Candlewick Sparks Books

Laura McGee Kvasnosky (www.lmkbooks.com) grew up in Northern California. She is the author of the Zelda and Ivy books, one of which won dual Golden Kite Honors Awards in 1999 from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), and the American Library Association’s 2007 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award as America’s most distinguished book for beginning readers published that year. Along with Kate Harvey McGee, she is also the author of Little Wolf’s First Howling, which won the Margaret Wise Brown Honor Book Award for children’s literature text. Laura lives in Seattle.

Carole Lexa Schaefer is the author of many acclaimed books for children, including Down in the Woods at Sleepytime, illustrated by Vanessa Cabban, and the Monkey and Elephant early reader series, illustrated by Galia Bernstein. Carole Lexa Schaefer lives in Washington State.

Jamie Michalak is the author of Joe and Sparky, Party Animals!; Joe and Sparky Get New Wheels; Joe and Sparky Go to School; and Joe and Sparky, Superstars!, which Kirkus Reviews called a “little treasure” in a starred review. All are illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. Jamie Michalak lives in Rhode Island.

Lisa Moser is the author of ten children’s books, including Stories from Bug Garden and Squirrel’s World. She graduated from The University of Iowa and taught fifth grade in Worthington, Ohio. Lisa lives in Wisconsin with her husband and daughter and writes beside trees and streams with her loyal dog.

James Howe is the author of more than ninety books for young readers, including the modern classic Bunnicula and its highly popular sequels. In 2001, Howe published The Misfits, which was the inspiration for the national movement known as No Name-Calling Week (NoNameCallingWeek.org), an event observed by thousands of middle and elementary schools annually. There are three companion novels to The Misfits: Totally Joe (2005), Addie on the Inside (2011), and Also Known as Elvis (2014). Howe’s many other books for children from preschool through teens frequently deal with the acceptance of difference and being true to oneself. Visit him online at JamesHowe.com.

Megan McDonald is the author of the popular Judy Moody and Stink series for older readers, as well as many other books for children. Megan McDonald lives in California.

Liz Kessler is the author of the best-selling Emily Windsnap series, the Philippa Fisher series, the novels North of Nowhere and A Year Without Autumn, and a series of early readers about Poppy the Pirate Dog. She lives in Cornwall, England.

Cece Bell is the author-illustrator of the Newbery Honor book El Deafo, I Yam a Donkey!, and the Sock Monkey picture books. She lives in Virginia with her family.

Kate Messner is the award-winning author of Over and Under the Snow, Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt, Over and Under the Pond, Tree of Wonder, and How to Read a Story, as well as more than a dozen other books for young readers. Kate lives on Lake Champlain in New York

Galia Bernstein was born and raised in Israel. She started her career as a designer and illustrator for the Israeli Army’s magazine. She later studied illustration at Parsons School of Design at the New School and now works as a full-time freelance illustrator. She lives in Brooklyn.

Frank Remkiewicz has illustrated numerous books for children, including the popular Froggy books by Jonathan London (Viking and Puffin). He lives in Sarasota, Florida.

Valeri Gorbachev has illustrated more than forty books for children, including his own Big Little Elephant and Skunk’s Spring Surprise by Lesléa Newman. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Noah Z. Jones is an author, illustrator, and animator who creates all sorts of zany and memorable characters. He has illustrated numerous books for children, including Always in Trouble, Not Norman, and Those Shoes. He is also the author and illustrator of Princess Pink and the Land of Fake-Believe, an early chapter book series. He lives in California. To see more of his work, visit www.noahzjones.com.

Marie-Louise Gay is the illustrator of many award-winning children’s books, including the Houndsley and Catina series by James Howe and Tiger and Badger by Emily Jenkins. She lives in Montreal, Canada.

Alison Friend is the illustrator of several children’s books, including Scrawny Cat by Phyllis Root, What Color Is Caesar? by Maxine Kumin, and the Bramble and Maggie stories by Jessie Haas. She also illustrates and designs greeting cards. Alison Friend has loved painting and drawing for as long as she can remember, especially animals, which she copied from wildlife books and encyclopedias as a child. She lives in South Yorkshire, England.

G. Brian Karas has illustrated more than ninety children’s books, including two by Megan McDonald about Ant and Honey Bee; Tap Tap Boom Boom by Elizabeth Bluemle; and Are You Going to Be Good? by Cari Best, a New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year. G. Brian Karas lives in the Hudson Valley of New York.

Mike Phillips is the illustrator of many children’s books including the Horrible Histories: Gruesome Guides and the Horrible Geography series.

Heather Ross is an illustrator and fabric designer. She lives in New York City and the Catskill Mountains with her husband, daughter, and dog.

Bob Kolar lives in Kansas City. He makes fun things for kids to read and play with. Most days he’s in his studio drawing and writing and goofing around with his studio pal Wallace, a spunky golden retriever.