1. Gary D. Schmidt is the bestselling author of The Labors of Hercules Beal; Just Like
That; National Book Award finalist Okay for Now; Pay Attention, Carter Jones; Orbiting
Jupiter; the Newbery Honor and Printz Honor Book Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster
Boy; and the Newbery Honor Book The Wednesday Wars. He is also contributor to and
co-editor of the acclaimed short story collection A Little Bit Super, co-edited by Leah
Henderson. He lives in rural Michigan.
2. Jarrett J. Krosoczka, known since boyhood as “JJK,” is the New York Times
bestselling author-illustrator behind more than forty books for young readers, including
his wildly popular Lunch Lady graphic novels, select volumes of the Star Wars: Jedi
Academy series, and Hey, Kiddo, which was a National Book Award finalist. In addition
to his work in print, Krosoczka produced, directed, and performed in the award-
winning, full-cast audiobook adaptations of his graphic novels. Krosoczka has delivered
three TED Talks, which have accrued millions of views online. Krosoczka has garnered
millions more views online via the comics tutorials he has produced for YouTube and
TikTok. As well as working on his books’ film and television adaptations, Krosoczka has
written for The Snoopy Show (Apple TV+) and served as a consultant for Creative
Galaxy (Prime Video). Krosoczka lives in western Massachusetts.
3. Leah Henderson is the author of many critically acclaimed books for young readers,
including The Magic in Changing Your Stars; Your Voice, Your Vote; The Courage of the
Little Hummingbird; and Together We March. She holds an MFA in writing and teaches
in Spalding University's graduate writing program. Because she has serious wanderlust,
when she isn’t creating stories, she’s off someplace in the world getting lost, then
found, discovering new ones.
4. Pablo Cartaya is an award-winning author, screenwriter, speaker, and occasional
actor. He is the Pura Belpré Honor Book Award winner for The Epic Fail for Arturo
Zamora; an Audie finalist for Audiobook of the Year in the middle grade category (for
which he narrated); an ALSC notable book of the year for Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak
Spanish; and the 2020 Schneider Family Book Award Honor winner for his middle
grade novel Each Tiny Spark. His newest title, The Last Beekeeper, contemplates a
future where bees are central to a rebuilding world. His novels focus on the themes of
family, community, culture, and the environment. He lives in the hyphens between his
Cuban and American identities and with his familia in Miami.
5. 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 Medal, 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. Her recent books include Printz Honor and Sibert Honor Book Ordinary
Hazards; Between the Lines, a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults title; the
much-acclaimed Garvey’s Choice; ALA Notables Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem
Renaissance and Southwest Sunrise; Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice; and Garvey in
the Dark. Nikki lives in Corona, California.
... Read more Read less
