Mentor: Lisa Rogers

Meredith Hughes stares into space for a living... as an astronomer who uses giant radio telescopes to study how planets form around other stars. She is also an award-winning educator who loves to share her enthusiasm for all things space-related. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, two children, and a rabbit, and she is honored to have been chosen as a 2026 PB Rising Stars mentee!

Mentor: A.J. Irving

Abby Saunders Nolin is a children’s book author who’s endlessly curious about the natural world, big feelings and identity (LGBTQ+ and mental health especially). Earning a BA in English and Creative Writing from Rhode Island College and a Masters in Library and Information Science from Simmons College, she worked as an academic librarian, curator and independent school Library Director for over a decade. Holding positions at Brown University, Roger Williams University, Harvard and the University of Southern California (USC), Abby worked in Special Collections and the History of the Book.

Abby lives in Connecticut with her family, including two small children, a growing creature collection, and lots of plants! When she's not writing, Abby teaches children’s yoga in schools through her company Pip Yoga and volunteers at the local public school library. Abby enjoys yoga, hiking, knitting, reading, swimming, gardening, and dance parties!

You can find Abby on: Instagram

Mentor: Audrey Perrott

Alison Karmel has always been young at heart, so it’s not surprising that she never outgrew her love of picture books. Now as a mom, she gets a thrill out of going to the library and grabbing stacks of books so she can cuddle up and read them to her children. Somewhere along the way, she realized that she no longer wanted to just read picture books, but write them too!

Alison writes with the hope that her stories will entertain and inspire children (and their grown-ups!) She has a background in environmental law and is the mom of two picture-book-loving kids. When Alison isn’t writing, you’ll find her spending time outdoors, tackling DIY house projects or just relaxing with a hot cup of coffee.

You can find Alison on: Instagram

Mentor: Andrew Hacket

Andrea Wickert is an author & illustrator from the Northeast who spends winters with her family in the lake effect snow belt of Upstate New York and summers by the water in Maine.

Andrea creates stories for the children that need it the most. All of them, every single one of them, inner children included. Her wonky, sketchy illustrations  live in the land of negative space, stem from a deep love of kid lit and thrive on an inability to be too serious.

You can find Andrea on: Instagram, Bluesky‍, Substack

Mentor: Steph Littlebird

Angel Trazo, PhD is a Filipina American artist and educator from San Jose, California. She self-published her debut children's book We Are Inspiring: The Stories of 32 Inspirational Asian American Women. An avid freelancer, Angel has illustrated two children's books (Vanessa Unmuted and A Father's Love) and created illustrations, comics, and visual notes for clients including the Center for Asian American Media, PBS, and colleges across America. She was a 2025 Helen Toribio Kapwa Fellow at the Mesa Refuge and part of the 2021 Interdisciplinary Writers Lab (IWL) cohort at Kearny Street Workshop. She holds an MA in Asian American Studies from UCLA and PhD in Cultural Studies from UC Davis, and she currently works as a Professor of Ethnic Studies at Sacramento City College.

You can find Angel on: Instagram

Mentor: M.O. Yuksel

Anjum writes picture books in the in-between moments. Her stories are lyrical and tender, rooted in identity, belonging, and the profound wonder of childhood. A school director, educational consultant, and mother of four, she knows children and writes for the ones finding their place in the world. She has a background in journalism and the arts, so in the margins of her day, she co-edits an educational journal and hones her illustration skills. A two-time PB Rising Stars applicant, Anjum has previously earned an honorable mention and been a runner-up.

Mentor: Nadia L. Hohn

Anousha Vakani is a children’s writer and the author of Najma, Amal’s Cape, and The A–Z of Zakat. Through stories rooted in faith, wonder, and belonging, she hopes to create books that children can see themselves in and return to again and again. She works in marketing for a local non-profit and is training to be a librarian. Her stories are inspired by the moon and woodland creatures in cozy living rooms.

