Alphabet Trains

Writing for children has been Samantha Vamos’ passion for most of her life. Her desire to have her fiction published dates back to her high school days. By age 21, she had developed several stories for children and was determined to have her work published. Her path to children’s publishing, however, ended up being a long and winding journey that involved graduating from law school and working in a law firm before any of her work was published. Samantha received a B.A. from the University of Maryland and a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center. Following her graduation from law school, she practiced as a litigator for seven years in an international law firm in Washington, D.C. She later joined a smaller firm in Chicago, Illinois. Samantha stopped practicing law when she became a mother. Currently, she devotes her time to her family and her passion of writing for children. In the future, readers may learn all about Samantha and her family; she aspires to write a book in which she can honor her diverse heritage.Samantha’s first children’s book, Before You Were Here, Mi Amor (Viking Children’s Books, 2009, illustrated by Santiago Cohen), reflects her interest in celebrating diversity; the bilingual picture book details how a family welcomes their new child into the world. Parents magazine (May 2009) praised the book, selecting it as one of six books nominated “Best for Babies.”In her second children’s book, The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred (Charlesbridge, illustrated by Rafael Lopez), Samantha once again peppers an English text with Spanish words in a style reminiscent of “The House That Jack Built.” Inspired by a farm maiden stirring a pot (the cazuela), five farm animals assist her with the cooking, contributing ingredients while she stirs. A glossary with pronunciation and a recipe are included in this festive tale about community and food.Samantha lives with her husband, son, and their 19-year old, ice cream-loving cat in Kirkland, WA. To learn more, visit her website at www.samanthavamos.com.      

For many years Ryan O’Rourke’s illustrations have appeared in galleries, newspapers, and magazines, including a weekly illustration for the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. One Big Rain marks Ryan’s foray into children’s picture books. He makes his home in Connecticut.