Faculty Biographies

Kathi Appelt

Kathi Appelt is the award-winning author of more than thirty books for children and young adults. Her picture book, MISS LADY BIRD’S WILDFLOWERS: HOW A FIRST LADY CHANGED AMERICA (HarperCollins, 2005) was recently awarded the “Growing Good Kids Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature” and the “Teddy Award,” given each year by the Writer’s League of Texas. In 2003 Appelt won the Irma and Simon Black Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature, given by the Bank Street College of Education, for her picture book BUBBA AND BEAU, BEST FRIENDS (Harcourt Brace, 2002).

Her book for teens, MY FATHER’S SUMMERS (Henry Holt, 2004) won the Paterson Poetry Prize for Young Adult Literature and was selected as “Book for the Teen Age,” by the New York Public Library, as well as a “Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Readers.” In addition, it was a finalist for the PEN USA Award for Children’s Literature.

Her first novel, THE UNDERNEATH, a haunting story of love and survival in the pine forests of East Texas, has been described by reviewers as a “classic.”

In addition to writing, Ms. Appelt is on the faculty in the Masters of Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She and her husband Ken live in College Station, TX with four adorable cats, Django, Peach, Hoss and Jazz. They are the parents of two even more adorable sons, Jacob and Cooper, musicians who both play the double bass.

For more information, check her website: www.kathiappelt.com

Avi

Avi has published 60 books and is the winner of the Newbery Medal for Crispin the Cross of Lead, two Newbery Honors, For True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle and Nothing But the Truth, plus two Horn Book awards, and the O’Dell and Christopher awards.

For more information, check his website: www.avi-writer.com

Rebecca Kai Dotlich

Rebecca is a poet and picture book author whose work has been featured on Reading Rainbow, has appeared in magazines such as Ladybug and Highlights, and in numerous anthologies, textbooks and collections. She has been a poetry advisor and contributing columnist for Creative Classroom magazine, and Teaching K-8, gives poetry workshops, including Highlights Founders workshops in Pennsylvania, and speaks at national conferences, retreats, libraries and schools to teachers, aspiring writers and students of all ages.

Dotlich’s books have been chosen as a Junior Library Guild Selection, 10 Best Books for Babies, IRA Children's Choice, Indiana Best Read Aloud, and the Gold Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award. She lives in Indiana with her husband.

For more information, check her website: www.rebeccakaidotlich.com

Anne Hoppe

An Executive Editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books, Anne Hoppe grew up on Venice Beach, California; majored in English at Washington University in St. Louis; and received an MFA in Creative Writing at Emerson College in Boston, MA where she discovered the wonders of Children’s Literature.

Her first jobs in publishing were at the Horn Book Magazine and the small, independent house of David R. Godine, Publisher. She joined HarperCollins Children’s Books in 1994. She works on range of books from the Caldecott Honor winning picture-book, The Stray Dog by Marc Simont, through YA novels including the Printz Honor-winning Repossessed by A. M. Jenkins and New York Times bestsellers by Terry Pratchett and Melissa Marr. She is also the proud editor of the beginning readers starring the playful kitten Mittens, written by Lola Schaefer!

Richard Peck

Richard Peck has written more than 30 novels for young people.  His books have won numerous awards, including the Newbery Award for A Year Down Yonder. In 2005 he was a Library of Congress delegate to the Russian National Book festival. His forthcoming book (March ’07) will be On the Wings of Heroes.

For more information, check his website: us.penguingroup.com

Pam Muñoz Ryan

Pam Muñoz Ryan, has written over thirty books for young people, including Esperanza Rising, which received many accolades including the Pura Belpre Medal and the Jane Addams Peace Award. Most recently, Becoming Naomi León received the Tomás Rivera Award, and the Pura Belpre Honor. She is twice the recipient of the Willa Cather Literary Award for Writing.

For more information, check her website: www.pammunozryan.com

April Pulley Sayre

April is an award-winning author of over 55 natural history books for children and adults. Her read-aloud books, known for their lyricism and scientific precision, have been translated into French, Dutch, Japanese, and Korean. She is best known for pioneering literary ways to immerse young readers in natural events via creative storytelling and unusual perspectives. 

Her recent book, VULTURE VIEW, received the Theodore "Seuss" Geisel honor award from the American Library Association. STARS BENEATH YOUR BED: the Surprising Story of Dust, received the AAAS/SB&F/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Books and was named an ALA Notable. ONE IS SNAIL, TEN IS A CRAB was an ALA Notable, a BCCB Blue Ribbon Book, and received Britain's highest literacy award. Originally from South Carolina, she now lives in the Midwest.

For more information, check her website: www.aprilsayre.com

Lola Schaefer

Lola M. Schaefer is the author of more than 240 books for children. She writes creative nonfiction picture books such as An Island Grows; Arrowhawk, recipient of the 2005 Zena Sutherland Awards for Best Text, Best Illustration and Best Overall Picture Book and the 2006 Washington Children’s Choice Picture Book Award; and Pick, Pull, Snap! Where Once A Flower Bloomed, an NCTE Notable Book, 2004. Her fiction titles include Mittens; Loose Tooth, winner of the Garden State Children's Book Award for Easy Reader; and Toolbox Twins. Lola has also written and published several classroom books for student readers, as well as nonfiction titles for the library market.

In addition, she has published nine books with Scholastic Professional Books for teachers so they can help their students understand and enjoy the craft of writing. Lola and her husband Ted live in the mountains of North Georgia.

For more information, check her website: www.lolaschaefer.com

Susan Rosson Spain

Susan Rosson Spain is the author of the critically acclaimed Civil War novel, THE DEEP CUT, which earned Susan a nomination for Georgia Author of the Year in 2007. In a starred review, ALA’s Booklist called THE DEEP CUT “a fine first novel,” and said, “Well wrought characters, vivid historical details, and nuanced themes…combine to tell a powerful story.” Ms. Spain has recently completed another YA novel entitled VEGAN RULES, the first two chapters of which garnered a first place win in the regional annual writing contest of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

Ms. Spain seamlessly weaves personal experiences and history into page-turning fiction for mid-grade readers and young adults. Her thought-provoking themes, authentic voice and true-to-life characters resonate with today’s readers. Susan enjoys sharing her writing experiences and is a popular presenter at conferences and schools throughout the Southeast.

Sarah Weeks

Sarah Weeks has written more than forty picture books and novels for children and young adults.  Her novel So B. It was chosen as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a Booksense 2004 best book of the year, and the 2004 Parents’ Choice Gold Award.

For more information, check her website: www.SarahWeeks.com