I published my first book for children in 1973. Since then, over 45 titles, two just last week, three more next year. I have taught people to write at Parson’s School of Design, Miami Dade, UCLA, and privately since then. I have reviewed for the NY, LA Sunday Book Review, was invited to Bologna Book Fair, and my books appear on the Best Books of The Year lists from Amazon, Bank Street, and all the other lists. I illustrated my first dozen books myself.  www.barbarabottnerbooks.com

3 Fun Facts

1. I also perform Spoken Word in LA.
2. I have taught over the years: Lane Smith, Peggy Rathmann, Bruce Degen, Laura Numeroff, Robin Preiss Glaser, Barney Saltsburg, Antoinette Portis .
3. I have a YA novel coming out in 2020. I began in children’s books as an illustrator and learned to write.

Children’s book author/illustrator Brian Lies has created nearly thirty children’s books, including his New York Times bestselling bat books (Bats at the Beach, Bats at the Library, Bats at the Ballgame and Bats in the Band). His newest books are the highly-acclaimed The Rough Patch (August, 2018) and Got to Get to Bear’s! (October, 2018).

Brian spends part of the school year traveling throughout the United States to work with students and encourage them in their goals. He lives with his family in Duxbury, Massachusetts. www.brianlies.com

3 Fun Facts

1. My hobbies mostly involve things changing from one thing to another: cooking, gardening, woodworking.
2. I once got a mini light bulb stuck in my ear and had to go to the emergency room to get it removed (I was four)
3. I’m an author/illustrator today because of an author visit to MY school when I was in 5th grade (which is one reason I believe so strongly in doing author visits!).

Samantha Berger may not be…
an otter with an attitude
a crankycrankycranky green boy
a Christmas reindeer
a princess on the potty
a sloth at a music festival
a witch at a day spa
a Sasquatch with anxiety
a snail traveling cross country
a girl riding a Pegacorn
a drawing that comes to life
a glamorous grandma
or a monster with underwear dilemmas…

BUT —

she has written picture books about them ALL!

Samantha Berger is the award-winning author of over 80 picture books. More than that, Samantha LOVES picture books, and loves sharing them with people of all ages. Sam wrote for Nickelodeon for 12 years, and currently writes for Sesame Street in Communities & Sesame Street International. Sam likes to see as much of the world as she can, and do as much good as she can along the way. She is an official We Need Diverse Books 2019 Mentor, and looks forward to helping new voices and new stories shine. Sam is a 2019 Air Serenbe Joy of Reading Fellow and can’t wait to see what she will create there! Samantha lives in both New York City, and sunny Santa Monica with her Dingo-Chihuahua rescue dog Polly Pocket, who is a daily reminder of resilience and the power of love. www.samanthaberger.com

3 Fun Facts

1. I love theme parties (tiki, 80s, glitter, wigs, you name it!)
2. I can touch my tongue to my nose
3. I just took a ride in a “karaoke car” and sang my way through sundance!

Kat Yeh is the award-winning author of middle grade novels, THE WAY TO BEA and THE TRUTH ABOUT TWINKIE PIE (an NPR Best Book of 2015) both from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, picture book, THE FRIEND SHIP, from Disney-Hyperion – as well as others. Kat currently lives with her family in Philadelphia, PA.

P.S. You pronounce her last name YAY!. Learn more about Kat at www.katyeh.com

3 Fun Facts

1. I just moved to Philadelphia!
2. Now that I live in a city, I’ve started an Urban Jungle in my apt!
3. I talk to my plants every day