You can find Anousha on: Instagram, Substack

Mentor: Patty Cisneros Prevo

Anya-Kaye is an aspiring children’s author, a former high school counselor, and disabled Veteran. She is a paraplegic wheelchair user that enjoys making the most of each day and living life to the fullest. She refuses to sit on the sidelines of life, which is why she creates characters who use wheelchairs and live independently with full autonomy.

In her free time, Anya-Kaye enjoys lounging in her pajamas and pigging out on sweets with her husband, Rodney. And of course, cuddling with her feisty cat, Violet, is a must.

You can find Anya-Kaye on: Instagram

Mentor: Lian Cho

Ashley Roh is a Korean-American illustrator and designer from Southern California. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis, where she received a BFA in Communication Design. She has a fondness for nonsensical stories and hopes to playfully interview life through the lens of typography and illustration. More than anything, she hopes her work helps at least one reader feel a little more understood. In her free time, she enjoys taking weekly trips to the library, baking banana bread, and pondering about what-if scenarios.

You can find Ashley on: Instagram

Mentor: Jasmine Fang

Caroline is an Asian American writer and poet based in the Shenandoah Valley. She worked in the tech industry for a decade before shifting her focus to environmental conservation and storytelling. She proudly serves on the board of a nonprofit that restores ecosystems for endangered species and local communities. When Caroline is not in the mountains, she writes stories filled with heart, nature, and dumplings.

You can find Caroline on: Instagram, Bluesky

Mentor: Adam Rex

Chayanid Siripaiboolpong is a Thai illustrator and Yugo BAFTA-nominated animation filmmaker based in Bangkok, Thailand. She graduated with a BA in Animation Arts at LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore in 2023 and has been working as a freelance illustrator illustrating picture books and as a background and styleframe artist for animated films ever since. Chayanid has a passion for telling stories about love and loss, joy and suffering, growing up and getting old, and the natural wonders around us through rich and colorful illustrations.

You can find Chayanid on: Instagram

Mentor: Nada Shawish Dutka

Diyana Wan is a proud Malaysian who grew up a semi-nomadic third-culture kid. Books were a constant, an escape she could retreat to no matter where she was. Eventually, she created her own characters and worlds. When she's not writing, she can be found attempting various things with varying degrees of success, including: illustrating, animating, song-writing, performing musicals and churning out experimental ice-cream flavours. She currently resides in Borneo with her husband and son.

You can find Diyana on: Instagram

Mentor: Gwendolyn Wallace

Emma Eubanks is a Nashville-based, Twin Cities-raised Author-Illustrator. As an Illustrator, she has proudly worked with clients like the St. Paul Public Library and Rebel Girls. As an unpublished Author, her stories focus on Black characters entrenched in weirdness and whimsy. When Emma isn’t writing or drawing (rare), she enjoys offbeat films, dancing with strangers, and using Karaoke to test the limits of her vocal range. She is incredibly honored to put her love for kids and their literature into practice with the PB Rising Stars community.

You can find Emma on: Instagram

Mentor: Jenna Elyse Johnson

Erica Chung is proudly Taiwanese-Hakka American, a published poet and aspiring kidlit author. She creates stories that feel like a warm hug that are rooted in humanity with themes around family, culture, friendship, DEI, and overcoming challenges. Many of her stories draw from her public health work and her lived experience as a daughter of immigrants. Erica deeply believes that every child matters and deserves to see wonder in themselves. She currently calls the east coast home, and is passionate about exploring BIPOC owned bookstores, developing new recipes for baked goods, and providing mutual aid and care to her community.

You can find Erica on: Instagram

Mentor: Julia Mills

Hannah is a Canadian illustrator and aspiring author who likes to make people giggle. She graduated from Sheridan College with a BFA in illustration. Her work is full of expressive colour, texture, lovable characters, and silly stories. She takes inspiration from nature and all the interesting people she comes across in the city. When not creating, she can be found planting overly ambitious numbers of tomato plants. She lives in Hamilton, Ontario with her partner and their dog.

