2024 Author Sponsors

Winter is coming, but the little black bear, Lump Lump, isn’t ready to go to sleep!  With the help of his mother, the wise Bluebird, and his forest friends, Lump Lump gathers materials for Spider Woman to weave him a Blanket of Dreams.   Inspired by Navajo/Diné culture and folklore, and featuring the blanket of famed Navajo weaver Barbara Teller Ornelas, this beautiful tale of family and friends takes the reader on a journey through the spectacular traditions and landscapes of the Southwest.

       Gwen Jackson graduated magna cum laude from Lincoln University with a B.A. in psychology.  She won a Ford Foundation and attended the University of Michigan, where she received an M..A. in psychology.

        Because of Gwen’s background as an educator, she wanted to ensure that her book was accurate.  She frequently consulted with Navajo weaver Barbara Teller Ornelas, who allowed Gwen to use her “Child’s Blanket” in the book. Ms. Ornelas wants more people to know about Navajo weaving.  Ms. Ornelas’ blankets are in the British Museum and many other galleries.

        Gwen also received advice (pro bono) from Dr. Paul Apodaca of Chapman University, a past-regional advisor to the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian.  Dr. Apodaca, a Navajo, made many suggestions, including the title of the book.

        Navajo weaver Lynda Teller Pete, whose work is in many museums and galleries, did a lesson based on the book SMART Exchange.  Western Wildlife Outreach (Washington) generously consulted on the pictures.  This book is also in the Nanticoke Indian Museum, which is especially meaningful to Gwen because of family ties.

connect with Gwen on Facebook, Twitter, or at gwenjacksonstories.com 

---

Josh Funk

Josh Funk is a software engineer and the author of books like the Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series, the ​It’s Not a Fairy Tale series, the How to Code with Pearl and Pascal series, the A Story of Patience & Fortitude series, Dear Dragon, Pirasaurs!, Albie Newton, and more.

IT’S NOT LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD: Little Red likes to play by the rules. So when the narrator comes along and asks her to follow the story set out in her fairy tale, she grabs the basket for Grandma and goes. After all, she loves her grandma. But unfortunately, none of the other characters are quite what they’re expecting.

As Little Red attempts to follow the narrator’s directions (which, frankly, seem kind of dangerous!), she is beset by fill-in characters, confusing instructions, and even a fierce battle! Will Little Red ever make it to Grandma’s house? And who will she find when she gets there? Complete with some unusual “guest appearances,” this laugh-out-loud Little Red Riding Hood retelling will have kids giggling all the way to Grandma’s house! Ding-dong!

Josh also has a plethora of “fun stuff” for kids, parents, and educators including Activity KitsColoring Pages Book TrailersCharacter Cards, and Book Songs.

Connect with Josh via his website, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

---

Eugenia Chu

Eugenia Chu is an attorney, turned stay-at-home mom, turned award-winning author. She lives on a magical beach in Miami with her husband and son, Brandon, who is the inspiration for her stories. She enjoys reading, writing, traveling, yoga, and drinking too much coffee. She has been a presenter at numerous schools, libraries, and book festivals. When her son was very little, she couldn’t find children’s storybooks to read to him that touched upon Chinese culture and included some Chinese (Mandarin) to teach and/or reinforce his Chinese vocabulary, so she started writing her own.

As of December 2023, Eugenia has published FIVE  beautiful diverse books for young readers.

Her first book, Brandon Makes Jiǎo Zi (餃子) is a picture book about a Chinese-American boy who gets a surprise visit from his grandma from China, Pó Po (婆婆). While Brandon and Pó Po (婆婆) are making Chinese dumplings, called jiǎo zi (餃子), they laugh and bond and Brandon creates a “masterpiece” delighting the whole family.

Brandon Goes to Beijing (北京) is her second “Brandon” story and first children’s chapter book. In this story, Brandon and his cousins are on a trip to visit their grandparents in Beijing, China! While bonding with family, practicing Chinese, touring historic sites, and feasting on local dishes, Brandon thinks he sees a tiny panda. However, every time he gets close, the panda disappears! Is Brandon imagining this small creature, or is it real? Will Brandon find out before he has to fly back home?

