You know how it goes, “If you build it . . .” That’s just what happened for Earl Sewell. When publishers didn’t give him a break, he created his own opportunity by starting Katie Books, a publishing company named for his late mother.

Sewell published his first novel and worked hard for two years selling it. Then, guess what? New York publishers came knocking.

Today, he is the author of more than 17 novels that have won accolades and been featured in publications including The Washington Post and Publishers Weekly. We are proud to salute young adult novelist Earl Sewell on Day 12 of our campaign:

The Journey

In the beginning, I think I was like every other would be writer. I felt I had a knack for storytelling, and I wanted to see my work in print. As a student at Columbia College, I studied fiction writing and thought for sure I’d graduate and suddenly become a world renowned author. Unfortunately, that did not happen, at least not at that time. For the next seven years, I attempted to attract the attention of a New York Publisher. After receiving over forty rejection letters, I gave up on the idea. In 1999, after the death of my mother, I decided to self-publish a book I’d written called, Taken For Granted. I successfully hand sold several thousand copies of the title throughout the Midwest. In 2001, the book landed in the hands of an editor in New York. She liked the story and offered to publish the book for national distribution. From that point forward, I’ve been fortunate enough to continually acquire book deals.

The Inspiration

I worked for a public library in my early twenties, which is where I first encountered the works of Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Wright and James Baldwin. Up until that time, I did not realize that African American writers even existed. My unawareness was a result of my suburban upbringing. After reading the works of those writers, I searched the book shelves for more authors. I found Alice Walker, Terry McMillian and a host of other authors who inspired me. One of the highlights of my career took place in 2009. While on a book tour, in St. Louis, I had an opportunity to share the spotlight with Terry McMillan whose works I’d always admired.

The Back Story

I currently have contracts with two publishers. One contract is for my young adult series, and the other is for my adult titles. Both book deals are the result of the hard work of myself and my literary agent. I wish there was some terrific back story to tell, but there is not. I am currently writing my nineteenth book, which in these difficult times is a real blessing.

The Buzz
My most recent book, Maya’s Choice, was submitted for an award to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Keysha’s Drama, which is the first in a five book series, has been selected as a quick pick for reluctant readers by the American Library Association. The ot

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Bryan Collier is our Vanguard illustrator for this year’s 28 Days Later Campaign. He is a trailblazer among African American children’s book creators. His unique style of art combines watercolor and collage, and has earned him numerous Caldecott honor awards, as well as Coretta Scott King awards and honors.

Encouraged at home and at school, Collier began experimenting with watercolor and collage when he was 15-years-old. It was something that sort of clicked in him overnight, he has said, and the began painting the next day.

Collier says of his collage work: “Collage is more than just an art style. Collage is all about bringing different elements together. Once you form a sensibility about connection, how different elements relate to each other, you deepen your understanding of yourself and others.”

Today, Bryan Collier talks about his most recent book, Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave.

The Journey

In June 1990 I was in a Barnes & Noble in Manhattan in the picture book section. Being surrounded by all those books reminded me of my favorite books from my childhood: The Snowy Day, Whistle for Willie, and Harold and Purple Crayon. There was something about these three classic books that struck a deeper cord with me. The special element was that the main character in these books all looked like me, a person of color, even Harold.

As I looked around that day in 1990 at the shelves and shelves of books, I didn’t see anything that looked like me. So that was the moment when I said to myself that I was going to make picture books and tell new stories.

With portfolio in hand, I went door to door for 7 years to any and every publishing house in Manhattan I could find until someone said YES. And someone did.

The Inspiration

I love the work of Nikki Giovanni and Jacqueline Woodson because while both writers are very different, their writings embody that authentic voice that’s full of passion emotion and movement.

Recent recognition

Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave is my most recent book and some of the acclaim/honors are as follows:

New York Times bestseller

Caldecott Honor

Coretta Scott King Medal for Illustration

Americas Award

Carter G. Woodson Honor

ALSC Notable Books for Children

The state of the industry

Here in 2012, again I went into a Barnes & Noble and looked around for some books by or about people of color…and I’m still looking.

A few other titles illustrated by Bryan Collier include the following:

Barack Obama: Son of a Promise, Child of Hope (written by Nikki Grimes), Simon & Schuster, 2008

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Author and storyteller Atinuke’s delightful and award-winning ANNA HIBISCUS and NO. 1 CAR SPOTTER books are truly a deep breath of fresh air in the world of children’s literature. Anna Hibiscus lives in “amazing Africa” with her extended family in a wonderful house in a beautiful garden in a big city. Oluwalase Babatunde Benson is known as “No.1 car spotter” by friends and family because he can identify every make of car that goes by on the busy road that passes the village. Atinuke’s sharply-drawn characters, her loving attention to detail and sense of place, and her buoyant sense of humour shine on every page of these chapter books.

