The Brown Bookshelf Announces Spotlight Authors
(Severna Park, MD) The Brown Bookshelf, today, announced the twenty-eight authors to be spotlighted in the groups’ 28 Days Later initiative, a month-long celebration of vanguard and emerging children’s authors of color starting February first. In addition, the campaign will spotlight four illustrators on the rise. “Since our launch, it’s been sixty intense days of research, reading and relishing the truly talented works out there,” said Brown Bookshelf member, Paula Chase Hyman. “We’re excited to finally unveil some of children’s literatures best kept secrets and jewels.”
Librarians, writers, publishers and readers of children’s literature answered the groups’ November first call to present African American authors flying under the radar of librarians and teachers. Over one hundred names of Picture Book, Middle Grade and Young Adult authors were submitted at the Brown Bookshelf website. “We discovered quickly that the definition of under the radar varies,” said Brown Bookshelf member, Varian Johnson. “Some of the finalists may be recognized among readers, but virtually unknown by a majority of influencers. Or vice versa.”
The five members culled submitted names down to nine authors per literary category via research, speaking to booksellers and librarians and using circulation and library inventory data. The twenty-eight finalists include six vanguard authors – individuals who are the forefront of the genre – and two stand-out, self-published authors.
“The selection represents a nice variety of emerging and popular authors that will surely pique anyone’s interest,” said Karen Lemmons of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. “We need to support these authors by reading, discussing and promoting their works.”
A vibrant poster acknowledging the featured authors and illustrators is live on the Brown Bookshelf home page. It’s available for download.
The authors, their most current book and the day they will be featured are as follows:
Key:
Authors in bold are vanguard authors
Illustrator spotlights are in italics
Feb 1 Christopher Paul Curtis – Elijah of Buxton
Feb 2 Michelle Meadows – The Way The Storm Stops
Feb 3 Dana Davidson – Played
Feb 4 Rita Williams-Garcia – No Laughter Here
Feb 5 G. Neri – Chess Rumble & Sean Qualls – Phillis’s Big Test
Feb 6 Janice N. Harrington – The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County
Feb 7 Eleanora E. Tate – Celeste’s Harlem Renaissance
Feb 8 Patricia McKissack – The All-I’ll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll
Feb 9 M. Sindy Felin – Touching Snow
Feb 10 Jabari Asim – Daddy Goes To Work
Feb 11 Mildred D. Taylor – The Road To Memphis
Feb 12 Nina Crews – The Neighborhood Mother Goose & Leonard Jenkins – Sweet Land of Liberty
Feb 13 Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu – The Shadow Speaker
Feb 14 Allison Whittenberg – Sweet Thang
Feb 15 Walter Dean Myers – Game
Feb 16 Tonya Bolden – George Washington Carver
Feb 17 Troy Cle – The Marvelous Effect
Feb 18 Eloise Greenfield – The Friendly Four
Feb 19 Sundee T. Frazier – Brendan Buckley’s Universe and Everything In It & John Holyfield – Bessie Smith & the Night Riders
Feb 20 Carole Boston Weatherford – I, Matthew Henson: Polar Explorer
Feb 21 Karen English – Nikki & Deja
Feb 22 Coe Booth – Tyrell
Feb 23 Irene Smalls – My Pop Pop and Me
Feb 24 Stephanie Perry Moore – Prayed Up: Perry Skky Jr. #4
Feb 25 Kyra E. Hicks, Martha Ann’s Quilt for Queen Victoria
Feb 26 Celise Downs – Dance Jam Productions & Shane Evans- When Harriet Met Sojourner
Feb 27 Valerie Wilson Wesley – Willimena Rules!: 23 Ways to mess up Valentine’s Day
Feb 28 Sherri L. Smith – Sparrow
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