You can find Hannah on: Instagram

Mentor: Kim Rogers

Hauʻolihiwahiwa Moniz is a Native Hawaiian writer, social researcher, and community educator from Keahupuaʻanui in Koʻolaupoko, Kailua, Oʻahu. She holds a Master of Arts in Hawaiian Studies and a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Her scholarly work introduced the concept of Native Hawaiian Lateral Violence into academic discourse and was the first research study globally to specifically examine the effects of Indigenous lateral violence on Indigenous language learning by Indigenous students. She is the founder of Piha Ka ʻĀina Consulting, which provides trainings, workshops, and consulting to support Indigenous communities in addressing lateral violence, Indigenous identity formation, and belonging, with the aim of strengthening language and cultural revitalization and forwarding inclusive, resilient community environments. Her work is guided by the belief that all Indigenous peoples have the right to claim who they are.

Mentor: Tonya Duncan Ellis

Heather Jenkins spent her childhood devouring books and dreaming of teaching children. She feels most content when she is inspiring others, especially children, to be all that they can imagine themselves to be. Heather is a gifted education teacher at an elementary school. She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband & can usually be found either reading, writing, practicing child’s pose in yoga, lifting weights at the gym or travelling the world to far and near places.

You can find Heather on: Instagram

Mentor: Caroline Kusin Pritchard

If you ever find yourself in an elevator with Indya, ask her about balancing passion and practicality — though be prepared to lose track of what floor you were meant to get off on. Inspired by her self-designed major at Stanford University, she co-founded PURSUIT, a studio specializing in visual storytelling and creative strategy to help people better understand themselves and others. After graduating, she joined Chronicle Books' children's team, where she fell in love with the power of picture books to shape how young readers see themselves and the world. That love became the thread connecting everything that followed: returning to Stanford to co-develop and teach Print on Purpose, a design course exploring how social justice shapes local, national, and global consciousness, and leading design program management with Netflix's Design Systems team.

In 2025, she brought that thread full circle by co-founding Storyland Collective, an intergenerational literary arts organization that transforms the Bay Area's cafés, bookstores, parks, festivals, and libraries into spaces where families reclaim storytelling as a cultural inheritance and a liberatory practice.

Indya is dedicated to empowering those envisioning more equitable futures. She leads conversations that foster collaboration and thoughtful decision-making, guiding the next generation of creatives and amplifying voices through community-building. She has shared this vision on stages at Figma Config, SXSW Edu, uxcon Vienna, and beyond.

You can find Indya on: Instagram, Instagram 2, LinkedIn

Mentor: Sita Singh

Isha Jog Keuper is a first-generation Indian-American writer, strategist, dancer, and advocate whose work weaves together creativity, leadership, service, and cultural storytelling.

A Guinness World Record holder for the most Kathak knee spins in one minute, she has performed across the United States and India and has earned numerous pageant titles and scholarships, including Distinguished Young Woman of Illinois 2013, National American Miss Illinois Teen 2013, and Miss Windy City 2019.

Isha holds a master's degree in Industrial & Organizational Psychology and works as an M&A Deal Strategy Consultant, advising Fortune 500 companies through complex HR integrations, organizational design, and employee experience transformations. Her leadership and service have earned her recognition including Schaumburg's Youth Volunteer of the Year, the Asian American Coalition's Youth Who Excel Award, the Daily Herald's "Suburban Standout," and a proclamation of "Isha Jog Day" in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

She draws deep inspiration from her mother, Gauri Jog, a professional Kathak dancer and founder of Indian Dance School, and her Aaji, a retired head librarian and published author. Isha lives in downtown Chicago with her husband, Kevin, and their daughter, Kaia. Isha is thrilled and deeply grateful for the opportunity to work with her mentor, Sita Singh, through PB Rising Stars.

You can find Isha on: Instagram, LinkedIn

Mentor: Andrea Wang

Jessica Ruan is an author and illustrator born in Seattle, and based in Boston. She is currently the Alan Andres Illustrated Children's Book Fellow at the Boston Public Library for her manuscript A Hundred Thousand. Her work, painted in gouache, acrylic, ink and colored pencil, draws from her upbringing in the landscapes from the Pacific Northwest and her experience growing up Chinese-American. She loves stories of nature, of joy, of things that are tenderly human. Jessica received her BFA in Illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design, where she found her love for picture books and children's literature.

