Children’s Picture Book
Writers of Children's Picture Books from Minnesota.

Ben Orlin
Ben Orlin has written four books, including Math with Bad Drawings and Math for English Majors. He describes himself as a “professional apologist for mathematics,” the word “apologist” holding both in the classical sense (an advocate for a worldview) and in the modern sense (someone doing PR for a widely despised client). His writing and…

Sean Tulien
Sean Tulien writes and edits playful and compelling kidlit of all kinds. His specialty is fiction for kids with a strong visual component, especially comics. He loves bunnies, video games, lifting heavy things, hiking, and amusing others.

Ty Chapman
Ty Chapman is the author of Sarah Rising, Looking For Happy, and A Door Made for Me (written with Tyler Merritt). Chapman’s forthcoming publications include multiple children’s books and a poetry collection through Button Poetry. He was a 2022 Center for Arts + Social Justice Fellow – an award that supports a speculative work in…

Abdi Mahad
Abdi Mahad, co-founder of Diverse Voices Press, an independent publishing company located in St. Cloud, Minnesota, is dedicated to promoting inclusivity through literature. His primary goal is to publish books that amplify the voices of underrepresented communities. Mahad holds a master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL), a master’s degree in Computer…

Annette Gagliardi
Annette Gagliardi is a poet whose work has appeared in literary journals in Canada, England, and the US. Her first full-length poetry collection, titled A Short Supply of Viability, was published through The Poetry Box. Gagliardi notices the intricate details of lives lived around her. She notices the dimensions of nature, time, and the human…

Laura James
Born and raised in Minnesota, Laura James worked at the Twin Cities Public Television Station, creating, writing, and editing projects, until she followed her desire to write children’s fiction. The Addison books marry entertainment with education, capturing children’s attention, while promoting language skills development. The Addison stories also fall into the educational genre, with both…

Hudda Ibrahim
Hudda Ibrahim graduated from the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, majoring in Conflict Resolution and English Literature. She went on to earn a Master’s degree in Conflict Resolution from the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana. Her books include From Somalia to Snow, What Color is My Hijab?, and Lula Wants…

Karen Latchana Kenney
Karen Latchana Kenney is an Indian-Irish author and editor, born near the equator in Guyana, and raised far north in Minnesota. She’s lived in New Amsterdam, Toronto, Minneapolis, Dublin, Maynooth, Oregon, and Rhode Island, and visited many more places on far-flung adventures. She first got lost in books as a child and hoped one day…

Lee Ann Landstrom
Lee Ann Landstrom has been an interpretive naturalist and environmental educator since 1980. She is retired from the directorship (27-years) of Eastman Nature Center with the Three Rivers Park District. She was also a youth class instructor at the Science Museum of Minnesota in Saint Paul for nearly 20 years. Landstrom has a B.A. in…

Edith Karras
Edith Marie Karras has been taking pictures for more than 30 years and has lived in Minneapolis since 1985. Over the decades she has participated in numerous art fairs and shows and currently is an artist member and board member of Vine Arts Center. Karras uses her photographs to create ceramic tiles, posters, scarves, canvas…