Looking for outstanding picture books by Black creators? Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati, founder of the African American Children’s Book Project, shared her best picture books of 2021. All are available for purchase at her Bookshop site, The Literary Cafe. Save the date for the 30th Annual African American Children’s Book Fair – Saturday, February 5 from 10 [ Read the full article… ]
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Generations Book Club: The Gift of Truth
“We are at a crossroads, trying to figure out what’s next, and in order to get to the other side, we have to wade in the water.” -Kwame Alexander In some of the current conversations on limiting access to books, censorship, and outright bans, even the “nice people” worry and wonder that our young people [ Read the full article… ]

WE CAN: Portraits of Power by Tyler Gordon
“When I was born, the doctors told my mom that if I did survive I would have lots of health problems and be blind, deaf and severely mentally delayed . . . Boy were they wrong!” —Tyler Gordon Fifteen-year-old Tyler Gordon has had a lot to manage in his young life. He is partially deaf [ Read the full article… ]

Roundtable Resource List
Resource List The Brown Bookshelf is designed to raise awareness of the many Black voices writing for young readers. Our signature campaign is 28 Days Later, a Black History Month celebration of outstanding Black creators. Just Us Books (read our Q&A with founders Cheryl and Wade Hudson here, and watch Just [ Read the full article… ]

Wade Hudson on DEFIANT: Growing Up in the Jim Crow South
“With his compelling memoir, Hudson will inspire young readers to emulate his ideals and accomplishments.” –Booklist, Starred Review Getting to know Wade Hudson is such a treat and a privilege, and his middle grade memoir DEFIANT: Growing Up in the Jim Crow South, is a genuine blessing. In DEFIANT, readers will get a glimpse of [ Read the full article… ]

Recognize: An Anthology Honoring and Amplifying Black Life – The Conversation
Many times, the Brown Bookshelf family turns to Wade and Cheryl Hudson for inspiration and institutional knowledge of Black creatives in publishing – both our triumphs and our tribulations. It was our honor to sit with the Hudsons and contributors Nikki Grimes and London Ladd to talk about their latest project, an innovative and groundbreaking [ Read the full article… ]

COVER REVEAL: MAE MAKES A WAY
Oh my goodness, this one was a DREAM. I’m so excited to share this exquisite cover by Andrea Pippins for MAE MAKES A WAY: The True Story of Mae Reeves, Hat and History Maker, my upcoming picture book with artist Andrea Pippins, for Random House Kids and the Smithsonian National Museum for African American History [ Read the full article… ]