Charlotte Agell is the author/illustrator of many books for children, as well as a handbook for educators. Charlotte’s award include the Maine Literary Award and the Lupine Honor. A longtime teacher, she is originally from Sweden. 

Author Website

Melanie Conklin is the author of Counting Thyme, Every Missing Piece, A Perfect Mistake, Crushed, and the picture book When You Have to Wait. Melanie grew up in North Carolina and worked as a product designer before she began her writing career. She lives in New Jersey with her family. 

Author Website

Russ Cox was raised by a pack of crazed hillbillies in the backwoods of Tennessee. Without much in the way of modern conveniences, like television or running water, he spent his time drawing, whittling, and throwing dirt clods at his cousins. With the bulk of his life spent in Pennsylvania, he met his wife; became a graphic designer; played in punk, alternative, and surf bands; had two kids; and started his own illustration studio, Smiling Otis Studio (named after one of their enormous cats). Russ creates his art using digital software, primarily Clip Studio and other digital tools. He works in traditional mediums, often with a mixture of paper, pencil, pen & ink, gouache, and watercolor. Russ lives in Maine with his wife and three cats. 

Author Website

Shannon Doleski was born and raised in Cazenovia, New York. After graduating from Niagara University with an English Education degree, Shannon was a teacher and swim coach all over the US. She is an ELA teacher and librarian in Maine. She lives in an old Victorian with her three children, a speckle-eared beagle, and an ornery dachshund. Her debut, Mary Underwater, was named a Best Book of the Year from New York Public Library. 

Author Website

Samara Cole Doyon is a poet, educator, and award-winning children’s book author living on unceded Wabanaki / Abenaki territory. She is a neurodivergent mother of neurodivergent children, continually learning more from her offspring than they could ever learn from her. She earned both a Lupine Award and an International Literacy Association Award for her debut picture book, Magnificent Homespun Brown (Tilbury House Publishers, January, 2020). Her second book, Magic Like That (Lee & Low Books, September, 2021), received a starred review from Kirkus and made the Bookstagang Best Picture Books of 2021 list. Samara works at Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance and resides with her husband, two children, and rescue pup in central Maine. 

Author Website

Julie Falatko writes humorous books for children, including the picture book Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book) and the Two Dogs in a Trench Coat chapter book series. She lives in South Portland, Maine. 

Author Website

Alexandra S. D. Hinrichs is the author of fiction and nonfiction picture books, including The Lobster Lady, The Traveling Camera, I Am Made of Mountains, and The Pocket Book. Her books have won awards such as Maine’s Lupine Award and Wisconsin’s Outstanding Achievement Award. They have also been featured on news outlets such as CBS News and the Washington Post, and on lists that include A Mighty Girl and CCBC Choices. Before becoming a full-time author, Alex worked in school, public, and academic libraries, as well as at American Girl as a historical researcher. She lives in Bangor, Maine with her husband, their three wild sons, and two tame cats.

Author Website

Fran Hodgkins grew up in Massachusetts, where she attended college to study journalism. She knew she wasn't going to be a very good reporter, but has found her niche as a children's book author. She lives in Rockport, Maine, with her family, including a dog, three cats, and a cranky rabbit. 

Author Website

Neesha grew up on the coast of Maine where she spent most of her time drawing, painting, and playing in the woods. Her latest picture book, THE BEST FLOWER EVER! (Dial June 13, 2023) is a companion to TURTLE IN A TREE (Dial 2021) and is about learning to appreciate what you have with the help of friends. She is also the illustrator of WALK YOUR DOG (Putnam 2018), and has illustrated for Parragon, Ladybug, Babybug, Learning A-Z, among others. When not in the studio, Neesha enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband, their two children, dogs, and chickens. 

Author Website

Anna E. Jordan (she/her) has an MFA from the Writing for Children and Young Adults program at Vermont College of Fine Arts and was the recipient of the 2013 PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Children’s Book Discovery award. Her debut middle-grade novel, SHIRA AND ESTHER’S DOUBLE DREAM DEBUT (Chronicle Books, 2023) centers Jewish joy. She is a member of SCBWI and the DC Children’s Book Guild. She teaches fifth grade, lives in the DC area with her cat Rothko, and is in search of the tastiest Knish. Connect with her on social media @annawritedraw.

Author Website

Sashi Kaufman writes books for children and young adults. She is a middle school teacher who lives in Cumberland, Maine with her family. She is also an amateur trash picker. 

Author Website

Rajani LaRocca was born in India, raised in Kentucky, and now lives in the Boston area, where she practices medicine and writes award-winning books for young readers, including the Newbery Honor winning middle grade novel in verse, Red, White, and Whole. She’s always been an omnivorous reader, and now she is an omnivorous writer of fiction and nonfiction, novels and picture books, prose and poetry. She finds inspiration in her family, her childhood, the natural world, math, science, and just about everywhere she looks.

Author Website

Anica Mrose Rissi is the award-winning author of more than a dozen books for kids and teens, including picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and YA. Her most recent books are the spooky story collection HIDE AND DON'T SEEK: AND OTHER VERY SCARY STORIES and the middle grade novel WISHING SEASON, which is set on the Maine island where Anica grew up. Anica plays fiddle in and writes lyrics for the band Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves, and spends a lot of time with her very good dog, Sweet Potato. Find out more at anicarissi.com and follow @anicarissi on Instagram. 

Author Website

Melissa Stewart has written more than 200 science books for children, garnering such awards as the Sibert Honor, AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Books, eighteen NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students, two Green Earth Book Awards, and three ALA Notables. While gathering information for her books, she has explored tropical rain forests in Costa Rica, gone on safari in East Africa, and swum with sea lions in the Galapagos Islands. Melissa is a popular presenter at schools and libraires, and her highly-regarded website features a rich array of nonfiction reading and writing resources. 

Author Website

Matt Tavares is the author-illustrator of the New York Times best-selling picture book Dasher and its sequel Dasher Can't Wait for Christmas, as well as Red and Lulu and several sports biographies, including Becoming Babe Ruth and Growing Up Pedro. He is also the illustrator of Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by Jeff Gottesfeld, The Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, and Over the River and Through the Wood, among many other picture books. Matt Tavares lives in Maine. 

Author Website

Chris Van Dusen is the award-winning author/illustrator of “The Circus Ship” and “BIG TRUCK Little Island.” and the illustrator of the bestselling Mercy Watson series. He is the recipient of the Lupine Award and the Katahdin Award for lifetime achievement.

Chris lives on the coast of Maine.

Author Website