Meet the authors and illustrators!
Beth Anderson
Beth Anderson, a former English as a Second Language teacher, has always marveled at the power of books. With linguistics and reading degrees, a fascination with language, and penchant for untold tales, she strives for accidental learning in the midst of a great story. Beth lives in Loveland, Colorado where she laughs, wonders, thinks, and questions; and hopes to inspire kids to do the same. Please visit Beth’s website for free Educator Guides and to learn more about her and her books. To connect with Beth and learn more about her books, visit her at bethandersonwriter.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.
Beth Anderson, a former English as a Second Language teacher, has always marveled at the power of books. With linguistics and reading degrees, a fascination with language, and penchant for untold tales, she strives for accidental learning in the midst of a great story. Beth lives in Loveland, Colorado where she laughs, wonders, thinks, and questions; and hopes to inspire kids to do the same. Please visit Beth’s website for free Educator Guides and to learn more about her and her books. To connect with Beth and learn more about her books, visit her at bethandersonwriter.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.
Jeanette Bradley
Jeanette Bradley studied painting at Indiana University and Children’s Book Illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design. Along the way, she also acquired a degree in urban planning and spent a summer as the artist-in-residence for a traveling art museum on a train. Jeanette lives in Rhode Island, where she loves to walk along the shoreline with her family. Jeanette is represented by Emily Mitchell of Wernick & Pratt. To connect with Jeanette and learn more about her books, visit her at jeanettebradley.com or on Bluesky or Instagram
Jeanette Bradley studied painting at Indiana University and Children’s Book Illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design. Along the way, she also acquired a degree in urban planning and spent a summer as the artist-in-residence for a traveling art museum on a train. Jeanette lives in Rhode Island, where she loves to walk along the shoreline with her family. Jeanette is represented by Emily Mitchell of Wernick & Pratt. To connect with Jeanette and learn more about her books, visit her at jeanettebradley.com or on Bluesky or Instagram
Tina Cho
Tina Cho is the author of four picture books-- Rice from Heaven: The Secret Mission to Feed North Koreans (Little Bee Books 2018), Korean Celebrations (Tuttle 2019), My Breakfast with Jesus: Worshipping God around the World ( Harvest House 2020), and The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story (Kokila/Penguin Random House Aug. 2020). Her lyrical middle grade graphic novel, The Other Side of Tomorrow, debuts from Harper Alley in 2023. After living in South Korea for ten years, Tina, her husband, and two teenagers reside in Iowa, where Tina also teaches kindergarten. To connect with Tina and learn more about her books, visit her at tinamcho.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.
Tina Cho is the author of four picture books-- Rice from Heaven: The Secret Mission to Feed North Koreans (Little Bee Books 2018), Korean Celebrations (Tuttle 2019), My Breakfast with Jesus: Worshipping God around the World ( Harvest House 2020), and The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story (Kokila/Penguin Random House Aug. 2020). Her lyrical middle grade graphic novel, The Other Side of Tomorrow, debuts from Harper Alley in 2023. After living in South Korea for ten years, Tina, her husband, and two teenagers reside in Iowa, where Tina also teaches kindergarten. To connect with Tina and learn more about her books, visit her at tinamcho.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.
Nancy Churnin
Nancy Churnin, a former theater critic, shines a light on people who made the world a better place and encourages kids to make the world a better place, too. Her picture books have won international and national awards, have been honored by the Junior Library Guild and A Mighty Girl, and have been on multiple state reading lists. They all come with free teacher guides, resources, and dedicated projects on her website where kids share the great things they do. Nancy lives in North Texas with her husband, a dog named Dog, and two cantankerous cats. To connect with Nancy and learn more about her books, visit her at nancychurnin.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.
Nancy Churnin, a former theater critic, shines a light on people who made the world a better place and encourages kids to make the world a better place, too. Her picture books have won international and national awards, have been honored by the Junior Library Guild and A Mighty Girl, and have been on multiple state reading lists. They all come with free teacher guides, resources, and dedicated projects on her website where kids share the great things they do. Nancy lives in North Texas with her husband, a dog named Dog, and two cantankerous cats. To connect with Nancy and learn more about her books, visit her at nancychurnin.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.