Atinuke was born in Ibadan, Nigeria, where she “wanted firstly and desperately to be a Boy, then an Adventurer, and lastly, An Author.” She decided to become a reader, and then a storyteller. “I got through the trials and tribulations of life by escaping into books and making up stories in my head. My journal stayed with me through all my adventures, crammed with poetry and reflections and questions.”

After a stint at boarding school, adventures in England, France, Germany and Spain, a bout of illness led Atinuke to write ANNA HIBISCUS. Atinuke’s nuanced tales, called “memorable and enchanting”, explore issues of class, family, and tradition with love; and they invite readers to explore “different ways of living, different ways of viewing the world all without preaching, judgement and without feeding stereotypes.”

For more of Atinuke, visit Mitali Perkins’ blog and an interview at Playing By The Book.

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After reading T.L.. Clarke’s story of hard work and endurance, we’re so very proud to honor her in the spotlight of The Brown Bookshelf’s 28 Day Program. For every writer dreaming of the day when they’ll see their work published, here’s a story for you.

Tell Us About Your Journey

I started writing my debut Young Adult/Middle Grade novel “The Secret of the Scarlet Stone” a couple of years ago after looking around and not seeing a lot of paranormal and fantasy novels that had characters that were diverse, that’s when the seed for the concept of my novel was firmly planted in my mind.

After that, I just started writing the draft then stopped, then started again, really writing in spurts when I had some spare time. Everything restarted when I decided to take on the completion of my novel as a NaNo project, I wanted to challenge myself, expand my creativity and yes that’s right, finally complete my book. With my writing engine restarted and with the encouragement and support of my husband, before I knew it, finally I had my draft novel completed.

I was exhilarated with the momentous completion, but then I asked myself well, what’s next? Well publishing of course. I absolutely knew that I did not want to go through the finding a publisher route, frankly I never even entertained the thought and knew that being an independent author was definitely for me so I started doing some research and was excited to find the wealth of good information out there on successful independent authors like J.A. Konrath who has a list of what you need to become a successful independent author: “Write good books, with good descriptions, good formatting, and good cover art, sell them cheap, and keep at it until you get lucky.”

This list was my starting point; I hired an editor, got my book professionally formatted and hired a cover artist. I don’t have to add but I think I will that there was a lot of other things to consider along my journey like learning how to market my book, reaching out to book bloggers and diving into the whole social networking scene, all of which was (and will continue to be) integral to getting the word out about my book.

What or Who Inspired You?

First and foremost, I am a big fan of paranormal and fantasy novels that’s why I read it (lots of it) and that’s why I write it (Book #2, “Blood Oath” scheduled for release March 6, 2012). A few of the many young adult writers that inspire me are Richelle Mead, Samantha Young (independent author), and Andrea Cremer. I just love their creative play on the paranormal and fantasy theme and their knack for reaching their young adult target audience.

The Back Story

As I stated in my journey to publication, I definitely knew that I didn’t want to go through the finding a publisher route, I knew that being an independent author was definitely for me. I did a lot of research on publishing, marketing and found a lot of good information out there about successful independent authors.

I love being an independent author an

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Great interview! So glad to know this interesting background on author Tracey Baptiste.

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You are so welcome, Tracey! It was an honor getting to know you and your work.

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Thanks Shar!

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So very proud of you Tracey. You’ve got ‘stick-to-it-ive-ness”! Ms. Thomas would be very proud. And I LOVED the novel too. We all know deep down inside what we want to be. Don’t ever stop believing in yourself for a moment. You have what it takes.

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Oh, and tadmack, my drawings were really just scribbles. They don’t quite qualify me as an illustrator, though I wish it did! :)

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Thanks so much for having me, I’m really honored to be featured this month along with so many other writers that I love! It’s great that you’re getting the word out about “under the radar” writers. And I’ll check back all day in case anyone has any questions for me.
Thanks again Brown Bookshelf!!! You guys rock!

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Sketches drawn by the author, no less! She’s not just a mother and an author, but an illustrator as well!

This tells me a little something about DETERMINATION – and sneaking in your writing a little at a time, every moment you have. I am impressed and glad to learn about Ms. Tracey Baptiste.

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Tracey Baptiste loves fairy tales, science fiction, and eating her mom’s saltfish fritters—accra. She also loves writing and has written both nonfiction and fiction. Her nonfiction includes biographies about authors: Stephanie Meyers, Jerry Spinelli, Sharon Creech, and Madeleine L’Engle and conservationist Al Gore. She also wrote two books about character education: Being a Leader and Making Decisions and Overcoming Prejudice.

Tracey is a hard working author and it’s hard to believe she had time to write her novel Angel’s Grace. Although born in Trinidad, Tracey now lives in New York. Her love of the island comes through in her novel.

