Did you know that Ohio is home to hundreds of notable authors, past and present? Just a few of the children's book authors and illustrators who live in Ohio or have Ohio roots: Jacqueline Woodson, Denise Fleming, Will Hillenbrand, Loren Long, Oge Mora, Cynthia Rylant, Drew Daywalt, Adam Rex, Daniel Kirk, Angela Johnson, David Catrow, and Tim Bowers. Notable Ohio authors of the past include Virginia Hamilton, Robert McCloskey, Lois Lensky, and Mildred Benson (who wrote some of the earliest Nancy Drew mystery novels).
Get to know Ohio authors
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Choose to Read Ohio (CTRO)
CTRO spotlights Ohio authors and illustrators, and encourages Ohioans of all ages to read and share books together. Every CTRO booklist features five titles for young children. Don't miss the free activity toolkit available for every featured book! -
Floyd's Pick Book Award
This annual book award goes to an outstanding work of Ohio children's literature and has been awarded since 2016. -
Great Books by Ohio Authors and Illustrators
Explore books by dozens of notable authors and illustrators from Ohio! Download or print this colorful booklist featuring Floyd's Pick Book Award winners and honor books and CTRO selections for young children. The booklist is formatted to print as a booklet on a sheet of legal size paper. There is also a version formatted for on-screen viewing or to print as individual pages on letter size paper. -
Ohio Author Profiles
The Ohioana Library in Columbus offers this encyclopedia of Ohio authors with photos and biographical sketches. -
Ohio Literary Map
This colorful, downloadable map from the Ohio Center for the Book includes lists of Ohio authors in all genres. -
Ohio Author Biographies
Dozens of detailed author biographies from the Ohio Center for the Book.
Visit an Ohio book festival
These free or very low cost events in Ohio give you and your family the opportunity to meet authors, hear them read or discuss their books, get books autographed, and enjoy children's and family activities.
- Ohioana Book Festival takes place in Columbus each April.
- Claire's Day takes place in Toledo and other northwest Ohio locations each May.
- Books by the Banks takes place in Cincinnati each October.
- Buckeye Book Fair takes place in Wooster each November.
Choose to Read Ohio authors at the 2019 Floyd's Pick Book Award reception. Back row: Jennifer Maschari, Brandon Marie Miller, Louise Borden, Jacqueline Woodson; front row: Trudy Krisher, Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine, Carmella Van Vleet, Tricia Springstubb, Mary Kay Carson, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Tim Bowers.
