An Academy Awards-winning actress for her roles in Tootsie and Blue Sky, Lange is also the recipient of two Emmys, 5 Golden Globes, and one Sag Award. She currently stars on the hit FX show American Horror Story.

Francie  Latour  is a prize-winning writer whose work explores issues of race, culture, and identity. Her work has been featured on National Public Radio, the Today  show, The Root,  Essence, and the  Boston Globe. Her writing  was also anthologized in The Butterfly’s Way, edited by Edwidge Danticat. Francie is co-founder and co-director of Wee The People, a social justice project for kids. This is her first picture book.

A mother of three, Francie was born in the US to Haitian parents. Francie and her family live in Boston.

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Lyla Lee is the author of the Mindy Kim series as well as the YA novel, I’ll Be The One (Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins).

As the steward of her father’s legacy, Shannon Lee serves as the CEO of the Bruce Lee Family Company and the chairperson of the Bruce Lee Foundation. Her mission is to provide access to her father’s philosophy and life through education and entertainment. She is the author of Be Water My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee (Flatiron Books). An in-demand speaker, she has spoken at TED, TEDx, Creative Mornings, among others. Shannon is the co-creator and host of the Bruce Lee Podcast, the executive producer of Cinemax’s Warrior series also based off of a treatment written by Bruce Lee, and is now working on GUARDIAN OF THE SCROLL, aYA duology, with award winning fantasy and science fiction author, Fonda Lee.

Sophia Lee is a Korean American writer and is currently a medical student in Dallas, Texas. Sophia deeply cares about the intersection of storytelling and representation. ELIZA PARK’S RECIPE FOR LOVE AND SUCCESS is her debut YA novel.

Bruce Littlefield, national television personality and author of numerous lifestyle books, including Merry Christmas, America and Airstream Living, has most recently written The Bedtime Book for Dogs, an illustrated read-aloud book for the canine community (Grand Central). He is the co-author of Bravo TV star Fredrik Eklund’s The Sell (Avery).

Azul López (FKA Andrés López) is a Mexican author and illustrator of picture books. Her books have been published in Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Italy, France, Spain, South Korea, The Netherlands, USA, Germany, Greece and Sweden. Her stories and drawings have received multiple international awards. Most recently, she received the International Award for Illustration from the Bologna Children's Book Fair and the Green Island award from the Nami Island International Picture Book Illustration Concours in South-Korea.

Azul uses emotions, memories, and metaphors to tell the stories she imagines. She is happy to collaborate on stories that others imagine, too. When she’s not working at her studio, she likes to walk among flowers, and to spend a lot of time looking at the sky, enjoying how, by just paying attention, we can witness the beautiful wonder of seeing things change.

Violet Lumani writes romantic comedies with just enough heat to make you text your ex (don’t). She has degrees from Barnard College of Columbia University and UCONN and lives in Connecticut with her family. When she’s not writing, she’s probably plotting global (marketing) domination, rearranging her bookshelves, or spinning chaos into comedy.

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Since 2003, Jeff Mack has written and illustrated more than forty picture books, chapter books, early readers, and graphic novels. Some of his books have been awarded Junior Library Guild Selections, New York Public Library Best Books of the Year, Bank Street Books of the Year, and various state awards including the Colorado Bell and three Texas 2x2 awards.

From his home in Western Massachusetts, he travels both nationally and internationally visiting schools and libraries where he shares his passion for creating books with young readers, writers and artists.

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Patricia MacLachlan, the bestselling author of beloved books for young readers, was best known for her Newbery Medal-winning novel SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL, and its sequels SKYLARK, CALEB’S STORY, and MORE PERFECT THAN THE MOON.

Born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Patty graduated from the University of Connecticut and lived with her husband on a mountain top in Williamsburg, Massachusetts where she wrote and welcomed visits by her children and grandchildren.

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An online magazine for teenage girls, Rookiemag.com received more than one million page views within six days of its debut in 2011. It was founded by eighteen-year-old media entrepreneur, writer, actor, and tastemaker Tavi Gevinson.

Sangu Mandanna is the author of the critically acclaimed Celestial series, a YA SFF trilogy. She’s also the author of the MG Kiki Kallira duology and forthcoming Vanya and the Wild Hunt. She’s also the author of adult fantasies which include The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and A Witch’s Guide to MagicalInnkeeping.

Amanda Marrone has authored four books for teens, Uninvited, Revealers, Devoured, and Slayed and the middle-grade series The Magic Repair Shop Books: The Multiplying Menace, The Shape-Shifter’s Curse and Master of Mirrors.