Today, the 8th day of our fifth annual 28 Days Later campaign, we’re honoring Tracey Baptiste  for her writing successes and her contributions to the world of children’s publishing.

The Journey

I grew up in Trinidad, the last island of the Caribbean, where folktale creatures were as alive as the fish in the sea, and just as likely to jump out and bite you. My house was filled with books and paper, and pens and pencils. By the time I was three years old, I was reading. By the time I was five, I was sure I could write books. At age thirteen, I confessed my intention to be a writer to my best friend. She laughed and said, “But you’re failing English.” True. I was not a good student. But I would sit in the back of my classes and weave tales in whispered tones to my friends, who leaned in to hear them. So I knew that despite the bad grades, I was well equipped to write.

I wrote my first novel that year. It was twelve chapters of the worst prose imaginable. Fortunately, it got lost by the time I moved from Trinidad to Brooklyn at the age of fifteen. But by then, I was also writing steadily, and getting slowly better. I read THE FRIEND by Rosa Guy, and it so mirrored my own experience as a young girl, new to New York, and new to the anguish of falling in and out of love, that I immediately started writing for a younger audience. All that time I had been trying to write like an adult! No wonder I was struggling.

I got a degree in Elementary Education and my writing slanted toward picture books. One of my best stories, about one of my uncles in Trinidad, was sent to Lee and Low Publishers, because they specialized in books by and for minorities, and I felt it would be a perfect fit. They liked the writing, but not enough to publish it, but they asked me to send them something else. In my haste to get out another book to them as quickly as possible, I sent them something that wasn’t quite ready, which they promptly (and rightly) turned down. I decided that dealing with publishers on my own was too tough, so many query letters and a few months later, I had signed on with Barbara S. Kouts, an agent in Connecticut, who had been in the business for a long time, and believed in my work. I was happy to have a partner, and to feel that I was a legitimate writer.

The Inspiration

We live in a great age for literature. There is so much to choose from. I am inspired every day by writers, both well established and brand new, who seem to speak so directly to me that I think they’ve crawled right into my head and wrote what I was thinking when I wasn’t paying attention to myself. As a kid, I loved Paul Zindel, especially The Pigman, and My Darling, My Hamburger. I didn’t know that stories existed that were funny while still being touching and very real. Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret, was another lesson in hilarity coupled with what I felt was shocking realism. By the time

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[...] 1 – Kwame Alexander- Acoustic Rooster (PB) February 2 – Denise Lewis Patrick The Cecile Series: American Girl  (MG) February 3 – Noni Carter Good Fortune (YA) February 4 [...]

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[...] Haskins- BBS Vanguard (PB) February 5 – NiNi Simone  The Break-Up Diaries (YA) February 6 – Keith Shepherd Walking Home To Rosie Lee (PB) February 7 – Nikki Giovanni BBS Vanguard (PB) February 8 – [...]

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[...] The Fifth Annual 28 Days Later campaign is underway, and today’s honoree is none other than the incredible Nikki Giovanni! [...]

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Known around the world for her award-winning, soul-stirring poetry and activism, Nikki Giovanni has been creating books for young people for more than four decades. From Spin a Soft Black Song (1971) and Ego-Tripping and Other Poems for Young People (1973)  to Rosa (2005) and Hip Hop Speaks to Children (2008), Giovanni’s poetry collections for kids and picture books celebrate themes like history, family and cultural pride.

The poem, Ego-Tripping, she says in a Scholastic interview, was written as a gift to girls. “Boys have everything to support their independence and area of wonderfulness; they have baseball players and astronauts. I wanted the young women to know that we too are wonderful, everything that happened we did it . . . “

A true vanguard author, we celebrate Nikki Giovanni on Day 7 of our campaign:

THE JOURNEY 

The journey begins with the idea.  It begins with a story.  The journey is the step any writer takes to declare:  I have something to say.   I have a voice.  I need to use it.  Since poetry is my vehicle on this journey I chose to form my own publishing company and publish myself.  I learned to set type, to bind, to cut.  These skills are not necessary in the computer  age but they were then.  Skills give us freedom.  Freedom gives us wings.

THE INSPIRATION

I am a lover of history.  It was Malcolm X who said:  “Of all our endeavors, history is most qualified to reward  all research.”  That may not be a totally accurate quote but I remember being enchanted with heroes, with quests, with the search for the difficult and  the unknown.  Human beings are worthy of our interests.  I continue to be fascinated by who we are and the of which greatness we are capable.

