Lyriq Blue and Ranier Blue are a daddy daughter duo out of Upstate NY who decided to create “The Light In Me” as a way to help kids like Lyriq with their self-esteem. blyriqmusic.com/tlim

Awards
Featured at the Catskill “Books and Breakfast“ event in January 2023
Interviewed by Stephanie Rivas live on WTEN News 10 in January 2023

3 Fun Facts

1. Lyriq is a performer who’s stage name is a play on her real name.
2. Ranier is a self taught producer who makes music with Lyriq
3. Lyriq loves converse and Air Force one sneakers.

Gabrielle Balkan’s non-fiction picture books delight readers ages 3-12 with curious and essential facts about the United States, animal record-breakers, and ground-breaking artists. Learn about the best place to see a hot dog eating contest, falling dino poop, and painting bones in her books The 50 States, Book of Dinosaurs: 10 Record-Breaking Prehistoric Animals, and Georgia O’Keeffe: She Saw the World in a Flower. She grew up ice skating at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and now hides geocaches with her twin 7th graders in the Hudson Valley. Visit her at www.gabriellebalkan.com and chat with her at @gabriellebalkan.

Awards
Book of Bones: 10 Record-Breaking Animals: International Literacy Association Teacher’s Choice Pick and A Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List Title
The 50 States: A National Council for the Social Studies-Children’s Book Council Pick
Whose Bones: An Animal Guessing Game: An Indiana Authors Award Shortlist Pick
Book of Flight: 10 Record-Breaking Animals with Wings: An Indiana Authors Award Shortlist Pick.

3 Fun Facts

1. Gabe wrote her first book in 6th grade. It was about an elephant trying to hide at a circus.
2. Gabe takes improv classes every Thursday. Her favorite improv game is “Fortunately, Unfortunately”.
3. Gabe loves to visit cemeteries whenever she visits a new place.

Valerie Bolling has been an educator for almost 30 years, and her debut picture book, LET’S DANCE!, was published in March 2020 and won SCBWI’s Crystal Kite Award in 2021 and was a CT Book Award finalist.Valerie had two books published in 2022 (TOGETHER WE RIDE and RIDE, ROLL, RUN: TIME FOR FUN!) and has five slated for 2023, including her Scholastic Acorn early reader series, RAINBOW DAYS. https://valeriebolling.com

Valerie and her husband live in Connecticut and enjoy traveling, hiking, reading, going to the theater, and dancing.

3 Fun Facts

1. I grew up in an extended family. I was the only child in a house of seven adults, living with my mother, grandmother, three great-aunts, and great-grandparents.
2. I have traveled to five of seven continents. In the future, I hope to have the opportunity to visit Australia and Antarctica.
3. I am never without a book. I have always loved to read. I read in the car, while waiting in lines, and on exercise equipment.

As a young parent, Rick Bobrick spent countless hours telling bedtime stories to his three children. Twenty-five years later, one of those stories has led to this first-time author’s unique picture book collection featuring Davy Crockett and his furry frenemy, the grizzly bear.

Rick is now retired and lives in Medusa, New York with his wife Cathleen and his big dog Bean. He enjoys fly fishing, skiing, gardening, and spending time with his grandson. After a forty-year teaching career (mostly middle school science), having his children’s books published is a dream come true. www.rickbobrick.com

3 Fun Facts

1. Rick spent most of his 40-year teaching career at the Hudson JHS which of course is the home of the Hudson Children’s Book Festival!
2. He is an avid home gardener and an amateur poultry farmer raising and caring for laying hens, meat chickens, and Heritage Bronze turkeys.
3. Rick was very fortunate to have a niece talented enough to illustrate his book series; it became a family collaboration that has exceeded both their wildest expectations.

Nick Bruel is the author/illustrator of the New York Times bestselling Bad Kitty series as well as the picture books “Who Is Melvin Bubble” and “A Wonderful Year”. He lives in Briarcliff Manor, NY with his wife Carina, his daughter Izzy, their dog Toby, and his not-quite-good-not-quite-bad cats Esme and Rose. www.nickbruelbooks.com

3 Fun Facts

1. Uncle Murray is based on my own real life Uncle Murray.
2. Toby in “Bad Kitty: Camp Daze” is based on my real life dog named Toby.
3. Baby is based on my real life daughter named Izzy from when she was a baby. She’s 11 years old now.

