KRLemmons African American Authors, African American Poets, Children's literature, Multicultural Poetry

Letter to Kwame Alexander

Dear Kwame Alexander, Thank you for making us openly weep last year at the ILA conference when you said, “The mind of an adult begins with the imagination of a child,” and “all kids are the good kids” When we heard you say those words and the room burst into thunderous applause, we knew […]

via An Open Thank You Letter to Kwame Alexander — Nerdy Book Club

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American Literature, Children's literature

Jewel Parker Rhodes: Towers Falling

Towers Falling is a compelling novel set in Brooklyn, New York, fifteen years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Jewel Parker Rhodes writes an eloquent story about fifth graders who were not alive to witness the attacks on the towers. But as they learn of the events during lessons at school they begin to understand that the […]

via Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes – Review by Mary Boehmer — Nerdy Book Club

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American Illustrators, Children's literature

The Brown Bookshelf 28 Days Later Campaign Day 27 Vanessa Brantley-Newton

https://static01.nyt.com/video/players/offsite/index.html?videoId=100000004950929

Over the past 13 years, award-winner Vanessa Brantley-Newton has illustrated (or illustrated and authored) approximately 80 books for children, including titles such as Every Little Thing, We Shall Overcome, Mary Had a Little Glam, and The Hula Hoopin’ Queen. Her most recent release is The Youngest Marcher (written by Cynthia Levinson, Simon & Schuster, 1/2017) and later […]

via Day 27: Vanessa Brantley-Newton —

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American Literature, Children's literature

TBT from The Brown Bookshelf

In 2012, we featured artist Elizabeth Zunon and her acclaimed second picture book, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer. A Junior Library selection, that title won accolades and raves about her style. Since then, Liz has created many treasures including Don’t Call Me Grandma by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and The Legendary Miss Lena Horne […]

via Throwback Thursday: Elizabeth Zunon —

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American Biography, African American Illustrators, African Americans

Biography Post from Edi Campbell

Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of young John Lewis by Jabari Asim and E. B. Lewis. (Nancy Paulsen Books; 2016) I remember reading about John Lewis adopting his family’s chickens as his congregation when he was a child. Asim details this time in Lewis’ life as a character building activity. The muted water color […]

via Biographies: Black Men — Crazy QuiltEdi

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American Biography, African American Illustrators

Biography Post from Edi Campbell

Tiny Stitches: The Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien Thomas by Gwendolyn Hooks and Colin Bootman (Lee and Low; 2016) Tiny Stitches is as much a history of modern medicine as it is a children’s biography of Vivien Thomas. The book revisits a time when someone could become a respected practitioner of medicine based upon their […]

via Biographies: Black Men in Picture books — Crazy QuiltEdi

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 —