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WINSOME BINGHAM

“WELCOME TO FORT GOODE” Winsome Bingham’s FORT GOODE chapter book series follows the children of active-duty military service members who form a friendship and celebrate the joy of learning about themselves and each other. This series centers and pays homage to active-duty military families who are protecting America’s livelihood and freedom. When parents serve in the military, the whole family serves in the military. Fighting for America’s freedom requires sacrifice and support. And sacrifice knows no age limit. Whether you are a child or a grown-up, sacrifices must be made so freedom and liberty can be protected. Winsome Bingham has called military bases and posts home. She was a military spouse, military mom, and an active-duty soldier in the U. S. Army. Winsome is a teacher by trade, an author by choice, and US Army war and disabled veteran by circumstance. She received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. Her debut children’s book, SOUL FOOD SUNDAY was one of The New York Times Best Books of the Year. She has taught elementary, middle, and high schools around the country. You can find her online at www.binghamwrites.com

COLIN BOOTMAN

“TAPPING FEET” Slap! Flap! Tap! What’s that sound? That’s the sound of Tap! In the 1800s. African and Irish Americans found that they had something in common: Both cultures shared a love of dance. As people came together in New York City, the dance style “Tap” grew with each new dancer. New ideas and new moves were inspired by their personal cultures. Read along to hear about the blending of Irish and African backgrounds, and of course keep an ear out for Slaps, Flaps, and lots and lots of Taps! Colin Bootman was born in Trinidad, where the vibrant palette of the Caribbean influenced his painting. He moved to the United States when he was seven, where he studied art and illustration. Mr. Bootman has illustrated many books for children. winning the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award in 2004. In 2017, Mr. Bootman won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Works for Children. All of his award-winning illustrations show how brilliantly his art frames moments Of life. He is the illustrator Of the soon-to- be released FORT GOODE chapter book series; and TAPPING FEET picture book.

D. ZOLLICOFFER

“GAME ON, ZHURI! HOW TO DEFEAT A BLOB MONSTER” Programming whiz Zhuri is coding her new creation, ZHURI’S WORLD. for a videogame competition. But when a mysterious bug brings the game’s monster to life and kidnaps Zhuri’s IJncle Mike, Zhuri and her friends must enter the game and fend off dangerous storms, boiling oceans, and fearsome creatures to save him. Will she be able to bring him back to the real world, or will Uncle Mike be stuck in the game world forever. HOW TO DEFEAT A BLOB MONSTER is the first book in this fun and adventurous chapter book series. D. Zollicoffer is a children’s book author from Canton, Ohio. GAME ON, ZHURI, is his first chapter book series. When he isn’t writing he enjoys reading, cooking, and skateboarding on buttery- smooth tennis courts.

DORI GRAHAM

“BRAVE MISS MUFFET” When Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet a spider scared her away, or so the story goes. But not this Miss Muffet!. Not only does she find the spider interesting she isn’t afraid of a series of other so- called frightening animals. Can the storys narrator find anything to scare this brave Miss Muffet away? This Miss Muffet isn’t afraid of spiders or being herself; a strong brown female role model. The boos reads as a back and forth conversation between the narrator and Miss Muffet so it’s a great read aloud. Vibrant illustrations bring the dialogue to life. Dori Graham is a children’s book author and youth librarian from Northeast Indiana. She has a Master’s degree in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University. Dori’s first (and so far only) publication, Brave Miss Muffet, received high praise from Kirkus Review and a star review from the School Library Journal. When Dori isn’t writing, She is hunting for good laughs, comfy couches, and great books. It was in her role as children’s librarian for the downtown Allen County Public Library that Dori Graham first conceived Of a Story to entertain the kids of varying ages at Family Storytime. She just had no idea when it happened that one day it would be a published children’s book, Brave Miss Muffet. Being creative is not a new or unexpected for Graham though. Born and raised in Fort Wayne, she studied literature at IPFW before heading to St. Paul, Minnesota for graduate studies at Hamline University where she earned a master’s in creative writing.

