The Talent Show (Confetti Kids)

Samantha Thornhill is a poet, educator, and children's book author. Her work has been published in over two dozen literary journals and anthologies. She has taught poetry to acting students at the Juilliard School and creative writing seminars at the Bronx Academy of Letters. She also facilitates workshops for the Dialogue Arts Project, which ventures into professional settings and uses creative writing as a tool to navigate uncomfortable discussions about social identity. A dual citizen of the United States and Trinidad & Tobago, Samantha has since retired from her active life in New York City to her native island of Trinidad. Learn more about her at samanthaspeaks.com.

Shirley Ng-Benitez is a children's book illustrator who creates art using watercolor, gouache, pencil, and digital techniques. She also loves to make 3-D creatures from clay and fabric. She lives in the Bay Area of California with her husband, their two daughters, and their pup. Please visit her website at shirleyngbenitez.com and follow her on social media at @shirleysillos.