KRLemmons African American Literature, Children's literature

The Black Experience in Children’s Books

From blackpast.org: Librarian, author, and storyteller Augusta Braxston Baker was the first African American woman to hold an administrative position with the New York Public Library (NYPL). She was a pioneering advocate of the positive portrayal of blacks in children’s literature, and beginning in the 1930s removed books with negative stereotypes from the NYPL shelves. Baker was born in […]

via THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN CHILDREN’S BOOKS: SELECTIONS FROM AUGUSTA BAKER’S BIBLIOGRAPHIES — Blackness Personified

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

The Brown Bookshelf 28 Days Later Campaign Honorees

We are proud to announce the honorees for our 11th annual 28 Days Later campaign, a Black History Month celebration of outstanding children’s book creators. Each day during February, we will showcase an author or illustrator whose work reflects parts of who we are. It’s more important than ever to raise awareness and support books […]

via Celebrating Our Voices: 28 Days Later Honorees —

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American Literature, Book Reviews

The Hate U Give–Why you should read this book!

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas has been at the top of the New York Times Bestseller list and has been talked about all over Twitter since before it was released, so I’m not sure there’s much I can say about the specifics of the storyline of the book that hasn’t been said. As I said […]

via Five Reasons to Read The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas – Review by Deana Metzke — 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 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 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 —