Kevin Johnson is author of the critically acclaimed picture book, CAPE (2023, Roaring Brook Press), the LitRPG/Sci-Fi epic, SLAYER BOWL (2025, SACK OF LIT), and the upcoming graphic novels: WHO MADE MUSIC ON THE MISSISSIPPI: LOUIS ARMSTRONG (2026, Penguin Workshop), and HOWIE HACKIT (2027, Roaring Brook Press). Kevin is a Temple University film school grad [ Read the full article… ]
28 Days
Day 27: Asia Simone
Asia Simone received her BFA in Illustration and a minor in creative writing from the University of the Arts. She’s a digital artist whose love for animation and comics/manga is evident in her work, including her graphic novel release, Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur: Wreck and Roll. Her goal is always to draw whimsically expressive [ Read the full article… ]
Day 26: Ebony Lynn Mudd
Gifted, generous and genuine are just a few of the outstanding qualities of Ebony Lynn Mudd. Her love and big heart shine in the beautiful stories she writes and in the way she invests in children’s literature friends. In books like Just Like Tina and the forthcoming, Junior Takes a Leap, Ebony weaves words into [ Read the full article… ]
Day 25: Roseanne Brown
Every book starts with the characters. If I don’t have an MC I feel compelled enough to follow, then I don’t have a story. The emotional arcs serve as my guiding star throughout the creation process, and every other decision I make regarding world, plot, etc. is born from what best fulfills the emotional arc.
Day 24: Bernard Mensah
Bernard K. Mensah is a Senior Software Engineering Manager and an award-nominated children’s book author whose stories celebrate African culture and authentic experiences through a child’s lens. Born and raised in Ghana, Bernard now lives in the UK with his two sons—the inspiration behind every story he writes. His debut picture book, Esi the Brave (Who Was [ Read the full article… ]
Day 23: Jerry Jordan
Jerry Jordan is a children’s book illustrator and painter working in the style of contemporary realism. He counts the unsung artists of the Harlem Renaissance as his artistic role models. He has also been heavily influenced by such artists as John S. Sargent, William M. Chase and Joaquin Sorolla just to name a few. He [ Read the full article… ]
Day 22: Ciera Burch
Ciera Burch is a lifelong reader and writer. She has a B.A from American University and an MFA from Emerson College. She is the author of Finch House, Something Kindred, Camp Twisted Pine, and Out of Step, Into You. Finch House was a JLG Gold Standard Selection and a New York Times Kids Year of [ Read the full article… ]
Day 21: Kirstie Myvett
Kirstie Myvett is the author of several books for children. Her stories are of Black resilience, which exposes children to the diverse American history that helped shape our landscape. She is the co-founder of KidLit in Color, a blog that amplifies BIPOC creatives in the publishing industry. Kirstie believes representation matters in all places and [ Read the full article… ]