Keila V. Dawson
Keila Dawson writes nonfiction and fiction picture books. She is a New Orleans native, former community organizer, and educator with domestic and international experience. Born an adventurer, Dawson has lived and worked throughout the U.S., and in the Philippines, and Egypt where she’s hiked the rice terraces, climbed Mt. Fuji, and Mt. Sinai. When she isn't traveling, playing tennis, researching, or digging in genealogical archives, she's reading, writing, and visiting with schools. She writes and blogs about picture books so kids can read about their experiences, see their reflections, and learn about others' too. To connect with Keila and learn more about her books visit her at keiladawson.com, on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Keila Dawson writes nonfiction and fiction picture books. She is a New Orleans native, former community organizer, and educator with domestic and international experience. Born an adventurer, Dawson has lived and worked throughout the U.S., and in the Philippines, and Egypt where she’s hiked the rice terraces, climbed Mt. Fuji, and Mt. Sinai. When she isn't traveling, playing tennis, researching, or digging in genealogical archives, she's reading, writing, and visiting with schools. She writes and blogs about picture books so kids can read about their experiences, see their reflections, and learn about others' too. To connect with Keila and learn more about her books visit her at keiladawson.com, on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Amy Hevron
Amy Hevron loves exploring nature, birdwatching and baking tasty treats from her home in Seattle, Washington. She is the illustrator of several picture books including The Tide Pool Waits by Candace Fleming, Tree Hole Homes by Melissa Stewart, and Can You Hug a Forest? by Frances Gilbert. She also wrote and illustrated The Longest Journey: An Arctic Tern’s Migration and Dust Bunny Wants a Friend. Amy’s medium of choice is acrylic paint on wood which she layers with pencil, charcoal, and marker, and collages digitally. She holds a BFA in Graphic Design and a certificate in Natural Science Illustration. She is a two-time winner of the Portfolio Honor Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Prior to focusing on illustration, Amy worked as a graphic designer and sold her original wood paintings at boutiques and craft fairs around the US.
Amy Hevron loves exploring nature, birdwatching and baking tasty treats from her home in Seattle, Washington. She is the illustrator of several picture books including The Tide Pool Waits by Candace Fleming, Tree Hole Homes by Melissa Stewart, and Can You Hug a Forest? by Frances Gilbert. She also wrote and illustrated The Longest Journey: An Arctic Tern’s Migration and Dust Bunny Wants a Friend. Amy’s medium of choice is acrylic paint on wood which she layers with pencil, charcoal, and marker, and collages digitally. She holds a BFA in Graphic Design and a certificate in Natural Science Illustration. She is a two-time winner of the Portfolio Honor Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Prior to focusing on illustration, Amy worked as a graphic designer and sold her original wood paintings at boutiques and craft fairs around the US.
Rita Hubbard
Award-winning author Rita Lorraine Hubbard is a retired special education teacher of 20 years who now champions unsung heroes whose stories need to be told with courage and heart. Her books have garnered honors and awards that include the New Voices Award, the East Tennessee Historical Preservation Award, the 2021 Floyd’s Pick Book Award honor book, and the 2021-2022 Texas Bluebonnet Master List award. Rita has an advanced degree in School Psychology and owns and manages The Black History Channel. To connect with Rita and learn more about her books visit her at ritahubbard.com or on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.
Award-winning author Rita Lorraine Hubbard is a retired special education teacher of 20 years who now champions unsung heroes whose stories need to be told with courage and heart. Her books have garnered honors and awards that include the New Voices Award, the East Tennessee Historical Preservation Award, the 2021 Floyd’s Pick Book Award honor book, and the 2021-2022 Texas Bluebonnet Master List award. Rita has an advanced degree in School Psychology and owns and manages The Black History Channel. To connect with Rita and learn more about her books visit her at ritahubbard.com or on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.
Vivian Kirkfield
Writer for children—reader forever…that’s Vivian Kirkfield in five words. Her bucket list contains many more than five words – but she’s already checked off skydiving, parasailing, and traversing the globe. A retired kindergarten teacher, Vivian inspires budding writers during classroom visits and on her blog where she hosts the #50PreciousWordsforKids International Writing Challenge. Her nonfiction narratives bring history alive for young readers and her picture books have garnered starred reviews and accolades including the Silver Eureka, Social Studies Notable Trade Book, and Junior Library Guild Selection. To connect with Vivian and learn more about her books visit her at viviankirkfield.com or on Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin.
Writer for children—reader forever…that’s Vivian Kirkfield in five words. Her bucket list contains many more than five words – but she’s already checked off skydiving, parasailing, and traversing the globe. A retired kindergarten teacher, Vivian inspires budding writers during classroom visits and on her blog where she hosts the #50PreciousWordsforKids International Writing Challenge. Her nonfiction narratives bring history alive for young readers and her picture books have garnered starred reviews and accolades including the Silver Eureka, Social Studies Notable Trade Book, and Junior Library Guild Selection. To connect with Vivian and learn more about her books visit her at viviankirkfield.com or on Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin.
