ACPL Mock Coretta Scott King Book Awards

And OUR award-winners are . . .

2012-01-17T16:32:00.029-05:00

A group of us had a great time Saturday talking about the wonderful features of the books presented this year on this blog. It was a difficult decision, but we're pleased to announce that Underground, by Shane W. Evans, impressed us enough to be named our mock author AND illustrator award-winner in our annual Mock Coretta Scott King Book Awards. Don't miss looking at this book that explains the underground railroad to young readers, or those below that we named mock honor books. The real Coretta Scott King Book Awards will be announced at 8:45 a.m. on Monday, January 23, when 18 youth media awards are announced by the American Library Association. You can tune in at 8:30 a.m. here for a live webcast.

Mock Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books

Mock Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books

Love Twelve Miles Long, by Glenda Armand, illustrated by Colin Bootman

2012-01-05T10:35:00.003-05:00

In 1820s Maryland, Frederick's mother, who is a slave on a different plantation, walks twelve miles each way for a nighttime visit with her son, during which she recounts what each mile of the journey represents. Based on the childhood of Frederick Douglass.

Publisher: Lee and Low Books, unpaged

Henry Ossawa Tanner: His Boyhood Dream Comes True, by Faith Ringgold

2012-01-05T10:20:00.003-05:00

Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859-1937), the first African American painter to achieve international fame, became an inspiration to Harlem Renaissance artists and generations of American painters His story is retold by Faith Ringgold, one of today's leading African American artists, to inspire another generation of children to become the artists of the future. Tanner's struggle to achieve his dream and his success as a painter on the world stage will inspire and challenge young readers.

Publisher: Bunker Hill Publishing, 32 p.

White Water: inspired by a true story, by Michael Bandy and Eric Stein

2011-11-14T18:22:00.004-05:00

After tasting the warm, rusty water from the fountain designated for African Americans, a young boy questions why he cannot drink the cool, refreshing water from the "Whites Only" fountain. Based on a true experience co-author Michael S. Bandy had as a boy.

Publisher: Candlewick Press, unpaged

These Hands, by Margaret H. Mason, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

2011-11-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

An African American man tells his grandson about a time when, despite all the wonderful things his hands could do, they could not touch bread at the Wonder Bread factory. Based on stories of bakery union workers; includes historical note.

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, unpaged

My Hands Sing the Blues: Romare Bearden's Childhood Journey, by Jeanne Walker Harvey, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon

2011-11-03T15:39:00.002-04:00

In Harlem, New York City, an artist follows the rhythms of blues music as he recalls his North Carolina childhood while painting, cutting, and pasting to make art.

Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Children, unpaged

Heart and soul : the story of America and African Americans, written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson

2011-10-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

A simple introduction to African-American history, from Revolutionary-era slavery up to the election of President Obama. Written in the voice of an "Everywoman," an unnamed narrator whose forebears came to this country on slave ships and who lived to cast her vote for the first African American president, "Heart and Soul" touches on some of the great transformative events and small victories of that history.

Publisher: Balzer and Bray, 108 p.

Ghetto Cowboy, by G. Neri

2011-10-16T06:00:00.000-04:00

Twelve-year-old Cole's behavior causes his mother to drive him from Detroit to Philadelphia to live with a father he has never known, but who soon has Cole involved with a group of African-American "cowboys" who rescue horses and use them to steer youths away from drugs and gangs.

Publisher: Candlewick Press, 218 p.

With the Might of Angels, by Andrea Davis Pinkney

2011-10-15T06:00:00.002-04:00

In 1955 Hadley, Virginia, twelve-year-old Dawnie Rae Johnson, a tomboy who excels at baseball and at her studies, becomes the first African American student to attend the all-white Prettyman Coburn school, turning her world upside down. Includes historical notes about the period.

Publisher: Scholastic, 324 p.

My Uncle Martin's words for America, by Angela Farris Watkins, illustrated by Eric Velasquez

2011-10-14T09:24:00.005-04:00

In this inspirational story about Martin Luther King Jr.--told from the perspective of his niece Angela Farris Watkins--readers learn how King used his message of love and peace to effectively fight for African Americans' civil rights. Focusing on important words and phrases from his speeches, such as justice , freedom , and equality , Watkins uses King's language to expose young readers to important events during the civil rights era.

Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 39 p.

A Storm Called Katrina, by Myron Uhlberg, illustrated by Colin Bootman

2011-09-21T13:38:00.008-04:00

When flood waters from broken levees submerge their New Orleans neighborhood in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a young cornet player and his parents evacuate their home and struggle to survive and stay together.

Publisher: Peachtree, unpaged

Camo Girl, By Kekla Magoon

2011-07-25T09:34:00.003-04:00

A poignant novel about a biracial girl living in the suburbs of Las Vegas examines the friendships that grow out of, and despite, her race.

Publisher: Aladdin, 218 p.

Carmen, by Walter Dean Myers

2011-07-25T09:14:00.002-04:00

A policeman's obsessive love for a tempestuous wig factory worker ends in tragedy in this updated version of Bizet's Carmen, set in Spanish Harlem, and told in screenplay format.

Publisher: Egmont USA, 122 p.

Bird in a Box, by Andrea Davis Pinkney

2011-04-20T06:00:00.002-04:00

Abstract: It's 1937. America is struggling to get out of the Great Depression and 3 children, Otis, Willie and Hibernia, are about to become friends. They already have a lot in common: they've each lost a loved one, they're all reaching for their dreams and they're a lot like their hero, African American boxer Joe Louis. As their lives gradually converge to form friendship, family and love, the children learn that hope and determination can change their lives forever. In this moving novel, their trials and triumphs echo those of Joe Louis, as he fights to become the next heavyweight boxing champion of the world. Award-winning and bestselling author Andrea Davis Pinkney masterfully weaves in factual information about Joe Louis and actual radio commentary from his fights, enriching the narrative of this uniquely rendered and beautifully written novel. Bird in a Box was inspired by the author's great-grandfather, Cyclone Williams, a one-time boxing hopeful on whom the character of Willie is based. This novel captures her family's recollections of the night Joe Louis won the title and what it meant to them but it also shows how one victory gave hope to a nationwide community.

Publisher: Little Brown, 278 p

Eliza's Freedom Road, An Underground Railroad Diary, by Jerdine Nolen

2011-04-19T06:00:00.003-04:00

Abstract: A twelve-year-old slave girl begins writing in a journal where she documents her journey via the Underground Railroad from Alexandria, Virginia, to freedom in St. Catharines, Canada.

Publisher: Simon and Schuster, 139 p

A Nation's Hope, the Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis, by Matt de la Pena, illustrated by Kadir Nelson

2011-04-18T15:49:00.001-04:00

Abstract: On the eve of World War II, African American boxer Joe Louis fought German Max Schmeling in a bout that had more at stake than just the world heavyweight title; for much of America their fight came to represent America's war with Germany. This elegant and powerful picture book biography centers around the historic fight in which Black and White America were able to put aside prejudice and come together to celebrate our nation's ideals.

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers, unpaged

Underground, written and illustrated by Shane W. Evans

2011-04-17T06:00:00.003-04:00

A family silently crawls along the ground. They run barefoot through unlit woods, sleep beneath bushes, take shelter in a kind stranger's home. Where are they heading? They are heading for freedom.

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press, unpaged

The Great Migration, Journey to the North, by Eloise Greenfield, illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist

2011-04-16T06:00:00.003-04:00

Abstract: The author's poetry describes the period of the 20th century when many African Americans left the South to make better lives for themselves in the northern states.

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books, unpaged

Giant Steps to Change the World, by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee, illustrated by Sean Qualls

2011-04-15T16:55:00.002-04:00

Abstract: Pursuing one's own path in life takes courage, strength, and perseverance, as demonstrated by such inspirational leaders as Barack Obama, Albert Einstein, and Muhammad Ali.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, unpaged

Roots and Blues: A Celebration, by Arnold Adoff, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

2011-04-13T18:05:00.000-04:00

Abstract: Lyrical text explores how Blues have been part of everyday life throughout history, from its origins in the sounds of the earth, through slaves' voices singing of freedom, to today's greatest performers--and listeners.

Publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Clarion Books, 86 p.

Coretta Scott King Book Awards 2012

2011-04-13T14:53:00.003-04:00

Reading makes time pass so quickly. The American Library Association (ALA) will be announcing their 2012 literature awards before we know it! One of my favorite award-groups is the Coretta Scott King array of honors for African-American authors and illustrators.

