Harlem's Little Blackbird

Renée Watson grew up in Portland Oregon, came to New York for her degree in writing, and now teaches poetry in the New York City Schools. Her books include Betty Before X, Harlem’s Little Blackbird: The Story of Florence Mills, A Place Where Hurricanes Happen, and What Momma Left Me which debuted as the New Voice for 2010 in middle grade fiction by The Independent Children’s Booksellers Association.

Christian Robinson was born in Hollywood, California, in 1986. He grew up in a small one bedroom apartment with his brother, two cousins, aunt, and grandmother. Drawing became a way to make space for himself and to create the kind of world he wanted to see. He studied animation at The California Institute of the Arts and would later work with the Sesame Street Workshop and Pixar Animation Studios before becoming an illustrator of books for children. His books include Gaston and Antoinette, written by Kelly DiPucchio, and the #1 New York Times bestseller Last Stop on Market Street, written by Matt de la Peña, which was awarded the Caldecott Honor, the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, and the Newbery Medal. He presently lives in Northern California with his rescue greyhound Baldwin and several houseplants. He looks forward to one day seeing the Aurora Borealis. Visit him online at TheArtofFun.com.