Author-In-Residence

To begin with, I was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in a small house on a hill (everyone else had small houses, too). I’ve just written about those early days in a new book for older readers to come out later this year, but one of the most important things I carry with me from those… Read more »

When Freddie Ramos gets home from school one day, he discovers a mysterious package. Inside, he finds a pair of jazzy purple sneakers. An unsigned note accompanies the shoes: Zapato Power for Freddie Ramos. What could it mean? Freddie soon learns that Zoom! Zoom! Zapato! power has its benefits. Not only can Freddie use his… Read more »

I spent my entire childhood in Petersburg, the small southern Virginia town I was born in. My mother was a dietitian from New York who loved the color pink. Most of the rooms in our house, except my sister’s and mine, were painted pink. My father was an immigrant from Switzerland, who loved to garden. … Read more »

Dear Reader, I am very excited to hear that you are reading the adventures of Freddie Ramos in the Zapato Power series. The character of Freddie was inspired by the students I taught when I was a school librarian. So many of my students asked for a book on superheroes that I got the itch… Read more »

Crystal Hubbard’s GAME, SET, MATCH, CHAMPION ARTHUR ASHE, illustrated by Kevin Belford, is a tribute to one of the most amazing athletes of the twentieth century. Not only was Arthur Ashe a remarkable championship tennis player, but he was also a life-long advocate for human rights, at home and abroad. This unlikely champion earned a… Read more »

I was born in St. Louis, Missouri. My mother was a teacher, and she raised me and my five sisters with help from my Grandma Hazel, who lived in one of the two apartments above ours. My Grandma was the best cook and she was very strong. When I was little, she used to hold… Read more »