The awards began in the late 1960's when two librarians met at a booth at the annual ALA convention. Both were trying to obtain a poster of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and their conversation turned to a discussion of the need to honor the work of African-American authors and illustrators. A publisher at the booth asked them why they didn't start an award. One year later, at a dinner of the New Jersey Library Association, Lillie Patterson was honored for her book Martin Luther King, Jr. Man of Peace. In 1982 the American Library Association added the CSK award to its nationally honored children's literature awards. (Source: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/rts/emiert/cskbookawards/about.cfm).

So, it's time to begin reading to find our favorites of this year's books meeting the criteria established by the many volunteer committee workers who have chosen those honored in years past. Please post your comments and book suggestions on the blog, or send them to bwhite@acpl.info.

1970

2011

2011 Coretta Scott King Book Awards

2011-01-27T16:15:00.018-05:00

The Coretta Scott King Book Awards were announced at the American Library Association's Midwinter Meeting in January.

Author Award: One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia

Illustrator Award: Dave the Potter: artist, poet, slave, by Laban Hill, illustrated by Bryan Collier

Honor Books

Author:

Lockdown, by Walter Dean Myers

Ninth Ward, by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty, by G. Neri

Illustrator:

Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow: A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix, by Gary Golio, illustrated by Javaka Steptoe

For more information about the 2011 Coretta Scott King Awards, please click here.

Winners!

2010-12-06T12:43:00.006-05:00

Results of our Mock Coretta Scott King Book Award Program this year are:

Author Award: Ninth Ward, by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Honor Books: Zora and Me, by Victoria Bond & T. R. Simon; One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia; and Ruth and the Green Book, by Calvin Alexander Ramsey

Illustrator Award: Black Jack, The Ballad of Jack Johnson, by Charles R. Smith Jr., illustrated by Shane W. Evans
Honor Books: Back of the Bus, by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Floyd Cooper and Ruth and the Green Book, by Calvin Alexander Ramsey, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

Many Thanks to all of you who participated, virtually and in person. And to all of the authors and illustrators who gave us so many fantastic reading hours this year, our gratitude -- we'll do our best to put your work into the hands and hearts of children.

Short List for ACPL Mock Coretta Scott King Book Awards

2010-11-26T16:57:00.007-05:00

Below is our short list for our in-person discussion at 1 p.m. on December 5, at the ACPL Main Library, Fort Wayne, IN. We've added titles suggested by blog-readers if the books are currently available in the ACPL collection. If you would like to add a title to this list, please do so in the comment section of this blog entry. Thanks!

For Author Award:
8th Grade Superzero, by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
Black Jack: The Ballad of Jack Johnson, by Charles R. Smith Jr.
Clemente!, by Willie Perdomo
The Cruisers, by Walter Dean Myers
Finding Family, by Tonya Bolden
Fort Mose, by Glennette Tilley Turner
Ninth Ward, by Jewell Parker Rhodes
One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia
Oprah: The Little Speaker, by Carole Boston Weatherford
The Other Half of my Heart, by Sundee Tucker Frazier
Paper Thin, by Shelia M. Goss
Ruth and the Green Book, by Calvin Alexander Ramsey
Saving Maddie, by Varian Johnson
Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down, by Andrea Davis Pinkney
sweet, hereafter, by Angela Johnson
What Momma Left Me, by Renee Watson
Yummy : The Last Days of a Southside Shorty, by G. Neri
Zora and Me, by Victoria Bond and T. R. Simmons

For Illustrator Award:
Back of the Bus, by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Black Jack: The Ballad of Jack Johnson, by Charles R. Smith Jr., illustrated by Shane W. Evans
Clemente!, by Willie Perdomo, illustrated by Bryan Collier
Dave the Potter
Oprah: The Little Speaker, by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by London Ladd
A Place Where Hurricanes Happen, by Renee Watson, illustrated by Shadra Strickland
Ruth and the Green Book, by Calvin alexander Ramsey, illustrated by Floyd Cooper
She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story, by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Don Tate
Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down, by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Brian Pinkney
Skit-Skat Raggedy Cat: Ella Fitzgerald, by Roxane Orgill, illustrated by Sean Qualls
Yummy : The Last Days of a Southside Shorty, by G. Neri, illustrated by Randy Duburke

Zora and Me, by Victoria Bond and T. R. Simon

2010-11-22T14:26:00.003-05:00

Abstract: A fictionalized account of Zora Neale Hurston's childhood with her best friend Carrie, in Eatonville, Florida, as they learn about life, death, and the differences between truth, lies, and pretending. Includes an annotated bibliography of the works of Zora Neale Hurston, a short biography of the author, and information about Eatonville, Florida.

