Kwame Alexander. Renée Watson. Derrick Barnes. Just a few of the outstanding Black children’s book creators we showcased here before they received well-deserved, industry-wide acclaim. Put your thinking caps on. Help us identify under-the-radar and vanguard Black children’s book creators we should consider profiling. Let us know who we should check out so we can [ Read the full article… ]
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Blog
Using Black Children’s Literature to Amplify All Student Voices
Today, we lead a session at NCTE called Using Black Children’s Literature to Amplify All Student Voices. We’d love for you to join us. The program is from 9:30-10:45 a.m. in Room 352C. Our signing at Blue Willow Bookshop booth #321 follows from 11:30 a.m.-noon. You can also catch us at these signings throughout the [ Read the full article… ]
Catch us at NCTE 18
Using Black Children’s Literature to Amplify All Student Voices Friday, November 16 9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Room 352C There’s nothing more pleasing to us than connecting to educators, gatekeepers and all-around literature fans, in person. If you’re at this year’s NCTE Conference in Houston, come hear us discuss how to use children’s literature [ Read the full article… ]
Book Party – No Small Potatoes
Last I looked, BBS Don Tate was one busy author/illustrator. Blink and you’ll miss his latest, No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and His Kingdom in Kansas, a wonderful tale about hard work paying off with author, Tonya Bolden. The Buzz on No Small Potatoes “The mixed-media illustrations, awash in blues, greens, and browns, successfully [ Read the full article… ]
Saluting The Skin I’m In: 20 Years of Making a Difference
When I think about transformative Black children’s literature, The Skin I’m In (Jump at the Sun/Hyperion) is always on the list. This Coretta Scott King Award-winning debut novel by Sharon G. Flake was published 20 years ago and continues to make a difference in the lives of people around the world. Exploring themes like colorism, [ Read the full article… ]
Just Us Books Turns 30: A Special Interview
This month marks the 30th anniversary of Just Us Books. Founded by Wade and Cheryl Hudson, this ground-breaking company not only showed that Black children’s books were being overlooked, but that publishers were missing out on bestsellers. Their debut title, AFRO-BETS ABC Book, sold more than 5,000 copies in three months. From its beginning, Just [ Read the full article… ]
How You Like Us Now?
No need to be coy, it’s pretty obvious your favorite lit site for kid books by Black creatives has had a face lift. And I must say, the old girl looks good. Collaborative book efforts, like the Brown Bookshelf, are labors of love. We’re grateful for every eyeball that scans our posts and every individual [ Read the full article… ]
Book Party – Naomis Too
What do you do after launching a successful MG novel about blending families? Why follow it with a sequel, of course. Help us celebrate our Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich and the book birthday of Naomi’s Too. Co-authored by Audrey Vernick, Naomi’s Too follows Naomi E. and Naomi Marie as they try to navigate their new lives as step sisters. In this sequel to Two [ Read the full article… ]