KRLemmons 28 Days Later Campaign, African American Authors

The Brown Bookshelf 28 Days Later Campaign Day 2

As a Trinidadian-American writer, it’s particularly thrilling to see children’s books set in the Caribbean. The moment I saw the cover for HURRICANE CHILD, I was excited. Then the starred reviews started coming in. Kirkus wrote, “Callender draws readers in and makes them identify with Caroline’s angst and sorrow and joy and pain,” and School […]

via Day 2: Kheryn Callender —

KRLemmons 28 Days Later Campaign, African American Authors, African American Young Adult Literature

The Brown Bookshelf 28 Days Later Campaign Day 3

As I rejoin my Brown Bookshelf colleagues in the trenches of 28 Days Later, I’m elated with today’s YA authors. They’re vocal in a new way and their books reflect a time period where young people are witness to divisive political rhetoric that has remained at its height since President Obama took office a life […]

via Day 3: Nic Stone —

KRLemmons 28 Days Later Campaign, African American Authors

The Brown Bookshelf 28 Days Later Campaign Day 4

There’s something special about celebrating family. And that’s what you become when you publish with Just Us Books. Katura J. Hudson is the director of marketing for the company her parents founded three decades ago. She has lovingly edited and promoted countless titles by Black children’s book creators including mine. It’s a joy to honor […]

via Day 4: Katura J. Hudson —

KRLemmons 28 Days Later Campaign, African American Authors

The Brown Bookshelf 28 Days Later Campaign Day 5

Ray Anthony Shepard’s Now or Never-Fifty-Fourth Massachsetts Infantry’s War to End Slavery has earned two starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal. His meticulously researched book is riveting and lands you squarely on the battlefield. The Journey I was born in Missouri, a state that benchmarked the path to Civil War, in […]

via Day 5: Ray Anthony Shepard —

KRLemmons 28 Days Later Campaign, African American Authors

The Brown Bookshelf 28 Days Later Campaign Day 6

Today we honor new author Baptiste Paul and his forthcoming picture book, The Field, illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara, to be released by NorthSouth Books/S&S on March 6, 2018. In his debut title, Paul pays homage to his childhood home (the beautiful island of St. Lucia), his native language (Creole), and the internationally-beloved game of soccer. […]

via Day 6: Baptiste Paul —

KRLemmons 28 Days Later Campaign, African American Authors, African American Literature

The Brown Bookshelf 28 Days Later Campaign Day 13: Ibi Zoboi

I first met Ibi Zoboi at a writing conference in New York City. We were passing each other through a crowd, and she said that an editor had mistaken her for me because we both submitted stories set in Haiti. My novel is more of a mashup between Trinidadian and Haitian cultures, but Ibi’s debut, AMERICAN […]

via Day 13: Ibi Zoboi —

KRLemmons 28 Days Later Campaign, African American Authors, African American Literature, Children's literature

The Brown Bookshelf 28 Days Later Campaign Day 14: Christine Kendall

From Philadelphia, The Brown Bookshelf presents Christine Kendall, author of the debut middle grade novel Riding Chance. Christine grew up in a family of six children where everyone played an instrument. She studied piano and clarinet. Her readers are ecstatic that she decided to pursue writing as a fulltime occupation. Please join me in welcoming […]

via Day 14: Christine Kendall —

KRLemmons 28 Days Later Campaign, African American Authors, Children's literature

The Brown Bookshelf 28 Days Later Campaign Day 15: Maya Penn

16 year-old Maya Penn is a CEO, activist, author, illustrator, animator, coder, and so much more. She started her first company at eight years old, has TEDtalked to millions of people across the globe (as the youngest female in history to deliver two back-to back official TED Talks–her 2013 TEDWomen Talk is ranked as one […]

via Day 15: Maya Penn —

KRLemmons 28 Days Later Campaign, African American Illustrators, Children's literature, Multicultural literature

The Brown Bookshelf 28 Days Later Campaign Day 16: Alix Delinois

For me, the coolest aspect of being a part of The Brown Bookshelf is learning about, and reaching out to, artists and writers who are not currently on my radar. Recently I had the pleasure of learning about Alix Delinois, a fine artist and art teacher living in Harlem. He has illustrated two children’s books […]

via Day 16: Alix Delinois —