Children's Picture Books

A San Francisco native, Maria Faulconer is a children's author and freelance writer. Her latest book, A Mom for Umande, is the heart-tugging true story of a baby gorilla who finds love in the arms of a surrogate mom. Recommended by the New York Times and USA Today, Umande received a starred-review in Kirkus and was nominated for a Show Me Award by the Missouri Association of School Librarians. Her first book, Arianna and the Strawberry Tea, was promoted on a national morning talk show. A graduate of Stanford University with an MA from the University of Colorado, she taught high school English, counseled emotionally disturbed teens, and writes for Colorado Springs Style Magazine.

Several years ago my husband and I, along with our three children, settled back in the Colorado Springs area to be near family and for our love of hiking and climbing.

Ana Crespo is the author of The Sock Thief, a CCBC 2016 Choices book that tells the story of Felipe, a Brazilian boy who can't afford a soccer ball and must use a lot of creativity (and a few socks) to solve his problem. She is also the author of the My Emotions and Me series. The series follows JP, a little boy with a big imagination, as he learns how to deal with his feelings. Ana is originally from Brazil, but lives in beautiful Colorado with her family.

Faye was a crafter during the 1990s. She sculpted with chicken wire and won the President's Award for a large free-standing sculpted horse at the Tempe, Arizona Craft Show in 1993. She also writes poetry and philosophical sayings. Her favorite poem is If, by Rudyard Kipling. Faye settled in Colorado Springs in 1997 and has been a resident ever since.

My family moved to Colorado Springs in 1953. I graduated from Widefield High School and the University of Colorado. I have a Master's Degree in Mathematics from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. I taught mathematics in Nebraska and at Widefield High School. I owned a business for 13 years and was the Colorado State Plumbing Inspector Supervisor for 3 years.

I came to Colorado in 1973 because of the beauty of the land and the promise of the future.

I came to Colorado Springs as an editor on the team that founded WaterBrook Press/Random House. After four years with the company, I decided to go freelance, but we had fallen in love with Colorado--it's home now.

K.D. Huxman’s first love, after reading, was space. She wanted to be the first veterinarian astronaut. In college, she studied biology and was in Air Force ROTC. After college she became an Air Force officer. But rocketing to the stars was not to be. She married a fellow Air Force officer and settled into raising a family. But she never forgot her love of books or science. Many of her books have a science fiction or fantasy element. K.D. went on to earn an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Norwich University. Her first picture book is Dragon Talk. Her second picture book, Grizzelda Gorilla won an EPPY for Best Children’s/YA Ebook. Both picture books are from Dragonfly Publishing. She writes non-fiction for children at Apprentice Shop Books. After travelling around the country with the Air Force, K.D. settled in Colorado. On a clear night she enjoys looking up at the stars, dreaming, and writing.

Dian Curtis Regan is the author of 60 books for young readers, ranging from picture books for toddlers to novels for teens. Popular and recent titles include: Princess Nevermore, Monster of the Month Club, the Ghost Twins series, Barnyard Slam, The Snow Blew Inn, Monster Baby, and Rocky Cave Kids. Coming next year is a beginning reader series called SpaceBoy. Visit her website at http://diancurtisregan.com

Donita K. Paul is a retired teacher and author of numerous novellas, short stories, and eleven novels, including the best-selling DragonKeeper Chronicles, a series which has sold more than a quarter-million books to date. She also coauthored The Dragon and the Turtle picture book series with her daughter, Evangeline Denmark. The winner of multiple awards, she live in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she spends time mentoring and encouraging young writers. She is proud of her two grown children and she is entertained by her two young grandsons.