Publisher: Candlewick Press, 169 p.

Short List of 2010 Titles for Discussion of our Mock Award

2010-10-25T15:55:00.003-04:00

Below is our short list for our in-person discussion on December 5. If you would like to add a title to this list, please do so in the comment section of this blog entry. Thanks!

For Author Award:
8th Grade Superzero
Black Jack: The Ballad of Jack Johnson
Clemente!
The Cruisers
Finding Family
One Crazy Summer
Oprah: The Little Speaker
The Other Half of my Heart
Ruth and the Green Book
Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down
What Momma Left Me

For Illustrator Award:
Back of the Bus
Black Jack: The Ballad of Jack Johnson
Clemente!
Dave the Potter
Oprah: The Little Speaker
Ruth and the Green Book
She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story
Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down
Skit-Skat Raggedy Cat: Ella Fitzgerald

She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Don Tate

2010-10-24T16:16:00.000-04:00

Abstract: Effa always loved baseball. As a young woman, she would go to Yankee Stadium just to see Babe Ruth's mighty swing. She never dreamed she would someday own a baseball team. Or be the first-and-only woman ever inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Publisher: Harpercollins, 1 v. (unpaged)

Good Fortune by Noni Carter

2010-10-22T12:49:00.001-04:00

Abstract: Brutally kidnapped from her African village and shipped to America, a young girl struggles to come to terms with her new life as a slave, gradually rising from working in the fields to the master's house, secretly learning to read and write, until, risking everything, she escapes to seek freedom in the North.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 489 p.

Creating a Short List of 2010 Titles

2010-10-22T12:17:00.000-04:00

For our in-person discussion on December 5, we will work off a short list of suggested titles. Which books would you like to have included? Do you know of titles that have been missed?

The short list will be posted October 25, 2010.

What Momma Left Me by Renee Watson

2010-10-16T08:00:00.001-04:00

Abstract: After the death of their mother, thirteen-year-old Serenity Evans and her younger brother go to live with their grandparents, who try to keep them safe from bad influences and help them come to terms with what has happened to their family.

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books, 240 p.

The Cruisers by Walter Dean Myers

2010-10-15T06:00:00.001-04:00

Abstract: Friends Zander, Kambui, LaShonda, and Bobbi, caught in the middle of a mock Civil War at DaVinci Academy, their Harlem gifted and talanted school, learn the true cost of freedom of speech when they use their alternative newspaper, The Cruiser, to try to make peace.

Publisher: Scholastic Press, 128 p.

Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin Alexander Ramsey, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

2010-10-14T06:00:00.001-04:00

Abstract: Ruth and the Green Book is the story of one black family's trip from Chicago to Alabama by car in the late 1940s. Along the way they encounter prejudice, but they also discover The Green Book, a real guide to accommodations which was published for decades to aid African-American travelers as they faced prejudice on the roads across the country.

Publisher: Carolrhoda Books, Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., unpaged

Almost Zero by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

2010-10-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

Abstract: Dyamonde really wants red high-top sneakers. Too bad they're so expensive! A classmate tells her it's her mom"s job to give her what she needs, but when Dyamonde tries that argument, her mom teaches her a lesson by literally only giving her what she needs.

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's, 96 p.

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri, illustrated by Randy DuBurke

2010-10-12T14:46:00.000-04:00

Abstract: A graphic novel based on the true story of Robert "Yummy" Sandifer, an eleven-year old African American gang member from Chicago who shot a young girl and was then shot by his own gang members

Publisher: Lee & Low Books, 94 p.

Sell-Out by Ebony Joy Wilkins

2010-10-06T07:02:00.008-04:00

Abstract: Being nearly the only African American in her school doesn't bother NaTasha. But it bothers Tilly, NaTasha's spitfire grandmother from Harlem, who decides NaTasha needs to get back to her roots.

