Illinois Lit Live presents Narratives in Bloom

Amy Alznauer is the recipient of the Annie Dillard Award for Creative Nonfiction and the Christopher Award. Her books include The Strange Birds of Flannery O’Connor: A Life (illustrated by Ping Zhu, Enchanted Lion), named a New York Times Top 25 Children’s Book of 2020; The Boy Who Dreamed of Infinity: A Tale of the Genius Ramanujan (illustrated by Daniel Miyares, Candlewick), a Booklist Top Ten Biography and a Chicago Public Library Best of the Best; Flying Paintings: The Zhou Brothers—A Story of Revolution and Art (illustrated by the Zhou Brothers, Candlewick), which received critical praise in The New York Times; and most recently, The Five Sides of Marjorie Rice: How to Discover a Shape (illustrated by Anna Bron, Candlewick, 2025), which again brings together storytelling and mathematics, and was recently featured in the weekend edition of The Wall Street Journal. Amy was a curator for At the Crossroads: with Benny Andrews, Flannery O’Connor, and Alice Walker, a recent exhibition at Emory University, and she teaches mathematics at Northwestern University. She is currently at work on two forthcoming middle-grade novels under contract with Taylor Norman at Neal Porter Books.

Nicole M. Hewitt is a middle grade author living in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, three grown kids, and two overly-enthusiastic pups. She hates to run, but she succeeded in finishing a marathon. (It was for a good cause!) She enjoys nature but doesn’t see nearly enough of it in Illinois, so her family travels as often as possible. She also loves to sing and can often be heard spontaneously composing incredibly profound songs about the fluffiest members of her family (the dogs, in case you weren’t sure). Her debut middle grade fantasy novel-in-verse, THE SONG OF ORPHAN’S GARDEN released in January of 2025 and was chosen as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.

Kelly Mangan is a queer, neurodiverse author and illustrator of picture books and middle grade stories. She is the illustrator of LIKE THAT ELEANOR (written by Lee Wind, published by Cardinal Rule Press), and the author of the novel MAEVE MULVANEY HAS HAD ENOUGH (Holiday House, 2025). While originally from the South, she now resides in Vermont with her partner and two kids.

Laura Smetana is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator. She loves creating bright, joyful cut-paper watercolor collages inspired by nature. Her latest author-illustrated book, My Love for You Is Like the Night Sky, is the companion to her Kirkus-starred, My Love for You Is Like a Garden, which was named a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2023. She is also the author of Ice Cream with Grandpa: A Loving Story for Kids About Alzheimer's & Dementia (illustrated by Elisabete B. P. de Moraes), and Little Squiggle's Lake Adventure, which she co-authored with her son. When she isn’t writing or painting, Laura can be found inspiring kids to create their own books at school author visits, teaching collage art, stargazing, and spending time outdoors with her family. Laura lives in the Chicago suburbs and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the Downers Grove Artists’ Guild, and The Morton Arboretum’s Nature Artists’ Guild.

Ruth Spiro is the author of more than 30 children’s books, with over one million copies in print worldwide. Her bestselling Baby Loves Science board books are the groundbreaking originals that introduce big ideas to the littlest listeners in an age-appropriate and engaging style. Ruth’s work has been praised by the Los Angeles Times, NPR, TODAY, Popular Science, Bank Street College of Education, Purdue Engineering, and more. Fans who have publicly shared their love of her books include Gabby Giffords, Chelsea Clinton, and Chance the Rapper. A frequent speaker at schools and conferences, Ruth’s previous appearances include Windy City Live on WMAQ-TV, Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, World Science Festival, Chicago Tribune Printer’s Row LitFest, Children’s Festival of Stories, and the National Association for the Education of Young Children. She hopes her books inspire kids to observe the world, ask questions, and when it comes to their futures, DREAM BIG! Ruth lives in suburban Chicago, Illinois.

Ann Zhao is the Indie-bestselling author of Dear Wendy and a contributor to the upcoming anthology Being Aro. When she’s not writing, she works in youth and teen services at a public library, where she’s always finding excuses to put her friends’ books on display. Born and raised in Illinois, she lived briefly in Massachusetts for college but now resides back in the Chicagoland area. Photo credit: Emily Hou