Cover Images:

Bio:

Margaret Greanias is a children’s book author who writes books to delight children.

Short bio: Margaret Greanias is a children’s book author who writes books to delight children, including MAXIMILLIAN VILLAINOUS (Running Press Kids, 2018), AMAH FARAWAY (Bloomsbury Kids, 2022), HOOKED ON BOOKS (Peachtree Publishing, 2023), and HOW THIS BOOK GOT RED (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2023). The daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, she lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, three children, and a fluffle of dust bunnies.

Still short, but slightly longer bio: Margaret wrote her first terrifically terrible book in fourth grade. From grade school through college, she struggled through her English classes. Then, during her very last quarter of her very last year of college, she took a creative writing class and discovered she loved writing. She is the author of MAXIMILLIAN VILLAINOUS (Running Press Kids, 2018), AMAH FARAWAY (Bloomsbury Kids, 2022), HOOKED ON BOOKS (Peachtree Publishing, 2023), and HOW THIS BOOK GOT RED (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2023). The daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, she currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, three children, and a fluffle of dust bunnies.

Book Info:

How This Book Got Red

Illustrated by Melissa Iwai

(Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, October 3, 2023)

ISBN: 978-1728265650

Themes: Representation matters, Self-Confidence, Writing, Friendship, Red Pandas

Praise: Amazon Best Book for Ages 3-5, Kirkus Starred Review

Hooked On Books

Illustrated by Kristyna Litten

(Peachtree Publishing, June 27, 2023)

ISBN: 978-1682633670

Themes: Reading, Personal space, Healthy boundaries, Deep ocean zones 

Amah Faraway

Illustrated by Tracy Subisak

(Bloomsbury Kids, January 25, 2022)

ISBN: 978-1547607211

Themes: New experiences, Long distance family, Intergenerational relationships, Taiwanese culture, Reverse poetry

Praise: Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, 2022 CALIBA Golden Poppy Finalist Mirrors and Windows: Excellence in Children’s Literature, 2023 Crystal Kite Award Finalist (California), 2023 Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year

Maximillian Villainous

Illustrated by Lesley Breen Withrow

(Running Press Kids, August 28, 2018)

ISBN: 978-0762462971

Themes: Self acceptance, Peer pressure, Kindness, Intergenerational family

Praise: 2018 Crystal Kite Award Finalist (California)

Honors and Awards:

How This Book Got Red

• 2026-27 Panda Book Award Shortlist
• Kirkus Starred Review
• Amazon Best Books for Ages 3-5
• November/December 2023 Kid’s Indie Next List
• Common Sense Selections–Families
• Children’s Book Council Librarian Favorites Award
• Sunshine State Young Readers Award Jr., 2025-2026, Elementary School, Grades K-2 (Florida)
• Young Hoosier Book Award, 2025-2026, Picture Books (Indiana)
• Show Me Readers Award, 2025-2026, Grades 1-3 (Missouri)
• Best of 2023, Grades K-12 (Pennsylvania)
• South Carolina Picture Book Award, 2025-2026, Grades K-2
• Mockingbird Books, 2024-2025 (Texas)
• Virginia Readers’ Choice, 2025-2026, Primary, Grades K-3
• Connecticut 2027 Nutmeg Book Award Nominee
• Kirkus Reviews Best Picture-Book Conversation Starters of 2023
• Kirkus Reviews Most Anticipated Books for Fall

Hooked On Books

• Children’s Book Council Kids’ Favorites Award

Amah Faraway

• School Library Journal Starred Review
• Shelf Awareness Starred Review
• JLG Gold Standard Selection
• SLJ A Fuse 8 Production Best Pictures Books of the Year, 31 days, 31 lists by Betsy Bird 
• 2023 Bank Street Best Children’s Books Of The Year
• 2023 Crystal Kite Award Finalist (California)
• 2022 CALIBA Mirrors & Windows: Excellence in Children’s Literature Finalist
• CDE Recommended List 2023, PK (California)
• Nevada Reading Week 2023 Book List, Grades PreK-2

Maximillian Villainous

• 2018 Crystal Kite Award Finalist (California)