Jason Reynolds is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of many award-winning books, including Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks, All American Boys (with Brendan Kiely), Long Way Down, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You (with Ibram X. Kendi), Stuntboy, in the Meantime (illustrated by Raúl the Third), and Ain’t Burned All the Bright (with artwork by Jason Griffin). The recipient of a Newbery Honor, a Printz Honor, an NAACP Image Award, and multiple Coretta Scott King honors, Reynolds is also the 2020-2022 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. He has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Late Night with Seth Meyers, CBS Sunday Morning, Good Morning America, and various media outlets. He is on faculty at Lesley University, for the Writing for Young People MFA Program and lives in Washington, DC.

Preorder & Shop Jason Reynolds' titles here! *
*See the bookstore page for details on getting books delivered directly to the conference!

Brendan Kiely is The New York Times bestselling author of All American Boys (with Jason Reynolds), Tradition, The Last True Love Story, and The Gospel of Winter. His most recent book is The Other Talk: Reckoning with Our White Privilege. His work has been published in over a dozen languages, and has received the Coretta Scott King Author Honor Award, the Walter Dean Meyers Award, and ALA’s Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults. A former high school teacher, he is now on the faculty of the Solstice MFA Program. He watches too much basketball and reads too many books at the same time, but most importantly, he lives for and loves his wife and son. 

Preorder & shop Brendan Kiely's titles here! *
*See the bookstore page for details on getting books delivered directly to the conference!

Pablo Cartaya is an internationally acclaimed author, screenwriter, speaker, and educator. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, NBC, and on Oprah’s Booklist. Pablo has worked with Disney, Apple+, and Sesame Street on projects adapted from television series and movies. In 2021, he served as a judge for the National Book Award in Young People's Literature and has taught creative writing workshops and spoken at various universities and conferences throughout the world. He calls Miami home and Cuban-American his cultura. Novels include: The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish, Each Tiny Spark, and the upcoming climate dystopia The Last Beekeeper. He also contributed to the collection of essays Hope Wins published in 2022. Notable Awards and Honors include: 2020 Schneider Family Book Award Honor, 2019 ALSC Notable Book, 2018 American Library Association’s Pura Belpré Honor, 2018 Audie Award Finalist, and 2018 E.B. White Read Aloud Book Award Finalist

Preorder & Shop  Pablo Cartaya's titles here!
See the bookstore page for details on getting books delivered directly to the conference.

Meg Medina is the current National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature. She is a celebrated author and educator known for her impactful storytelling that often explores themes of identity, culture, and resilience. Born and raised in New York City to Cuban immigrant parents, Medina draws on her experiences to create authentic, relatable characters. She is best known for her award-winning novels for young readers, including Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass and Burn Baby Burn, which have received numerous accolades, including the Pura Belpré Author Award. In addition to her fiction, Medina is a passionate advocate for diverse voices in literature and frequently engages in speaking events and workshops to inspire young writers. Her work has resonated with readers, making her a prominent figure in contemporary children’s and young adult literature.

Preorder & Shop Meg Medina's titles here! *
*See the bookstore page for details on getting books delivered directly to the conference!

Pre-order Meg Medina's newest book, Graciela in the Abyss*,  for your chance to win a FREE 45-minute Zoom with Meg Medina for your school/district! *Book release date is  July 1st

Ann M. Martin is a celebrated American author best known for her groundbreaking children's book series, including The Baby-Sitters Club, Main Street, and Missy Piggle-Wiggle.  Martin began her writing career in the 1980s, quickly becoming a prominent figure in children's literature. Her works often explore themes of friendship, family, and personal growth, resonating with young readers. In addition to her series, Martin has written acclaimed standalone novels such as A Dog’s Life, Belle Teal, Here Today, and A Corner of the Universe, each showcasing her talent for storytelling and her deep understanding of the challenges and joys of growing up. Her contributions have left a lasting impact on the genre and continue to inspire new generations of readers.

Preorder & shop  Ann M. Martin's titles here! *
*See the bookstore page for details on getting books delivered directly to the conference!

Mychal Threets is a librarian, literary ambassador, and the library’s number one fan (according to himself, admittedly). He grew up in Fairfield, CA, right between Sacramento and San Francisco. He was raised in his local library as a home-school kid. 

He got his first library card at the age of five and was hooked on libraries from there. He got his first library job as a library shelver at the library he grew up in and worked his way up to become Supervising Librarian of that very same library.

He is very open about his mental health. He talks about it in hopes that it’ll help others in their mental health journey. He is adamant about encouraging people to believe him when he says he’s happy they are here.

He considers it an honor to the library people who raised him that he is a recipient of the 2023 “I Love My Librarian” award from the American Library Association, one of School Library Journal’s 2024 Movers and Shakers, and one of TIME Magazine’s 2024 Next Generation Leaders.