Claudia Guadalupe Martínez’s debut novel, The Smell of Old Lady Perfume, received the Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, the Texas Institute of Letters Best Young Adult Book Award, and an Americas Award Commendation.  Her sophomore novel Pig Park won the Texas Institute of Letters Best Young Adult Book and the NACCS Tejas Foco Young Adult Fiction Award. Her debut picture book, Not A Bean, illustrated by Laura González received multiple starred reviews and was named a Best Book of the Year by Bank Street College of Education. She also authored The Movie Novel for DreamWorks’ animated film, Spirit Untamed.   Claudia grew up in sunny El Paso, Texas, where she learned that letters form words from reading the subtitles of old westerns with her father. She now lives and writes in Chicago.

Lina Maslo is an author, illustrator, and designer. Her debut, FREE AS A BIRD: THE STORY OF MALALA, was a Library Guild Selection, as well as a CCBC Choice and the winner of the Living the Dream Book Award. She is also the author and illustrator of THROUGH THE WARDROBE: HOW C. S. LEWIS CREATED NARNIA and THREADS: ZLATA’S UKRAINIAN SHIRT. 

Lina has a Degree in Art from New College of Florida and currently resides in South Carolina with her husband and children. 

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Byron McCray is a freelance illustrator, graphic designer, and author hailing from Brooklyn, New York. Greatly influenced by a strong passion for music and the rich, diverse history of black culture, his mixed media paintings have been recognized by the Fort Greene Association, Art Students League of New York, and various publications. Local artists and organizations such as the Movement Theatre Company and the National Black Theatre have commissioned Byron, as well as major recording labels including Universal Music Group and Motown Records.

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Robyn McGrath has spent her career working with children as a dance and yoga instructor, reading teacher, school counselor, and now children’s author. Whether she’s writing fiction or nonfiction, Robyn believes that books help us navigate life experiences while fostering an understanding of self and others. When Robyn is not writing she works as a Play Therapist helping children and parents regulate BIG emotions. Robyn lives in Austin, TX with her husband, two children, a Labrador retriever, and a friendly cat they found camping. You can find out more about her work at robynmcgrathwrites.com

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An actress best known for her roles on The Wonder Years and The West Wing, McKellar is also an internationally recognized mathematician and advocate for math education. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Mathematics from UCLA.

Jodi Meadows wants to be a ferret when she grows up and she has no self-control when it comes to yarn, ink, or outer space. Still, she manages to write books. She is the coauthor of  New York Times bestsellers MY LADY JANE, MY PLAIN JANE, and other books in the Lady Janies series. She lives in rural Virginia. Her Substack can be found at https://jodimeadows.substack.com/

Aaron Meshon is an illustrator and award-winning children’s book writer, map maker, muralist and cartoonist. Aaron has had the honor of having his work published in print and licensed for products around the world. When not working on his next book or illustration assignments, Aaron enjoys teaching at The School of Visual Arts in New York City. Aaron and his wife and child and French Bulldog currently live in Great Barrington, MA. Aaron’s love of  traveling to their second home in Japan continues to influence his work, and hopefully will lead to his dream of operating a repurposed sweet potato truck in rural Japan to sell products and T-Shirts.

Rhett Miller is a critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter known for fronting the popular alternative country band Old 97’s and as a solo artist who has released six albums.  Miller has authored short stories, essays and articles that have appeared in a range of publications including Rolling Stone, Bookforum, Sports Illustrated, McSweeny’s, The Atlantic, and Salon. He has published two children’s picture books, NO MORE POEMS! and THE BABY-CHANGING STATION, with Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. He hosts the podcast WHEELS OFF: Conversations about Creativity and teaches songwriting at The New School in Manhattan, and conducts Songwriting Is Magic retreats and workshops across the country.

^{Born and raised in Aurora, Illinois, Wendell Minor has created over sixty award-winning children’s books. He is also the cover artist and designer for books by David McCullough and Pat Conroy. Among the many authors he has collaborated with are Jean Craighead George, Charlotte Zolotow, Robert Burleigh, Mary Higgins Clark, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, and his wife Florence Minor.} 

^{Wendell has twice spoken and signed his books at the National Book Festival in Washington, DC.  His work has been exhibited widely throughout the country in various venues including the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut, Art Institute of Chicago, New Britain Museum of American Art, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport, Boston Public Library, and Chautauqua Institution’s Center for the Visual Arts. He has received Honorary Doctorates of Humane Letters from the University of Connecticut and Aurora University in Illinois. Wendell lives and works with his wife Florence, and their cat Cinder,  in Washington, Connecticut.}  

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Dana Marie Miroballi is a writer and speech-language pathologist. She grew up on Army bases in Germany, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Uzbekistan, and now lives in Chicago with her family. Dana is the author of If My Hair Had a Voice from Beaming Books illustrated by Patricia Grannum and Inventions to Count On: A Celebration of Black Inventors from Abrams Appleseed illustrated by Sawyer Cloud. Inventions to Count On was selected for the 2026 Illinois Reads List sponsored by the Illinois Reading Council.

