Inspired by the author’s childhood, this tale of a girl longing for a book to call her own warms hearts with its vivid language and beautiful acrylic portraits. In The Hard-Times Jar (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2003), written by Ethel Footman Smothers and illustrated by John Holyfield, Emma, the daughter of migrant farm workers, makes up stories and records them on brown paper-bag pages. [ Read the full article… ]
Author: Kelly Starling Lyons
Newbery Highlight: The Hundred Penny Box
When I began writing for children, I searched for mentors. A kind children’s book author agreed to meet me in a local library and pass along pearls of wisdom. Her first tip: Start by reading. “Get to know the award winners,” she said and handed me a pamphlet of titles that won Newbery and Coretta Scott King awards and honors. I have a long [ Read the full article… ]
Janet McDonald’s Legacy
I first became aware of Janet McDonald with her memoir, PROJECT GIRL. I related to her girl-woman journey to Vassar College, NYU Law School, and living abroad in Paris. Through her words, I learned of my own inner strength to accomplish my goals, and most of all that it was possible to achieve them. So, [ Read the full article… ]
Those Who Paved the Way
As we enter awards season, it’s the time to celebrate new voices, but also to pay homage to those who paved the way. So in the spirit of the coming year, here’s a quiz on some African-American children’s literature trailblazers: 1. The first Coretta Scott King Award was given in 1970. Who received it? A. Sharon Bell Mathis, [ Read the full article… ]
Through A Child’s Eyes
When my daughter was born, I experienced my greatest blessing. I received another gift as I started reading to her. Through her eyes, I got a chance to relive the wonder of discovering toes, the many hues of skin, the magic of music. As we listened to the cadence of words and soaked in the sweetness of pictures created [ Read the full article… ]
Giving Thanks
I struggled with what to share today. I have so much to be thankful for. Thanksgiving has always held a special place in my heart. It’s a time for celebrating family and community, breaking bread, counting blessings and giving praise. Where would I start? But then I thought about why I write for children, how books make [ Read the full article… ]
Pearls of Knowledge
As a child, I always peppered everyone with questions. Why is Pennsylvania called The Keystone State? Who invented crayons? What causes a rainbow? My grandma’s eyes would twinkle before she delivered her trademark response: “Look it up in your Funk & Wagnalls.” She was referring me to the dictionary and cream-colored set of encyclopedias that sat on my bookshelf. And sure enough, [ Read the full article… ]
Show Time
When I first heard that less than two percent of children’s books published last year were written by African American authors, I was shocked. I felt blessed to be a published, black children’s book author, but saddened there were still so few of us in print. Sometimes we’re faced with big issues and it feels [ Read the full article… ]