THE BACK STORY

As a former child, which so many of us forget we once were, I always loved books of heroes:  strong, determined folk who were making a difference.  I guess you would call that Romantic.  And it was.  One of the main reasons I so enjoyed writing ROSA was that Mrs. Parks was not only a personal friend but an icon who carried her very significant moral weight so very lightly.  Like an angel picking up a bolder and laughing.  I wanted young people to understand that Rosa Parks was a real woman who bided her time until History called.  She was ready. I wanted her love of life to show but also her deeply seated sense of history. She knew when to laugh; she understood it was all right to cry.  She changed history by being ready to be a servant to the good and the right.  I am so proud we were awarded Caldecott Honors for ROSA.

I also wanted to do something with a group of young people who I think were so  misunderstood:  the Hip Hop Generation.  I edited Hip Hop Speaks to Children so that parents and grandparents could hear the message and the music of a

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Keith Shepherd is an artist, designer, and illustrator, living in Kansas City, Missouri. He began his professional career at Hallmark Cards. Shepherd’s art has been exhibited at galleries shows around the country. Most notably, a painting entitled Sunday Best, became a part of the permanent collection at the Negro League Baseball Museum. Shepherd’s bold and colorful art has been compared to the work of Thomas Hart Benton.

In 2011, with encouragement from author-illustrator Shane W. Evans, Shepherd made his debut as a picture illustrator. His art told the story of Walking Home to Rosie Lee, (Cinco Puntos, ages 7 to 10), written by A. LaFaye. It’s the story about a young slave child, freed after the Civil War, who sets off on a journey to find his mother, sold off during slavery.

Today, Mr. Shepherd talks about his book Walking Home to Rosie Lee.

By Keith Shepherd

THE  JOURNEY I have always loved books. Especially art books and the printed image. Besides the written text and an artist’s imagination, I wondered how the book was printed on a page and made into actual literature. These are questions I would ask myself before I could even remotely conceive an answer. Years later working for Hallmark Cards, I explored that solution with each product made. There I learned about color, art, paper stocks, inks, printing, lettering etc. You can imagine the wealth of talent at that company. While there I made the acquaintance of Shane Evans, now a celebrated writer and illustrator in his own right. We’ve remained friends after we left the job. One day I got a heads up from him about an opportunity to illustrate a book. I was reluctant because I wanted to concentrate on my gallery work!

THE INSPIRATION  Besides the aforementioned Shane Evans, I also enjoy the work of contemporaries William Joyce, Kadir Nelson, David Shannon, Jerry Pinkney, Anna Marie Basom, Scott Gustafson, Loren Long to name a few. That’s due mostly due to their influences from fine artists and golden age illustrators like Norman Rockwell, Thomas Hart Benton, N.C. Wyeth, Ernie Barnes, Fletcher Martin and Rose O’Neill. They’ve drawn from these pioneers and made it their own. They don’t just illustrate a narrative but explore each word for its endless possibilities.

THE BACK STORY  How I got my ‘deal’ returns once again to Shane. He asked if he could recommend me to a publisher. I told him I might pass because I had lost three years to being an educator and health issues and was eager to return to my studio. He said no harm in looking into it and I agreed. Soon after I received a phone call from Lee Byrd at Cinco Puntos Press out of El Paso,Texas. She relayed to me a story by Alexandria La Faye ,’WALKING HOME TO ROSIE LEE.’ I thought it might be feasible so she sent me the document via email. I was blown away by the text. Well-written first-person prose of a child recently freed from the bondage of  slavery and

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 Who is Ni-Ni Simone?

* A Jersey girl with an obsession for reality TV and celebrity gossip

* A prolific writer who “whipped up” her first YA novel, Shortie Like Mine, in just two weeks!

* The author of 7 teen novels for Dafina including: Upgrade U, The Break-Up Diaries (Vol. 1), and the forthcoming, No Boyz Allowed (July 31, 2012).

* Day five’s 28 Days Later featured author.

 

But, in her own words…

The Journey

Since I was a child I have always loved writing. I used to rewrite my favorite television shows and change the ending. I studied writing in college and was even the editor-in-chief of the college’s literary magazine. In 2003, I decided to pursue my writing on a professional level. I mailed my manuscript to a small publisher and was offered a book deal.

 

The Inspiration

I am inspired by love, life, people, trials, tribulations, and the life lessons that we all have learned, will learn, or should learn!

 

The Back Story

I am an established author in adult contemporary fiction. I was asked if I would like to write teen fiction and initially I said no. I didn’t think it was something that I could do. However, after thinking it over and speaking with a few friends I took on the challenge and to my surprise I fell in-love with this genre!

 

The Buzz

Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Romantic Times have all given Ni-Ni Simone wonderful reviews! When my first teen novel, Shortie Like Mine, was released, Library Journal wrote “A Young Adult Star is born!”