You can find Jessica on: Instagram

Mentor: Sylvia Chen

Joanna Szeto is a Cantonese bilingual elementary school teacher and children’s book writer, author of the trilingual Chinese picture book, When Chicken and Duck Talk: Learning to Swim. Her stories have appeared on 101words.org, StoryShares.org, Kelp Journal, and ichinesereader.com. She is a mentor with Girls Write Now. She lives in San Francisco and loves watching Chinese dramas.

You can find Joanna on: Instagram, Bluesky, Substack, Facebook

Mentor: Melissa Cristina Márquez

Jyn Hall has been a professional storyteller for most of her life across various mediums: agented writer, agented actress, director, and producer. She’s authored an award-winning screenplay, commercial scripts, comedy sketches, and a podcast episode for an Emmy-winning producer. Her nonfiction, write-for-hire picture book, “Bringing About Change: Making a Difference Through Activism,” was published in July 2025 with the literacy advocacy nonprofit, Reading Partners. Previously represented by a literary agent, Jyn is an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), 12x12 Picture Book, and London Writers’ Salon. She was a former mentee in Rutgers University’s One-on-One program for a middle grade fantasy novel. When not writing for kids, she is a part-time editor for a nonprofit that aids vulnerable children in the US. Jyn is thrilled to be Melissa Cristina Márquez’s (the Mother of Sharks!) mentee and explore all things ocean/beach and conservation.

You can find Jyn on: Instagram, Bluesky

Mentor: Pasha Westbrook

Keela is a former classroom teacher with an M.A. in Early Years Education who now works as an educational consultant with clients across the United States and internationally. A proud Colorado native, she writes picture books about curious kids, big hearts, and the wonder waiting in ordinary days. When she isn't writing, you can find her exploring outside, dancing in the kitchen with her family, or following the trail of a real-life fairy who has a knack for turning everyday moments into something magical. She lives with her husband and high school sweetheart, their two children, and a deep belief that the world is full of stories worth noticing.

You can find Keela on: Instagram

Mentor: Charles R. Smith Jr.

Kevin C. Staton is an educator, research librarian, and author whose work centers on the historical and intersectional nature of the African-American experience. Kevin is focused on creating literature that children will treat like a favorite pet or good friend that they look forward to seeing, and that also allows parents/educators to create countless teachable moments that enrich and educate young minds.

You can find Kevin on: Instagram, Facebook

Mentor: Aya Ghanameh

Lama Mohamed is an Egyptian illustrator and writer based in Silver Spring, Maryland. She is a third-year student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, studying Biological Sciences and Technical Writing. She hopes to pursue a career in creating children's books and comics that convey complex emotions and difficult experiences that children might struggle to find, especially those of immigrant diasporas. Her favorite things to illustrate are stories about female friendships, cultural exchange, and appreciating nature. In her spare time, Lama likes to garden, draw silly caricatures of her family, and write articles for her university newspaper.

You can find Lama on: Instagram

Mentor: Dr. Michael Genhart

Michael “Koko” Kokozos, PhD is an educator with over 20 years of experience teaching across K-16 in the United States, Canada, Greece, and Turkey, and at institutions such as McGill, NYU, and Princeton. Currently, he serves as the Associate Director of Teaching and Learning at the University of Pennsylvania and teaches at the Global Online Academy.

Koko is the co-author of Teaching Storytelling in Classrooms and Communities and the upcoming The Community Engaged Classroom, and he is currently writing You Belong Here!, a book for teacher educators committed to fostering belonging and equity in schools. He is also a dedicated member of SCBWI and the Golden Egg Academy.

Koko’s commitment to empowering young voices has earned recognition from the Highlights Foundation, Bread & Roses Community Fund, and Learning for Justice. A Fulbright scholar and National Endowment for the Humanities grantee, his work has also been featured by The New York Times. When not teaching or writing, you can find him soaking up the Miami sunshine, marveling at dolphins, or perfecting his handstand on the beach.

