Our 2025 Author & Illustrator Particpants
Join us for a magical celebration of stories, imagination, and the joy of reading.
These authors and illustrators have committed to attend this year’s festival. They look forward to meeting young readers and talking with families, and will be happy to autograph and inscribe their books, which will be available for purchase. Children, families, authors, and illustrators: get ready for a day of discovery and fun!
Sylvie Kantorovitz
Author and Illustrator | Pre-School, Elementary, Middle Grade
Sylvie Kantorovitz is the author-illustrator of Sylvie and Zig and the Magic Umbrella. Born in France and now based in New York’s Hudson Valley, she explores personal storytelling through graphic novels and picture books.
Website
Alan Katz
Author | Pre-School, Elementary
Emmy-nominated TV writer and comedian, Alan Katz is the author of 40+ humorous children’s books including Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Got Your Nose!. Known for parodies and poetry, he lives in Weston, CT with his family.
Website
Leslie Kimmelman
Author | Pre-School, Elementary
Leslie Kimmelman is a longtime Sesame Workshop editor and author of 50+ picture books, including Everybody Bonjours! and The Runaway Latkes. She writes about Jewish culture, holidays, and family life from Ardsley, NY.
Website
Lorien Lawrence
Author | Middle Grade
Lorien Lawrence is a middle-grade author and English teacher from Connecticut. She’s known for The Stitchers and the Fright Watch series, which blend spooky suspense with emotional depth.
Website
Barbara Lehman
Illustrator | Elementary
Barbara Lehman is a Caldecott Honor-winning author-illustrator best known for her wordless picture books like The Red Book and Rainstorm. She holds a BFA from Pratt and lives in New York’s Hudson Valley.
Website
Rebecca Gardyn Levington
Author | Pre-School, Elementary
Rebecca Gardyn Levington is the author of picture books Brainstorm!, Afikoman, and Where’d You Go?. A poet and former journalist, she explores themes of childhood anxiety through lyrical rhyming texts. She lives in Summit, NJ.
Website
Suzy Levinson
Author | Pre-School, Elementary
Suzy Levinson is a New York-based author and poet. Her debut book Animals in Pants! received acclaim for its humor and wordplay. Her upcoming title Dinos That Drive is due in 2025.
Website
Megan Litwin
Author | Pre-School, Elementary
Meghan Litwin is a former teacher and graduate of Simmons University’s Children’s Literature program. Her titles include Twinkle, Twinkle, Winter Night and the Dirt & Bugsy series. She lives in Massachusetts and writes poetic, playful books for early readers.
Website
Kyle Lukoff
Author | Pre-School, Elementary, Middle Grade, Young Adult
Kyle Lukoff is a Newbery Honor and Stonewall Award–winning author and former librarian known for When Aidan Became a Brother, Too Bright to See, and Call Me Max. His work reflects his experiences as a Jewish, transgender author committed to inclusive storytelling.
Website
Lauren Magaziner
Author | Elementary, Middle Grade
Lauren Magaziner is the author of the Case Closed series, The Mythics, and Wizardmatch. Known for twisty, humorous middle-grade adventures, she lives and writes in Philadelphia.
Website
Kristin Mahoney
Author | Pre-School, Elementary, Middle Grade
Kristin Mahoney is a creative writer and former educator from North Carolina now based in New Jersey. She is the author of Annie’s Life in Lists and The 47 People You’ll Meet in Middle School, known for capturing middle‑grade life with wit and heart.
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Lynne Marie
Author | Pre-School, Elementary
Lynne Marie is a Connecticut-based author and former educator. Her books include Let’s Dance!, Together We Ride, and Rainbow Days. She mentors writers and champions inclusive storytelling in early readers and picture books.
Website
Denis Markell
Author | Middle Grade
Brooklyn-based author Denis Markell blends his background in sitcom writing and musicals to craft middle-grade mysteries like Click Here to Start and The Game Masters of Garden Place. Formerly co-writer on shows like ThunderCats, he collaborates frequently with illustrator wife Melissa Iwai and enjoys quirky family—and puppy—life in New York.
Website
Janae Marks
Author | Middle Grade
Janae Marks is the New York Times bestselling author of From the Desk of Zoe Washington and its sequel On Air with Zoe Washington. She holds an MFA from The New School and lives in Connecticut with her family and dog.
Website
Michele McAvoy
Author | Pre-School, Elementary
Michele McAvoy is an award-winning author, attorney, and educator. Her books include Cookie & Milk, My Superhero Grandpa, and Willa the Werewolf. She is also the founder of The Little Press and host of the My Messy Muse podcast.
Website
Jamie Michalak
“Author | Pre-School, Elementary
Jamie Michalak is the Rhode Island-based author of Frank & Bean, Joe & Sparky, and Dakota Crumb. A former children’s book editor, she now writes playful early readers and picture books.
Marie-Therese Miller
Author | Pre-School, Elementary, Middle Grade, Young Adult
Marie-Therese Miller is a nonfiction children’s author with 30+ titles, including the Dog Tales series and educational Sesame Street books. She teaches Children’s and YA Literature at Marist College and holds a PhD in English.
Website
Diana Murray
Author | Pre-School, Elementary
Diana Murray is the NYC-based author of over 25 picture books including City Shapes, Unicorn Day, and Pizza Pig. Also a published poet in Highlights and Cricket, she writes visual, lyrical stories for young children.
Website
Matt Myklusch
Author | Middle Grade
Matt Myklusch is the author of the Jack Blank trilogy, Order of the Majestic, and the upcoming graphic novel The Blood of Kings. A former Nickelodeon producer, he now hosts a podcast and writes adventure fiction in New Jersey.
