Espen Dekko has worked as a puppeteer and instructor and has directed a number of theatrical performances. Espen also studied at the Norwegian Institute for Children’s Books and is the author of several children’s books. He lives in Norway.

Rona is a passionate advocate for women and girls around the world who has led the global movement to create the International Day of the Girl at the United Nations. She believes that if we teach girls their rights at a young age they will be more likely to exercise them as they grow up. This belief motivated her to co-author The International Day of the Girl book.#Rona has spent her life passionately fighting for disadvantaged women and girls. She was recently recognized for her efforts by being chosen as 1 of 100 global women leaders featured in the She Innovates “Impossible to Ignore” campaign, organized by UN Women. She was one of the champions responsible for ensuring that Indigenous women in Canada were finally granted equal matrimonial property rights. Working alongside Nobel Peace Prize recipient Nadia Murad, Rona successfully fought for the creation of a Canadian refugee program to bring Yazidi women and girls who have been sexually enslaved by ISIS to safety in Canada. Rona continues to press the Canadian government to ensure her legislation, the JUST Act (mandatory sexual assault law training for judges), becomes law in Canada.#Rona believes we need more women in corporate and public life. She recently launched SheLeads, an organization focused on encouraging women to run for office and participate in public life. She also created and co-chairs the Women’s Economic Council of Alberta, a high-powered group of women corporate leaders who provide non-partisan economic advice to high-ranking government and political officials. As a federal minister, Rona created and chaired the federal advisory council for women on boards.#As a key member of the Canadian cabinet for a decade, Rona served as a minister across nine departments and agencies. At the time of her appointment, Rona was the youngest female cabinet minister in Canadian history. During her tenure as Leader of Canada’s Official Opposition, she gained the respect of parliamentarians of all political stripes. Today Rona is involved in US/Canada bilateral trade and competitiveness issues, serves on corporate boards and continues her work advancing the rights of women and girls.#When she’s not working (which is rare), Rona is usually found in the Rockies, horseback riding, hiking or skiing with her husband, JP, and their three kids.

Barry Lyga is the New York Times bestselling author of the I Hunt Killers trilogy as well as such critically acclaimed novels as Boy Toy and Bang. He’s also a comic book nerd who geeks out by writing superhero novels, including the Flash series and Thanos: Titan Consumed. He lives outside New York City, in a house bursting with books.

Morgan is a New York Times bestselling ghostwriter, as well as a social media expert who oversees communications for the world’s largest children’s book publisher. She lives outside New York City, in a house bursting with books.

Laura has loved books since she was barely big enough to clamber up the steps to the bookmobile that rolled into her Halifax neighborhood once a week.#At school, she made her own books out of manila paper, mucilage and crayons. The first story she can remember writing was about a little girl who kept spilling paint and having to figure out how to turn the messes into pictures (a good rule for life).#These days, Laura considers herself very lucky to work in a beautiful library and write her own books. They look more professional than the homemade ones, but the joy of creating them is much the same.#Laura also loves to sing, play guitar (a work in progress) and try to keep up with what her three children are reading.#She makes her home in Toronto where, along with clover and a whole lot of dandelions, she does her best to grow kindness.~Twitter: @LauraAlary1~Facebook: @lauraalaryauthor