JUDY GOLDMAN

“THE LITTLE BOX” Mariana is nervous for her first day of school. Her papa gives her a little “comfort” box and instructs her to open it whenever she absolutely, positively, really, really needs it. When she does, a whoosh of air flies out and surrounds her like a warm hug. AS the day goes by, her confidence slowly increases and she tries harder and harder to not open the box. When an unkind classmate falls at recess, and she is the only one around to help, will she need the box or will he? Judy Goldman (Mexico City) is the bilingual author of stories and over 70 books published in Mexico, the USA. Colombia, Brazil, Austria, Germany, I-Jnited Kingdom and Ecuador. Her parents surrounded her with reading material of all kinds and she became an avid reader and, later, a writer. Seven of her books are part of the Mexican government’s nation- wide reading program, others have been shortlisted by IBBY México and the prestigious Fundaciån Cuatrogatos of Miami. Her book, iAl rescate!, won the prestigious III Certamen Internacional del Libro Infantil y Juvenil 2018 del FOEM of the State of Mexico and was published in 2020. Some of her more recent books are Un elefante se balanceaba, with illustrations by Carolina Monterrubio (Océano Travesia, Mexico), iEs Dia de Vivos!, illustrated by Claudia Navarro (Planeta Lector, Mexico), Un lio de plumas, illustrations by Guido Chaves (Edinun, Ecuador), and Mercado: the Heart of the Barrio, in collaboration with her son, llån Rabchinskey (Reycraft Books, USA).

ILAN RABCHINSKEY

“MERCADO THE HEART OF THE BARRIO” “LET’S EAT BUGS!” llan Rabchinskey is a Mexican artist and photographer who has traveled far and wide taking pictures for many books and magazines. Ever since he was little, he has liked to observe insects that live in gardens, especially the fireflies that come with the rainy season and light up the night. He has eaten many of the bugs that are described in this book. His favorites are the jumiles. He lives with Tsina, his Mexican hairless dog, in a century-old building in the center Of Mexico City. Judy Goldman and llån Rabchinskey, her son, have been fascinated by the markets of Mexico, their country, since they were children. Shopping bags in hand. alone or together, they have visited huge ones that stretch across several acres, those on wheels that travel from place to place, and also the local markets held once a week in small town squares all across the country. There, immersed in bright colors, sounds, and aromas, they always end up buying much more than they planned, or can actually carry! Some of JudYs favorite markets are the ones bursting with flowers and buzzing bees. Ilån likes the bustling markets that are full of native foods and ingredients where he can always find a new fruit or vegetable to try. Besides markets, they also love traveling and reading. usually with a cup of hot tea (Judy) or coffee (llån). Their first book together with Reycraft is Lees Eat Bugs!, filled with Mexican insect-based recipes and dishes that were promptly devoured by a delighted llån.

CAROLINE BREWER

“SAY THEIR NAMES” Written by Caroline Brewer and illustrated by Adrian Brandon. Aliya. a seven-year-old Black girl, sees on TV news the public reaction to recent and tragic events. Determined to make sure the lives of those lost matter, she leads her own protest march that extends beyond her living room and into her neighborhood to “say their names” and loudly proclaim “good people come in all colors.” Caroline Brewer is a professional speaker, author, content creator, literacy activist and consultant. She is the Indiana-born daughter of an Alabama-born storyteller. Ms. Brewer, who lives in Washington, D.C. is the author of 13 books and an environmentalist. She is the former Chairwoman Of the Taking Nature Black Conference and former Marketing and Communications Director Of the Audubon Naturalist Society. She is currently working on national and international forums to address environmental crises and writing books about nature. Ms. Brewer is a former Pulitzer Prize- nominated journalist and served on two Pulitzer juries. She has been a reading teacher and classroom teacher, and as an author, speaker, and consultant has presented readings, speeches, and seminars to more than 27,000 teachers, children, tutors, parents, librarians, and general audiences, including at conferences, such as the National Council of Teachers of English, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and the Taking Nature Black Conference.

JUDITH HENDERSON

“HOW TO DRAGON” Douglas doesn’t fit in with other dragons. Instead of battling knights and frightening princesses, he likes to spend his time picking flowers and baking treats. To get him to become more fearsome, Douglas; doctor prescribes some dragon exercises. With help from a clever knight. Douglas works to become the scariest creature in the land. But he soon learns that mean and frightening are not the only things a dragon can be. Judith Henderson is a creator of children’s content. She is an author/illustrator, children’s television producer, composer, and wrote the theme song for the Emmy Award winning PBS show Arthur. Her many books include Big Words Small Stories, This Is a Dog Book!, I Am My Name, and Stewart the Goodheart. Judith loves dogs, books, and coffee. She loves much more stuff too.