Here’s a question: When you think of someone who is a classical pianist, a poet and published novelist, what age range of person immediately pops in your head? Thirties? Forties? Older? Not this time. Meet twenty-year-old Noni Carter, a young, talented woman, putting all of her music and writing talents to use. Noni loves to [ Read the full article… ]
28 Days
Day 2: Denise Lewis Patrick
Denise Lewis Patrick author of the Cecile American Girl Books comes from a family of women who have propelled themselves forward for generations. Not to be outdone, Denise is following their lead with her own successes. Drawing from her life growing up in Louisiana, Denise adds a little bit of herself in each of her [ Read the full article… ]
Day 1: Kwame Alexander
Poet Kwame Alexander has won acclaim for many things – creating the Capital BookFest, a touring book festival which reached more than 10,000 people, pioneering his Book-in-a-Day writing and publishing program which has turned more than 1000 teens into student authors. But today, he’s winning kudos for something entirely new: writing for children. During a summer [ Read the full article… ]
Day 28: Lori Aurelia Williams
For the 28th day of 28 Days Later, we’re happy to celebrate the works of author Lori Aurelia Williams. Williams is the author four novels, including When Kambia Elaine Flew In from Neptune (Simon and Schuster, 2000), Shayla’s Double Brown Baby Blues (S&S, 2001), and Broken China (S&S, 2005). She holds a master’s degree in [ Read the full article… ]
Day 27: Dimitrea Tokunbo
As a writer, amateur sketcher and wannabe singer, I find myself enthralled by people who successfully develop their artistic gifts in multiple areas. With that confession, my enthusiasm regarding Dimitrea Tokunbo will come as no surprise. Dimitrea is an author, illustrator, mural painter, graphic designer, and full-time mom. She studied illustration at the Moore College of Art for [ Read the full article… ]
Day 26: Jewell Parker Rhodes
As a kid growing up in Pittsburgh, Jewell Parker Rhodes was the one who always had a book in her hands. Books were better than dolls, she writes on her website, better than food. It’s no wonder she wrote her first children’s book while still in elementary school. She illustrated it and shared it with her [ Read the full article… ]
Day 25: Harriette Gillem Robinet
Vanguard author Harriette Gillem Robinet was born in Washington D.C. and spent her childhood summers in Arlington, Virginia where her mother’s father had been a slave under General Robert E. Lee. She attended the College of New Rochelle in New York and received graduate degrees in microbiology from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. [ Read the full article… ]
Day 24: Gwendolyn Hooks
Somebody forgot to tell Gwendolyn Hooks that right-brained thinkers aren’t supposed to be creative, or that left-brained thinkers aren’t supposed to be math-oriented. Not that such warnings would have mattered. Gwendolyn’s passion for educating and inspiring youth would have had her employing both brain hemispheres anyway. This former middle school math teacher has written fifteen books [ Read the full article… ]