Candace Ryan is the author of six picture books for children: Red Light, Green Lion; Ribbit Rabbit; Moo Hoo; Ewe and Aye; Zoo Zoom!; and Animal House. She has always been fascinated by words and images and the alchemy of putting them together. Like putting rocks in a tumbler, she is more than happy to spend her days having words churn and turn in her brain until they come out smooth and polished, ready to find their way into a published book. Despite her love for words, Candace aspires to one day take on the ultimate challenge of writing a wordless picture book. Until then, though, she will always prefer using as few words as possible so that the art has enough room to tell its share of the story.#In her free time, Candace loves riding her bicycle, taking long walks, and gardening. She is excited to be supporting the monarch butterfly’s full life cycle with a milkweed plant (Asclepias tuberosa) in her front yard. Candace loves rescuing odd bits of metal and broken bricks that have been abandoned in the washes of the Los Angeles River. She incorporates these treasured materials into various landscaping projects around her home. One of her proudest finds, the metallic remains of a refrigerator burned in a wildfire, is now an outdoor planter with a shimmering patina. Candace is also known to be an avid rock collector. In many ways, her garden could also be viewed as one giant rock zoo. Candace is a passionate basketball fan and even finds pleasure in following developments during the offseason. She lives with her amazing husband, wonderful son, three dogs, a cat and a tortoise in Los Angeles.

Julie Abery is a children’s book author and former preschool teacher, who shaped her career by reading picture books to children from around the world. Storytime was her favorite part of the day, when she and her wide-eyed students stepped into the magical world of books. Songs and picture books were her friends, and her favorite method of engaging young minds, helping her deliver language learning with rhyme, rhythm and repetition.#Originally from England, she now calls Switzerland home. She lives in a pink house, at the bottom of a very steep hill, with a little red story shed in her garden. Spring is her favorite season to write there, as it is filled with the sounds of cowbells and birdsong.#With a passion for rhyme and nonfiction, Julie scatters her own little bit of magic into the world through books that inspire imagination, wonder and understanding.~Twitter: @juliedawnabery~Instagram: @juliedawnabery

Stephanie MacKendrick is a former journalist dedicated to women’s career advancement and non-profit leadership. She served as board Vice-Chair for The Samara Centre for Democracy, engaging Canadians in politics, and played a key role in establishing the Canadian chapter of the 30% Club, which aims to increase the representation of women on corporate boards. Stephanie was President of the board of The International Alliance for Women (TIAW) and co-founded the TIAW World of Difference 100 Awards. She has twice been recognized by the Women’s Executive Network as one of  Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100, and in 2010 was admitted to the Freedom of the City of London (UK).

With over four million books in print, Sigmund Brouwer is a bestselling author of books for both children and adults. His novel Dead Man’s Switch was the 2015 winner of the Arthur Ellis Award for Canada’s best young adult mystery of the year. Two of his novels have been finalists for Canadian Children’s Book Centre Book Awards. Sigmund lives in Alberta and travels frequently to deliver his Rock and Roll Literacy presentation to schools across Canada and the United States.

Alice Kuipers is the award-winning, bestselling author of six novels, Always Smile, Me and Me, Life on the Refrigerator Door, The Worst Thing She Ever Did, 40 Things I Want to Tell You and The Death of Us, as well as two picture books. Her work has been published in thirty-two countries. She lives in Saskatoon.