 

The State of the Industry

I think that young adult fiction for children of color is such a beautiful thing! There was once a time when our teens had nothing to read that reflected them or spotlighted their beauty. However, that is no longer the case! They can now walk into a book store and have an amazing variety!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more info on Ni-Ni Simone and her books, visit  NiniSimone.com

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As the author of more than 100 books for adults and children, James Haskins built a literary legacy that is breathtaking. If his name doesn’t ring a bell, it should; He won the Coretta Scott King award for his biography, The Story of Stevie Wonder, in 1976, and went on to win several more CSK honours.

Born at home September 19, 1941, in rural, segregated Demopolis, Alabama, to parents who did not attend high school but “fostered a love of books and of reading” in their son’s life, Haskins had a thirst for literature. Because the public library did not admit Black people, his mother bought encyclopedias, one at a time, from the local supermarket, and brought them home to her son. A White woman who knew his mother also began to check out library books for Jim to read.

In his segregated school, where textbooks were out of date and inaccurate, the need for the story of the Black experience to be shared was painfully evident, and when Haskins went to the prestigious Boston Latin School, he took to heart lessons in activism, and responsible dissent. As a student at Alabama State University in Alabama, Haskins contacted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and worked with the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement in protests against segregation. For his work toward justice, Haskins was expelled from Alabama State. He went on to complete his Bachelor’s degree at Georgetown University, then went back to Alabama State for another bachelor’s degree, and followed that with a Master’s degree from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

Haskins went on to work as a stockbroker, and then a teacher in Harlem, NY. His teaching experiences led to his first published book, Diary of a Harlem School Teacher (1969). In addition to the CSK awards and honours, Haskins was also awarded the Carter G. Woodson Award for young adult non-fiction for his books Black Music in America, The March on Washington, and Carter G. Woodson: The Man Who Put “Black” in American History. His Count Your Way series (on the Arab World, China, Japan, Russia) won the Alabama Library Association Award for best work for children in 1988, and in 1994, he was presented the Washington Post Children’s Book Guild Award for a body of work in nonfiction for young people. Haskins went on to write and teach in a dazzling array of capacities, including a stint as guest curator for the Smithsonian Institutions Traveling Exhibition Services, general editor of the Hippocrene African Language Dictionaries series and the John Wiley & Sons’ Black Stars series, and a member of the board of the legendray Black history magazine Footsteps, published by Cobblestone Press. Professor Haskins served on the faculty of the Department of English at the University of Florida; the African-American Studies Program has established a fellowship for visiting scholars in his name. James Haskins died on July 5, 2005, but this was a man on a lifelong mission to educate and enlighten the world, and his legacy as an author for all ages and historian lives on and shines bright.

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Here’s a question: When you think of someone who is a classical pianist, a poet and published novelist, what age range of person immediately pops in your head?  Thirties? Forties? Older?

Not this time.

Meet twenty-year-old Noni Carter, a young, talented woman, putting all of her music and writing talents to use.

Noni loves to write about historical fiction, with a special interest in African American history.  The Brown Bookshelf is delighted to honor her during our 28 Days Program.

Tell Us About Your Journey to Publication.

I set out writing Good Fortune at the young age of twelve. It began with a dream- a dream to take my passion for writing and for teaching through the written word and combine that with my desire to learn about my past, my history, my family, and my ancestors. The inspiration hit when, one evening, my great Aunt Addie sat the family down in my home and began to share ancient family stories with the group. Of all of the stories in the heap, it was one in particular that reached out to me, the story of my great-great-great grandmother Rose who, at the tender age of twelve, stood on the banks of the Mississippi River and watched as her mother disappeared over the horizon on a ship, sold away, never to be seen by her daughter again. This story somehow dug into the depths of my soul, and encouraged me to make a dedication to share this legacy of slavery, to use the inspiration my great-great-great grandmother gave me to reach into the hearts and minds of other young people like myself. And this I did. At fifteen, the storyline of the manuscript was complete. As the Universe had it, we met one of the most openhearted, talented, and supportive individuals – publisher, writer, poet, and speaker Mr. Kwame Alexander- who took me as a mentor of sorts and helped guide my family and I through the rollercoaster of the publishing world. Finally, in January of 2010, Simon & Schuster released the manuscript.

With the release, I’ve had the opportunity to travel and share with young people a message I like to call my “five E’s”, concepts both applicable to the past, as well as to this present 21st century, messages that endorse creativity, a desire to be lifelong learners, a commitment to freeing ourselves from what hold us back in order to succeed, and an understanding that when we follow our passions, everything else will fall into place. If I can spread these messages of learning, of academic excellence, of listening to voices from the past, of reaching with zeal for the future, of staying committed to the dreams that lie within, I will have accomplished a large aspect of my purpose here.

Who or What Inspired You?

