The Authors & Illustrators

Ben Clanton is a NYT Bestselling author and Eisner award-winning cartoonist. His books include the Narwhal and Jelly series, Tater Tales, and Ploof (co-created by Andy Chou Musser).

Dana is the NYTimes best-selling creator of the Phoebe and Her Unicorn series. She grew up in Gig Harbor but now lives in Santa Barbara with her spouse and her adorable cat.

Rosanne Parry is the author of the award winning Voice of the Wilderness books, including the forthcoming A Wolf Called Fire. She lives in Portland, Oregon, works at Annie Blooms Bookstore, and writes in a treehouse in her backyard.

Suzanne is a national best-selling author with over 30 books for young readers and has won numerous state awards. She is the founder of this book festival and the owner of Liberty Bay Books.

Jessixa Bagley is an award-winning children's book author/illustrator based in Seattle, WA. Along with being a book creator, Jessixa also teaches and speaks domestically and internationally about writing and illustration.

Chenoa Egawa is Coast Salish of the Lummi and S’Kallam Nations of Washington State. She is a published author and illustrator of two children’s chapter books, The Whale Child and Tani's Search for the Heart, in partnership with her brother, Keith Egawa.

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Keith Egawa is an author and illustrator. He is a Washington Native and member of the Lummi Indian Nation.

Nora Nickum leads ocean conservation policy work for the Seattle Aquarium and writes books and articles for children about fun STEM and nature topics. She lives on Bainbridge Island.

J.D. Peabody is a Washington State native. He has always loved reading, inventing stories, and his Middle Grade fantasy series, The Inkwell Chronicles pays homage to the books he loved to read when he was growing up.

Faith Pray (yes, that’s really her name, by marriage!) is an author and illustrator who lives in Port Townsend with her family of six plus one cat and rambunctious chocolate lab puppy. Her newest picture book THE DAY WE GOT LOST (Little Brown Young Readers) is set in the Pacific Northwest and celebrates nature, connection, and free spirits everywhere.

Andrea is a Coast Salish author, illustrator, and knowledge keeper from the Lyackson First Nation. She enjoys sharing traditional knowledge through storytelling and creating story books.

Mary Boone has ridden an elephant, jumped out of an airplane, DNA-tested salmon, and baked dozens of cricket cookies—all in the interest of research for her books and magazine articles. There’s nothing she loves more than sharing facts that make curious readers say WHAT?!?!

Will Taylor is an award-winning author, freelance marketing copywriter, and honeybee fan living in Seattle. His books include The Language of Seabirds; Maggie & Abby’s Neverending Pillow Fort; Maggie & Abby and the Shipwreck Treehouse; Slimed; Catch That Dog!; and the School for Wicked Witches series.

Kirby Larson is a Newbery Honor and New York Times bestselling author with a passion for bringing stories of the past to readers of today. She also loves writing friendship stories like her latest titles, GUT REACTION, and the Shermy and Shake chapter book series.

Trudi Trueit is the author of more than 100 fiction and nonfiction books for kids, including the popular Explorer Academy fiction series for National Geographic. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, she loves photography, chocolate, and serving the whims of her three cats.

Lily LaMotte is the author of the middle grade graphic novels MEASURING UP and UNHAPPY CAMPER and the picture book CHLOE’S LUNAR NEW YEAR. She’s on the board of the King County Library System Foundation.

Suma Subramaniam is a recruiter by day and a children's book author by night, whose books are centered around STEM/STEAM topics and Indian culture. She lives in Seattle, Washington with her family and a dog that will do anything for Indian sweets and snacks.

Maureen McQuerry is an award-winning writer of books about wonder for children and adults. She was a teacher for many years and now she lives on an island with her husband, two noisy chickens and a hive full of bees.

Tae Keller is the Newbery winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author of When You Trap a Tiger, Jennifer Chan is Not Alone, and the Mihi Ever After series. She lives in Seattle with her husband, a dog named Butter, and a mountain of books.

Donna Barba Higuera is the New York Times best selling author of Middle Grade and picture books that reinvent history, folklore, and/or her own life experience into compelling storylines. She lives in Washington State with her husband, four kids, three dogs and a frog.

Karen DeWitz has a rich background in instruction, outdoor education, and photography. As a former teacher with a master’s degree in education, she has experience both in the classroom and in Northwest wild places—teaching, writing, exploring, and marveling in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

Kristin Varner received her degree in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design and is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator living in the Pacific Northwest. Kristin is the illustrator of Pink Cupcake Magic, and is the creator of two graphic novels, Horse Trouble and her most recent, Dog Trouble.

AMANDA ABLER, a science nerd at heart, loves all things related to science and enjoys writing nonfiction because of the many interesting things she gets to learn and the new people she gets to meet. She is the author of The Spirit of Springer, Big Bertha and Galloping Gertie. www.AmandaAbler.com

Ellie Peterson is the author and illustrator of multiple picture books, including Washington State Award Winner HOW TO HUG A PUFFERFISH. You can find her making art in her backyard studio or exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where she lives with her family and her dog, Daisy.

Quinn Wyatt is a debut author and lives in Kenmore, WA with her wonderful husband, amazing kids and so-so dog. She has lived with Crohn's Disease most of her life and is so encouraged by the progress that has been made in treating Irritable Bowel Diseases.

Tom Crestodina is a Pacific Northwest fisherman, artist, and author whose work celebrates the maritime community and its tradespeople. He lives in Bellingham, Washington with his wife, Ania, and their two children.

Martha Brockenbrough is the author of more than twenty books for young readers—everything from picture books through young adult, fiction and nonfiction. She was the co-chair of faculty at Vermont College of Fine Arts, founded National Grammar Day, and likes dogs and cats equally.

A four-time Emmy Award-winning writer for "Bill Nye the Science Guy," Lynn Brunelle has over 30 years experience writing for people of all ages, across all manner of media. Previously a classroom science, English and art teacher for kids K-12, she is an award-winning author of over 50 titles, including Haiku EW!, Life After Whale, The Pop-up Planetarium, Turn This Book into a Beehive.

Suzanne Williams, a former librarian, is the author of over 90 books for children, including the popular Goddess Girls series (co-authored with Joan Holub). Her newest co-authored series is School for Magical Monsters (ages 5 – 8).