If you know me, you know how I feel about Vanessa Brantley Newton. If you don’t know, read this. In summary, she is my sister and she is brilliant. She is a generous friend of The Brown Bookshelf, and has gifted us permission to use her gorgeous illustrations on more than one occasion. She is [ Read the full article… ]
Daniel Minter’s art is bold, brilliant, and singular. Every book, every sculpture, every painting, every postage stamp…all are testaments to the compelling nature of his creative genius. In 2020, Minter was awarded a Caldecott Honor Award for Going Down Home With Daddy, his second award-winning collaboration with BBS member, Kelly Starling Lyons. Their first was [ Read the full article… ]
Two years ago on social networks, librarian Elizabeth Bird suggested that someone write a biography on Jerry Lawson—the self-taught engineer known as the “father of modern video gaming.” Back in the 70s, Lawson successfully lead the team of engineers who developed the first interchangeable video game cartridge (recently featured on Google). I hadn’t heard of [ Read the full article… ]
Talented, generous, dedicated and kind are just a few of the adjectives that describe Antwan Eady. Watching his rise has filled us with joy and pride. From helping to create a community for Black children’s book creators to showing love to Black authors and illustrators who paved the way and landing deals for his touching [ Read the full article… ]
On this first day of Black History Month 2022, we are excited to kick off our 28 Days Later campaign by highlighting the supremely talented Nikkolas Smith. This Houston, Texas, native has designed theme parks at Walt Disney Imagineering, and is now an ARTivist, concept artist, children’s books author, film illustrator and movie poster designer. [ Read the full article… ]
Floyd Cooper (January 8, 1956-July 15, 2021) was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His artistic talents began early. In an interview for Mackin Community, he said, “I began my artistic sojourn by erasing. When I was three years old I plucked a piece of gypsum board from a scrap heap left by my Dad [ Read the full article… ]
Thursday, President Joe Biden signed a bill into law making Juneteenth the first federal holiday established since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Marking the date when General Gordon Granger arrived with the Union Army to enforce that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas were free – June 19, 1865 – Juneteenth is a celebration of [ Read the full article… ]
For nearly three decades, Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati has celebrated and promoted the outstanding work of Black children’s book authors and illustrators through her essential organization, The African American Children’s Book Project. She has been a champion of connecting kids with Black creators, raising the profile of Black children’s literature and boosting sales through media exposure and [ Read the full article… ]
