TONY ABBOT

Tony Abbott didn't actually turn to writing full-time until 1994. He has always been involved with the world of writing, however, from his time at the University of Connecticut (where he graduated with a degree in English Literature) to his work with a variety of specialty bookstores, a university library, and an Internet book and magazine publisher. He shares a love of fantasy and adventure with his readers, with whom he maintains contact through his many school visits; Abbott has also taught writing workshops for all elementary grades.

Though he first came to attention with his Danger Guys series, begun in 1994, Tony Abbott has continued to gain recognition for The Secrets of Droon, an ongoing, best-selling series that independent bookstores count in their top ten fantasy book recommendations for Harry Potter fans. Abbott's books have sold nearly two million copies have been sold worldwide.

Tony Abbott was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but now lives in Connecticut. Abbott is married and has two daughters.

For more information about Tony Abbot, visit http://www.tonyabbottbooks.com/

SAMANTHA ABEEL

Samantha Abeel was a bright child who had a gift with language, yet struggled with simple math problems. As she grew older, the disparity grew wider. An excellent poet and writer, she could not tell time or even calculate simple addition or subtraction. Though signs of a learning disability were present throughout her childhood, she struggled with feelings of failure until at thirteen she was finally diagnosed with a learning disability called dyscalculia. On the verge of collapse from panic attacks, she suddenly understood what was wrong. Now she could focus on developing her gifts and compensating for her weaknesses in a positive and constructive way. It was the beginning of regaining control of her life.

Her first book of poetry, Reach for the Moon, was published when she was only 15 years old and won the 1994 Margot Marek Award for the best book on the subject of learning disabilities given by the New York Branch of the Orton Dyslexia Society. The book also won the Distinguished Book Award from the International Reading Association, and was names a Best Book for the Teen Age by the New York Public Library. My Thirteenth Winter is her inspiring memoir of persistence and strength chronicling her struggle and painting a picture of hope.

JASON ALEXANDER

Jason Alexander is best known as Jerry's hapless friend George Costanza on the legendary sitcom "Seinfeld". In addition to his other television work, he or his voice are somewhere on your TV twenty-four hours a day. He has appeared in dozens of films and won the Tony award for his work as a Broadway song and dance man. He is also a director, producer, composer, and very amateur magician. Mr. Alexander lives in Los Angles, California with his wife and two children.

K.A. APPLEGATE

After the award-winning author of Animorphs and Everworld finished writing these series, she became deeply involved in a new one, Remnants.

Different from her earlier works, it tells what happens to the survivors of an asteroid collision with Earth - and the obliteration of all life there.

This prolific author (and amateur cellist) loves traveling, gardening, and being with her two cats. Most of all, however, she loves writing. "The hard part of writing is finding out the right way to make an idea come to life. But it is also - by the way - the best part.

"I want to surprise my readers", she says. And with her track record, how could she not?

Applegate was born in Michigan and now lives in Illinois.

BLUE BALLIETT

Blue knew she wanted to be a writer when she was 8 years old, but before publishing her first book, she did a lot of other things. Growing up in Manhattan, she spent a lot of time wandering through museums, namely the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Frick Museum, both of which housed a few Vermeer paintings. After graduating from Brown University with a degree in art history, Blue worked on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts for a while, working as a cook, waitress, art gallery curator, and of course, writer. However, Blue says that while she “tried to sit down and be a writer at 21,” she had a hard time finding her voice, and that she could not have written Chasing Vermeer “without all the living that preceded it.”

MOLLY BANG

This Caldecott Honor artist believes that "reading picture books together is one of the nicest ways to snuggle with your child, be close, and talk about things that are important."

Bang says many of her ideas come from "people I admire very much…or from scientific questions. I use a book to think about questions I want to answer.

"I thought of being an illustrator only, but editors said there were no writers whom they could match me with, so I should write my own stories." Now she's had more than 20 books published! The mother of a grown daughter, Bang divides her time between northern California and Falmouth, Massachusetts.

For more information about Molly Bang, visit: www.mollybang.com

JIM BENTON

Jim Benton is the creator of thousands of original characters appearing in books, magazines, television, online  -- and has been hailed as “the most visible cartoonist in America” by People Magazine.

It’s Happy Bunny, the cute little bunny with a big attitude, is the winner of a LIMA Licensing Excellence Award for Best Art Brand License of The Year and one of the hottest properties in licensing today. Jim's critically-acclaimedDear Dumb Diary illustrated book series has been hailed as a “tween lit hit” for attracting “a cult following among young readers.”

