Robertson, Chris

Robertson, Chris

Ruining giraffes. Escaping hot lava. Dancing alligators. Whisper tickles and whisker tickles. Yellow umbrellas. The Statue of Liberty as a toddler. These are just a few of the fun and engaging topics tackled by Chris in the wide array of his children’s picture books. www.chrisrobertsonbooks.com

With an extensive career in both animation and children’s literature, Chris uses his strengths as a story artist to his benefit when he’s writing and illustrating picture books. He has been published by Simon & Schuster, Random House, Scholastic, Chronicle Books, Bloomsbury, Sterling, and Xist Publishing.

3 Fun Facts

1. I’ve probably drawn some of your favorite cartoon characters you or your parents have seen on TV!
2. I have an IDENTICAL TWIN! That means that somewhere, there’s someone who looks exactly like me!
3. My favorite thing to draw in is…CRAYON! Just like you!!!

Kaltman, Alice

Kaltman, Alice

The daughter of a Merchant Marine and a Rockaway beach babe, Alice Kaltman’s life has always been ocean-centric. Now when she’s not in the water she writes about surfers, mermaids, and other odd balls. In addition to Wavehouse, Alice is the author of the short fiction collection Staggerwing and the forthcoming The Tantalizing Tale of Grace Minnaugh. Alice’s work can also be read in numerous journals, magazines and fiction anthologies. She splits her time between Brooklyn and Montauk, New York where she swims, surfs, and writes; weather and waves permitting. www.alicekaltman.com

3 Fun Facts

1. I’m a bonafide surfer, and though I still rip at age 60, I’ve never been as awesome as Anna.
2. As a young girl I longed to be a mermaid. My idol sat demurely on the Chicken of the Sea tuna fish cans. I peeled labels off to save her image. Every night before bedtime I squeezed both legs in to one side of my pajama bottoms and shuffled around the house pretending I was as beautiful as the tuna fish mermaid.
3. I also wanted to be ventriloquist or a hand model but I was pretty lame at the former and couldn’t handle the constant gloving and care necessary for the latter, so I became a professional surfer instead.

Groenink, Chuck

Groenink, Chuck

Chuck hails from an overgrown village among the peat bogs in the north of the Netherlands, where he spent his formative years climbing trees, drawing, reading, and cycling. He attended the Artez Institute of Visual Arts in Kampen, graduating from the department of Illustration in 2004. His work has been featured and selected by the Society of Illustrators, The Fox is black, Pikaland, Illustration Friday, and Spike Jonze’s blog: We Love You So

Karina has written copy and essays about food, fashion, film and art; scouted and developed film scripts; and worked as a writer-producer of documentaries. She studied film and writing in New York, Paris and Dublin and now lives in Manhattan with her dogs, Barry and Luca. www.karinawolf.com  www.chuckgroenink.com

3 Fun Facts

1. Karina wrote this story when her rescue dog Luca was turned away from a New York City dog park because the other dog owners thought he was a fox!
2. Chucky has a spotted dog and several fluffy cats.
3. He likes to draw pictures, bake bread and go for walks.

Wolf, Karina

Wolf, Karina

Karina has written copy and essays about food, fashion, film and art; scouted and developed film scripts; and worked as a writer-producer of documentaries. She studied film and writing in New York, Paris and Dublin and now lives in Manhattan with her dogs, Barry and Luca.

Chuck hails from an overgrown village among the peat bogs in the north of the Netherlands, where he spent his formative years climbing trees, drawing, reading, and cycling. He attended the Artez Institute of Visual Arts in Kampen, graduating from the department of Illustration in 2004. His work has been featured and selected by the Society of Illustrators, The Fox is black, Pikaland, Illustration Friday, and Spike Jonze’s blog: We Love You So. www.karinawolf.com  www.chuckgroenink.com

3 Fun Facts

1. Karina wrote this story when her rescue dog Luca was turned away from a New York City dog park because the other dog owners thought he was a fox!
2. Chucky has a spotted dog and several fluffy cats.
3. He likes to draw pictures, bake bread and go for walks.

