Conference personalities: Authors & Keynote Speakers
Latina Author & Professor Emerita
Dr. Alma Flor Ada
is Professor Emerita
at the University of San Francisco specializing in multicultural,
transformative education grounded in issues of social justice. Recipient of the
American Education Research Association (AERA) Hispanic Issues Award, she is an
internationally renowned speaker and award-winning author of both children’s
books in Spanish and English and professional books for educators and
librarians. Her most recent titles include Dancing
Home/Nacer Bailando (Atheneum) co-written with her son, Ten Little Puppies/Diez perritos (Harper
Collins) co-written with her writing partner F. Isabel Campoy, and Let Me Help!/Quiero ayudar ! (Children’s
Book Press).
Latina Author & Professor
Dr. Monica Brown
is a Professor of
English at Northern Arizona University, specializing in U.S. Latino Literature and
Multicultural Literature. She is
the author of many award-winning bilingual books for children. Her most recent
books include Pablo Neruda: The Poet of
the People (Henry Holt), Marisol
McDonald Doesn't Match/Marisol McDonald no combina (Children's Book Press),
Waiting for the Biblioburro (Tricycle
Press), and Clara and the Curandera/Clara
y la curandera (Pinata Books). Monica's books are inspired by her
Peruvian-American heritage and her passion to share Latino/a stories with
children.
International Latina Scholar, Author, & Storyteller
F. Isabel Campoy
is a leading international scholar
in the areas of language acquisition and transformative education. A well-known
songwriter, poet, and storyteller, she has written numerous award-winning
children’s books in English and Spanish in addition to professional books for bilingual
educators. Her recent children’s titles include Muu, Moo!:
Rimas de animales/Animal Nursery Rhymes (Harper Collins) and Ten Little
Puppies/Diez perritos (Harper Collins)
both co-written with her writing partner Alma Flor Ada. One of her most notable
titles for educators is Authors in the
Classroom: A Transformative Education Process (Allyn & Bacon)
co-written with Alma Flor Ada.
Latino Artist & Illustrator
Joe Cepeda
is an artist-illustrator whose signature work exudes strong graphic style
and bold colors. He has illustrated numerous award-winning titles on a variety
of topics including Latino folklore, history and current events. In addition to
children’s books, his illustrations have appeared in various magazines and
publications such as The Los Angeles Times and Latina magazine. Cepeda’s recent
books focusing on Latino cultural contend include From North to South/Del Norte al Sur (Children’s Book Press)
written by René Colato Laínez, Side by
Side/Lado a Lado: The Story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez/La historia de
Dolores Huerta and César Chávez (Harper Collins) written by Monica Brown,
and N is for Navidad (Chronicle)
written by Susan Middleton Elya and Merry Banks.
Latino Author & "Teacher Full of Stories"
René Colato Laínez is an award-winning Salvadorian American author of Latino children’s books
celebrating the bicultural experiences of today’s youth. Known as the “Teacher
Full of Stories,” he also teaches in a bilingual elementary school in
California. Many of his picture books relate his own experiences as an
immigrant child from El Salvador. His most recent books include North to South/Del Norte al Sur
(Children’s Book Press), The Tooth Fairy
Meets El Ratón Pérez (Tricycle Press), and My Shoes and I (Boyds Mills Press).
Emerging Latina Author
Meg Medina
is an emerging
author of Latino children’s and young adult literature. The daughter of Cuban
immigrants, she writes books imbued with magical realism that capture the
intense emotions of children and adolescents seeking to find their place in the
world. Her books include Milagros: Girl
from Away (Henry Holt), Tía Isa Wants a Car (Candlewick) and The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind (Candlewick).
Latino Artist & Illustrator
John Parra is an award-winning Latino illustrator and artist whose artwork is
heavily influenced by his Hispanic
roots and heritage. His signature style has been showcased from in a variety of
venues from corporate advertising to magazines and newspapers to art exhibits.
Parra’s picture books include Waiting for the Biblioburro (Tricycle Press)
written by Monica Brown, Gracias/Thanks (Lee & Low) written by Pat Mora, P
is for Piñata: A Mexican Alphabet written by Tony Johnston, and My Name is Gabriela/Me llamo Gabriela: The Life of Gabriela Mistral/la
vida de Gabriela Mistral (Luna Rising) written by Monica Brown.
