Profile

Daria Peoples’ first job was at nine years old in the children’s section of her hometown library in Paso Robles, California. She worked a little, but she mostly read picture books. Daria earned a BA in English from UC Santa Barbara, where she found herself shelving books in the library once again and reading the writings of many notable authors.

After earning a Masters in Education and 10 years of teaching, Daria became a full-time author and illustrator. Daria’s debut picture book This Is It was followed by I Got Next. AMERICA, My Love, AMERICA, My Heart, released April 6, 2021, has earned four starred reviews. She is also the illustrator of Gloria Takes a Stand. Her upcoming book Show the World!, written by Angela Dalton, will be published in spring 2022.

Oge Mora

Visiting Writer/Illustrator, MFA in WCYA

Nikki Grimes

Visiting Writer

Naomi Novik

Visiting Writer, WCYA

Vanessa Brantley Newton

Visiting Writer

Rita Williams-Garcia

Visiting Writer

David Small

Visiting Writer