Everyone has a story to tell.
Rising Stars Interview Nov 16, 2020
Bio
Melissa H. Mwai is a children’s author and illustrator. She’s written six nonfiction books including National Geographic Kids Encyclopedia of African American History and Culture (Nat Geo Kids, Dec ’26), I Can Make a Friend (Paw Prints, ’25) and A Puerto Rican Childhood (DK, ’24). Melissa has published poetry and illustrations in Gnomes and Ungnomes: Poems of Hidden Creatures (Writers’ Loft Press, ’23). As a neurodiverse Afro-Latina herself, Melissa is thrilled that her books help ethnically and neurodiverse kids learn more deeply about their world. She is represented by Jacqui Lipton at Raven Quill Literary Agency.
A New York native, Melissa now lives in Maryland with her spouse, two kids, and rabbit named Sailor. Melissa and Sailor hang out while she creates new things for kids.