Judith (“Judy”) Robbins Rose is the 2015 INK Writer of the Year. She was also selected by the American Booksellers Association for its Indies Introduce New Voices program based on her award-winning debut, LOOK BOTH WAYS IN THE BARRIO BLANCO, scheduled for release September 8 from Candlewick Press. It’s the story of the 12 year-old daughter of undocumented immigrants whose world falls apart after she’s paired in a mentoring program with a fading TV news personality.

Ms. Rose serves as a volunteer mentor and tutor for at-risk youth in metropolitan Denver. She’s a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the International Literacy Association and the American Library Association. Her current project is the creation of a program to teach kids to write their own stories.