Read the book, meet the author

Loren Long is the #1 NYT bestselling illustrator and author of nearly 30 children's books, including the beloved Otis series. He has illustrated books by President Barack Obama, Amanda Gorman, Newbery Medalist Matt de la Peña, and more.    

Erin Entrada Kelly is a two-time Newbery Medalist, Newbery Honor and APALA Winner, National Book Award Finalist, and New York Times Bestselling author. She was also nominated for the Pushcart Prize and the Philippines Free Press Award.

Michaela Goade (Tlingit/Haida of Alaska) is a Caldecott Medalist, Caldecott Honor Winner, #1 New York Times Bestselling illustrator, American Indian Youth Literature Award Winner, and Kirkus Prize Finalist. Her work centers Indigenous culture, language, and peoples.

Jerry Craft is a Newbery Medalist, Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature Winner, and Coretta Scott King Author Award recipient for New Kid, the first graphic novel to win the prestigious Newbery Award.

Peter Brown is the #1 New York Times Bestselling author and illustrator of The Wild Robot series and Caldecott Honor winner for Creepy Carrots! He has received the New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book Award, the Horn Book Award, two E.B. White Read Aloud Awards, and multiple starred reviews.

Raul The Third is a New York Times Bestselling and three-time Pura Belpre Award-winning illustrator and author. His bilingual Vamos! series was awarded the New York Times and New York Public Library's Best Illustrated Children’s Books of the Year.

Grace Lin is a Newbery and Caldecott Honor Winner, National Book Award Finalist, New York Times Bestselling author and illustrator, and received a Children’s Literature Legacy Award from the American Library Association and Theodor Geisel Honor Award.

Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey, known as "The Pumphrey Brothers," are Caldecott Honor winning authors and illustrators. Other accolades include the Ezra Jack Keats New Author Honor, Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, seven starred reviews for The Old Truck, and multiple starred reviews.

Tracey Baptiste is a New York Times Bestselling author of the Caribbean folklore Jumbies trilogy, Jane Adams Children’s Book Award Shortlist Honoree, and recipient of multiple starred reviews from School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Kirkus.

Minh Lê is an award-winning author and recipient of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature and nominated for an Eisner Award. His picture books and graphic novels are critically acclaimed.

Hena Khan is a bestselling author and recipient of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature, Kirkus Best Middle Grade Fiction, Charlotte Huck Outstanding Fiction Honor, and named to multiple best book lists by Kirkus, NPR, Booklist, and the American Library Association.

Jarrett Lerner is an award-winning author and illustrator of graphic and illustrated novels with accolades including the NCTE Notable Children’s Book Award, ALSC/ALA Notable Books, New York Public Library’s and Chicago Public Library's Best Books lists, and recipient of multiple starred reviews.

Malia Maunakea (Native Hawaiian) is a lauded author whose Lei and the Legends series was named a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, ranked on best books lists by Amazon, and is a Common Sense Media Selection.

Debbi Michiko Florence is an award-winning author of more than 25 books for children and is known for her Jasmine Toguchi series. Her accolades include Junior Library Guild Selections, Chicago Public Library Best of the Best, Amazon Best Books, and multiple starred reviews.