For a few years now, The Brown Bookshelf  has talked about the need for more diversity in children’s and YA books. Our focus here has been books by and/or about African Americans. Our voices are strongest during the month of February, when we host our 28 Days Later campaign. Thankfully within recent months — and [ Read the full article… ]

Today, we are proud to announce the honorees for our seventh annual 28 Days Later campaign, a Black History Month celebration of emerging and established children’s book creators of color. As is tradition, a stand-out author or illustrator will be saluted each day during February.  The month-long submissions window for our campaign opened in October. [ Read the full article… ]

On Saturday, February 1, literary consultant and multicultural children’s literature advocate Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati will host the 22nd African American Children’s Book Fair at the Community College of Philadelphia. It’s a stand-out event that attracts thousands of readers who want to celebrate black children’s book creators and purchase books for their schools, libraries and homes. We [ Read the full article… ]

Have an idea for a YA novel? Have a finished manuscript, but you’re not sure how to craft a pitch? Here’s a chance to get it seen. In honor of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), Serendipity Literary Agency and Sourcebooks Inc. have teamed up to host their 5th annual Young Adult Novel Discovery Contest. All you have [ Read the full article… ]

Thank you for your participation in our 28 Days Later nomination process. At this point, we will gather names that you submitted, as well as toss in our own. Please look for our announcement of the 28 Days Later, 2014 honorees towards the end of this year. Thanks again. The Brown Bookshelf Team

Get ready to rep your favorites. It’s that time. The submissions window has officially opened for the seventh annual 28 Days Later campaign, a Black History Month celebration of picture books, middle grade and young adult novels written and illustrated by African Americans. We will take nominations today through November 8th. Over the past six [ Read the full article… ]

This month marks the 50th anniversary of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, a horrific event which became a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement. Award-winning author Carole Boston Weatherford pays homage to the four girls who lost their lives in her powerful book, Birmingham, 1963. Here, Carole talks about the history and the inspiration for her acclaimed book as part of [ Read the full article… ]

Picture books that commemorate this historic day: I Have a Dream, by Martin Luther King, Jr; illustrated by Kadir Nelson (Schwartz & Wade, 2012) Synopsis from publisher: “From Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s daughter, Dr. Bernice A. King: “My father’s dream continues to live on from generation to generation, and this beautiful and powerful illustrated edition [ Read the full article… ]