Publisher: Scholastic, 267 pages

Paper Thin by Shelia M. Goss

2010-10-05T16:44:00.000-04:00

Abstract: Living with her emotionally absent father and a stepmother who spoils her, Sierra doesn't lack for material things, but she still struggles with the pain of losing her birth mother at an early age. Sierra hides her fears and disappointments behind food and fashion. After time spent at a weight loss camp, she returns to school twenty-five pounds lighter. She goes from being sweet to displaying a diva-like attitude. Her best friends, Britney and Jasmine, are quick to point out this new change.

Publisher: Urban Renaissance, 296 pages

Climbing Lincoln's Steps: the African American Journey by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Colin Bootman

2010-09-28T07:41:00.002-04:00

Abstract: A study of events in African American history highlights important events that have taken place on the Lincoln Memorial steps in Washington, D.C.

Publisher: Albert Whitman and Co., 1 v. (unpaged)

Step Up by Monica McKayhan

2010-09-25T18:12:00.002-04:00

Abstract: Indigo Summer and her boyfriend, Marcus Carter, have stayed solid through plenty of drama. Now Marcus is a senior and has already been accepted to Harvard. But with his bright future, Indigo suddenly doubts where she fits into his life

Publisher: Kimani, 248 p.

Dave, the Potter by Laban Carrick Hill, illustrated by Bryan Collier

2010-09-23T07:31:00.005-04:00

Abstract: A biography of a slave who lived in South Carolina in the 1800s and his extraordinary talent for pottery.

Publisher: Little, Brown, 1 v. (unpaged)

Obama: Only in America by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Richard Barrett

2010-09-17T00:55:00.004-04:00

Abstract: A picture book biography of President Barack Obama.

Publisher: Marshall Cavendish, 1 v. (unpaged)

Michelle Obama: First Mom by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Robert Barrett

2010-09-17T00:43:00.005-04:00

Abstract: A tribute to a remarkable woman who worked hard and reached high

Publisher: Marshall Cavendish, 1 v. (unpaged)

Finding Family by Tonya Bolden

2010-09-16T13:22:00.003-04:00

Abstract: Raised in Charleston, West Virginia, at the turn of the twentieth century by her grandfather and aunt on off-putting tales of family members she has never met, twelve-year-old Delana is shocked when, after Aunt Tilley dies, she learns the truth about her parents and some of her other relatives.

Publisher: Bloomsbury, 181 pages

Clemente! by Willie Perdomo, illustrated by Bryan Collier

2010-09-12T12:29:00.005-04:00

Abstract: A little boy named Clemente learns about his namesake, the great baseball player Roberto Clemente

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co., 1 v. (unpaged)

Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat: Ella Fitzgerald by Roxane Orgill, illustrated by Sean Qualls

2010-08-31T14:10:00.002-04:00

Abstract: A swinging biography of young Ella Fitzgerald who pushed through the toughest of times to become one of America's most beloved jazz singers

Publisher: Candlewick Press, 48 pages

Oprah: The Little Speaker by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by London Ladd

2010-08-30T14:15:00.008-04:00

Abstract: The first six years in the life of the world's most popular talk show host.

Publisher: Marshall Cavendish, 1 v. (unpaged)

Little Diva by LaChanze, illustrated by Brian Pinkney

2010-08-24T08:06:00.001-04:00

Abstract: Nena wants to be a Diva, with a capital D, just like her mommy, who's a star on Broadway. So she learns all she can about singing and dancing when she is at the theater and trains day and night to make her dreams come true.

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends, 1 v. (unpaged)

My Brother Charlie by Holly Robinson Peete and Ryan Peete with Denene Millner, illustrated by Shane W. Evans

2010-08-23T13:36:00.006-04:00

Abstract: A girl tells what it is like living with her twin brother who has autism and sometimes finds it hard to communicate with words, but who, in most ways, is just like any other boy. Includes authors' note about autism.

Publisher: Scholastic, 1 v. (unpaged)

Around Our Way on Neighbors' Day by Tameka Brown, illustrated by Charlotte Riley-Webb

2010-08-18T06:50:00.001-04:00

Abstract: A young girl makes her way through an urban neighborhood filled with children playing, men debating, women cooking, and jazz music playing as her community gathers to celebrate "Neighbors' Day."

