Children's Picture Books

Becky Van Vleet is a retired teacher and principal and former homeschool mom. She and her husband make their home in Colorado Springs, where Becky enjoys gardening, oil painting and hiking and biking in the great outdoors. Becky relishes spending time with her family and especially reading books to her grandchildren.

Jean Alfieri is the author of short story rhymers starring an often mischievous and always adorable Pug named Zuggy. Her love of poetry started at the age of five when she read Noisy Nora by Rosemary Wells. Jean is a native of Chicago, and has always had a special fondness for dogs, no matter where she’s lived: Illinois, Indiana, Texas, Wisconsin, or Arizona.

She and her fur-family currently reside in Colorado Springs, where she volunteers at the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region. She and her husband are dedicated to adopting vintage puppies (aka: older dogs). RESCUED is her favorite breed!

Susie Wickman was born and raised in small town, Wishek, North Dakota. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. She lived outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for ten years before moving to Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1988. Susie went back for a Master’s Degree in Emergency and Disaster Management. She works as a speaker, genealogist, and background investigator. She is inspired to write books her grandchildren will enjoy.

Award-winning Children's Author, Elaine Pease, has three picture books, a middle grade novel GHOST OVER BOULDER CREEK, the journey of a half-Cheyenne boy as he searches for his white father with Buffalo Bill in 1860s Colorado, and her most recent: an easy reader chapter book based on the true heart-warming stories at Colorado Horse Rescue, SAFE AT LAST.

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.