Anita is the author and illustrator of Old to Joy, which published with Gnome Road Publishing in September of 2023 and won the Children's Book Council Librarian's Favorite Book Award (Top Ten) in 2024! 

Based on Anita's own memories and life experiences, she shares the story of a young girl who struggles to find beauty in the "old" things at Grandmama's house until Grandmama helps her to discover the wonderous ways in which being old can bring joy to any heart. 

Anita is a 2022 SCBWI OMA (Out-of-the-Margins Award) Winner! 

And because we love working with Anita, we are thrilled to announce working on a second book together, Plucking Through History: Banjo's Untold Story, which is scheduled to release in the fall of 2026. The story follows a boy on a journey through time with his grandfather's old gourd banjo to discover the distorted history of this beloved instrument and to reclaim the contributions his African ancestors made in bringing the banjo and its unique sound to the world. 

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Anita Crawford Clark is a writer and illustrator of fiction and nonfiction books for children. Anita grew up chasing butterflies and fishing crawdads from a nearby creek during scorching Sacramento summers. Her stories and illustrations often reflect those memorable childhood years.

Anita began her formal art training at Parsons School of Design. After transferring to UC Davis, she earned her BA in Sociology. A lifelong learner, Anita earned her MFA in Creative Writing and MS in Psychology. A veteran teacher, Anita has taught nearly every grade K-12. Anita especially takes pleasure in directing musical theatre productions featuring students from preschool through high school.

The athlete in Anita enjoys shooting hoops, while the musician in her enjoys jamming on the drums. If you visit her during crab season, you might be treated to a pot of her Louisiana style gumbo - a treasured family recipe.