When I think about the writers and creators that have an influence on the way I see this world of artistry, I realize how diverse and varied this (ever-growing) list is for me. I’m always moved by the ability of words alone to touch the heart, something individuals like Haiti’s Frankétienne and our Maya Angelou have illustrated to me. From a young age, I’ve been inspired by the novels and novelists that ventured into my world from the African & African American folktales I grew up reading to the mystery/fantasy books that created new worlds for me.

There are certain mentors that have helped shape the world of creativity I enter into when I write, mentors both of yesterday, such as Zora Neale Hurston, Pauline Hopkins, Charles Chestnutt, etc. who speak to me on the levels of individuality, of a struggle towards freedom, of self-love, and of the importance of history, and those mentors of today like Alice Walker who’s works have represented for me a pivotal space i

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Denise Lewis Patrick author of the Cecile American Girl Books comes from a family of women who have propelled themselves forward for generations. Not to be outdone, Denise is following their lead with her own successes. Drawing from her life growing up in Louisiana, Denise adds a little bit of herself in each of her books.

She wrote and illustrated her first book when she was ten, stitching the pages together on her mother’s sewing machine. Armed with more than 35 books, Denise has publishers waiting in line to stitch together her latest words. Whether it’s poetry, board books, picture books, historical fiction, middle grade, young adult, or biographies Denise has written it. She is filled with a generous nature which shows as Denise shares her expertise with the young writers she mentors at a local middle school.

Denise is married and the mother of four sons. She writes from her home in New Jersey.

Today, the second day of our fifth annual 28 Days Later campaign, we’re honoring Denise Lewis Patrick for her writing successes and her contributions to the world of children’s publishing.

The Journey

When people ask me what I do, I say, “I’m a writer.”  If any of my family is around, they quickly remind me to say, “author.”  But that’s never how I think of myself.  I’ve always wanted to tell stories.  When I was very young, I made up stories about my dolls, or even the people in magazine ads… I still find stories everywhere.  I started writing poetry when I was eight or nine. So, from early on, I knew writing would be a part of my life.

Growing up in a small town Louisiana, though, I never thought of writing as a career choice.  My parents, a grandmother, aunts and cousins were all teachers.  I didn’t plan on that, but it was a possible way to go.  Then in high school, I worked on the newspaper, and the literary magazine.  I took journalism courses.  I discovered that people could get paid a living to write.  Wow!  My first real fight with my parents was over my decision to major in just Journalism, and not Journalism Education.  I went to the state college three blocks down the street, and somehow I ended up with an internship at Essence magazine in New York during senior year.

That internship turned into my first publishing job.  It didn’t last long, but there I met and was introduced to other African American writers and authors, and joined the Harlem Writers Guild.  In my spare time I wrote poetry, and none of my short stories ever quite got finished. Workwise, I hopped and skipped around, landing at Scholastic.

That’s where I found my voice writing for young people of all ages.  The challenge, which I eagerly accepted, was learning to write about real life topics—news—for kids in a clear and non-condescending way.  I also got the opportunity to have fun there, writing both original plays and adaptations, creating puzzles and games, and educational activities for teachers to use with the magazine content. After five years at Scholastic, I was hooked on the children’s publishing industry.

It took a few more years and the urging of my best friend and my husband for me to stop fiddling with other people’s words, and start working with my own again.  I eventually did freelance in educational publishing, and various work-for-hire book projects.  I got the idea for my first trade picture book, Red Dancing Shoes (1993), while I was watching a dance sequence at the Metropolitan Opera.  The dancers’ red shoes reminded me of the red patent leather Mary Janes I had and loved as a little girl.  I wrote a draft in about a week. I am still shocked

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The Journey

Brooklyn Public Library. New York. 1978. I remember being forced to walk across Linden Boulevard. See we read at home all the time. My father was a writer, my mother and English teacher. Our walls were lines with shelves and shelves of books, so the idea of spending a fun day on a Saturday at the library was torturous at best. Once we got there, it was not too bad. My sisters were making beads and crafts in one room. My mother was reading a vegetarian cookbook somewhere, I was watching a film. It was truly a family experience. And it was joyous for each of us for our own reasons. Even my father, who was always busy being a revolutionary, attended, and was usually doing research. He’d written 16 books, and we had to read each of them. He was never too talkative (with us). Any answers we needed were to be found in books (and there were always quizzes). Aside from the books that lined the walls of our home, there were close to a hundred milk crates stocked with books. They were his most prized possession. He was in such a love affair with books that he decided when I was three, to start a publishing company. And we, my sisters and I, were his employees. We licked stamps for envelopes with catalogues in them, we worked trade shows. We even used to answer his business line. Back then, phone service was so expensive, so we only had one line—for personal and business. I literally hated all things literary, by the time I was a teenager. When I went to college to study biochemistry, I wanted to be as far away from hardcovers and paperbacks as possible. Of course, two things happened during sophomore year that would bring my life full circle: 1) I encountered a course called organic chemistry, and 2) Nikki Giovanni became a visiting professor at my college. I changed my major to English, and four years after graduation, my first book came out. I now have fourteen books published—poetry, non-fiction, fiction, how-to, and children’s—and both of my daughters have or will be reading all of them.

