Erin Entrada Kelly was raised in Louisiana, but now lives in Delaware, near Philadelphia. She is a professor of children's literature in the graduate fiction and publishing programs at Rosemont College, where she earned her MFA. She has a bachelor's degree in women's studies and liberal arts from McNeese State University and an MFA in creative writing from Rosemont.

Erin is a New York Times bestseller whose work has been translated into several languages. She received the 2018 Newbery Medal for Hello, Universe. Netflix is currently in the process of adapting Hello, Universe into a feature film.

Christina Soontornvat grew up in a small Texas town where she spent many childhood days behind the counter of her parents' Thai restaurant with her nose in a book.

She is the author of many books for young readers, including The Blunders, illustrated by Colin Jack. She now lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and two children.

New York Times bestselling author Nikki Grimes is the recipient of the 2020 ALAN Award for outstanding contributions to young adult literature, the 2017 Children's Literature Legacy Award, the 2016 Virginia Hamilton Literary Award, and the 2006 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. Her distinguished works include the much-honored books Garvey's Choice, ALA Notable book Southwest Sunrise, Coretta Scott King Award winner Bronx Masquerade, and five Coretta Scott King Author Honor books, Printz and Siebert Honor winner Ordinary Hazards, Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor One Last Word, its companion Legacy:Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance, and New York Times bestseller Kamala Harris:Rooted in Justice. Creator of the popular Meet Danitra Brown, Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel, Bedtime for Sweet Creatures, and Off to See the Sea, Nikki Grimes lives in Corona, California.

Emma Otheguy is the author of the picture books Marti's Song for Freedom, which received five starred reviews, and Pope Francis- Builder of Bridges.

A native and current resident of New York City, Emma is a historian of Spain and colonial Latin America. This is her first middle-grade novel.

Ibi Zoboi was born in Haiti, and holds an MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her writing has been published in The New York Times Book Review, and The Rumpus, among others. She is the author of American Street, a US National Book Award finalist. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and three children.

Margarita Engle is the national Young People’s Poet Laureate, and the first Latino to receive that honor. She is the Cuban-American author of many verse novels, including The Surrender Tree, a Newbery Honor winner, and The Lightning Dreamer, a PEN Literary Award for Young Adult Literature winner.

Her verse memoir, Enchanted Air, received the Pura Belpré Award, a Walter Dean Myers Award Honor, and was a finalist for the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction, among others.

Her picture book Drum Dream Girl received the Charlotte Zolotow Award. Margarita was born in Los Angeles, but developed a deep attachment to her mother’s homeland during childhood summers with relatives. She continues to visit Cuba as often as she can.

Leah Henderson writes for young readers of all ages, and her books have been named a Children's Africana Book Awards Notable and a Bank Street Best Book.

Leah holds an MFA in writing and is on the faculty of Spalding University's graduate writing program. She resides in Washington, D.C.

Saadia Faruqi was born in Pakistan and moved to the United States when she was 22 years old. She writes the Yasmin series and popular middle-grade novels such as Yusuf Azeem Is Not A Hero. Besides writing books for kids, she also loves reading, binge-watching her favorite shows, and taking naps. She lives in Houston with her family.

Padma Venkatraman was born in Chennai, India, and became an American citizen after living in five countries and working as an oceanographer.

She is also the author of A Time to Dance (IBBY selection, ALA Notable, Notable Books for a Global Society, and New York Public Library Best Book), Island's End (ALA Best Book for Young Adults, CCBC Choice, and South Asia Book Award winner), and Climbing the Stairs (Bank Street Best Book, ALA/Amelia Bloomer List, YALSA Best Book for Young Adults, and Julia Ward Howe Award winner).