9780810989719

Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 1 v. (unpaged)

Lockdown by Walter Dean Myers

2010-08-17T06:29:00.001-04:00

Abstract: Teenage Reese, serving time at a juvenile detention facility, gets a lesson in making it through hard times from an unlikely friend with a harrowing past.

Publisher: Amistad/Harper Teen, 247 p.

The Beatitudes: From Slavery to Civil Rights by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Tim Ladwig

2010-08-16T10:13:00.012-04:00

Abstract: The Beatitudes form the backdrop for Weatherford's free-verse poem that traces the African American journey from slavery to civil rights.

Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 1 v. (unpaged)

The Other Half of My Heart by Sundee Tucker Frazier

2010-08-15T08:56:00.005-04:00

Abstract: Twin daughters of interracial parents, eleven-year-olds Keira and Minna have very different skin tones and personalities, but it is not until their African American grandmother enters them in the Miss Black Pearl Pre-Teen competition in North Carolina that red-haired and pale-skinned Minna realizes what life in their small town in the Pacific Northwest has been like for her more outgoing, darker-skinned sister.

Publisher: Delacorte, 296 p.

Black Jack: The Ballad of Jack Johnson by Charles R. Smith Jr., illustrated by Shane W. Evans

2010-08-14T10:17:00.009-04:00

Abstract: Art and poetry combine to tell the story of boxer Jack Johnson, who became the first African-American world heavyweight boxing champion in the early part of the twentieth century.

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press, 1 v. (unpaged)

Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes

2010-08-10T07:48:00.001-04:00

Abstract: In New Orleans’ Ninth Ward, twelve-year-old Lanesha, who can see spirits, and her adopted grandmother have no choice but to stay and weather the storm as Hurricane Katrina bears down upon them.

Publisher: Little, Brown and Co., 160 p.

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

2010-08-09T20:55:00.008-04:00

Abstract: Considered by many to be mentally retarded, a brilliant, impatient fifth-grader with cerebral palsy discovers a technological device that will allow her to speak for the first time.

Publisher: Atheneum, 295 p.

A Place Where Hurricanes Happen by Renee Watson, illustrated by Shadra Strickland

2010-07-14T16:49:00.006-04:00

Abstract: Told in alternating voices, four friends from the same New Orleans neighborhood describe what happens to them and their community when they are separated, then reunited, as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

Publisher: Random House, 1 v. (unpaged).

You Don't Even Know Me: Stories and Poems about Boys by Sharon G. Flake

2010-07-11T09:15:00.009-04:00

Abstract: Tow-Kaye just learned that the love of his life is pregnant--and though he knows what the right thing to do is, he's scared to death to do it. Jeffrey hates having a mom who dresses like a teenager, but when another sexy mom moves in next door--well, that's a different kind of problem. In these and twenty-two other short stories and poems, readers plumb the inner lives of African American teenage boys.

Publisher: Jump at the Sun, 195 p.

Lucky Beans by Becky Birtha, illustrated by Nicole Tadgell

2010-06-01T16:00:00.002-04:00

Abstract: During the Great Depression, Marshall, an African American boy, uses lessons learned in arithmetic class and guidance from his mother to figure out how many beans are in a jar in order to win her a new sewing machine in a contest.

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Co., 1 v. (unpaged)

8th Grade Superzero by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

2010-05-20T10:00:00.001-04:00

Abstract: After half-heartedly joining his church youth group's project at a homeless shelter near his Brooklyn middle school, eighth-grade "loser" Reggie McKnight is inspired to run for school office on a platform of making a real difference in the community.

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books, 324 p.

Culture Clash by L. Divine

2010-05-17T11:36:00.006-04:00

Abstract: Fed up with the way her school is handling Cultural Awareness Day, Jayd decides to form the first African Student Union. At the same time, she can't deny her attraction for Emilio, the new Latino sophomore at South Bay High.

Publisher: Dafina, 220 p.

Black Magic by Dinah Johnson, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

2010-04-21T10:01:00.006-04:00

Abstract: Presents a poem celebrating the African-American experience and what it means to be part of a strong, proud, and free people.