The Inspiration

Being the father of a three-year old, I read about five different children’s books a night. If it were not for the library, I’d go broke. I am inspired by countless poets who write children’s literature. I tell my poet friends all the time, that all the ingredients that go into making a good poem—concise language, imagery, rhythm, etc.—are perfect for cooking up a good children’s book. Plus, you can make a little bit of money. For that reason, I have been influenced by the greats: Nikki Giovanni, Naomi Shihab Nye, Walter Dean Myers, Lucille Clifton, Leslea Newman, & Eloise Greenfield. Because I think of myself as somewhat funny, there are some contemporary writers that I love reading as well. Books like Giraffes Can’t Dance, Click Clack Moo, and everything by Mo Willems.

The Back Story

I speak at a lot of writing and literacy conferences. I especially love the conferences for librarian and English teachers. Anyway, I was delivering a workshop at the Florida Reading Association conference in Orlando. I think the topic was using poetry to engage student readers. What I remember most about the workshop, is that there were about five people in the room, including me.  But, I read a lot of poetry, and we had lots of fun. I guess there was a little buz

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Poet Kwame Alexander has won acclaim for many things – creating the Capital BookFest, a touring book festival which reached more than 10,000 people, pioneering his Book-in-a-Day writing and publishing program which has turned more than 1000 teens into student authors. But today, he’s winning kudos for something entirely new: writing for children.

During a summer in Tuscany, Alexander wrote Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band (illustrated by Tim Bowers, published by Sleeping Bear Press), a jazzy story of a rooster who dreams of winning a barnyard talent show. Filled with fun characters like Mules Davis and Ella Finchgerald and vibrant art,  it’s already a winner. The book has been nominated for a NAACP Image Award and been selected as a featured title for the 2013-2014 Choose to Read Ohio program, a statewide reading initiative sponsored by the State Library of Ohio.

It’s our pleasure to salute Kwame Alexander, a veteran writer adding a fresh voice to the kidlit scene, on the first day of our fifth annual 28 Days Later campaign:

The Journey

Brooklyn Public Library. New York. 1978. I remember being forced to walk across Linden Boulevard. See we read at home all the time. My father was a writer, my mother and English teacher. Our walls were lined with shelves and shelves of books, so the idea of spending a fun day on a Saturday at the library was torturous at best. Once we got there, it was not too bad. My sisters were making beads and crafts in one room. My mother was reading a vegetarian cookbook somewhere, I was watching a film. It was truly a family experience. And it was joyous for each of us for our own reasons. Even my father, who was always busy being a revolutionary, attended, and was usually doing research. He’d written 16 books, and we had to read each of them. He was never too talkative (with us). Any answers we needed were to be found in books (and there were always quizzes). Aside from the books that lined the walls of our home, there were close to a hundred milk crates stocked with books. They were his most prized possession. He was in such a love affair with books that he decided when I was three, to start a publishing company. And we, my sisters and I, were his employees. We licked stamps for envelopes with catalogues in them, we worked trade shows. We even used to answer his business line. Back then, phone service was so expensive, so we only had one line—for personal and business. I literally hated all things literary, by the time I was a teenager. When I went to college to study biochemistry, I wanted to be as far away from hardcovers and paperbacks as possible. Of course, two things happened during sophomore year that would bring my life full circle: 1) I encountered a course called organic chemistry, and 2) Nikki Giovanni became a visiting professor at my college. I changed my major to English, and four years after graduation, my first book came out. I now have fourteen books published—poetry, non-fiction, fiction, how-to, and children’s—and both of my daughters have or will be reading all of them.

The Inspiration

Being the father of a three-year old, I read about five different children’s books a night. If it were not for the library, I’d go broke. I am inspired by countless poets who write children’s literature. I tell my poet

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After reading Something Like Hope, it took several days before I could stop thinking about the characters and get my head around the journey I’d taken through each chapter.  This is an amazing story and I am thrilled that Shawn Goodman agreed to chat about his young adult novel, Something Like Hope.

1. What is Something Like Hope about?

It’s the story of Shavonne, a fierce and desperate seventeen year-old who finds herself in a large juvenile lockup hundreds of miles from home. She wants to turn her life around, but her problems seem too big, and time is running out. Amidst corrupt guards, out-of-control girls, and shadows from her past, Shavonne must fight for a redemption she’s not sure she deserves.

