2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024

Day 20: Alice Childress

  When I’m writing, characters seem to come alive; they move my pen to action, pushing, pulling, shoving, and intruding. I visualize each scene as if it were part of a living play . . . . I am pleased when readers say that my novels feel like plays, because it means they are very [ Read the full article… ]

Day 19: Nathan Bryon

My journey to being a published author was a joy, and I was super blessed, I never planned to be an author, or thought I was ever going to become one, again dyslexia from the jump tells you not to think like that especially as I find reading hard, so the honest truth was…

Day 18: Theanne Griffith, Ph.D.

Who better to write science adventure books for kids than a scientist? Dr. Theanne Griffith blended her love of storytelling with her expertise as a neuroscientist and created something magical – The Magnificent Makers chapter book series illustrated by Reggie Brown and published by Random House. In each installment, friends tackle scientific concepts as well [ Read the full article… ]

Day 17: Nancy Redd

Nancy Redd is an American Library Association award winner, an NAACP Image Award nominee, and a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Her debut picture book, Bedtime Bonnet, focuses on Black nighttime hair rituals and was chosen by the American Library Association’s Black Caucus as a “Best of the Best” book for 2020. [ Read the full article… ]

Day 16 – Kaylani Juanita

  Kaylani Juanita McCard, professionally known as Kaylani Juanita, is an illustrator. Her work focuses on activism, empowerment of people of color, and LGBTQ+ people. Her work has appeared in publications through Chronicle Books, Cicada Magazine, and Lee & Low Books. Her first illustrated book, Ta-Da! by Kathy Ellen Davis, was released by Chronicle Books and nominated for an Young Readers award via [ Read the full article… ]

Day 15 – Ben Philippe

Reading Ben Philippe’s first book opened a whole new world for me. The mind of a Canadian teen and how it might feel for them to move to the United States. Like it’s name, The Field Guide to the North American Teenager, it truly reminded me of what it was like to be a teen – [ Read the full article… ]

Day 14: Kereen Getten

Kereen Getten’s debut novel WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU MANGOS is described as “a celebration of island life as well as a rich, lyrical mystery.” From her web site: “Twelve-year-old Clara lives on an island that visitors call exotic. But there’s nothing exotic about it to Clara. She loves eating ripe mangos off the ground, running [ Read the full article… ]

Day 13: Valerie Bolling

Valerie Bolling is not only a talented educator and debut picture book author, she’s a marketing dynamo and caring advocate for others. The media section of her website has links to dozens of interviews she did to promote Let’s Dance! (illustrated by Maine Diaz, published by Boyds Mills Press). Zoom readalouds, panel discussions, author visits, [ Read the full article… ]