Ronna Mandel is a former associate editor at L.A. Parent magazine which sparked her interest in children's books and she’s been reviewing them on her blog, GoodReadsWithRonna.com since 2009.

Ronna writes quirky and joyful picture books featuring unique main characters, humor, and wordplay with themes of Judaism, inclusivity, family, social-emotional learning, and neurodiversity. As an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’ L.A. region, she’s coordinated the monthly Pasadena LitMingle for 11 years and was honored in March 2024 with the SCBWI-LA’s 2023 Sue Alexander Award for Service and Encouragement. In 2022 one of Ronna’s picture book manuscripts was an honor winner at the annual SCBWI-LA Writers Day Conference. That same year she was selected as a mentee through the Rutgers University Council on Children’s Literature. This past summer Ronna was one of 22 Jewish authors PJ Library chose for a special program via their Summer Camp at the Highlights Foundation. Ronna is also a member of the 12 x 12 Picture Book Challenge, and participates annually in Storystorm, Picture Book Summit. In January 2025, Ronna will be a co-host for Multicultural Children’s Book Day.

Before having children, Ronna traveled the world for several tour operators and gave educational seminars across the U.S. to introduce travel agents to myriad foreign destinations. Having lived in London and Frankfurt with her husband and children for 10 years, Ronna is a tea-loving, schnitzel and pretzel-hooked nosher who cannot get enough of travel, museums, Masterpiece Mysteries, and Antiques Roadshow. She is passionate about Paris, anything purple, and standard poodles, She lives in Southern California with her husband and their rescue kitties. Her two adult children live in London. Ronna's picture book debut, HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR LATKES?, is scheduled for release on September 2, 2026, with Paw Prints Publishing, an imprint of Baker & Taylor. Find out more at www.RonnaMandel.com