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Who are We?

Chesapeake Press was born in 2020 in the middle of an election year and the pandemic. We saw the need for materials that introduce basic civics principles to elementary school students. We believe it’s never too early to practice citizenship.

Our Mission:

Saving American democracy: one kid at a time.

Behind the Scenes:

Marie Daley - Managing Editor

Marie Daley began her career shelving books in her local library. As a child, she used to “bind” her own writing as books. Her interest in civics began early, with parents who took her with them to vote. In college, at the University of California, she sat on the steps of the student union, listening to the live broadcast of the Watergate Hearings. Marie founded Chesapeake Press after spending a decade in Washington, D.C. and discovering few, if any, books about American government in the gift shops of Capitol Hill.

Kelly Samojlik -

Our Writers:

Kitty Felde - author of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries series

Kitty Felde, the author of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries books is an award-winning public radio journalist. She spent nearly a decade covering Capitol Hill for Southern California Public Radio (LAist) and was named Radio Journalist of the Year three times by the LA Press Club and the Society of Professional Journalists. She is also executive producer of the Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast and the Book Club for Kids podcast, winner of the DC Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Humanities and the California Library Association’s Technology Award and named one of the top kidcasts in the world by The Times of London. Kitty has spoken at the American Library Association Conference, the National Council for the Social Studies convention, and has delivered a TEDx Talk.

Flordeliza Linda Cadiz Marks, Ed.D - Teacher’s Guides to the Fina Mendoza novels

Linda Marks is past president of the Hawaii Association of School Librarians. In her twelve years as school librarian at Kalihi Uka Elementary School on Oahu, she served as curriculum coordinator and strategic planning coordinator. As school librarian at Maury Elementary School in Washington, DC, her library programs included collaborative/partner teaching at several grade levels, library book clubs, Literacy Night, Pajama Story Time, Multicultural Night, and “book shopping.” Her motto is: “kindle student desire while empowering abilities.”

PJ Jaeger - author of Are You Smarter Than Your Parents About…Civics? (March 2026)

PJ spent her early career trying out for game shows, winning floor tile and a lounge chair. She has worked in a public library, a melodrama theatre, and once played the rear end of a horse in a Toyota commercial. Her love for trivia is only matched by Ken Jennings.

Phyllis Haensel - author of Black & White: a History of the Civil Rights Movement (upcoming)

Phyllis Haensel is a teacher with a passion for history and writing. She has taught reading, gifted education, creative drama, third grade, and ancient history. She created Social Studies lessons for Minnesota’s Anoka-Hennepin School District, for the Minnesota Partnership for Collaborative Curriculum, and for the non-profit Learning Law and Democracy. She was Minnesota’s 2016 Elementary Social Studies Teacher of the Year. She enjoys reading, hiking, gardening, embroidery, and plays the ukulele.

AJ Blanck – author of A-B-C Democracy (fall 2027)

AJ Blanck is a writer and poet with more than 100 articles, essays, and poems in U.S. and international publications. Having lived in three countries, she currently calls the Washington, DC area home. AJ holds a bachelor’s degree in policy studies and master’s in education; is a member of SCBWI, 12x12, and Authors Guild; and has co-written a marketing textbook chapter. She believes in democracy, civic participation, and big slices of cake.

Abraham Aondoana - author of Democracy Starts With Us (fall 2026)

Abraham Aondoana is a writer, poet, and novelist. He holds a law degree. Abraham has edited several books including “Voyage of 90 Years with Kongi,” His poem was shortlisted for the RenardPress Interwoven Prize in 2025. He was a member of the organizing committee of the Tokyo African Literature Festival 2025. His interest in civic education began in his high school years, and this put him on a journey of a lifetime examining democracy, culture, and social justice. This is his first young people's book.

Our Translator:

Jorge Flores González - translator of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries

Jorge Flores González is a bilingual creative professional based in Mexico City with a background in psychology and extensive experience in visual communication, digital media, and storytelling. His work spans graphic design, animation, video, and sound, shaped by a multidisciplinary approach and a strong editorial sensibility. He has collaborated on a wide range of cultural and artistic projects, always with an eye toward clarity, voice, and meaning.

Our Artists:

Madeline Garcia - Interior Cartoons, Are You Smarter Than Your Parents About…Civics (fall 2026)

Madeline Garcia is a self-taught artist from New York. She enjoys collecting deck of cards from different places where she has traveled.

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