You can find Michael on: Bluesky, LinkedIn

Mentor: Lesléa Newman

Michele Kirichanskaya is a first-generation Ukrainian Jewish American writer from Brooklyn, New York. Growing up, they had gone to speech therapy for years, struggling to speak. They now finds it amazingly ironic that they have a Bachelor’s in English from Hunter College and a Master’s in Creative Writing from the New School. They've written for GeeksOUT, Catapult, Electric Lit, GeeksOUT, We Need Diverse Books, The Mary Sue, and Lambda Literary. Their first book, Ace Notes: Tips and Tricks on Existing in an Allo World, a non-fiction guide on asexuality, was published in March 2023.

You can find Michele on: Instagram, Bluesky

Mentor: Namita Moolani Mehra

Mona Mustafa is a passionate educator and homeschooling mother of two with years of teaching experience. Her deep journey in education and her children's own developmental milestones inspire her to create enriching, meaningful materials for young readers. Mona is the author of the children's book, Start with Bismillah, a heartwarming story directly inspired by her daughter’s personal journey. When she isn't writing or teaching, she can be found tending to her garden or kayaking on beautiful summer days in Calgary.

You can find Mona on: Instagram

Mentor: Patricia Tanumihardja

Monica lives in Brooklyn, NY, where she spends her days as a fashion and beauty copywriter (yes, naming shades is a real thing!) and her nights as a winging-it picture book writer. When she's not wrangling words, her two energetic daughters, or her running sneakers, she’s probably forgetting about her social media accounts.

You can find Monica on: Instagram, Bluesky

Mentor: Janelle Harper

Morgan is a Southern Black feminist storyteller, mom of three girls, and budding children’s picture book author whose work centers Black girlhood, memory, joy, and imagination. She is the founder of Black Girls Know Best and the Black Girlhood Archive, where she explores the everyday lives, histories, and inner worlds of Black girls through storytelling, cultural preservation, and education. Inspired by Southern Black life, family, and the brilliance of Black children, Morgan writes stories that are tender, imaginative, and deeply rooted in care.

You can find Morgan on: Instagram, Instagram 2

Mentor: Nadia Fisher

Phoenix is a Caribbean-Canadian illustrator based in Vancouver, BC. Her work centers on storytelling through children’s literature, with a focus on the relationships between people and the nature. In 2025, she graduated from Emily Carr University of Art + Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration. Inspired by her childhood, her community, and the landscapes around her, she enjoys illustrating stories that feel close to home and that are welcoming for everyone.

You can find Phoenix on: Instagram, TikTok

Mentor: Kate Allen Fox

Radhika Nair is a debut picture book author, engineer, and self-published creator. She writes stories that blend an emotional core with an analytical layer, weaving technical concepts into dramatic, memorable narratives that help young readers connect with ideas organically through story. Her inspiration comes from art, everyday life, and a sense of wonder about the world around her. When she’s not writing, she enjoys hiking with her family, organizing stargazing gatherings with her husband and community, and getting creative with her daughter.

You can find Radhika on: Instagram, Substack, Facebook

Mentor: Kathryn Rammell

Rachelle (ra-SHELL) Allan is a children’s book author and illustrator based in Southern Idaho. She loves creating lovable characters in magical worlds. She bases many of her stories and illustrations off of the antics of her four children and is passionate about creating worlds that children can explore and imagine in. Rachelle believes that magic exists between the pages of children’s books and hopes to create more magic for children and families to enjoy together.

Rachelle creates her art with a mixture of digital watercolor, ink, and pencil brushes. Working digitally has made it possible for her to pursue art with her four kids underfoot. She’s inspired by vintage books, walks in nature, her children, and sprinkled donuts.

Though her formal education took her down different creative paths, she has always felt most at home in the children’s section of the library. If she’s not writing or drawing, Rachelle is probably chasing after her four adorable children, watching Star Wars with her hubby, or wondering when she can eat her next donut.

