Goodbye: A First Conversation About Grief

Dr. Megan Pamela Ruth Madison (she/her) is a political educator and a lifelong student of radical Black feminism. She earned her PhD in Social Policy from Brandeis University. As a scholar-activist, her approach to research and practice is guided by the Sociopolitical Ecology of Development, a theoretical framework that she developed as a part of her dissertation. Megan has served on the boards of the National Association for the Education for Young Children and Jews for Racial and Economic Justice. With Jessica Ralli, she co-authors First Conversations–an award-winning series of anti-bias books for young children and their grown-ups.

Jessica Ralli is the Early Literacy Programs Coordinator at Brooklyn Public Library where she develops & manages grant-funded programming including Books Unbanned Storytimes. She has an M.A. in Early Childhood Special Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and has taught in museums, schools, and libraries. Jessica is a contributor to School Library Journal, and in 2020, she received the Library Journal Movers and Shakers Award for her advocacy work in libraries. Jessica is currently co-authoring the award-winning First Conversations series with Megan Madison, published by RISE X Penguin Workshop.

Isabel Roxas is an author/illustrator, micro-publisher, ceramicist, and avid reader. She was born in Manila, Philippines, and was raised on luscious mangoes, old wives’ tales, and monsoon moons. She now works in the backroom of an art gallery in Manhattan where she writes and illustrates stories, designs books, and creates small objects in clay and resin. Her illustrator credits include picture books Hello Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly (2018 Newbery medal winner), Let Me Finish! by Minh Lê (named an NPR Best Book of 2016) and Day at the Market by May Tobias-Papa (2010 winner of the Philippine National Book Award).Isabel is the founder of Little Big Time Press, where she publishes artist books and zines for children. She is also a frequent contributor to Babybug and Ladybug Magazine. Her work has been recognized by American Illustration, HOW Magazine, and 3×3 Magazine of Contemporary Illustration. Her debut comic book for young readers, The Adventures of Team Pom: SQUID HAPPENS, will publish in June 2021.Follow her on Twitter @studioroxas and Instagram @studioroxas.