RUTH A. MUSGRAVE, B.S. Education, is an award-winning children’s author, animal science expert, and writer for National Geographic Little Kids magazine and the National Geographic Little Kids Look & Learn book series, including Look Up, Peek-a-boo, Big Cats, Look Outside, In My Garden, Birds, Pets, and Let’s Make Music. Musgrave shares her fascination with animals with students of all ages by teaching, writing, and developing curriculum.
Elizabeth Carney is a writer and editor based in Brooklyn, New York. She specializes in nonfiction children’s books and science, math, and STEM-related magazines. Her author credits include Everything Big Cats; Everything Dolphins; Great Migrations: Whales, Wildebeests, Butterflies, Elephants, and Other Amazing Animals on the Move; and several titles in the National Geographic Face to Face and Readers series.
Blake A. Hoena grew up in central Wisconsin, where he wrote stories about robots conquering the moon and trolls lumbering around the woods behind his parents house. He now lives in Minnesota and continues to write about fun things like space aliens and superheroes. Blake has written more than fifty chapter books and graphic novels for children.
KITSON JAZYNKA is an award-winning freelance writer and children’s author. Her work appeals regularly in National Geographic Kids, American Girl, and Young Rider magazines, as well as the Washington Post’s KidsPost. In 2011, she worked with the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Foundation to write a book called The Making of the Memorial, a history of the creation of the memorial to Dr. King on the National Mall. Kitson also contributes to national equestrian and dog magazines including, Dog Fancy, Horse Illustrated, and Dressage Today. Her picture book, Carrot In My Pocket, was published in 2001. She currently lives with her family in Washington, DC. The author lives in Washington, DC.
Helaine Becker is the author of many books for children and young readers, including A Porcupine in a Pine Tree, Dashing Through the Snow, Worms for Breakfast, and How to Survive Absolutely Anything. helainebecker.com
Jennifer Swanson has written more than twenty books in school and library focused series for National Geographic, Charlesbridge, and various other publishers. She attended the Naval Academy, where she received in BA in Chemistry. In addition to working as a full-time writer, she is a middle school science instructor for John Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth.
Kwame Alexander is a poet, an educator, a New York Times bestselling author of twenty-one books, and recipient of the Newbery Medal for his novel The Crossover. The founder of two organizations, Book-in-a-Day and LEAP for Ghana, he regularly travels the world as a literacy advocate and expert. Kwame has owned several publishing companies, written for stage and TV (TLC’s “Hip Hop Harry”), recorded a CD, produced jazz and book festivals, hosted a radio show, and taught high school English. In 2015, Kwame served as Bank Street College of Education’s first writer-in-residence.