Phil Bildner is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books for kids. His latest book is the 2021 NCTE Charlotte Huck Award Honor-winning middle grade novel, A High Five for Glenn Burke. He is the author of many children’s picture books including the Margaret Wise Brown Prize winning Marvelous Cornelius, the Texas Bluebonnet Award winning Shoeless Joe & Black Betsy, Martina & Chrissie, Twenty-One Elephants, and The Soccer Fence. Phil is also the author of A Whole New Ballgame, Rookie of the Year, Tournament of Champions, and Most Valuable Players in the critically acclaimed middle grade Rip & Red series. www.philbildner.com

New York Times Bestseller (Sluggers series)
Margaret Wise Brown Prize (Marvelous Cornelius)
Texas Bluebonnet Award (Shoeless Joe & Black Betsy)

3 Fun Facts

1. I’ve been to the World Series, the Super Bowl, and the NBA Finals.
2. I’ve been bitten by a lion.
3. I have a pitbull rescue dog named Katniss. We call her Kat. So I have a dog named Kat.

My books have taken me around the world: from Iowa to Ireland, from Texas to Italy, from Pennsylvania to the Pearl River Delta in China.

I grew up in Fresh Meadows NY, graduated from Cooper Union, made my way to Buffalo and from there to our home-made house on a scrubby hillside in upstate NY. For years my husband and I made wooden toys, until an idea for a book seeped through the sawdust.

All my studies, all my jobs (except for racking clothes at Macy’s) all my grands (3) have led to the making of twenty two friend-filled books. www.suzannebloom.com

Awards:
A Splendid Friend, indeed
– Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor
– ALA Notable
– PA One Book for Every Young Child
– Texas 2×2
A Mighty Fine Time Machine
– Texas 2×2
Alone Together
– Bank Street College of Education, Best Children’s Books of the Year
The Bus for Us
– PA One book for Every Young Child Bunny Braves The Day
Bunny Braves the Day
– Bank Street College of Education, Best Children’s Books of the Year

3 Fun Facts

1. My friends, family, dogs and cats all show up in my books along with my imaginary friends.
2. I am left-handed but use scissors right-handed.
3. My favorite color can be found on many of my book covers.

Artie Bennett is an executive copy editor by day and a writer by night. He is the author of an inspiring, humorous picture-book biography of a hapless, though beloved, horse, The True Story of Zippy Chippy: The Little Horse That Couldn’t. He’s also the author of several hilarious rhyming picture books: The Butt Book, his first “mature” work; Poopendous!, his “number two” book; Peter Panda Melts Down!, an adorable departure from derrières and doo; the explosively funny Belches, Burps, and Farts—Oh My!; and What’s Afoot! Your Complete, Offbeat Guide to Feet, guaranteed to knock your socks off. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, where he spends his time moving his car to satisfy the stringent demands of alternate-side-of-the-street parking. HuffPost says: “It appears there is no topic Mr. Bennett can’t make funny and educational.” Visit ArtieBennett.com . . . before someone else does!

The True Story of Zippy Chippy: The Little Horse That Couldn’t
A CCBC Choice 2021
A Horse Lover’s Guide to Staying Inside Children’s Book from America’s Best Racing
A Picture-Book Biography You Need to Know About Citation from Imagination Soup
A Gift Guide Great Book for the Book Lover in Your Life from The Bookworm Sez

Belches, Burps and Farts—Oh My!
A World Science Festival Selection
A Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee for Informational Text
A Pragmatic Mom Best Nonfiction Book for Kids
A HuffPost (One of) 26 Entertaining and Educational Books for Back-to-School Season

Poopendous!
A Bright Horizons Notable Book in the Humorous Books for Children Category
A Book Vine for Children Growing Green Book

The Butt Book
Reuben Award Winner for Book Illustration
Best Feel-Good Children’s Book (HuffPost)
A New York State Assembly/NYPL Suggested Reading Title
A Starred Review from the Horn Book Guide

3 Fun Facts

1. My favorite food is ice cream and I have a three-scoop-a-day habit. Whenever I travel, I love sampling exotic or unusual flavors, such as Agenaise (French prune!).
2. I swim every weekday morning. It clears away the cobwebs, making mornings my most productive time of day. I even get some of my best book ideas while afloat.
3. I was a crossword puzzle prodigy and sold my first one to the New York Times when I was only thirteen years old! It’s been downhill ever since.