six years. When she's not reading middle grade or YA novels, you can find her watching horror movies, watering plants, or eating ramen at one of Los Angeles' many restaurants. 

Clair Quaintance has been working with tweens and teens in school libraries since 2010 and loving every minute of it.

As digital media coordinator, Justin Shannin oversees teen makerspace technology (including recording studios, sewing stations, and 3D printers) across Chicago Public Library's 81 branches. He has also served multiple terms on the library's "Best of the Best" committee, helping to select and publicize the library's annual top 50 list of new teen books. Before becoming a librarian, Justin worked in theatre and education. He has a B.A. in theatre from Northwestern University and an MLIS degree from UNC Greensboro.

Allison Tran is a Library Services Manager for the City of Irvine in California. She's dedicated to fostering self-expression, curiosity, and empathy in the community through art and literature. Before earning her Masters of Library and Information Science from San Jose State University in 2006, Allison taught English in Japan.