Presenters

Born Deaf and raised in a hearing family, Adam Pottle spent much of his childhood searching for magical portals and […]

ADRIENNE KRESS (writer) is a Toronto-based actor and author of award-winning internationally published children’s and young adult novels, including the […]

Aimee Reid is a children’s book author with a background in education and editing. She taught high school English, Music, […]

Ainara Alleyne is a nationally recognized youth literacy advocate and the creator and hostof Ainara’s Bookshelf, a TVOkids series that […]

From the moment she was able to hold a pencil, Alina Tysoe was scribbling away and filling notebooks with doodles […]

Amsa Yaro is a former journalist turned Mixed Media artist who uses materials like paper to create original works inspired […]

Andrew is the author of over twenty picture books including Me, Toma and the Concrete Garden; A Squiggly Story; The […]

With over 23 years in Catholic education, Angela has dedicated herself to fostering student success and development within diverse communities, […]

Angelic Goldsky (also known as angelic vers) is a queer/trans poet working at the crossroads of diasporic lineage repair, queer world-building, […]

ANITHA RAO-ROBINSON is an author, conservationist, and creator of the Kindness Is Everything podcast. A former accountant, Anitha now devotes […]

ANNA HUMPHREY has worked in marketing for a poetry organization, in communications for the Girl Guides of Canada, as an […]

Anto Chan is a Queer Chinese-Canadian spoken word performance artist, facilitator, mentor, producer, and writer. He performed his one-person show […]

Aseja Dava is a multidisciplinary writer, arts organizer, and researcher. They have published poetry and fiction in places such as […]

ASHLEY BARRON studied illustration at the Ontario College of Art & Design. She has since illustrated a number of books […]

BROOKLIN STORMIE is an artist and illustrator based in Peterborough, Ontario. She is a grad of OCADU’s illustration program, a […]

CALE PLETT (they/them) is a nonbinary, genderfluid writer from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Their short fiction and poetry have been published in […]

Carol-Ann Hoyte writes poetry for young people. Two of her favourite ways of enjoying poetry are reading novels written in […]

CASEY LYALL lives in Southwestern Ontario where she also works at her local library (and waits for management to discover […]

Charlotte Angugaattiaq Qamaniq is an Inuk performance artist from Iglulik, Nunavut, Canada and is best known for her work in […]

CHERYL ISAACS is a Mohawk/white writer from southern Ontario and the author of The Unfinished. She believes that outdoors is […]

COLTRANE SEESEQUASIS is a young fantasy writer of Willow Cree heritage who grew up in Gatineau, Quebec. He first began […]

Dennis D’Scribe is a national champion spoken word poet, queer mixed Ojibwe and settler human who has had the opportunity […]

Danielle Chaperon est née à La Malbaie. Toute petite, elle s’est dépêchée d’apprendre à lire sur l’endos des boites de […]

D’Scribe is a national champion spoken word artist, from the Niagara region. Queer, mixed Ojibwe and settler heritage gave them […]

EMILY DEIBERT (she/her) was born in North Vancouver, B.C., spent most of her life in Toronto, ON, and now lives […]

ERIC WALTERS has published over 130 novels and picture books for young readers. Among many awards, he won the Governor […]

FARAH HERON is the critically acclaimed author of romantic comedies for adults and young adults filled with huge South Asian […]

Hamilton Children’s Choir is committed to providing children and youth with rich musical education and performance opportunities, creating a sense […]

​​​Hamilton Children’s Choir is committed to providing children and youth with rich musical education and performance opportunities, creating a sense […]

Hexe Noire, a popular drag queen performer, has been showcasing her work in Hamilton for the last 6 years. Through […]

HOWIE SHIA is an illustrator, writer, and animation director. He has worked with Disney, Netflix, and the National Film Board […]

JEN FERGUSON (she/her) is a queer woman with Métis/Michif and white settler ancestry. She is also an activist, a feminist, […]

KAREN KROSSING is an author of settler heritage who has written twelve books for kids and teens, including the picture […]

KARI-LYNN WINTERS is a picture book author, poet, and performer. She enjoys being in the classroom in any capacity, as […]

KID HAILE is an artist of Ethiopian descent born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. After obtaining a degree in biological […]

KRISTY JACKSON is a communications professional and the mother of two boys. Her work draws inspiration from her Cree and […]

