Press Kit

Official Stuff

My latest and greatest info all in one place.

Interviews

Short Bio (Haiku Version)

Melissa H. Mwai
Wordsmith and maker of art
for children...a kid at heart.

Long Bio

Melissa H. Mwai (she/her) is an Afro-Latinx author/illustrator. She is the author of A PUERTO RICAN CHILDHOOD (DK, ’24). She also wrote STACEY ABRAMS (Nat Geo Kids ‘22) and is a contributing author-illustrator to GNOMES AND UNGNOMES: POEMS OF HIDDEN CREAUTURES (Writers’ Loft Press, ’23).

Fun Fact: her middle initial stands for Hernández. She does this because she is proud of her Afro-Puerto Rican heritage. Melissa wants kids to see themselves in her stories and art.

She studied English at Colby College, Library Science at Long Island University, and Children’s Writing/Art with Storyteller Academy. She has worked in education technology and teaches Sunday school. She’s also part of SCBWI.

Melissa lives in Maryland with her husband, two kids, and bunny.

She is represented by Jacqui Lipton at The Tobias Literary Agency.

Name Pronounciation

Mwai rhymes with WHY. My surname is Kenyan.

Photos

Melissa H. Mwai ©️2020-2024