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Malcolm Mitchell is a star rookie for Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots and founder of "Malcolm Reads"—a charitable organization focuses on building readers in disadvantaged homes.

Kara Mitchell is a debut children’s author/illustrator based in Oklahoma.

Bronx native, Afro-Latina, and illustrator on Monique Fields’ debut picture book Honeysmoke: A Story About Finding Your Color, Yesenia is a freelance toy designer and illustrator. Her work has been featured on various media outlets such as SyFy and NBC News. Her author-illustrator debut, Stella’s Stellar Hair, is set to release in January 2021.

Serena Molloy is a secondary school teacher living in Galway, West Ireland. She takes inspiration for her writing from her colourful classroom experience and her own children, who educate her daily. Serena particularly enjoys writing for young adults.

Anna Monders is an author and adventurer with a science background. After studying geology in college, Anna served in the Peace Corps in Gabon, melted knockoff Mars rocks in a laboratory in Massachusetts, led an off-the-grid homeschooling group in the Pacific Northwest, taught French to engineering students in Missouri, conducted biogeochemistry fieldwork in Alaska, and performed high-energy booktalks at schools across southern Oregon. She holds an MFA in writing for children from Simmons University and an MS in earth and planetary sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

A former writer and producer at NBC News and The Today Show, Montalbano is the author of the middle-grade novel Breakaway. She is a longtime soccer player and coach, and her writing has been featured on the New York Times’s Motherlode blog and elsewhere

Heather L. Montgomery writes for kids who are wild about animals. The weirder, the wackier, the better. An award-winning science educator, Heather uses yuck appeal to engage young minds. During presentations, petrified animal parts and tree guts inspire reluctant readers and motivate reticent writers.  

Heather has a BS in biology and an MS in environmental education, she lives on the border of Alabama and Tennessee, and she has published seventeen nonfiction books.  

Roadkill changed her life.

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Zewlan (pronounced “SHOO-len”) Moor is a Filipino-Australian author, medical doctor, and bibliotherapist who writes playful books for today’s savvy kids. Her books are sometimes multi-layered, with a quirky sense of humor and light touch that belies their serious intent and preoccupation with social justice for all. Other times they're just fun! A long time ago, Zewlan wrote a thesis comparing Harry Potter to Lyra Belacqua. Now, living on the land of the Yugambeh people at the Gold Coast, Australia, she still prefers books and boardgames to the beach.

Oscar-winning actress, Moore won an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild award for her portrayal of Sarah Palin in the HBO film Game Change. Her Freckleface Strawberry books are the basis for an Off Broadway show that opened in 2010. Her book Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully was a New York Times Bestseller.

Maria Ingrande Mora is the Content Director at Big Sea, a web design and digital marketing firm based in St. Petersburg, Florida, and was previously the Parenting Editor at the digital media company SheKnows, where she contributed over 300 articles on topics covering feminism and health. As a queer woman and the parent of a neurodiverse child, she’s passionate about representation and inclusivity in kidlit. Maria is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

My first words came in Spanish. My first books were fairy tales. Born in Puerto Rico, I learned to love the mountains, the birds, coffee and pasteles and the greatest treasure: its people. My writing is full of nature and journeys. I’ve yet to write about pasteles. 

Still in elementary school, I moved to New York where I learned English, the difficult task of being an immigrant, the greatness of family and friends. I studied in the University of Puerto Rico; first to become a teacher; years later to obtain a Master’s in Guidance and Counseling. I’m a writer and poet. I love the mountains and the sea, the country and the city, Spanish and English, New York and Puerto Rico, the picture book and the novel. I’m working to share beautiful worlds in w

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Heidi Moreno is a Mexican American author, illustrator, designer, and community cat advocate living in Los Angeles, California. Her work has been featured in galleries across the United States, and she frequently participates in group shows at Gallery Nucleus in Portland, Oregon. She has collaborated with Facebook, Papyrus, the OC Fair, and several cat rescues such as Kitten Rescue LA.