LANA BUTTON is a children’s book author, motivational speaker for kids and an early childhood educator. She has written more […]

LEONARDA CARRANZA was born in San Salvador, El Salvador, and currently lives in Brampton, Ontario. She holds a PhD in […]

LISELLE SAMBURY is a Trinidadian-Canadian author who writes genre-blended speculative fiction with dark themes, complicated families, and edges of hope. […]

Award winning writer, community engaged artist and consultant, Lishai Peel hasover a decade of experience working in the arts and […]

MARIA MARIANAYAGAM is a Tamil Sri Lankan Canadian children’s book author, engineer, and wannabe-cool nerd. She was born in India […]

MARY AVERLING grew up across England and Canada, never far from the woods. She has degrees from the University of […]

Over the last twenty years, Matt Beam has published a range of works from young adult novels (Last December) to […]

MATTEO L. CERILLI is a transmasc author and an activist. He helped found Students for Queer Liberation (Toronto) and works […]

Matthew Forsythe is the author-illustrator of Pokko and the Drum, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, a recipient of the Boston […]

MELANIE FLORENCE has been writing full-time since 2010 and has written many children’s books, but she’s probably best known for […]

Whether singing original songs from his CFMA-nominated album Tuba Blues with his band or inviting kids in classrooms, parks and […]

Nadine Brown is a UK-born creative—an actress, choreographer/movement director, drama/dance facilitator, voiceover artist, and emerging filmmaker. Her deep passion for […]

Ovila Fontaine est un Innu de la communauté de Uashat mak Mani-Utenam, où il vit et travaille depuis toujours. Très […]

PAUL COCCIA is the award-winning author of several acclaimed titles for young readers. Paul has a specialist in English Literature […]

Robin Lacambra (she/they) is a queer Filipinx creative, speaker, and facilitator. Drawing from somatic relational psychotherapy, mindful movement, and conflict […]

Sandra Lamouche is a nêhiyaw iskwêw (Cree woman) from the Bigstone Cree Nation in northern Alberta. She is a wife, […]

SARA DE WAARD is a published author, screenwriter, and educator of Métis descent and is currently in the process of […]

SARAH RAUGHLEY is a graduate of the Department of English and Cultural Studies at McMaster University. Her current research concerns representations […]

SID SHARP is an artist from Toronto who makes drawings, paintings, and comics. Their debut comic The Wolf Suit was […]

SONYA BELL grew up obsessed with the Scholastic book fair at her school in Barrie. Her professional writing career began […]

STEPHANIE SINCLAIR is Publisher of McClelland & Stewart, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada. She is a Cree, Ojibwe, […]

Stephanie Wells is the Executive Director of the Canadian Children’s Book Centre. She has 25+ years’ experience in senior leadership […]

SUNSHINE QUEM TENASCO is Anishinabe, from Kitigàn Zìbì Anishinàbe. She is a clean water activist, mother of four and an […]

TANYA TAGAQ is a Canadian (Inuk) throat singer from Cambridge Bay (Iqaluktuutiaq), Nunavut, Canada, on the south coast of Victoria […]

THAO LAM is the best-selling, critically acclaimed author/illustrator of Happy Birthday to Me, THAO, My Cat Looks Like My Dad, and The Paper Boat, named […]

TIFFANI BROWN is a Creative Designer and Illustrator with over 13 years of experience (5+ in Animation). With a passion […]

Timm Holmes is an author who creates authors. He develops interactive experiences to excite, inspire and celebrate the creativity of […]

VICTORIA EVANS is an illustrator and character designer living in Ontario, Canada. She loves historical fashion, vampires, and all things […]

WANDA TAYLOR is the author of fiction and non-fiction books for children and adults. She is also a screenwriter, a […]

WENDY J. WHITTINGHAM is a writer and illustrator who lives in Burlington, Ontario. She illustrated the picture book Miss Wondergem’s Dreadfully Dreadful […]

WESLEY KING is the author of over a dozen novels for young readers. His debut, OCDaniel, is an Edgar Award […]

WILLIE POLL is a Métis author, activist, storyteller, and lifelong learner. She is from Sault Ste. Marie, ON and now […]

ZITA NYARADY is a storyteller at the intersection of dance, theatre and circus. As a freelance artist she has worked […]