Phelan, Matt

Phelan, Matt

Matt Phelan is the illustrator of many books for young readers, including The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron, winner of the 2007 Newbery Medal. He is the author/illustrator of four graphic novels: the Scott O’Dell Award-winning The Storm in the Barn, Around the World, Bluffton, and the New York Times Bestseller Snow White. His latest books include the picture books Pignic and A Kite for Moon (by Jane Yolen and Heidi Stemple) and the novel Knights vs. Dinosaurswww.mattphelan.com

3 Fun Facts

1. Can play the ukulele
2. Studied acting in college instead of art.
3. Lives with his family in Pennsylvania.

Northrop, Michael

Northrop, Michael

Michael Northrop is the New York Times bestselling author of the TombQuest series and other books for kids and teens. His first young adult novel, Gentlemen, earned him a Publishers Weekly Flying Start citation, and his second, Trapped, was an Indie Next List selection. His first middle-grade novel, Plunked, was named one of the best children’s books of the year by the New York Public Library and was selected by NPR for its Backseat Book Club. A former senior editor at Sports Illustrated Kids, he now writes full-time from his home in New York City. Visit him online at www.michaelnorthrop.net

3 Fun Facts

1. I am dyslexic and repeated second grade.
2. I once stepped on a yellowjacket nest and was stung approx.75 times.
3. According to family lore, I am related to Jonathan Swift, who wrote Gulliver’s Travels.

Abbott, Tony

Abbott, Tony

Tony Abbott writes books for young readers aged 6 to 14, including Kringle, Underworlds, and the long-running series, The Secrets of Droon. He is also author of the realistic novels Firegirl (2006 Golden Kite Award for Fiction) and The Postcard (2008 Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery), and the civil-rights drama, Lunch-Box Dream. His latest novels are The Summer of Owen Todd (2017), Denis Ever After (2018), and The Great Jeff (2019). Tony has been on the faculty of Lesley University’s MFA in Creative Writing, is a frequent conference speaker and visitor to schools. www.tonyabbottbooks.com

3 Fun Facts

1. I play the guitar middling fair, the violin terribly, and the trombone not at all.
2. I wrote poetry for twenty years before writing novels for children, and am now combining the two disciplines.

Stamper, Vesper

Stamper, Vesper

Vesper Stamper’s debut novel, What the Night Sings, has been longlisted for the National Book Award and received numerous accolades for recounting the seldom-told story of what happened to Holocaust survivors in the aftermath of World War 2. For twenty years, Author-Illustrator Vesper Stamper has created work through which asks the central question: how do people, especially children, who suffer trauma, go on to rise above their experiences as victims and go beyond surviving to flourishing? She believes in the dignity of every human being as made in the image of God, and in the resilience of the human spirit. www.vesperillustration.com

Manushkin, Fran

Manushkin, Fran

Fran Manushkin is the author of over 100 books, including the popular Katie Woo series, as well “Happy In Our Skin,” and the best-selling board books “Big Girl Panties” and “Big Boy Underpants.” She loves to meet her readers! www.franmanushkin.com

3 Fun Facts

1. I’ve written over 100 books.
2. I am always singing songs in my head.
3. I need chocolate every day!

Castle, Jennifer

Castle, Jennifer

Jennifer Castle grew up writing stories in her head on long school bus rides and was constantly looking for ways to turn her ideas into reality. Eventually, one of her “big ideas” became a published novel, and since then she has written twelve books for kids and teens, including Butterfly Wishes series, Together at Midnight, and Famous Friends. Jennifer lives in New Paltz with her husband, two daughters, and two striped cats, who also work part-time as her writing assistants. www.jennifercastle.com

3 Fun Facts

1. Blaire Wilson, American Girl’s Girl of the Year 2019, and I share two things in common: we both live in the Hudson Valley and we both have food sensitivities.
2. I’m a Ravenclaw.
3. My favorite book of all time is A SWIFTLY TILTING PLANET by Madeleine L’Engle.

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