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Heidi is constantly chasing the feeling that Halloween brought her as a child, when she ran through streets with only the warm, dim streetlamps guiding her way to the next orange-lit home with a jack-o-lantern calling. Her textures and use of watercolors, gouache, and colored pencils are inspired by her favorite childhood tools. She loves to create eccentric characters, and to imagine what their quirks and days might be like. Her debut illustrated book, Working from Home with a Cat (Chronicle Books), started out as a zine she printed at home. Luna Oscura (Lil’ Libros) is her first bilingual children’s book. On most days you can find her hanging out with her husband Danny and their neighborhood's community cats.

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Andrea Mosqueda is a Chicana writer, born and raised in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley.

Luma Mufleh, immigrant, Muslim, gay, entrepreneur, mother, introvert, leader, and speaker, is best known as "Coach" by the students and families for whom she founded the first network of middle and high schools for refugee kids in the United States. She writes from her own experiences of both struggle and privilege, with a combination of humor, humility, and inspiration.

Bethanie received her MFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York and worked as an art director for a variety of publishers, design firms, and marketing agencies before dedicating herself to children’s writing and illustration. Her work has received many accolades, including the Parents Choice Award, Amazon Best Books of the Year, and Bank Street College Best Books of the Year. Bethanie lives on the West Coast with her husband, two daughters, two dogs, and one dragon (bearded). When she’s not creating stories, she’s most likely hiking, biking, or snuggling up with her dogs and a book.

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Peter Mutabazi is an author, keynote speaker, and nationally recognized advocate for children and families impacted by foster care. After leaving an abusive home at the age of ten, Peter lived on the streets in his native Uganda for five years, an experience that profoundly shaped his perspective on resilience, survival, and hope. The unexpected kindness of a stranger, who simply asked Peter his name, ultimately changed the trajectory of his life and inspired his lifelong commitment to ensuring that every child is seen and valued.  The author of two published books for adults and two forthcoming books for kids, Peter shares his personal journey in Now I Am Known and in Love Does NOT Conquer All he shares the lessons he’s learned as a foster parent.  Since becoming a foster dad in 2017 Peter has welcomed over 47 children into his home and adopted 4.  He is also the founder of the Now I Am Known Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting foster youth and families through education and resources to insure that all children feel seen and heard.

Lily Myers is a therapist and writer based in Seattle. She is the author of the young adult novel This Impossible Light, which was nominated for a Washington State Book Award, as well as the viral slam poem "Shrinking Women," which won Best Love Poem at the 2013 College Union Poetry Slams Invitational and garnered over 6 million views on YouTube. Her writing has appeared in Bustle, Dazed, and other locations, including the magazine and youth site for the National Eating Disorders Association. In both her writing and therapy work, Lily is passionate about combining creativity, justice, and healing.

Cole Nagamatsu's fiction has appeared online and in print at Tin House, cream city review, West Branch, Bartleby Snopes, PodCastle, Gingerbread House Literary Magazine, Timber Journal, and other publications. She is the editor-in-chief of Psychopomp Magazine and is a visiting assistant professor of Creative Writing at St. Olaf College in Minnesota.

Catherine Newman is a beloved and widely read parenting blogger and author of Waiting for Birdy (Penguin) and Field Guide to Catastrophic Happiness (Little, Brown). Her work has been published in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Real Simple, O Magazine, and Whole Living.

Lisa Nicol is an internationally published children’s author and sometimes documentary-maker. Her feature 'Wide Open Sky' won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Sydney Film Festival.  Her first novel, 'Dr Boogaloo and The Girl Who Lost Her Laughter' was a CBCA Notable, Shenzhen Reading Month, Top Ten Children’s Books 2021 and is currently being adapted for the stage and screen. Her other works include the hugely popular 'Vincent and The Grandest Hotel on Earth', 'The What on Earth Institute of Wonder', 'The Adventures of Pongo and Stink' and soon to be released 'The Better Machine'.

Jennifer A. Nielsen is the #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of more than 25 books for young readers. Her work has garnered multiple awards, among them, the Sydney Taylor Notable Book Award (RESISTANCE, 2019), multiple Whitney Awards, including the Outstanding Achievement Award (2023), and several state book awards. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages worldwide.

Jennifer is a frequent speaker in schools and at writing conferences around the country. She lives in northern Utah with her family.

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Marc Tyler Nobleman is an author and speaker who inspires people of allages to persist and to advocate for those less fortunate. His award-winningtitles include: Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator ofBatman (changed history/inspired film); Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: AJapanese Pilot's World War II Story (Orbis Pictus Honor Book/multiple "bestof the year" lists); The Chupacabra Ate the Candelabra; Boys of Steel: TheCreators of Superman (ALA Notable/front page of USA Today); Fairy Spell:How Two Girls Convinced the World That Fairies Are Real.

