Nikki Shannon Smith is the author of numerous books, ranging from picture books to young adult. Her work includes the Azaleah Lane chapter book series and five titles in Capstone’s multi-author historical fiction/adventure middle-grade series, Girls Survive. Nikki also wrote A Star Like Jesse Owens, a Smithsonian historical fiction title about the 1936 Olympics. Her other titles include Beautiful Colors (Random House/Little Golden Books, 2022) and additional board books in the Brown Baby Parade series. She is passionate about the authentic representation of all children and writes stories depicting the history and struggles of Black people, as well as “Black joy.” She lives in Davis, California.
Ashley Evans loves creating colorful, fun, and dynamic illustrations. Born and raised in Queens, she now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her boyfriend and their daughter. Ashley is the illustrator of All Rise: The Story of Ketanji Brown Jackson by Carole Boston Weatherford, Gabrielle Union's Welcome to the Party, Alphabet Rockers's You Are Not Alone, and Sing, Aretha, Sing! by Hanif Abdurraqib. When she’s not creating art you can find her decorating cakes, enjoying her family, or catching a much needed nap!
