I’ve never understood how people can cheer for adults playing professional sports and still form their mouths to question why someone would pursue the creative arts professionally. Athletes literally play a game for a living, but we question dancers? Artists? Writers? Has capitalism gotten us so twisted that we only covet careers that bring us [ Read the full article… ]
Category: General
Celebrating Our Voices: 28 Days Later Honorees
We are proud to announce the honorees for our 11th annual 28 Days Later campaign, a Black History Month celebration of outstanding children’s book creators. Each day during February, we will showcase an author or illustrator whose work reflects parts of who we are. It’s more important than ever to raise awareness and support books [ Read the full article… ]
So, what DO y’all want?
Some days I feel like the old school griot of The Brown Bookshelf whose only job is to remind folks of the origins. You know? I’m here to remind folks where we started and compare it to where we’ve come. So, in that spirit, I got to thinking that maybe behind-the-scenes publishing is saying of [ Read the full article… ]
Voices of Change: A Teen Reflects on Freedom
Freedom By JGL, 13 What’s the use of freedom, if we’re not really free You say all religions will be treated equally Don’t ostracize Muslims, let them be What’s the use of freedom, if we’re not really free Our president doesn’t support free press, it may be gone soon Forthright writing is only found once [ Read the full article… ]
Shining the Spotlight: The Brown Bookshelf Salutes Great Books for Kids
If you’re attending AASL, please join us for our Shining the Spotlight program today in Room North 124A from 10:40 a.m. to 11:40 a.m. The BBS team will be represented by Gwendolyn Hooks, Kelly Starling Lyons, Tameka Fryer Brown and Crystal Allen. Following the session, Crystal will sign at booth 223 from 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. [ Read the full article… ]
Voices of Change: A Poet’s Call
“That Village” By Johnny Ray Moore Let’s all become that VILLAGE, Just like we used to be? That VILLAGE made of KINGS and QUEENS, A place of DIGNITY. Back then, WE RAISED our children, We taught them RIGHT from WRONG, When problems came and shook their FAITH, We urged them to HOLD ON. [ Read the full article… ]
Call for Submissions – 28 Days Later
It’s that time. The submissions window has officially opened for the 11th annual 28 Days Later campaign, a Black History Month celebration of black children’s book creators. We will take nominations today through November 10th. Over the past decade, we have proudly saluted more than 250 authors and illustrators through our signature initiative. But there [ Read the full article… ]
Grown Too Soon
Too many times we’ve heard the refrain “gone too soon” to allude to a life cut short. A wistful phrase lamenting the potential of one who has earned their wings prematurely. Sadly, the sentiment can also be applied to children of color and the premature death of their innocence. But I’ll call it grown too [ Read the full article… ]