---

Sivan Hong

Sivan Hong is the author and illustrator of the best-selling children’s book series, The Super Fun Day Books. Her popular titles, such as Benny J. and the Horrible Halloween, George J. and the Miserable Monday, Emily D. and the Fearful First Day, and Avery G. and the Scary End of School, celebrate the triumphs of neurodiverse children as they face challenges with determination and courage. The Super Fun Day Books are also available in Spanish and as audiobooks, for all types of learners. Her inspiring work has been recognized by NBC and News12.

Beyond her writing, Sivan is an active Trustee on the Board of the Rita Allen Foundation, where she contributes her expertise and passion for making a positive impact. Outside of her professional life, Sivan takes great joy in being a wife and mother to their two lovely children. Along with their cherished dog and cat, the family resides in Connecticut.

You can follow Sivan’s social media account at @sivan_hong_author where she shares all things neurodiversity related.

---

Marta Magellan

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Marta immigrated to the U.S. at the age of seven. She fell in love with the English language by reading children’s novels and made a career out it (B.A. in English, M.A. in Theoretical Linguistics). She often collaborates with her brother, Mauro Magellan, a musician and artist, also born in Rio.

She has published several picture books for young children, some for the educational market, and magazine and newspaper articles for adults. She now leads a Miami, Florida SCBWI critique group and is a nonfiction judge for Rate Your Stories. Besides SCBWI, she is a member of many other children’s writing groups, such as STEAMTeamBooks, 12X12 Challenge, NFFest, and more.

---

Kathleen Burkinshaw

BOOK RIOT lists THE LAST CHERRY BLOSSOM as one of “30 Fascinating Historical Fiction Books for Middle School Readers – October, 2018″

Yuriko was happy growing up in Hiroshima when it was just her and Papa. But her aunt Kimiko and her cousin Genji are living with them now, and the family is only getting bigger with talk of a double marriage! And while things are changing at home, the world beyond their doors is even more unpredictable. World War II is coming to an end, and Japan’s fate is not entirely clear, with any battle losses being hidden from its people. Yuriko is used to the sirens and the air-raid drills, but things start to feel more real when the neighbors who have left to fight stop coming home.

When the bomb hits Hiroshima, it’s through Yuriko’s twelve-year-old eyes that we witness the devastation and horror.

Kathleen Burkinshaw is a Japanese American author and the daughter of a Hiroshima survivor residing in Charlotte, NC. She’s a wife, mom, and owns a dog who is a kitchen ninja. She has presented her mother’s experience in Hiroshima to middle and high schools for the past 9 years. Writing gives her an outlet for her daily struggle with chronic pain from Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy(RSD). The Last Cherry Blossom (Sky Pony Press,2016), is now a United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs Resource for Teachers and Students. And is recently nominated for the NC School Library Media Association YA book award and 2019-2020 VSBA, 2018& 2016 Scholastic WNDB Reading Club selection, and Finalist for NC Sir Walter Raleigh Fiction Award, 2018 Sakura Medal, Japan, and SCBWI Crystal Kite Award(Southeast region).

In April 2020 NHK World-Japan, an international news station based in Japan did a short segment on The Last Cherry Blossom in both Japanese and English. The English segment was on its Newsroom Tokyo TV program and the Japanese segment was on its Today’s 2020 TV program. Listen to both programs HERE.

Learn more about Kathleen through her Blog – Creating Through the Pain or connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

---

Angela H. Dale

Angela H. Dale writes picture books for children, former children and children at heart. Her debut picture book, BUS STOP (Cameron Kids, 2022), illustrated by Lala Watkins, is available in stores and libraries everywhere (including the Museum of Modern Art store in NYC). Visit www.angelahdale.com for more information (and where to find signed copies). Angela lives in Maryland with her family and Harry the cat.

---