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Day 6: LaTisha Redding

Today we shine the spotlight on another debut picture book author, LaTisha Redding. Her first title, Calling the Water Drum (Lee & Low, December 2016, illus.by Aaron Boyd) is the story of Henri, a young immigrant from Haiti who loses his parents as they attempt to make their way “across the great waters” to America. [ Read the full article… ]

Day 5: OLIVE SENIOR

Olive Senior’s work has been broadcast on both sides of the Atlantic, including the BBC Book at Bedtime and the CBC Festival of Fiction.  Her work has been included in the Best Poems on the Underground published by London Transport, and she is a featured poet on The Poetry Archive. Senior’s work often addresses questions [ Read the full article… ]

Day 4: NADIA HOHN

While working with this talented author on her 28 Days Later spotlight, I asked if there was something she would like for people to know about her.  The email I received made me have one of those constant blinking moments. I’ll let you read it for yourself.  Pay specific attention to her question at the end. [ Read the full article… ]

Day 3: Nikkolas Smith

Some people score book deals through agents. Some get them by submitting work directly to a publisher. Nikkolas Smith, a concept artist and imagineer, landed his first children’s book contract by posting a painting online. His rendering of Olympian Simone Biles right after she won gold went viral and inspired him to create a painting of the [ Read the full article… ]

Day 2: Ron Husband

First I would like to say thank you to the Brown Bookshelf staff for recognizing author Deborah Hopkinson and myself for our collaborative efforts on Steamboat School. It is indeed an honor to be selected to participate in the annual February 28 Days Later recognizing those who have contributed to children’s literature. Guest post by Ron [ Read the full article… ]

Day 1: Andrea J. Loney

We at The Brown Bookshelf have been in countdown mode for a while now, excitedly waiting for this day–the commencement of our tenth 28 Days Later campaign! For those who may be joining our celebration for the first time, the goal of 28 Days Later is to promote increased awareness of black authors and illustrators creating books [ Read the full article… ]

We Are Here: Announcing The Honorees

“Where can I find black children’s books?” It’s a question asked by kids, parents, teachers, librarians and other readers. The Brown Bookshelf was founded a decade ago to advocate for more visibility and support and to be a go-to resource. Through our signature campaign, 28 Days Later,  we’ve featured more than 200 black children’s book creators. Today, we are proud to announce our 10th class [ Read the full article… ]