A lifelong quest to learn, curate and share information
2024 Author Winner: Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi
2024 Illustrator Winner: An American Story art by Dare Coulter
2024 John Steptoe New Talent Author Award Winner: There Goes the Neighborhood by Jade Adia
2024 John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award Winner:
This week I will feature award winners and honors from the Coretta Scott Book Awards. This year’s winners and honors:
2025 Author Winner: Twenty-four Seconds From Now by Jason Reynolds
2025 Illustrator Award Winner: My Daddy is a Cowboy illustrated by C. G. Esperanza
2025 Author Honor Book: Black Girl You are Atlas by Renee Watson
2025 Illustrator Honor Book: Coretta, The Autobiography of Mrs. Coretta Scott King illustrated by Ekua Holmes
FYI from the American Library Association (ALA
We’re excited to celebrate Coretta Scott King Book Award Literature Week, happening January 19–23, 2026!
This special week highlights Black authors and illustrators and the lasting legacy of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards through engaging conversations and shared stories.
Register at bit.ly/csk-lit-week-26
Born January 17, Paul Cuffee, an African/Wampanoag Indian, was a sea captain, a member of the Black Founding Fathers and so much more. A few books have been written about this amazing man.
Book 1: Captain Paul Cuffe, Yeoman
Captain Paul Cuffee, Yeoman
Book 2: The Life and Times of Paul Cuffe
Book 3: Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Paul Cuffe
Born January 14, John Oliver Killens wrote several novels, two of which were nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for fiction: And Then We Heard the Thunder and The Cotillion, or One Good Bull is Half the Herd. More information about John Oliver Killens can be found here
Born January 15, 1933, Ernest J. Gaines is an African American author of eight novels and several short stories. Three novels became movies: A Lesson Before Dying, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, and A Gathering of Old Men. One short story, The Sky is Gray, was adapted for a movie. More information about his books can be found here
There is also an award given to a rising African American author: The Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence
Born January 14, Dudley Randall was a poet and founder of Broadside Press, which published many works of poetry. He was also Detroit’s first Poet Laureate
His book: The Black Poets
Another book: Roses and Revolutions
A book about him: Wrestling With the Muse
Born January 13, Sharon Robinson is the daughter of Jackie Robinson. She is also a nurse-midwife, health writer, author, and educator. She has written several books about Jackie Robinson and herself.
Book 1: Her memoir, Child of the Dream
Book 2: Jackie Robinson’s biography, Promises to Keep
Book 3: Jackie’s Nine
These three books are from the 2025 Miself in Book list. You can view the list here.
Book 1 (Elementary): Black Star by Kwame Alexander
Book 2 (Middle Grade): One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome
Book 3 (Young Adult): Knucklehead Poems by Tony Keith, Jr.
Cornelius Eady, born January 7, is a poet and co-founder of Cave Canem, a network for African American poets.
Three of his works: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/230758/cornelius-eady
The CamaraIfe Maktaba 