Gene Luen Yang began drawing comic books in the fifth grade. In 2006, his graphic novel, American Born Chinese — a memoir about growing up as an Asian American — became the first graphic novel to win the American Library Association’s Printz Award. He is the author of the Secret Coders series and has written for the hit comics Avatar: The Last Airbender and Superman. In 2016, Gene was named the 5th National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and selected as a MacArthur Fellow.
Gennifer Choldenko’s books are funny and warm. She’s got a real gift for capturing the authentic voices of tweens and teens as they negotiate their families, friends, and growing up. Her books for younger children feature kids — and creatures — confronting their fears.