Dr. Eucabeth Odhiambo is a professor of Teacher Education at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania. She has served the education community in a variety of positions during the past 25 years. As a classroom teacher, she has taught all grades between kindergarten and middle school. She currently teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in the Early Childhood and Curriculum and Instruction programs. She teaches child development and social studies methods and has made numerous professional presentations at local, state, national, and international conferences. In addition to her writing for children, she has authored publications on teaching, pre-service training, and diversity.

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Ama Ofosua Lieb writes YA Fantasy for all who love the genre. She was born in Ghana, West Africa. Growing up, she and her family lived in many places, including Canada, The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Nigeria and South Africa. She now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and their two young children. When not writing, Ama bakes cakes, reads, drinks tea, plays guitar and debates the best ways to escape from monsters with her kids. She holds an MA in Sociology and a BA in Economics, both from Stanford University.

David Opie grew up in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, where he spent a lot of time roaming around the woods. He went on to earn his BFA in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design and his MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. His illustrations have appeared in many magazines and newspapers and he has worked for educational publishers including Heinemann/Houghton Mifflin, Macmillan, Learning A-Z, McGraw-Hill, National Geographic School Publishing, Scholastic, and Soundprints/Smithsonian.

David has taught at the Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago and the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, and was a full-time instructor in the illustration department of the American Academy of Art in downtown Chicago. He currently teaches at the University of New Haven. David and his wife live with their dog in Connecticut.

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Emma Otheguy is the author of the picture books Martí’s Song for Freedom/Martí y sus versos por la libertad, illustrated by Beatriz Vidal, which received five starred reviews, was named a Best Book of the Year by Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and the New York Public Library, and was the recipient of the International Literacy Association’s Children’s and Young Adult Book Award in Intermediate Nonfiction, and A Sled for Gabo, illustrated by Ana Ramirez Gonzalez, which was an NCTE Charlotte Huck Recommended Book and a Best Book of the Year by the Chicago and New York Public Libraries and Parents Latina magazine. Her middle-grade novels include Silver Meadows Summer, which was called “a magnificent contribution to the diversity of the new American literature for young readers” by Pura Belpré-winning author Ruth Behar; Secrets of the Silver Lion: A Carmen Sandiego Novel; and Sofía Acosta Makes a Scene. Emma also co-authored The Madre de Aguas of Cuba: Unicorn Rescue Society middle grade fantasy with Newbery Honor-winner Adam Gidwitz.

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Andrea M. Page (Hunkpapa Lakota) writes middle grade, picture books, and educator guides for children’s books by Native authors. She is the author of SIOUX CODE TALKERS OF WORLD WAR II (Pelican Publishing), which won a 2019 Independent Publisher Book Award (IPPY) Gold Medal. She serves as a board member for the Children’s Literature Assembly (CLA) of the National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE), where she recently became one of the vice-chairs of CLA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee. In addition, Andrea is an instructor at the Highlights Foundation, where she mentors other children’s writers.

Her projects include a contribution to the bestselling “Who Was…?” series titled WHO WAS WILMA MANKILLER? (Penguin Workshop). Andrea is a long-time member of the Rochester Area Children’s Writers and Illustrators (RACWI) group and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

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Dan’s writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and McSweeney’s, among other publications. He studied Geography and City Planning at West Chester University of Pennsylvania and Science Writing at Johns Hopkins University. Dan is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the National Association of Science Writers (NASW).

Dan’s recent books include THEY HOLD THE LINE: WILDFIRES, WILDLANDS, AND THE FIREFIGHTERS WHO BRAVE THEM.

Edith Pattou is the author of three award-winning fantasy novels for young adults as well as the New York Times bestselling picture book, MRS. SPITZER’S GARDEN. 

She was born in Evanston, Illinois, grew up in Winnetka, and was a teenager in the city of Chicago. She completed her B.A. at Scripps College in Claremont, California where she won the Crombie Allen Award for creative writing. She later completed a Master’s degree in English Literature at Claremont Graduate School followed by a Masters of Library and Information Science at UCLA. She currently resides with her husband, Charles, in Columbus, Ohio. 

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Nicki Pau Preto is the author of YA fantasy trilogy Crown of Feathers and the forthcoming YA duology, Bonesmith. Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents is her MG debut.

Shawn Peters has spent more than two decades writing professionally for television and advertising.