Website
Robin Newman
Author | Elementary, Middle Grade
Robin Newman is the author of the Wilcox & Griswold mystery series and picture books like Don’t Call Me Fuzzybutt!. A former attorney and editor, she’s a member of SCBWI, PEN America, and the Bank Street Writers Lab.
Website
Travis Nichols
Author and Illustrator | Elementary, Middle Grade
Travis Nichols is the author-illustrator of The Terribles MG series and Maze Quest, and has contributed comics for SpongeBob, Hello Kitty, and Uglydoll. He is also a poet, environmentalist, and novelist.
Website
John Parra
Author and Illustrator | Pre-School, Elementary
John Parra is an award-winning illustrator and author best known for Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos, Growing an Artist, and Green Is a Chile Pepper. He’s received multiple Pura Belpré Honors and lives in Queens, NY.
Website
Gina Perry
Author and Illustrator | Pre-School, Elementary, Middle Grade
Gina Perry is a New Hampshire-based author-illustrator and psychologist. Her books include Too Much! Not Enough! and The King of Books (2025), combining gentle humor with vibrant, graphic-inspired illustrations.
Website
Greg Pizzoli
Author and Illustrator | Pre-School, Elementary, Middle Grade
Greg Pizzoli is an award-winning author-illustrator of picture books like The Watermelon Seed and Baloney & Friends. A Theodor Seuss Geisel Medalist with an MFA in Book Arts, he lives in Philadelphia with his family.
Website
James Preller
Author | Elementary, Middle Grade
James Preller is the author of 80+ children’s books, including the Jigsaw Jones mysteries and YA titles like Bystander. A former Scholastic editor, he lives in Delmar, NY, and has sold over 10 million books worldwide.
Website
Robin Rosenthal
Author and Illustrator | Pre-School, Elementary
Robin Rosenthal is a children’s book illustrator, art director, and author based in Brooklyn. Her work includes the Big Ideas for Little Philosophers board book series and Two Dogs on a Trike. Her debut author-illustrated book Sweet Babe! is forthcoming.
Website
Annie Silvestro
Author | Pre-School, Elementary
Author of Bunny’s Book Club and Bravo, Little Bird!, Annie Silvestro grew up on the Jersey Shore and previously worked in magazines like Allure. She now lives in New Jersey, writing heartfelt picture books for young readers.
Website
David Soman
Illustrator | Pre-School, Elementary
David Soman is the co-creator of the Ladybug Girl series and author-illustrator of books like Three Bears in a Boat and The Impossible Mountain. He teaches at SVA and lives in Rosendale, NY with his family.
Website
Chana Stiefel
Author | Pre-School, Elementary, Middle Grade
Chana Stiefel is the award-winning author of over 30 books, including The Tower of Life and Animal Zombies & Other Real-Life Monsters. She holds an MS from NYU and writes nonfiction and picture books from her home in New Jersey.
Website
Shawn Stout
Author | Middle Grade
Shawn K. Stout is the author of the Penelope Crumb and Not‑So‑Ordinary Girl series, and the middle-grade novel The Impossible Destiny of Cutie Grackle. With an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts, she also works as a science writer at NIH and lives in Maryland.
Website
Dasha Tolstikova
Author and Illustrator | Elementary, Middle Grade
Born in Moscow and based in Brooklyn, Dasha Tolstikova is the author-illustrator of A Year Without Mom and Boney. Her emotionally rich stories have been featured by Kirkus and PW, and she also works in editorial and textile design.
Website
Iza Trapani
Author | Pre-School, Elementary
Iza Trapani is a Polish-born author-illustrator based in the Hudson Valley, known for classic nursery rhyme retellings like The Itsy Bitsy Spider. Her books have sold over 2.5 million copies and earned her the Rip Van Winkle Award.
Website
Mara Van Fleet
Author | Pre-School
Mara Van Fleet is a former art director turned author-illustrator, known for tactile board books like Three Little Mermaids and Mama’s Pajamas. She lives in New York and exhibits her artwork regionally.
Website
Matthew Van Fleet
Illustrator | Pre-School
Matthew Van Fleet is the bestselling creator of interactive board books like Heads, Tails, and Cat, with over 9.6 million copies sold. He lives in Chappaqua, NY and specializes in lift-the-flap and touch-and-feel formats.
Website
Colleen AF Venable
Author | Elementary, Middle Grade
Colleen AF Venable is a graphic novelist and designer best known for Kiss Number 8, Katie the Catsitter, and Mervin the Sloth. A National Book Award longlister and Eisner nominee, she lives between New York and Massachusetts.
Website
Padma Venkatraman
Author | Elementary, Middle Grade, Young Adult
Padma Venkatraman is the award-winning author of verse novels like The Bridge Home and Born Behind Bars. A former oceanographer, she holds a PhD and writes from Rhode Island, often focusing on global justice and resilience.
Website
Joan Waites
Illustrator | Pre-School, Elementary
Award-winning author-illustrator Joan Waites has created more than 50 illustrated titles and authored five of her own, working in gouache and mixed-media collage. She formerly taught at the Corcoran Museum School of Art and remains active in SCBWI and D.C.’s Children’s Book Guild, while continuing to draw inspiration from working with young students.
Website
Tracey West
Author | Pre-School, Elementary, Middle Grade
Tracey West is the author of 200+ books for children, including the Dragon Masters series and licensed series like Pokemon and Minecraft. She writes under pseudonyms and runs a mobile book bus in the Catskills region of New York.
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