Additional information about Jim can be found at www.jimbenton.com or www.blackjackinc.com

JEANNE BETANCOURT

Jeanne Betancourt is the author of over a dozen books for children, including the Pony Pals series, the Cheer USA series, and Ten True Animal Rescue Stories. Her original telesales for ABC "After School Specials" have received numerous awards including six Emmy Award nominations, two Humanities citations, and the National Psychology Award for Excellence in the Media. Jeanne received her MA in Cinema Studies from New York University.

Jeanne lives in New York City.

NORMAN BRIDWELL

Born on February 15, 1928, in Kokomo, IN, Norman Bridwell attended John Herron Art Institute, from 1945 to 1949, and Cooper Union Art School, from 1952 to 1953. Bridwell began his career as a messenger for a lettering company in New York City. He was an artist-designer for the Raxon Fabrics Company and an artist for the H. D. Rose Company during the 1950s. He became a free-lance artist in 1956 and has illustrated all of the books that he has written. After living for twenty years in New York City, Norman Bridwell moved to Edgartown, MA, where he currently lives with his wife Norma. They have two children together, daughter, Emily Elizabeth and son, Tim. Bridwell says his interests include photography, classical music and jazz, and he enjoys watching "terrible old movies." Norman Bridwell has sold over 105,000,000 books, including the popular Clifford, The Big Red Dog series.

MICHAEL CADNUM

Michael Cadnum was 41 when his first young adult horror novel was published in 1990. Many more have come from his pen since, and all feature his precise and lyrical use of language - something teachers greatly appreciate.

Cadnum's novels are not about only young people, but "are about adults, too," he says. "It is usually a testing time in family life, with the adults at critical stages in their careers, and teenagers to raise."

Michael Cadnum lives in Albany, California, with his wife Sherina.

PATRICK CARMAN

Patrick Carman built four successful businesses from the ground up before adding "novelist" to his resume. A Northwest native, he grew up in Salem, Oregon, and graduated from Willamette University. Carman then spent a decade living in Portland, where he founded and ran his own advertising agency. After selling it in 1998, he created a series of popular board games, including Applause, and founded and built MyWebPal.com into the third-largest provider of online newspaper publishing in the U.S. A born entrepreneur, Carman launched Amped Radio (www.ampedradio.com), while writing The Dark Hills Divide.

Patrick Carman lives in Washington state with his wife, Karen, and daughters, Reese and Sierra.

JOANNA COLE

I discovered in the fifth grade that I enjoyed explaining things and writing reports for school. I had a teacher who was a little like Ms. Frizzle. She loved her subject. Every week she had a child do an experiment in front of the room, and I always wanted to be that child. Grade school was very important to me — maybe that's why I ended up writing books for children as an adult.

After graduating from college, I worked as an elementary-school teacher, a librarian, a children's book editor, and a writer.

Since then I have written both nonfiction and fiction books for children. In my science books, including The Magic School Bus books, I write about ideas, rather than just the facts. I try to ask a question, such as how do scientists guess what dinosaurs were like? Then I try to answer the question as I write the book.

Writing is hard work, but it's the greatest fun in the world.

SUZANNE COLLINS

Since 1991, Suzanne Collins has had a successful and prolific career writing for children’s television. Most recently she was the Head Writer for Scholastic Entertainment’s Clifford’s Puppy Days, which premiered in September 2003.

Excited by the possibilities of a more literary form, she felt a strong urge to explore bringing characters and ideas to life in books.

Gregor the Overlander is the first in a five-part fantasy series entitled THE UNDERLAND CHRONICLES. In each book Gregor, who is implicated in a string of dark prophecies, must find the courage and moral fortitude to deal with a different aspect of war.

Published in 2003, Gregor the Overlander met with critical acclaim, becoming a Kirkus Reviews Editors' Choice and a New York Public Library's 100 Books for Reading and Sharing selection. Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane was published in 2004.

Suzanne Collins lives in Connecticut with her family.

CAROLINE B. COONEY

Caroline B. Cooney was born 1947 in Geneva New York, grew up in Old Greenwich, Connecticut and has lived for many years in Westbrook, Connecticut. She is the mother of Louisa, Sayre and Harold. Cooney has written over 65 books for young adults and is known for her combination of chilling suspense with insight into teenage lives.

Caroline B. Cooney is an avid reader and book collector with a passion for ancient history. As a child she preferred series fiction, like the Hardy Boys and Cherry Ames, and still owns her copies. She is also a musician, having been a church organist since her teens, choir director and soprano soloist. She graduated from Greenwich High School in 1965.