KRLemmons African American children's literature, African American Fairy Tales, African American folktales, African American Illustrators, African American Picture Books

September 14 of September is Black Reading Month: John Steptoe

Heavenly birthday wishes John Steptoe! Born September 14, 1950, John Steptoe was an African American author and illustrator children’s books dealing with aspects of the African-American experience. He is best known for writing Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters, which is noted for its presentation of African culture. He died in 1989.

The John Steptoe New Talent Award is established to affirm new talent and to offer visibility to excellence in writing and/or illustration which otherwise might be formally unacknowledged within a given year within the structure of the two awards given annually by the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Committee.

Other notable books:

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American children's literature, African American Middle Grades Literature, African American Picture Books, African American Young Adult Literature

365 Black Books Walter Dean Myers

Heavenly birthday wishes Walter Dean Myers! Born August 12, 1937, Walter Dean Myers was an award-winning African American writer best known for young adult literature. He has written about 70 novels, including the award winning novel, Monster. Some of his young adult literature feature African American young adult males. Walter Dean Myers died in 2014.

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American children's literature, African American Middle Grades Literature, African American Picture Books, African American Young Adult Literature

365 Black Books Derrick Barnes Sunday

Happy birthday Derrick Barnes! Born August 9, Derrick Barnes is an award-winning African American children’s and young adult’s author. Derrick Barnes is a National Book Award Finalist for his 2022 graphic novel Victory. Stand!-Raising My Fist For Justice, which also won the 2023 YALSA Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction Award, and a Coretta Scott King Award Author Honor. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed, multi-award-winning picture book Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut which received a Newbery Honor, a Coretta Scott King Author Honor, the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award, and the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers.

In 2020, he became the only author to win the Kirkus Prize twice for his twelfth release, the New York Times bestseller, I Am Every Good Thing. The title also won a Charlotte Huck Award (NCTE), and a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor. Visit his website for more of his notable books.

KRLemmons African American Artists, African American Authors, African American autobiography, African American children's literature, African American Illustrators, African American Picture Books, African American Poetry, African American Poets

365 Black Books Ashley Bryan Monday

Heavenly birthday wishes Ashley Bryan! Born July 13, 1923, Ashley Bryan was a phenomenal award-winning poet and artist. He often wrote and portrayed the African American experience. He died in 2022. Here are just a few of his beautiful works:

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American children's literature, African American Middle Grades Literature, African American Picture Books, African American Young Adult Literature

365 Black Books Angela Johnson Friday

Belated birthday wishes Angela Johnson! Born June 18, Angela Johnson is an award-winning children’s and young adult author, poet, and an 2003 McArthur Fellow. Here are just a few of the 40 books she has written since she began writing in 1989.

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American children's literature, African American Picture Books, African American Poetry, African American Poets

365 Black Books Eloise Greenfield Monday

Belated heavenly birthday wishes to Eloise Greenfield! Born May 17, 1929, Eloise Greenfield was an award winning African American children’s book and biography author and poet famous for her descriptive, rhythmic style and positive portrayal of the African-American experience. She passed away in 2021. Here are just a few of her notable works: