“We are an oral people. We are innately oral people. That is why we are such great storytellers.” Mildred Pitts Walter Have you ever met someone who you know has the ability to provide real answers to history through their life experiences instead of what’s been relayed in history books? And, if you had an opportunity to sit at [ Read the full article… ]
28 Days Year: 2015
2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024
Day 19: C. Taylor-Butler
The Power of Perseverance, by C. Taylor-Butler The Inspiration for the Story I’m a child of science fiction.I grew up on Star Trek, Lost in Space, The Twilight Zone, and Outer Limits. I buried my head in Alfred Hitchcock anthologies and Ray Bradbury stories. I was the weird nerd kid who loved math, science and [ Read the full article… ]
DAY 18: Misty Copeland
Children’s literature scholar Rudine Sims Bishop says that books have the power to be mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors. Firebird (Putnam, 2014), the award-winning picture book written by American Ballet Theater soloist Misty Copeland and illustrated by Christopher Myers, is a beautiful celebration of that truth. In her children’s book debut, Misty shares the touching story of [ Read the full article… ]
Day 17 Betty K. Bynum
Betty K. Bynum is a woman who dreams big. Plans big. Achieves big. Her dreams of acting resulted in parts in ER, Law & Order, and Death At A Funeral. She is also a journalist, a screenwriter, and a playwright. One day, Betty recognized the lack of diverse books featuring children of color. So she [ Read the full article… ]
Day 16: TONYA CHERIE HEGAMIN
When we put out the nominations call for this year’s 28 Days Later Campaign, there was one name that flooded the comments section more than any other: Tonya Cherie Hegamin. Hegamin began life as a resident of Westchester, PA, but later relocated to Rochester, NY. She earned her MFA in Writing for Children from the New School University [ Read the full article… ]
Day 15: Faith Ringgold
Ms. Ringgold is a painter, writer, speaker, mixed media sculptor and performance artist. She lives and works in Englewood, New Jersey. By Faith Ringgold I always wanted to be a writer, but never knew I would be. I was an artist, even as a child I knew that. Could I be two things? I don’t think most people [ Read the full article… ]
Day 14: Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis is a world-renowned trumpeter, composer, and tireless champion of jazz,the recipient of a Pulitzer Prize and the winner of nine Grammy Awards. The artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, he is also the author or two children’s books, SQUEAK, RUMBLE, WHOMP!, WHOMP! WHOMP! (2012) and JAZZ ABZ: An A to Z Collection [ Read the full article… ]
Day 13: Patrik Henry Bass
You see his name and picture every month in Essence magazine. Patrik Henry Bass is our trusted voice about African-American books. We count on him for insightful reviews and beautifully-written features. He has been on the other side of the industry too, writing and editing several acclaimed titles for adults. Lucky us, he has expanded his reach to creating books for kids. The Zero Degree [ Read the full article… ]