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co., 1 v. (unpaged)

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

2010-04-08T16:14:00.009-04:00

Abstract: In the summer of 1968, after traveling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to spend a month with the mother they barely know, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters arrive to a cold welcome as they discover that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp.

Publisher: Amistad, 218 p.

Back of the Bus by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

2010-03-31T09:46:00.008-04:00

Abstract: From the back of the bus, an African American child watches the arrest of Rosa Parks.

Publisher: Philomel, 1 v. (unpaged)

Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Brian Pinkney

2010-03-25T16:03:00.008-04:00

Abstract: "This picture book is a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the momentous Woolworth's lunch counter sit-in, when four college students staged a peaceful protest that became a defining moment in the struggle for racial equality and the growing civil rights movement."--Amazon.com.

Publisher: Little, Brown

Sweet, Hereafter by Angela Johnson

2010-03-25T15:35:00.009-04:00

Abstract: Sweet leaves her family and goes to live in a cabin in the woods with the quiet but understanding Curtis, to whom she feels intensely connected, just as he is called back to serve again in Iraq.

Publisher: Simon and Schuster, 118 p.

The 2010 Real Awards Announcement from Boston

2010-01-18T09:00:00.005-05:00

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award: Charles R. Smith Jr., for “My People”

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor: E.B. Lewis for "The Negro Speaks of Rivers"

Coretta Scott King Author Award: Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, author of “Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal”

Coretta Scott King Author Honor: Tanita D. Davis, author of "Mare's War"

Coretta Scott King Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Acheivement: Walter Dean Myers

Coretta Scott King Steptoe for New Talent: Kekla Magoon, author of “The Rock and the River”

2010 ACPL Mock Coretta Scott King Book Awards go to...

2010-01-17T18:20:00.005-05:00

The Mock Coretta Scott King Book Illustrator Award winner:
The Negro Speaks of Rivers illustrated by E.B. Lewis, written by Langston Hughes

Illustrator Award honors:
My People illustrated by Charles R. Smith Jr., written by Langston Hughes
Sweethearts of Rhythm illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, written by Marilyn Nelson

The Mock Coretta Scott King Book Author Award winner:
The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon

Author Award honors:
Peace, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson
Shooting Star by Fredrick McKissack Jr.

Looking forward to Sunday

2010-01-13T11:17:00.002-05:00

I'm excited about Sunday afternoon! From 1 to 2 p.m. we'll have a conversation about the Coretta Scott King Book Award with author Fredrick McKissack Jr. who will share his perspective. Mr. McKissack along with his mother, Patricia McKissack, received a 1995 Coretta Scott King Author Honor Award for their book, Black Diamond: Story of the Negro Baseball League. His book, Shooting Star, is one of the titles to be discussed at our first ACPL Mock CSK Book Award Discussion and Election, which follows the conversation, and will take place from 2:15 to 5:00 p.m.

The Allen County Public Main Library is located in downtown Fort Wayne, IN. I hope to see you there.

The Short List

2009-11-30T10:00:00.008-05:00

Participants are asked to read at least five of the following books. If one that you would like to discuss is not listed, please include it in the comment section of this post. Thanks!

Amiri & Odette: A Love Story by Walter Dean Myers, illustrations by Javaka Steptoe

Bad News for Outlaws by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrations by R. Gregory Christie

Black Angels by Linda Beatrice Brown

Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith

Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia

Looking Like Me by Walter Dean Myers, illustrations by Christopher Myers

Mare's War by Tanita S. Davis

My People by Langston Hughes, photographs by Charles R. Smith Jr.

The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Langston Hughes, illustrations by E. B. Lewis

Peace, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson

Rich by Nikki Grimes, illustrations by R. Gregory Christie

Riot by Walter Dean Myers

The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon

Ron's Big Mission by Rose Blue and Corinne J. Naden, illustrations by Don Tate

Shooting Star by Fredrick McKissack Jr.

Sweethearts of Rhythm by Marilyn Nelson, illustrations by Jerry Pinkney

Testing the Ice by Sharon Robinson, illustrations by Kadir Nelson

We Troubled the Waters by Ntozake Shange, illustrations by Rod Brown

Testing the Ice: A True Story about Jackie Robinson by Sharon Robinson, illustrated by Kadir Nelson

2009-11-29T07:19:00.004-05:00

Abstract: As a testament to his courage, Jackie Robinson's daughter shares memories of him, from his baseball career to the day he tests the ice for her, her brothers, and their friends.

