Valiska Gregory

Valiska Gregory is an award-winning poet and children's book author whose work has been translated into seven languages, received Parents' Choice Awards, been chosen for the American Booksellers' Pick of the Lists, and been featured on PBS and national television. Reference source Something About the Author calls her a "star in the children's literature scene."

According to reviewers, Ms. Gregory?s work ranges from picture and chapter books full of ?kid pleasing humor and plenty of action? to poignant books for all ages that are ?told with a contagious sense of wonder.? Her writing has been called ?shining and magical? with ?language and phrasing ... as pleasing to the ear as the story is to the heart.?

Ms. Gregory has an M.A. from the University of Chicago and has taught every grade from kindergarten to seniors in college. She received a grant for "artistic excellence and achievements" from the Indiana Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts, and her poetry manuscripts (for adults) are housed in the rare book room at the University of Wisconsin with the Juniper Press collection.

Ms. Gregory was writer-in-residence at Butler University and the founding director of the Butler Children's Literature Conference. She is a member of The Authors Guild and the Society of Children?s Book Writers and Illustrators. Ms. Gregory also writes for Publishers Weekly and enjoys speaking at schools, libraries, and conferences across the country. She is represented by agent Tracey Adams at Adams Literary.

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Robert Hittel is a rare-books dealer and appraiser in South Florida. For many years he also ran a well-known and much-loved bookstore devoted to used books.

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David Slonim has been drawing and making up stories since he was a kid growing up in New Jersey. Thanks to his elementary school art teacher he worked with papier-mache, puppetry, stained glass, ceramics, 2-D, and clay animation films by age 11. "Mrs. Hulsizer invited some of us to hang out in her art supply closet during lunch and make stuff while she munched tuna sandwiches and cracked us up with stories about her dogs. It was great."

David continued writing stories and making films, puppets, and costumes through junior high and high school, going on to study illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design. After about ten years creating images for clients like Tony's Frozen Pizza, UPS, and T.G.I. Friday's, David was asked to illustrate his first children's book. At about the same time, he began exhibiting fine art oil paintings in art galleries. (You can see his oil paintings at davidslonimfineart.com.)

After working with editor Susan Pearson on Moishe's Miracle, David asked her to look at his story ideas for Oh Ducky. "With her coaching, Ducky finally became a book after a year and a half of effort. I had no idea writing was so much work!" Susan and David went on to work together again on He Came With the Couch.

David and his wife Bonnie have four kids and a dog named Maggie who matches the carpet. "If the kids are in their pajamas a little early sometimes, we turn out the lights and I make up new stories. Who knows, maybe someday they will become books."

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Linda Susan Vieira was raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Windsor, Ontario, Canada. She spent more than 30 years as a resource specialist, master teacher, science mentor, and classroom teacher across the entire spectrum of the educational system, from kindergarten level to college.

Linda is the author of four nonfiction works for children, all of which are published by Walker & Company, New York, and are available in bookstores nationwide. Her first two books, The Ever-Living Tree, The Life and Times of a Coast Redwood and Grand Canyon, A Trail Through Time, feature the illustrations of Christopher Canyon. Her third and fourth books, The Seven Seas, Exploring The World Ocean and The Mighty Mississippi, The Life and Times of America's Greatest River, are illustrated by Higgins Bond. All four books combine science with sweeping views of history.

Linda has also published many teaching resources, including an individual student spelling dictionary, and 14 magazine and newspaper articles.

Her popular workshops in creative writing and children's literature have inspired hundreds of teachers and students at all grade levels. Her innovative handouts and student displays simplify the planning of lessons across the curriculum. Linda specializes in bringing art and humor into everyday nonfiction writing.

Linda is regularly invited to conferences, conventions, and school districts to present her original, innovative creative writing ideas for elementary level students.

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Jett W. Whitehead began his rare books business in January 1991, following several years of stock acquisition with a strict focus of "modern poetry in first edition collector condition." He operates his business from Bay City, Mich., issuing six printed catalogs annually, and exhibiting in major book fairs around the country. He was invited to become a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America several years ago, and is now serving an elected term on the Board of Governors of that association. His stock includes first edition books, chapbooks, broadsides, manuscript material, and letters written by modern poets. He has also provided appraisal services for several major collections and author archives and has published articles about modern poetry and his rare book profession.

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Elizabeth York Children's Literature Festival