The Booking Biz is thrilled to welcome three picture book creators to our family: author Lesa Cline-Ransome, author/illustrator James E. Ransome and author Laura Gehl.
Lesa Cline-Ransome is the award-winning and much acclaimed author of numerous picture book biographies, telling the real-life stories of Benny Goodman, Teddy Wilson, Harriet Tubman, dancer Robert Battle, and musician and composer Joseph Boulogne, among others. Her most recent titles are the picture book biography GAME CHANGERS: THE STORY OF VENUS AND SERENA WILLIAMS and Lesa’s first book for middle-grade readers, FINDING LANGSTON, about the life of poet Langston Hughes.
Before she began writing children’s books, Lesa earned a BFA in Merchandising and Fashion Management from Pratt Institute in New York and worked as a fashion copywriter for Lord & Taylor and R.H. Macy in New York City. She was also a teacher and earned an MA in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from New York University.
Her books have been nominated for the NAACP Award, on the Bank Street College “Best Children’s Book of the Year” list, an ALA Notable Book, a Texas Bluebonnett finalist, an Orbis Pictus Recommended Book, won a Jane Addams Award and a Christopher Award, and received the Coretta Scott King Honor for Illustration.
That last honor was shared with her husband, James E. Ransome, who has illustrated many of Lesa’s books.
James E. Ransome was named one of 75 authors and illustrators everyone should know by the Children’s Book Council. As well as receiving the Coretta Scott King Honor for BEFORE SHE WAS HARRIOT, written by Lesa, James received the Coretta Scott King Award and the IBBY Honor Award for his book THE CREATION and a Coretta Scott King Honor Award for Illustration for UNCLE JED’S BARBERSHOP, which was selected as an ALA Notable Book. In 1999, he received the NAACP Image Award for Illustration for LET MY PEOPLE GO.
His body of work has been honored with the Rip Van Winkle Award from the School Library Media Specialists of Southeast New York, and recognized by the local art association with the Dutchess County Executive Arts Award for an Individual Artist.
Outside of books, James has also completed murals for the Children’s Museum in Indianapolis; The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio; and the Hemphill Branch Library in Greensboro, North Carolina. He also created a historical painting commissioned by a jury for the Paterson, New Jersey, Library and a poster for the 50th Anniversary Celebration of Brown vs. the Board of Education.
Laura Gehl also has a list of awards in her accomplishments. A former teacher and children’s theater director, Laura writes picture books with humor and heart. Her ONE BIG PAIR OF UNDERWEAR was named a Charlotte Zolotow Highly Commended Title, a Booklist Books for Youth Editors’ Choice, and an International Literacy Association Honor Book. Among her other books, MY PILLOW KEEPS MOVING is a Junior Library Guild Selection, I GOT A CHICKEN FOR MY BIRTHDAY is a Kirkus Best Picture Books of 2018 selection, and KOALA CHALLAH is a PJ Library selection. Laura is also the author of the popular PEEP AND EGG series.
While the humor and heart of her words draw in readers young and older, Laura also brings her STEM background into her books. She holds a PhD in neuroscience and worked as a science writer for many years.
Learn more about Lesa Cline-Ransome, James E. Ransome and Laura Gehl on their speaker pages.