Buddy bench

Gwendolyn Hooks is the author of Tiny Stitches: The Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien Thomas , which received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work for Children. Thanks to her Air Force dad, she grew up in Texas and Washington in the United States, and in Italy. After teaching middle school math, Hooks decided to follow her passion and write books for children. Hooks lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with her husband. Please visit her website at www.gwendolynhooks.com.

Shirley Ng-Benitez is a Bay Area children's book author/illustrator who has illustrated 35+ children's books, and has a background in Graphic Design (GabbyandCo.com), and hand-lettering (American Greetings, Inc.). She works and experiments in traditional mediums including watercolor, gouache, pen&ink, oils, and painted & cut-paper collage. Her work draws from a deep wish to add more compassion and connection in the world through her art and stories. She founded @AWEtober on Instagram, an annual art auction fundraiser since '20, whose efforts have raised tens of thousands for various organizations supporting victims of the California wildfires, and efforts in coral reef restoration around the globe. She lives with her family and two black cats, and is thrilled to be working on her debut picture book, DOWN, THROUGH, UP by Quill Tree Books, Winter '25. Please visit shirleyngbenitez.com for more.