Meet the Authors
Charlie Mylie
KAD 2026 Featured Author
Kansas City-based children's book author-illustrator Charlie Mylie’s journey is as colorful as his artwork. Also known as "Pop Up Charlie," his cardboard sign promised “Yes it’s true! Pop Up Charlie can draw anything for you!” Traveling through 38 states he painted thousands of on-the-spot portraits for people across the country. Packed with imaginative details, vibrant colors, and gentle humor, Charlie’s books make every rereading a new adventure and offer a child’s eye view of the world. His 2025 Kansas Notable Book Award winner Treehouse Town was recommended by the Boston Globe, and included on Smithsonian Magazine’s Best Books of the Year list. Publishers Weekly called his imaginative Brain Train’s illustrations “chock-full of seek-and-find elements” and the text “employs giggle-inducing alliteration praised for its immersive world.”
- Website: https://www.charliemylie.com/
Laurie L. Dove
KAD 2026 Feature Author
**Please note: We recently learned Laurie has been nominated for a prestigious writers’ award, creating a scheduling conflict with our event. While she won’t be able to attend in person, she will record a video message to share with us. We wish her the best of luck! Indigenous by birth and adopted by Mennonites, Laurie Dove brings a deeply personal and powerful perspective to her stories. Her debut thriller Mask of the Deer Woman became an Instant USA Today Bestseller, a Lefty Award nominee for Best Debut Mystery Novel, and a “best new release” by the New York Times. The Seattle Times called it “a powerful read for fans of dark, riveting stories rooted in justice and resilience.” It’s the first in the Carrie Starr series - the second novel arrives this summer. Laurie is a local Wichitian, and an award-winning journalist with a master’s degree in Creative Writing from Harvard University. As a writer, reporter, and editor at multiple newspapers and magazines, she has been published everywhere from CNN to Delta Airlines. She founded and led Dove Media Group for two decades and also served as mayor of Valley Center, KS.
- Website: https://lauriedove.com/
Jillian Forsberg
KAD 2026 Featured Author
A Kansas Notable Author and public historian, Jillian Forsberg’s historical fiction centers on women's voices, animals, and untold histories. Her debut novel, The Rhino Keeper, tells the remarkable true story of a rhinoceros who dazzled 18th-century Europe. Her second novel, The Porcelain Menageri, serves as a companion story woven with secrets, survival, and Saxon porcelain. The Washington Post featured it among the best historical fiction. Read more news coverage about Jillian. Jillian holds a Master's degree in Public History from Wichita State University. Outside of writing, Jillian owns Dress Gallery, and can be found browsing antique malls, gardening or visiting museums (and reading every label!) Jililan knows firsthand how special the Phillips Fundamental Learning Center is to the Wichita community, as her children attended the Center and benefited from its support.
- Website: https://www.jillianforsberg.com/