ADA Lace, on the Case

Emily Calandrelli is an MIT engineer turned Emmy-nominated science TV host. She’s the host and coexecutive producer of Emily’s Wonder Lab on Netflix, featured as a correspondent on Netflix’s Bill Nye Saves the World, and an executive producer and host of Fox’s Xploration Outer Space. Emily is the author of the picture book Reach for the Stars, the science experiment book Stay Curious and Keep Exploring, and the science chapter book series the Ada Lace Adventures. The third book in the series was launched to the International Space Station through the Story Time from Space program. Learn more at TheSpaceGal.com.

Tamson Weston is the author of Hey, Pancakes!, illustrated by Stephen Gammell, and has over fifteen years experience in children’s book publishing. She works as a freelance editor and has edited books by acclaimed authors such as Adam Rex, Mac Barnett, and Dan Santat, among others. She has an MFA in writing and literature and enjoys running, biking, swimming, and lifting heavy things. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. Visit her at TamsonWeston.com.

Renée Kurilla is a children’s book author and #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator. She loves drawing nature, animals, and working on projects that require a little bit of research! Some of her author-illustrator titles include the It’s Fall!, It’s Winter!, and The Flower Garden (a 2026 Illinois Monarch Award nominee). She has illustrated many books for other authors as well including Just Because by Matthew McConaughey, Today at School by Jessica Young, Farm Boots by Lisl H. Detlefsen, and the Ada Lace Adventure series by Emily Calandrelli.

Renée has a BFA in illustration and a minor in graphic design from Lesley University College of Art & Design. Before transitioning to a full-time career in children’s books, she was a lead artist at FableVision Studios in Boston for ten years. She currently lives in Massachusetts with her illustrator husband, their nine-year-old daughter, a corgi puppy named Yoshi, and a million stuffed animals.