Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes

When Chicago native Traci N. Todd was born, her parents decided her initials should stand for dynamite, just like her father's. He raised her on Ray Charles and Nina Simone, and her mother read her every good book. Traci is the author of Nina: A Story of Nina Simone, illustrated by Christian Robinson, and is also a children's book editor. She lives in Queens, New York, with her partner.
Shannon Wright is an illustrator and cartoonist based in Richmond, Virginia. She is the co-creator, with Varian Johnson, of Twins, and she illustrated two picture books, My Mommy Medicine by Edwidge Danticat and I'm Gonna Push Through! by Jasmyn Wright. Shannon graduated with a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University, where she co-teaches a comics course during the summer. To learn more, visit her online at shannon-wright.com.