2. Was it difficult for you to write this story?

It was. At the time, I was working as a psychologist in a girls’ detention center. It was a violent, chaotic place, and I’d leave feeling tired, confused, and generally hopeless. Questions nagged at me. Like, do we really need to lock up children for misdemeanors and status offenses (infractions that aren’t illegal for adults)? Is it possible to do good work in a corrupt system and not be complicit? And if it’s not possible, what should I do? Quit? Fight the system? There were many other questions, and writing the book became a way to try and deal. I’d stay up late, typing, satisfied that at least I’d given voice to some of the struggles I’d witnessed.

3. Why did you write Something Like Hope with an African American Protagonist?

I thought it needed to be told from that perspective. I had spent many years listening to tragic stories from girls who appeared to be invisible, without power or voice. Most were African American, and had family histories of abuse, neglect, illiteracy, mental illness, etc. And even though the stories were sad, terribly sad, they contained flashes of insight, strength, and dignity. I wanted to capture this, and to do it accurately required a female African American protagonist.

But apart from this formal reasoning, I heard (or imaged hearing) Shavonne’s voice. Other books I’ve written may have started with an idea, an image, or a situation. I say may have because who really knows? But this one, so far as I can tell, started with a voice resonating quite clearly in my head. It was an angry voice, but also intelligent. This last part is very important, I think, because Shavonne’s intelligence is the undeveloped strength that holds the key to her redemption, small though it might be. She can’t really change her past, but she can learn to think differently about it, and that’s how she grows.

4. What were the challenges you encountered in capturing the voice of an African American female teenager?

If I can change the challenges to risks, I’d say the first risk is failure. There are so many ways for a writer crossing gender and race to get it wrong. Unbelievable characters. Stilted language. Forced or shallow emotions. Or simply showing to the world through your writing that you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about!

The other big risk is of stepping on others’ cultural toes. I think the question that best speaks to this is, “what gives you the right to write this book?” It’s a good question, a fair question, and perhaps the best answer in this case is, “because no one else was going to write that particular book.” The girls I got to know in lockup read everything they could get their hands on. And yet, there were so few books with characters and stories that reflected their experiences. It’s invalidating, if you think about it. Every kid should be able to find books that speak to him/her, b

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On Saturday, February 4, Philadelphia’s African American Children’s Book Fair turns 20. It’s a milestone that means a lot to founder Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati.

“Twenty years of putting on this book fair has reinforced my belief that children will read if you put good books in front of them,” she said. “They will read if they have books they can relate to.”

Over the years, her fair has brought more than 500 African-American authors and illustrators to the area. Thousands of new books have been given away to children in need. With the illiteracy rate and closing of bookstores around the country, her work is even more important now, she said.

“When bookstores close, introducing children to the love of reading becomes more of a challenge,” said Lloyd-Sgambati, who is also a library consultant who helps assess their collections and incorporate new books. “Parents can’t go in and browse. It’s tough to select a book online too. The key to finding good books is knowing who the authors and illustrators are.”

That’s where the African American Children’s Book Fair comes in.

“The African American Children’s Book Fair highlights some of the best books of our generation,” she said. “These authors and illustrators cover every aspect of African American lives.  The books are well-written and beautifully illustrated.  These books will open the door to a love of reading and enlightened children of all ages.  We also stress the importance of having a home library. Our mantra is “TAKE A BOOK HOME.”  Every home should have an area that is the family reading center.  Also getting our children to read means everyone in the family should be reading.”

Nearly two decades ago, 250 people braved the cold to attend the first African-American Children’s Book Fair at John Wanamaker Department Store in Philadelphia. Today, the book fair, held in the gymnasium of the Community College of Philadelphia, attracts thousands. In fact, not only is it one of the oldest single-day events for African-American children’s books, it has grown to become one of the largest too.

For some children, the book fair will be the first time they meet a black children’s book author or illustrator, the first time they receive a personalized book.

“Every time a book is sold that means a story is told,” Lloyd-Sgambati said. “Telling those stories enables the African American book industry to grow. This growth will mean that our legacy, our history is preserved.”

Lloyd-Sgambati said securing sponsors for these non-profit efforts is always a challenge, but those who help support the effort to make sure children have books in the home.  This year’s sponsors include local NBC affiliate, NBC10, PECO, Comcast, Health Partners Foundation and McDonald’s.

“For some children this ownership and the opportunity to meet the person who wrote and illustrated the book make the pages comes to life,” she said.

Along with having authors and illustrators sign books and read excerpts, the fair will feature workshops including one on cartooning led by syndicated cartoonist and children’s book illustrator Jerry Craft. An area called Literary Row will offer free promotional materials and a parent’s book resource section.

“Twenty years is a great accomplishment for any effort, but the success of this event is the community who recognizes that books empower and enrich a child&rs

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