Something Very Special

Today, the Brown Bookshelf is thrilled to celebrate the release of Desiree Cooper’s NOTHING SPECIAL, her picture book debut! “Nothing Special is…about a Detroit boy named Jax, who travels to Virginia to spend time with his grandparents. He thinks he’s going to do all the city things he loves, but his PopPop has other ideas,” [ 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… ]

Book cover of Recognize Anthology

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… ]

Mae Makes A Way

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… ]

Andréa Butler head shot

Putting Black Girls at the Center: A Chat with Andréa Butler of Sesi Magazine

Sesi Magazine celebrates the dynamic and multifaceted lives of Black girls and young women in ways that are thoughtful, joyful, and inspiring. And that’s no surprise — publisher and editor-in-chief Andréa Butler is all that and more. A t the age of seventeen, the magazine-loving Andréa decided that if the magazine world continued not to [ Read the full article… ]

Sade and Davina, Sade Mag

Honouring and Inspiring Black Girls and their Stories: Q & A with the founders of SADE MAGAZINE

I love magazines, like LOVE love. I’m extremely grateful that there are still a few shops in NYC that carry publications from around the world, because I will always believe in a meaty print periodical. I used to have a collection of vintage magazines and Black covers so large, that it was kept in a [ Read the full article… ]

The final set of Amplify Black Stories storyteller headshots

Meet the Amplify Black Stories Storytellers – Day 5

Today features the fifth and final set of storytellers in our Amplify Black Stories program. Remember, our storytellers work can be purchased at  THE LITERARY CAFE – BOOKS & EVENTS Bookstore Amplify Black Stories Book List, curated by The African American Children’s Book Project.    Sharon Langley is co-author of A RIDE TO REMEMBER, her [ Read the full article… ]

Set four of Amplify Black Stories Storytellers headshots

Meet the Amplify Black Stories Storytellers – Day 4

Today features the fourth set of storytellers in our Amplify Black Stories program. Remember, our storytellers work can be purchased at  THE LITERARY CAFE – BOOKS & EVENTS Bookstore Amplify Black Stories Book List, curated by The African American Children’s Book Project.    Nadia L. Hohn, M.Ed. is a world-traveling elementary school teacher and the [ Read the full article… ]