We proudly offer the bios of our accomplished teachers.
Kesi Augustine is the author of the picture books Faith Takes the Train (HarperCollins), Hope for the Honeybees and Whales of Wonder. Her short fiction and poetry have appeared in Pensive: A Global Journal of Spirituality and the Arts, Crawl Space Journal, Winter Tangerine, TulipTree Review, and For Harriet, among others. Her essays have appeared in USA Today and Connected Academics, the blog of the Modern Language Association. When she was 14, she won the New York MTA’s Poetry in Motion contest, and her poem “Sleepless” was featured on subway trains throughout the city for a year. She teaches K-12 Language Arts in a Florida special education program, and formerly taught at the Bard High School Early College Program, New York University, and as a writing assistant for Williams College. She holds a BA from Williams College, and an MA and a Ph.D in English (Children’s Literature) from New York University.
Caela Carter is the author of the middle-grade novels Fifty-Four Things Wrong With Gwendolyn Rogers, How to Be a Girl in the World, One Speck of Truth, Forever or a Long, Long Time, My Life with the Liars, (all Quill Tree Books/Harper Collins), and Tumbling (Viking), and the young adult novels My Best Friend, Maybe and Me, Him, Them, and It (both Bloomsbury USA Children’s). She worked as a school librarian for the Harlem Village Academy, and has taught for the Chicago Jesuit Academy and Boys Hope Girls Hope in New York City. She holds a BA from the University of Notre Dame, an MA in Education from the University of Notre Dame, and an MFA in Children’s Literature from the New School.
Christine Hartman Derr is the author of the middle-grade novel Raven, Rising and the picture book Until We Meet Again: Donadagohvi (both Heartdrum/HarperCollins, forthcoming). Her short stories have been included in the anthologies Legendary Frybread Drive-In (Heartdrum/HarperCollins) and Just YA (Oklahoma State University Libraries), and her reviews, articles, and essays have appeared in Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Indigenous Reads Rising, Knoxville Moms, and Dollywood Insider, among others. She writes the blog Paw Prints in the Sink. She has taught for the Vermont College of Fine Arts and the University of Alaska-Anchorage/Eagle River. She holds a BA from Florida State University and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
Erik Kraft is the author of the chapter book series Lenny and Mel (Simon & Schuster), the picture book Chocolatina (Bridgewater Books), and the middle grade novel Miracle Wimp (Little, Brown). He’s also the webmaster for the Littleton Cultural Council, founder of the former blog/podcast Too Many Chickens!, and illustrator for the former blog Cats in the Alley. He has taught at Columbia University and Grub Street Writers in Boston. He holds a BA from the University of Massachusetts, an MFA in Writing for Children from Vermont College, and an ALM in Dramatic Arts from the Harvard Extension School.
Margaret Meacham has published many books for children, including the middle grade novels Oyster Moon, The Secret of Heron Creek (both Tidewater), A Mid-Semester Night's Dream (Scholastic), Quiet! You're Invisible, A Fairy's Guide to Understanding Humans (both Holiday House), and The Ghosts of Laurelford (Sunbury). She is also the author of the adult mystery novel The Survival of Sarah Landing (Sunbury). Her articles and short stories have appeared in Library Journal, Country Magazine, Successful Student Magazine, Maryland Magazine, Highlights for Children, Baltimore Magazine, and the Baltimore Sun. She has taught at Goucher College and Towson University. She holds a BA from Trinity College and an MLIS from the University of Maryland.
James Preller is the author of more than 80 books for children of all ages, ranging from picture books through young adult novels. His titles include the picture books All Welcome Here, A Pirate’s Guide to First Grade, and A Pirate’s Guide to Recess (all Feiwel and Friends); the choose-your-own-adventure story Fairy House (Chooseco); the easy-reader Two Birds and a Moose (Simon & Schuster); the middle-grade novels The Courage Test, Bystander, and Upstander (all Feiwel and Friends), Six Innings, and Blood Mountain (both Macmillan/Square Fish); and the young adult novels The Fall (Macmillan/Square Fish) and Before You Go (Feiwel and Friends). He's also the author of three early chapter book series: the Jigsaw Jones mysteries (Scholastic), Scary Tales (Macmillan), and the Big Idea Gang (HMH Books for Young Readers). He holds a BA from Oneonta College.
Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen is the author of the young adult Compound series, the young adult novels The Tomb, The Raft, The Detour, the middle grade Shipwreck Island series (all Feiwel and Friends), and the Elizabeti series of picture books (Lee & Low). She has taught at the Whidbey Island Writer’s Workshop. She holds a BS from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and an MFA in Writing from Spalding University.
Marissa Walsh is the author of the picture book One Scoop or Two? And Other Ice Cream Questions (Union Square Books), the YA novel A Field Guide to High School (Delacorte Press), the memoir Girl with Glasses (Simon and Schuster), and the nonfiction book Tipsy in Madras (Penguin). She edited the anthologies Not Like I'm Jealous or Anything (Delacorte Press) and Does this Book Make Me Look Fat? (Clarion Books). She has worked as a literary agent with Fine Print Literary Management and as an editor at Random House. She holds a BA from Smith College.