You can find Rachelle on: Instagram, Bluesky

Mentor: Ana Siqueira

Ramya is a picture book addict, a freelance writer, and a software technologist. She spends her time hanging out with books, kids, and the funny people in her head. After writing scores of articles for adults, she is now focusing on writing no-nonsense (but possibly nonsensical) content for kids.

You can find Ramya on: Instagram, Facebook

Mentor: Natasha Khan Kazi

Raqshinda spent over 15 years in education, where her work with young readers deeply influenced her writing and understanding of storytelling as a mirror reflecting children’s experiences and a window into lives beyond their own. Prior to her selection as a mentee, she was an honorable mention in the PB Rising Stars mentorship (2025). She’s a lifelong learner and holds a BA from Baruch College, an MS from Fordham University, and an MEd from Teachers College, Columbia University. She is a member of SCBWI and looks forwards to her critique groups for the kind of meaningful conversations that leave her inspired.

Mentor: Sara Holly Ackerman

Raquel Romero is a picture book author, mother, and consummate Californian. After studying at NYU and the University of San Francisco, she survived several years of LA traffic before returning to her hometown of San Diego. When not devouring her latest library haul, you can find her chasing her toddler at the beach, chasing her toddler on a hike, or chasing a crispy fish taco with an ice-cold Diet Coke.

You can find Raquel on: Instagram, Bluesky, LinkedIn

Mentor: Livia Blackburne

Régine Théodat is a Haitian-American writer, strategist, and cultural storyteller whose work centers Caribbean heritage, especially Haiti, oral traditions, and intergenerational memory. A former human rights attorney who lived and worked in Haiti for more than a decade, she is the cofounder of Isse & Lo, a children’s heritage brand creating culturally rooted learn and play tools for diaspora families.

Régine writes picture books, middle grade fiction, essays, and cultural commentary that weave together folklore, bilingual storytelling, migration, humor, and ancestral memory. She is the author of I’ve Been Waiting for You and its Haitian Creole counterpart Sa fè lontan m ap tann ou.

Through her storytelling, she hopes to help children see themselves, their histories, and their cultures reflected in the books they read. Régine is also a mama, and her daughter is her number one critique partner.

You can find Régine on: Instagram, Substack, Business

Mentor: Anne Appert

Roji Maharjan, also known as Ro, is an illustrator, cartoonist, and dreamer. Ro likes to make books and comics about life in New York, where they live with one silly cat and a lot of pens that have been knocked over by said cat. Ro always knew they wanted to be an artist and creating stories is their dream come true. Their work is inspired by their childhood, Newar culture, and the hope for a kinder and more loving world.

You can find Ro on: Instagram

Mentor: Jenny Alvarado

Salma Ali is an interdisciplinary author and illustrator whose work is deeply rooted in child-centered storytelling. She holds a Ph.D. focused on co-creation and co-design alongside children, drawing inspiration from their unique stories, voices, and lived experiences. She also worked as a designer at NASA and top tech companies before devoting herself to illustrating and writing children’s books. Informed by her upbringing as an Arab and Muslim in America, Salma now channels her personal journey into crafting heartwarming picture books and characters to uplift and inspire young readers, particularly those whose identities are often overlooked in mainstream narratives. She works both digitally and traditionally, using mediums including gouache, colored pencil, and wax pastel. She resides in coastal Virginia, finding inspiration in the beach and local wildlife, reinventing Middle Eastern recipes, and her ever-growing collection of stationary and souvenirs from around the world.

You can find Salma on: Instagram, Substack, LinkedIn

Mentor: Jackie Morera

Vaness Olivia Cox is a developmental and media psychologist and kidlit author. Through her research on media, she has learned that people of the Black diaspora are often depicted two-dimensionally or not at all. After having published in academic journals about this phenomena, Vaness is inspired to create the nuanced Black and brown characters she’d like to see represented. She was an avid reader as a child, so she wanted to start there - with children's books. Vaness is a Chicago native and spends her free time watching comedies, discovering alternative music, and plotting new adventures with her partner and friends.

You can find Vaness on: Instagram, LinkedIn