Publishers Weekly called it a powerful debut. Booklist said it was hard-hitting and gave it a starred review. Brian F. Walker’s Black Boy, White School (HarperCollins) has won praise for its gripping portrayal of a 14-year-old boy from East Cleveland navigating life in a predominantly white boarding school. Walker found inspiration for his young adult novel close to home. He grew [ Read the full article… ]
28 Days
Day 7: Brynne Barnes
Brynne Barnes’ story of publication will leave you feeling inspired and wanting more. Trust me, if you love books and write books or plan to write, her story will resonate with you. 28 Days Later proudly honors Brynne Barnes on Day 7. The Journey Some kids had teddy bears. I had books. I carried them [ Read the full article… ]
Day 6: Traci L. Jones
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” That’s a truth that Traci L. Jones knows first hand. It was the harshly delivered criticism of a college professor that nearly destroyed the lifelong love Traci had held for the written word as long as she could remember. Nearly. It’s also true that life [ Read the full article… ]
DAY 5: GLENNETTE TILLEY TURNER
“When you grow up, you must write this down!” Those are the powerful words from Glennette Tilley Turner’s father, and we are so thankful that she listened. Glennette Tilley Turner was born in Raleigh, North Carolina on November 23, 1933. Blessed with strong, educated parents, she graduated high school, and in 1955, went on to earn her B.A. at [ Read the full article… ]
Day 4: Glenda Armand
When Glenda Armand read the autobiographies of Frederick Douglass, the story of his mother walking 12 miles each way to see him stayed with her. Armand, a mom of two, was moved by Douglass’ mother doing whatever it took to be with her son. She knew the story of their bond had to be shared. Winner of the Lee & Low New Voices [ Read the full article… ]
Day 3: Alaya Dawn Johnson
As a teenager, Alaya knew writing was in her future. From listening to her storytelling family to reading every issue of Writer’s Digest to writing a novel, she followed her dream. Her fans are happy that she stuck to those plans because now she is the accomplished author of The Summer Prince. Today, the 3rd [ Read the full article… ]
Day 2: Christian Robinson
I’m not sure what to say about Christian Robinson other than: I love his artwork! It’s colorful, bold, vintage, kid-friendly, cool – what other adjectives can I insert?— Wonderful! My first introduction to this talented artist was on the 7 Impossible Things website. I was mesmerized by the post. His art could be described as [ Read the full article… ]
Day 1: Malaika Rose Stanley
Malaika Rose Stanley was born in Birmingham – Britain’s ‘second city’ – and now lives in the capital, London. She has been a teacher in Zambia, Uganda, Germany and Switzerland, as well as the UK – and at all levels of education including supporting autistic children in primary schools, teaching adult language, literacy, numeracy and [ Read the full article… ]