About the Conference

 

Jerry Craft is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the graphic novels New Kid, Class Act, and School Trip. New Kid is the first graphic novel in history to win the John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature (2020). And it is the only book to ever win the Newbery Medal; the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature (2019), and the Coretta Scott King Author Award for the most outstanding work by an African American writer (2020). In 2025, Jerry teamed up with fellow Newbery winner Kwame Alexander to bring you J VS. K. The story of two fifth graders, one a talented artist, and the other an amazing writer, who become bitter rivals when they enter their school's annual storytelling contest. Jerry’s latest endeavor is another new graphic novel trilogy. The first book in the trilogy, Aren Anime: The New Realm, Aren Anderson is the MVP at his middle school in Connecticut but when he and his family suddenly get transported to a bizarre new realm, everything changes! Aren must adjust to having all the power in his old school to being powerless with any superpowers in his new school. It's an action-packed adventure guaranteed to change readers' futures.

Jerry has worked as an advertising copywriter where he created print ads, radio and TV commercials; as an assistant artist for Barbara Slate to produce a variety of comic books and graphic novels including Sweet 16 (Marvel Comics) and New Kids on the Block (Harvey Comics). Jerry is the Executive Producer of the upcoming New Kid movie based on his Newbery-Medal winning graphic novel of the same name. It will be produced in partnership with LeBron James’ SpringHill Company and Universal Studios.

Jerry was born in Harlem and grew up in the Washington Heights section of New York City and now travels the world telling kids and their families about the importance of reading.

 

My name is Micah Player. I’m an author and illustrator of books and games, represented by Lori Nowicki at Painted Words. I studied Graphic Design at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City before moving to Southern California to work in the apparel industry. My first picture book, “Chloe, Instead” was published by Chronicle Books in 2012. I’ve had the good fortune of working with Simon & Schuster, American Girl, Paul Frank Industries, The Land of Nod, Penguin Random House, Harper Kids, Scwhartz & Wade, Roaring Brook, Little Bee Books, Houghton Mifflin and a bunch of other rad places. Rich digital color, washy textures, sharp mid-century inspired shapes and expressive ink lettering are my modus operandi. I believe in the power of visual stories to connect people. My family and I live in a little house beneath a big tree in the mountains of Utah.

Lindsey Leavitt is the author of over fifteen books for children, tweens, and teens. She is also the co-owner of Folklore Bookshop in Midway, Utah. Yes, there are mountains of books in her life. What an obvious question. The real question to ask is how many horses are there in her life and the answer is: none. Because the books keep her busy. So does her big blended family. So does updating author bios every time a book comes out, which seems easy but you try finding interesting facts about yourself after writing seventeen bios. You already know she grew up in Las Vegas. You already now about her MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts, which she includes here to sound prestigious. You also don’t care about prestige, which is why Lindsey wants to be your friend.

Her titles include:
Middle Grade:

• THE GARDEN JUST BEYOND
• NORTH OF SUPERNOVA
• WILLIS WILBUR WOWS THE WORLD
• WILLIS WILBUR MEETS HIS MATCH
• THE PAGES BETWEEN US series
• PRINCESS FOR HIRE series
• Chapter-book series COMMANDER IN CHEESE

Young Adult:

• SEAN GRISWOLD’S HEAD
• GOING VINTAGE
• THE CHAPEL WARS

 

Caldecott medalist Jason Chin is the author and illustrator of many acclaimed books, including Grand Canyon, Redwoods and Your Place in the Universe. He received the 2022 Caldecott Medal for Watercress, by Andrea Wang and a Caldecott Honor, Sibert Honor, and the NCTE Orbis Pictus award for Grand Canyon. While researching his books, he’s gone swimming with sharks, explored lava fields and camped with scorpions at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Jason loves making art, learning about science and getting outside to hike, bike, ski and explore.

Jason grew up in a small town in New Hampshire that happened to be home to Caldecott medalist, Trina Schart Hyman. Hyman presented regularly at his elementary school and they met when he was a teenager. She became his mentor and guided him as he pursued a career in the arts. Jason studied art at Syracuse University and began his illustration career while living in New York City. In 2009 he published Redwoods, his first book as both author and illustrator. Since then, he as written and illustrated numerous award-winning books that combine his passion for nature, science and art. Jason now lives with his family in Vermont.

 

Lauren Aimonette Liang is an associate professor in the Department of Educational Psychology in the College of Education, and the Director of the Quest Academic Learning Communities in Undergraduate Studies. She is also the co-director of the READ-U (Reading with Empathy, Awareness, and Depth with U) program. Dr. Liang’s research and teaching focuses on the selection and educational use of children's and adolescent literature, children's literature in teacher preparation and literacy programs, and text characteristics as related to student response and comprehension of texts.

Dr. Liang’s work has been published in journals such as Reading Research Quarterly, The Reading Teacher, Reading Psychology, and Journal of Children’s Literature, as well as in both professional and practitioner books. She is co-author of the widely used children’s literature textbook, Literature and the Child. In October 2026, her newest book, Literary Praxis: Teaching Children's Literature in Contemporary Society, will be published by Bloomsbury. Her popular book Courageous Conversations in the Classroom: Using Children’s Literature to Support Social and Emotional Growth, Positive Identity, and Mental Health, with Drs. Karen Tao and Michelle Hosp, was published in 2025 by Guilford Press.

Dr. Liang has served in multiple leadership positions for the Children's Literature Assembly, American Library Association, and the United States Board on Books for Young People. She has served on several prestigious children’s literature award committees, including chairing the 2020 Mildred L. Batchelder Award and the 2012 through 2016 International Literacy Association’s Children’s and Young Adult Book Awards Committees, and serving on the 2017 Caldecott Medal committee. Dr. Liang received the College of Education Faculty Teaching Award in 2009, the University of Utah Early Career Teaching Award in 2010, and was awarded the University Professorship in 2016-18.