Sawyerr
Hannah V. Sawyerr is a Sierra Leonean-American writer with a passion for people and storytelling. For Hannah’s literary and community involvement, she was recognized as the 2016 Youth Poet Laureate of Baltimore. Her spoken word poetry has been featured on the British Broadcasting Channel’s (BBC) “World Have Your Say” program, as well as the National […]
Mendez
Jasminne Mendez is a Pura Belpré Honor award author and best-selling Dominican-American poet, educator, translator, and playwright of several books for children and adults. Born and raised all over the country due to her father’s military service, She is the daughter of immigrants and considers herself an Afro-Latina of The South since she was raised […]
Bowen Cohen
Emily Bowen Cohen creates comics that explore intersectional identity. She is Jewish and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. She uses personal experience to tell stories that examine contemporary American and Jewish culture. Emily grew up in rural Oklahoma. Her father was the Chief of Staff at their tribal hospital and her mother is […]
Abed
Omar Abed writes children’s books, poetry, and computer code. While studying computer engineering in college, Omar turned to spoken-word poetry as a creative outlet for self-expression. His passion for rhyme and rhythm set him on an unplanned path to writing picture books. He self-published his first book, You, Me, and a Tree, in order to […]
Graves
Byron Graves is Ojibwe and Lakota. He was born and raised on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, where he played high school basketball. When he isn’t writing, he can be found playing retro video games, skateboarding, or cleaning up after his cats. Rez Ball, his debut novel won the William C Morris Young Adult debut […]
Mora
Oge Mora is a collage artist and storyteller. Her picture book, Thank You, Omu!, was a Caldecott Honor, Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award winner, and Ezra Jack Keats Book Award recipient. Her second book, Saturday won the 2020 Boston Globe—Horn Book Picture Book Award. Oge’s artwork has been applauded by The Washington Post, […]
Detlefsen
Lisl H. Detlefsen is the author of a growing number of picture books. Her first, TIME FOR CRANBERRIES (Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press, illustrated by Jed Henry) was a Junior Library Guild selection, a 2016 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People (K–2), and the 2017 Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom Book of the Year. IF […]
Eicheldinger
Matt Eicheldinger is a middle school teacher, author, and storyteller. He spent most of his childhood playing soccer, reading comics, and trying his best to stay out of trouble in the mountains of Colorado. Little did he know those moments would ultimately help craft his debut novel. Eicheldinger’s journey to becoming a New York Times […]
Kuyatt
Meg Eden Kuyatt is an autistic novelist and poet based in the DC area. She is the author of five poetry chapbooks, the novel Post-High School Reality Quest (2017), the 2021 Towson Prize for Literature winning poetry collection Drowning in the Floating World and children’s novels including a 2024 ALA Schneider Family Book Award Honor […]
Moises
Yesenia Moises is an Afro-Latina Author, Illustrator, and Toy Designer. She uses her colorful illustrations and whimsical designs to create wonder and magic for young readers. In addition to her original Picture Book “Stellas Stellar Hair,” she also serves as illustrator for Tennis Olympian Serena Williams’ “The Adventures of Qai Qai” series. Her work has […]
