Biographies of Guest Authors

J. Drew Lanham - Keynote Speaker

Dr. J. Drew Lanham is a professor of wildlife at Clemson University, where he holds an endowed chair as an Alumni Distinguished Professor and was named an Alumni Master Teacher in 2012. His research focuses on songbird ecology, as well as the African-American role in natural-resources conservation. A South Carolina native, Lanham is active on a number of conservation boards, including the South Carolina Wildlife Federation, Audubon South Carolina, the Aldo Leopold Foundation, BirdNote, and the American Birding Association. Lanham is also an author and award-nominated poet; his first solo work, The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature, was published in 2016. Lanham received his B.A. and M.S. in Zoology, and his Ph.D. in Forest Resources, from Clemson.

Sy Montgomery

Sy Montgomery is the award-winning author of 35 books for children and adults, including her most recent picture book, The Book of Turtles, which like many of her books, garnered starred reviews from major review sites. Her bestselling book, The Soul of an Octopus, was a 2015 Finalist for the National Book Awards. She is the winner of the 2009 New England Independent Booksellers Association Nonfiction Award, the 2010 Children’s Book Guild Nonfiction Award, and dozens of other honors. Matt Patterson, illustrator of The Book of Turtles, will be joining Sy Montgomery at her Meet the Author session.

Laurie Lawlor

Laurie Lawlor is the author of over 40 works of award-winning fiction and nonfiction for children and young adults. Her new book, Restoring Prairie, Woods and Pond tells the inspiring story of a community that came together to turn a former dumping ground into a nature trail. Super Women: Six Scientists Who Changed the World profiles remarkable pioneers in fields ranging from astronomy and mathematics to cartography and biochemistry. Published in 2017, Super Women received a Booklist starred review and was named 2018 Outstanding Science Trade Book by Children’s Book Council.

Anita Sanchez

Anita Sanchez is an award-winning children’s nonfiction author. Her books have been named Junior Library Guild selections, among other recognitions. Sanchez’s 2023 book, The Forest in the Sea: Seaweed Solutions to Planetary Problems, was described by School Library Journal as “a fascinating work about the importance of a seemingly simple life form with a gigantic impact.” She is also the author of the popular science books Meltdown and Hello, Puddle!

Melissa Stewart

Melissa Stewart has written more than 200 science books for children, including Sibert Medal Honoree Summertime Sleepers: Animals that Estivate and Feathers: Not Just for Flying. Her most recent book, Whale Fall: Exploring an Ocean-Floor Ecosystem, explores how a whale’s death becomes a rich source of protein for other ocean life. Stewart also edited the anthology Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep: 50 Award-Winning Authors Reveal the Secret of Engaging Writing.

Dr. Grace Enriquez - Authors’ Panel Moderator

Dr. Enriquez teaches a variety of courses for Lesley University’s Language & Literacy and PhD in Educational Studies programs. A former English Language Arts teacher and literacy staff developer, she bridges her work with teachers and students through collaborative, humanizing, ethnographic, and critical research in high-needs urban populations to examine literacy instruction in school contexts. She is the Children's Literature Feature Editor for The Reading Teacher and co-author of the blog, The Classroom Bookshelf.