In the summer of 2005, I had the pleasure of meeting Fredrick McKissack. He and his wife, author Patricia McKissack, were teaching and sharing their experiences on how to write for children at a Highlights workshop. He had a fascinating personality and was a gracious host. His work as a researcher was outstanding and [ 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 11: JESMYN WARD
Where the Line Bleeds. Salvage the Bones. Men We Reaped: A Memoir. If you have not been previously acquainted with the work of author Jesmyn Ward, consider today your lucky day. Ward grew up in DeLisle, Mississippi, a small rural community with which she had a “love-hate relationship”. These hometown experiences have informed each of [ Read the full article… ]
Day 10: Jackie Wellington
This year, The Brown Bookshelf would like to introduce a new profile — the “Up and Comer.” In this space, we recognize a children’s book creator “who has made a significant contribution to the world of children books before publication.” We’re delighted to welcome educator, activist, and author Jackie Wellington as our first Up-and-Comer honoree, [ Read the full article… ]
Day 9: Jan Spivey Gilchrist
Jan Spivey Gilchrist is an award-winning author, illustrator, fine artist, and lecturer. She is the illustrator of numerous children’s books including, THE GREAT MIGRATION: JOURNEY TO THE NORTH, written by Eloise Greenfield; NATHANIEL TALKING, written by Eloise Greenfield; and MY AMERICA, written by herself with illustrations by Ashley Bryan. Outstanding features and reviews of her [ Read the full article… ]
Day 8: Katheryn Russell-Brown
As a child, Katheryn Russell-Brown remembers enjoying books like The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats and cherishing the coloring book, Color Me Brown. Her mother made sure she saw affirming images of herself. When Katheryn became a mom, she wanted the same for her twins. “I was determined that they were going to have realistic and interesting images of themselves reflected in [ Read the full article… ]
Day 7 Langston Hughes (1902 – 1967)
Researching Langston Hughes gave me a chance to look at his work in a different way. Not just to enjoy his poetry, but to read his work while placing it in context of his background. So much of his life is revealed in his poetry. I feel slighted that I didn’t have a chance [ Read the full article… ]
DAY 6: STEPHANIE PERRY MOORE
Stephanie Perry Moore is a Christian fiction novelist that is truly from the South. She was born in South Carolina, raised in Virginia, educated in Alabama, and now resides in Georgia. She has penned over 35 inspirational titles set in this part of the country. She considers it an honor and a calling to [ Read the full article… ]
Day 5: Dhonielle Clayton
A newcomer to publishing landscape, Dhonielle Clayton is ready for the spotlight, with her first novel, the dishy dance drama Tiny Pretty Things, hitting shelves in May, and the first book in her fantasy series, The Belles, due in 2016. But while she may be a 2015 debutante, she’s already spent nearly a decade studying [ Read the full article… ]