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Meet our PYI 2025 Speakers

In Person - October 25, 2025, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Toronto | Recordings available November 2025

JANE BLONDIE


About Jane Blondie

Panel Moderator Jane Blondie's debut picture book, Do NOT Turn the Page!, released in February 2025, was published by Scholastic and illustrated by Marcus Cutler. Jane's dream of becoming a picture book author was realized through connections she made at One-to-One editor sessions at PYI! Jane lives in Toronto with her husband, two teenage daughters, and puppy. She teaches full time for the Toronto District School Board as a Drama and Dance Specialist Teacher to young children. Jane finds joy in writing stories that make children laugh!

KAREN BOERSMA


About Karen Boersma

Karen Boersma is the publisher at Owlkids Books, where she gets to work with an amazing team to make great books that kids can see themselves in, can learn from, and most of all, will enjoy reading.

MATTEO L. CERILLI


About Matteo L. Cerilli

Matteo L. Cerilli (he/him) is a transmasc author and activist specializing in speculative fiction for all ages. His work features the YA horror novel Lockjaw; middle grade novel Something's Up with Arlo; and upcoming novels Bad in the Blood and Call2Arms; a featured short story in Bury Your Gays: An Anthology of Tragic Queer Horror; and poetry in Augur magazine.

CHARLENE CHUA


About Charlene Chua

Charlene Chua is the illustrator of multiple picture books, including Stonewall Award-winner Love, Violet, Blue, Spruce-nominee Going Up! and the Amy Wu series. She is also the author-illustrator of Hug? and The Pink Pajamas.

When they are not making art, they enjoy cooking, reading, and playing with their cats. Charlene lives in Hamilton, Ontario.

JULIEN CHUNG


About Julien Chung

Julien Chung is a New York Times bestselling illustrator from Montreal, Quebec. His bold, graphic style has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators, the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, and 3x3. A former graphic designer and art director, he infuses design thinking into every project, always seeking the WOW moment. He loves modern architecture, illustrated maps, chocolate ice cream, and, most of all, his three grandchildren.

PAUL COCCIA


About Paul Coccia

Paul Coccia writes primarily for young readers. Among his credits, he has co-authored with Eric Walters, his recent, Recommended Reading, was listed as one of Forbes’ most-anticipated YA novels of 2025, and his debut picture book releases in 2026. He has a Specialist in English Literature from UofT, an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC, and loves to bake.

KELLY COLLIER

About Kelly Collier

Kelly Collier studied illustration at Sheridan College in Ontario, Canada. She writes and draws in a humorous style and loves to illustrate characters with quirky sensibilities. She is the author/illustrator of the Steve the Horse series, The Imposter, and forthcoming Beverley, Bat Your Service.

She lives in an old house in Toronto, Canada with her husband and daughter. 

HADLEY DYER

About Hadley Dyer

Hadley Dyer (panel moderator) is an author, editor, and freelance writer. She has acquired books for Annick Press, HarperCollins Canada, and James Lorimer & Company; provided professional development training for emerging writers and publishers in Canada and abroad; and worked with multiple organizations that promote literacy and reading.

CALYSSA ERB

About Calyssa Erb

Calyssa Erb is a queer, autistic Canadian writer of books for young readers. Her debut middle grade novel Maya Plays the Part was published by Annick Press in 2024. It was a Canadian Children’s Book Centre 2024 Best Books for Kids and Teens starred selection. When not writing, she enjoys hanging out with her Animal Crossing villagers.

NASEEM HRAB


About Naseem Hrab

Naseem Hrab has worked in children’s publishing for nearly 20 years. She’s the publisher at Kids Can Press, a former librarian of the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, and a Governor General’s Literary Award-winning children’s book author. She has written many books including Otis & Peanut, How to Party Like a Snail and The Sour Cherry Tree.

EDDIE KAWOOYA


About Eddie Kawooya

Eddie Kawooya is a new author whose love for writing was inspired by his grandmother's oral stories and folklore of Uganda's ancestral past. His first book, Ace and the Misfits, published in 2024, is a fish-out-of-water story of immigration and the pains and joys of integration into a new and sometimes frightening environment. A forthcoming sequel was inspired by his love of soccer and communal impact.

MARY BETH LEATHERDALE


About Mary Beth Leatherdale

Mary Beth Leatherdale is an award-winning author and editor of many books for children and youth, including You Can Be an Activist, Terry Fox and Me, and Stormy Seas. Her books have received many starred reviews and have won or been shortlisted for numerous awards. Learn more at www.marybethleatherdale.com.

JOHN MARTZ


About John Martz

John Martz has worked with many of the world’s best illustrators as art director at-large for Tundra Books. His own comics and illustrated books have received multiple Eisner Award nominations and he has twice been shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Awards.

JEAN E. PENDZIWOL


About Jean E. Pendziwol

Jean E. Pendziwol is an award-winning author of books for both adults and children including Skating Wild on an Inland Sea, Once Upon a Northern Night and the international bestselling novel The Lightkeeper’s Daughters. Jean E. lives in Northwestern Ontario on the shores of Lake Superior.

CAROLINE PIGNAT


About Caroline Pignat

Caroline Pignat is the author of Egghead, Shooter, and Governor General’s Literary Award-winners: Greener Grass and The Gospel Truth. She is best known for her historical fiction and mastery of multiple points-of-view, as seen in her upcoming novel The Discovery of Finnegan Wilde. She lives and teaches in Ottawa.

JORDAN RYDER


About Jordan Ryder

Jordan Ryder earned her Master’s in Publishing from the National University of Ireland, Galway, before moving back home to Toronto, and has been working in feminist-focused publishing ever since. She joined the Second Story team in 2020, where she works as the Managing Editor and has had the privilege of working on books of all shapes and sizes.

LORNA SCHULTZ NICHOLSON


About Lorna Schultz Nicholson

Lorna Schultz Nicholson is an award-winning author of picture books, middle grade fiction, YA fiction, and hockey non-fiction. Her books have been nominated for, many different awards and are often on CCBC's Best Books for Kids and Teens list.Lorna loves travelling and presenting at libraries and schools to inspire children, teens and adults to love reading and writing as much as she does. She lives in Penticton, British Columbia.

MARSHA SKRYPUCH


About Marsha Skrypuch

Marsha Skrypuch’s books span a century of wars from a kid's view, concentrating on those stories that have been erased by oppressive regimes. Her best-known book is Making Bombs for Hitler. Her most recent is the Kidnapped from Ukraine trilogy. She has received death threats and honours for her writing. Marsha lives in Brantford, Ontario, and you can visit her online at calla.com.

HEATHER SMITH


About Heather Smith

Heather Smith is the author of four published YA novels, the most recent of which, Barry Squires, Full Tilt, was longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award. She has also written three middle-grade novels and seven picture books. Her most recent middle-grade, Tig, was named an OLA Red Maple Honour Book. Heather lives with her family in Waterloo, Ontario.

GAYNA THEOPHILUS


About Gayna Theophilus

Gayna Theophilus is Sales & Rights Director, and Acquiring Editor at Annick Press, a children’s book publisher based in Toronto.
    

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