So. Summer vacation is half over. Have you gotten some swim time in? Seen the latest movies? Visited the grandparents? Reached your summer reading goal?
We can help you with the last one.
The Brown Bookshelf sent out a call to publishers and readers, asking for the latest and greatest children’s books by African-American authors and illustrators. Below are the spring and summer titles we received from publishers, followed by Reader’s Choice titles.
Feast and enjoy!
PENGUIN
Tea Cakes for Tosh by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by E. B. Lewis (Putnam Juvenile, 12/2012)
Hope’s Gift by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Don Tate (Putnam Juvenile, 12/2012)
Beneath a Meth Moon by Jacqueline Woodson (Puffin, 2/2013)
Ellray Jakes Walks the Plank by Sally Warner, Illustrated by Jamie Harper (Puffin, 3/2013)
Orleans by Sherri L. Smith (Putnam Juvenile, 3/2013)
My Cold Plum Lemon Pie Bluesy Mood by Tameka Fryer Brown, Illustrated by Shane W. Evans (Viking, 3/2013)
Ellray Jakes is a Dragon Slayer by Sally Warner, Illustrated by Brian Biggs (Puffin, 5/2013)
Max and the Tag-Along Moon by Floyd Cooper (Philomel, 6/2013)
HARPERCOLLINS CHILDREN’S
Brick by Brick by Charles R. Smith Jr., illustrated by Floyd Cooper (12/12)
Nelson Mandela by Kadir Nelson (1/13)
Darius & Twig by Walter Dean Myers (4/13 )
The Laura Line by Crystal Allen (4/13 )
P.S. Be Eleven by Rita Williams-Garcia (5/13)
CANDLEWICK
Desmond and the Very Mean Word by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Douglas Carlton Abrams, illustrated by A.G. Ford (1/2013)
Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat: Ella Fitzgerald by Roxane Orgill, illustrated by Sean Qualls (1/2013)
A President from Hawai’i by Dr. Terry Carolan and Joanna Carolan, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon (7/2013)
JUST US BOOKS
AFRO-BETS Book of Black Heroes from A to Z by Wade Hudson and Valerie Wilson Wesley (3/2013)
CHARLESBRIDGE
Kenya’s Song by Linda Trice, illustrated by Pamela Johnson (2/2013)
CLARION BOOKS
Nikki and Deja: Substitute Trouble by Karen English, illustrated by Laura Freeman (7/2013)
LEE & LOW
As Fast As Words Could Fly by Pamela M. Tuck, illustrated by Eric Velasquez (4/2013)
HARCOURT CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Mister and Lady Day: Billie Holiday and the Dog Who Loved Her by Amy Novesky, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton (6/2013)
HOLIDAY HOUSE
Nobody Asked the Pea by John Warren Stewig, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright (1/2013)
READER’S CHOICE
The Chaos by Nalo Hopkinson (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 3/2013)
The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson (Author A. Levine Books, 3/2013)
No Crystal Stair by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson (Carolrhoda Books, 2/2012)
The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis (Wendy Lamb Books, 1/2012)
I, Too, Am America by Langston Hughes, illustrated by Brian Collier (Simon & Schuster, 5/2012)
I Have A Dream by Kadir Nelson, (Schwartz & Wade, 10/2012)
Thank you! Would love to know your thoughts/reviews on the Ellray Jakes series by Sally Warner. I liked the first book pretty well, but would like more feedback from a trusted source before I consider buying more for my library.
I’m going to buy every one of these books for my library, so tell the publishers to keep ’em coming!