Kate Mazeika
Katie Mazeika can’t imagine a better job than making books. Katie specializes in telling stories based on
real people and events. Katie likes to highlight disabled voices in her work. Her author/illustrator debut was “Annette Feels Free” (S&S/Beach Lane Books, 2022). Her newest book is Beulah has a Hunch! (S&S/Bech Lane Books 2023. (Katie’s recent books as an illustrator include threebooks in the “Chicken Soup for the Baby’s Soul” series, “Everyone Shares (Except Cat)”, Everyone Says Please (Except Cat), and Playdate! (With Bear, too?) all by Jaime Michalak. When she’s not drawing, Katie enjoys gardening or reading other people’s books. Katie currently lives in Cleveland, Ohio. Visit her at katiemazeika.com or on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky or X.
Katie Mazeika can’t imagine a better job than making books. Katie specializes in telling stories based on
real people and events. Katie likes to highlight disabled voices in her work. Her author/illustrator debut was “Annette Feels Free” (S&S/Beach Lane Books, 2022). Her newest book is Beulah has a Hunch! (S&S/Bech Lane Books 2023. (Katie’s recent books as an illustrator include threebooks in the “Chicken Soup for the Baby’s Soul” series, “Everyone Shares (Except Cat)”, Everyone Says Please (Except Cat), and Playdate! (With Bear, too?) all by Jaime Michalak. When she’s not drawing, Katie enjoys gardening or reading other people’s books. Katie currently lives in Cleveland, Ohio. Visit her at katiemazeika.com or on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky or X.
Zeena Pliska
Zeena Pliska is a kindergarten teacher who has taught in the Los Angeles Unified School District for over 30 years. She has been involved in children’s and women’s issues for the bulk of her adult life, lobbying legislators in Washington, D.C. and facilitating local community meetings. Zeena is the author of two forthcoming picture books, EGYPTIAN LULLABY (Roaring Brook Press), about a little girl divided between two cultures, and ORANGE (Page Street), a story about an intergenerational friendship featuring monarch butterflies and caterpillars. Zeena lives in Los Angeles with her teenaged daughter.
To connect with Zeena and learn more about her books visit her at zeenamar.com or on
Twitter and Instagram.
Zeena Pliska is a kindergarten teacher who has taught in the Los Angeles Unified School District for over 30 years. She has been involved in children’s and women’s issues for the bulk of her adult life, lobbying legislators in Washington, D.C. and facilitating local community meetings. Zeena is the author of two forthcoming picture books, EGYPTIAN LULLABY (Roaring Brook Press), about a little girl divided between two cultures, and ORANGE (Page Street), a story about an intergenerational friendship featuring monarch butterflies and caterpillars. Zeena lives in Los Angeles with her teenaged daughter.
To connect with Zeena and learn more about her books visit her at zeenamar.com or on
Twitter and Instagram.
Teresa Robeson
Teresa Robeson is the APALA Picture Book Award-winning author of QUEEN OF PHYSICS; TWO BICYCLES IN BEIJING; and WHO IS TIBET’S EXILED LEADER? THE 14TH DALAI LAMA. She’s a part of the anthologies NONFICTION AUTHORS DIG DEEP and NO WORLD TOO BIG: YOUNG PEOPLE FIGHTING GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE. Her upcoming works include CLOUDS IN SPACE: NEBULAE, STARDUST, AND US (MIT Kids/Candlewick), WHO SMASHED HOLLYWOOD BARRIERS WITH GUNG FU? BRUCE LEE (Penguin Workshop). Teresa lives with her family on 27-acres in rural Indiana where they grow much of their own food. She relaxes by birding, creating art, keeping up with science, making marmalade and jellies, knitting, baking, and trying to impress the chickens with her bilingualism. Learn more about her at teresarobeson.com or on Bluesky, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Teresa Robeson is the APALA Picture Book Award-winning author of QUEEN OF PHYSICS; TWO BICYCLES IN BEIJING; and WHO IS TIBET’S EXILED LEADER? THE 14TH DALAI LAMA. She’s a part of the anthologies NONFICTION AUTHORS DIG DEEP and NO WORLD TOO BIG: YOUNG PEOPLE FIGHTING GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE. Her upcoming works include CLOUDS IN SPACE: NEBULAE, STARDUST, AND US (MIT Kids/Candlewick), WHO SMASHED HOLLYWOOD BARRIERS WITH GUNG FU? BRUCE LEE (Penguin Workshop). Teresa lives with her family on 27-acres in rural Indiana where they grow much of their own food. She relaxes by birding, creating art, keeping up with science, making marmalade and jellies, knitting, baking, and trying to impress the chickens with her bilingualism. Learn more about her at teresarobeson.com or on Bluesky, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Alumni
Rajani LaRocca
Rajani LaRocca was born in India, raised in Kentucky, and now lives in the Boston area, where she practices medicine and writes award-winning novels and picture books. She’s always been an omnivorous reader, and now she is an omnivorous writer of fiction and nonfiction, novels and picture books, prose and poetry. She finds inspiration in her family, her childhood, the natural world, math, science, and just about everywhere she looks. To connect with Rajani and learn more about her and her books visit her at www.rajanilarocca.com.
Rajani LaRocca was born in India, raised in Kentucky, and now lives in the Boston area, where she practices medicine and writes award-winning novels and picture books. She’s always been an omnivorous reader, and now she is an omnivorous writer of fiction and nonfiction, novels and picture books, prose and poetry. She finds inspiration in her family, her childhood, the natural world, math, science, and just about everywhere she looks. To connect with Rajani and learn more about her and her books visit her at www.rajanilarocca.com.
Dow Phumiruk
Dow Phumiruk is an author and illustrator of several children's picture books, including illustrations for the 2019 Cook Award winning picture book biography Counting on Katherine, written by Helaine Becker, One Girl, written by New York Times best-selling author Andrea Beaty, Hugsby, her author/illustrator debut, and An Equal Shot: How the Law Title IX Changed America, written by Helaine Becker. Dow is also a clinically retired general pediatrician working part time in academic medicine. Dow was born in Bangkok, Thailand and now lives in Lone Tree, Colorado with her family. She enjoys sewing and easy hikes. Learn more about her at artbydow.blogspot.com.
Dow Phumiruk is an author and illustrator of several children's picture books, including illustrations for the 2019 Cook Award winning picture book biography Counting on Katherine, written by Helaine Becker, One Girl, written by New York Times best-selling author Andrea Beaty, Hugsby, her author/illustrator debut, and An Equal Shot: How the Law Title IX Changed America, written by Helaine Becker. Dow is also a clinically retired general pediatrician working part time in academic medicine. Dow was born in Bangkok, Thailand and now lives in Lone Tree, Colorado with her family. She enjoys sewing and easy hikes. Learn more about her at artbydow.blogspot.com.
Traci Sorell
Traci Sorell writes award-winning nonfiction and fiction for young people such as We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga and At the Mountain's Base. An enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Traci lives within her tribe’s reservation in northeastern Oklahoma. Prior to writing, Traci served as a national nonprofit executive director, a legislative director and a tribal law attorney. Traci is represented by Emily Mitchell of Wernick & Pratt. To connect with Traci and learn more about her books visit her at tracisorell.com.
Traci Sorell writes award-winning nonfiction and fiction for young people such as We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga and At the Mountain's Base. An enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Traci lives within her tribe’s reservation in northeastern Oklahoma. Prior to writing, Traci served as a national nonprofit executive director, a legislative director and a tribal law attorney. Traci is represented by Emily Mitchell of Wernick & Pratt. To connect with Traci and learn more about her books visit her at tracisorell.com.
Laurie Wallmark
Award-winning author Laurie Wallmark writes picture book biographies of women in STEM and also fiction books. Her titles have earned multiple starred trade reviews, been chosen as Junior Library Guild Selections, been on many “best of” lists, and received awards such as Outstanding Science Trade Book, Best STEM Book, Crystal Kite Award, Cook Prize Honor, Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Award, and Parents’ Choice Gold Medal. Her website contains free teacher guides for her books. Laurie has an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from VCFA. She is a former software engineer and computer science professor. To connect with Laurie and learn more about her books visit her at lauriewallmark.com.
Award-winning author Laurie Wallmark writes picture book biographies of women in STEM and also fiction books. Her titles have earned multiple starred trade reviews, been chosen as Junior Library Guild Selections, been on many “best of” lists, and received awards such as Outstanding Science Trade Book, Best STEM Book, Crystal Kite Award, Cook Prize Honor, Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Award, and Parents’ Choice Gold Medal. Her website contains free teacher guides for her books. Laurie has an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from VCFA. She is a former software engineer and computer science professor. To connect with Laurie and learn more about her books visit her at lauriewallmark.com.
