CARLOS APONTE was born in New York and raised in Puerto Rico. He attended Parsons School of Design and currently teaches drawing at Fashion Institute of Technology. He is the author/illustrator of A SEASON TO BEE and ACROSS THE BAY, recipient of the Pura Belpré illustrator honor. Carlos lives and works in Jersey City, New Jersey. You can see more of his work at: https://www.instagram.com/carlosvisualdiary/?hl=en

 

 

MEG AUCHENBACH is an illustrator, writer and art educator from Eastern PA. Her debut picture book, IF YOU ARE AN ARTIST was published in 2024. See more of Meg’s work at www.megauchenbach.com. 

 

TADGH BENTLEY is a picture book author and illustrator originally from the UK, now living in the Hocking Hills of Ohio. His titles include the LITTLE PENGUIN series, SAMSON, THE PIRANHA WHO WENT TO DINNER, and DINO DETECTIVE AND AWESOME POSSUM chapter books. See more of his work at www.tadghbentley.com.

 

 

NAVINA CHHABRIA is an author/illustrator with a background in graphic design. Born in India, she now lives in New Jersey where she is constantly doodling, experimenting with new techniques and attempting to create unique, unforgettable characters. She is drawn to writing stories that showcase cultural diversity and break gender stereotypes. See more of her work at www.studiotikli.com.

 

MAJA CUNNINGHAM is a freelance artist, illustrator and a writer from Croatia, working from her Texas studio where she put down her roots. Before freelancing she has worked over a decade in architecture. Her most notable art collaborations include Minted, Disney, Target, West Elm, Pottery Barn and Barnes and Noble. Connect with her on Instagram @llinella

 

DAMON ECKHOFF is a painter, illustrator, and UX Designer living in Portland, Oregon. Damon’s art and design have been included in a 2012 Portland Mayoral Debate Campaign, Portland Parks and Recreation Bike events, and you can also find his playful and smart artwork on clothing and other accessories at his Zazzle site, Fuzzy Bunny Cute Shop. Visit him at www.episodecreative.com to see more of his work.

 

JESS FOGEL is an is an author/illustrator who was born in Germany, grew up in Israel and now lives among the trees, deers and bears in the Catskills. Jess’s illustrations have been published in the Portland Mercury, Yeti Magazine, and Le Petite Magazine. Artwork has also been exhibited in group shows in Portland, OR; Brooklyn, NY; and Portsmouth, NH. http://stillbutunclear.com

 

LEONID GORE has illustrated over thirty children’s books, five of which he also wrote. His books have been honored as IRA Children's Choice books and Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year. His paintings have appeared on the covers of the Washington Post, inside Tennis Magazine, Sporting News Magazine, Auto Week, Inside Sports, Fine Cooking, Medical Economics, Guideposts and Scenario. See more of his work at www.leonidgore.com

 

PAUL GUDE is the author/illustrator of WHEN GIRAFFE MET ELEPHANT, a picture book for young readers about a feisty elephant and a silent giraffe, as well as its sequel, A SURPRISE FOR GIRAFFE AND ELEPHANT. He was featured on the Bravo reality series LOLwork as a member of the Cheezburger humor website’s creative team. paulgude.wordpress.com

 
 

JULIA KARLINSKY is an author / illustrator based in Portland, Oregon, where she and a German shepherd named Boltie roam the wild and dream up stories. You can visit her at: https://www.juliakarlinsky.com/

JOE KULKA is the author/illustrator and illustrator of more than 20 books for children, including WOLF’S COMING and MY CROCODILE DOES NOT BITE and several books about Smokey the Bear for the US Forest Service. He lives in Quakertown, PA, and teaches picture book illustration at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design, Moore College of Art and Design, and Rosemont College. See more of his work at www.joekulka.com

 

Siyang Lim is a picture book maker based in New Jersey. Born and raised in China, she moved to the US at the age of 16. Her debut picture book, LAN’S RED SCARF, will be published in 2026. See more of her work at: https://siyanglimillustration.com/  

 

CHRISTIE MATHESON is the talented and prolific author and illustrator of TAP THE MAGIC TREE, which was named a Junior Library Guild selection and one of NPR’s best books of 2013. She works primarily in watercolor and collage, and other picture books include TOUCH THE BRIGHTEST STAR, PLANT THE TINY SEED, BIRD WATCH, and THE HIDDEN RAINBOW, as well as the middle grade novels SHELTER and SELECT.

 

JACK MORGAN works as a Quality Control Operator in the television industry and is the author/illustrator of PLUM AND BERRY. He lives and works in Calgary, Alberta.

 

NAOKO MATSUNAGA is a professional illustrator from Tokyo, Japan. Her clients include Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Pearson, and Creative Age Publications. Before freelancing, she worked in fashion and studied art at Esmod Japon. She now lives in Glendale, California with her husband and little toy poodle. To see more of her work visit her at www.naokoart.com.

 

JIYEON PAK is the author/illustrator of MY GRANDMA’S TEA and MY GRANDPA’S CHAIR. Born in South Korea, she lives in Abingdon, Maryland. See more of her work at hello-jiyeon.com.

 

J. C. PHILLIPPS lives in Connecticut and is the author and illustrator of THE SIMPLES LOVE A PICNIC, MONKEY ONO, WINK: THE NINJA WHO WANTED TO NAP, and WINK: THE NINJA WHO WANTED TO BE NOTICED. Her newest book is DRAGON RIDER, the fourth book in her middle grade graphic novel series PACEY PACKER UNICORN TRACKER. She is also a collage and watercolor artist and a founding member of the WeHa Artists Emporium. http://www.jcphillipps.com/

 

EMILY SNAPE is the author of OLD MACDONALD HAD A BABY and MOTOR-MIX and the author/illustrator of AN ALPHABET OF HUGS. Her editorial clients include Nickelodeon, BBC, Nintendo, Nestle, and Colgate. She lives in London, England, and can be visited at http://www.emilysnape.co.uk.

 

SETH TAYLOR is a world travelling author/illustrator who has, after 30 years on the road, finally set down his backpack in Sturgeon Bay, WI, USA to open a studio and put down roots. His work has appeared in a wide range of publications and galleries throughout the US and Asia. You can find more of his work at www.sethtaylorstudio.com

 

BRANDON TODD is an author/illustrator from Kansas City, Mo. He is the author/illustrator of TOU-CAN’T, the illustrator of THE BEAR MUST GO ON by Dev Petty, and the author of the ADVENTURE FRIENDS series of early readers. Visit him and see more of his work at https://btoddbooks.com/.

 

DAVE WHEELER is a freelance illustrator living in Seattle, WA. He is the author/illustrator of NEW HOUSE. See more of his work at davewheeler.com.

 

MARK WOOD has been a professional writer, illustrator, and editor for more than 35 years. As the former editor and designer of Pomona College Magazine, he won a number of national awards for cover illustrations. You can see more of his work at: http://www.markwoodillustration.com.