Publisher: Scholastic, 40 pages

We Troubled the Waters by Ntozake Shange, illustrated by Rod Brown

2009-11-25T06:32:00.006-05:00

Publisher: Amistad/Harper, 32 pages

Creating a Short List

2009-11-14T07:14:00.002-05:00

For our in-person discussion on January 17, we will work off a short list of suggested titles. Which books would you like to see included? Do you have any titles that have been missed?

Our deadline for the creation of the short list: November 30.

Splitsville by Shelia Goss

2009-11-14T06:30:00.003-05:00

Abstract: The Diva's creed (All for one, one for all; never let the other fall) is back in full effect now that Jasmine and Sierra are no longer fighting for the attention of DJ Johnson--and it's a good thing, because the girls need each other now more than ever.

Publisher: Urban Renaissance, 280 pages

Rich by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

2009-11-10T07:01:00.002-05:00

Abstract: Dyamonde Daniel is excited about the local library’s poetry contest, and so is her friend Free. The prize is one hundred dollars—just think what they could buy with that much money! But when they find out that Damaris, one of their classmates, has been living in a homeless shelter, their ideas about what it means to be rich or poor start to change. And when they get to know Damaris, they realize the one who could use the prize money the most also happens to be the best poet in class.

Publisher: Putnam's Sons, 96 pages

Sweethearts of Rhythm by Marilyn Nelson, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

2009-10-21T14:50:00.003-04:00

Abstract: In the 1940s, as the world was at war, an all-female jazz band performed on the American home front. They dared to be an interracial group despite the cruelties of Jim Crow laws, and they dared to assert their talents though they were women in a “man’s” profession.

Publisher: Dial, 80 pages.

Looking Like Me by Walter Dean Myers, illustrated by Christopher Myers

2009-10-21T11:49:00.001-04:00

Abstract: This jumping, jazzy, joyful picture book celebrates every child, and every thing that child can be.

Publisher: Egmont, 32 pages.

I Am Barack Obama by Charisse Carney-Nunes, illustrated by Ann Marie Williams

2009-10-17T17:03:00.004-04:00

Abstract: I Am Barack Obama is not a book about Barack Obama. Rather, it allows children to see themselves through the inspirational story of President Obama growing up as an ordinary child asking, “Who will change the world?”

Publisher: Brand Nu Words, 36 pages

Olu's Dream written and illustrated by Shane Evans

2009-10-17T10:00:00.000-04:00

Abstract: It's time for bed, but Olu would rather play than sleep. When he finally drifts off, Olu discovers he's at the wheel of an extraordinary adventure.

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books, 40 pages

Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

2009-10-12T16:35:00.008-04:00

Abstract: Spunky third-grader Dyamonde Daniel misses her old neighborhood, but when she befriends a boy named Free, another new student at school, she finally starts to feel at home.

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 74 pages

Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshall by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

2009-10-10T13:22:00.013-04:00

From Back Cover: Sitting tall in the saddle, with a wide-brimmed black hat and twin Colt pistols on his belt, Bass Reeves seemed bigger than life. Outlaws feared him. Law-abiding citizens respected him. As a peace officer, he was cunning and fearless. When a lawbreaker heard Bass Reeves had his warrant, he knew it was the end of the trail, because Bass always got his man, dead or alive.

Publisher: Carolrhoda, 40 p.

Riot by Walter Dean Myers

2009-10-10T11:45:00.013-04:00

Abstract: In 1863, fifteen-year-old Claire, the daughter of an Irish mother and a black father, faces ugly truths and great danger when Irish immigrants, enraged by the Civil War and a federal draft, lash out against blacks and wealthy "swells" of New York City.

Publisher: Egmont, 164 pages

The Ultimate Test by Shelia M. Goss

2009-10-10T10:58:00.014-04:00

From the back cover: The Diva's Creed: All for one, one for all; never let the other fall. Ever since they met in their elite private school, Britney, Jasmine, and Sierra have lived by these words, but now that they're entering their freshman year in a public high school, their bond is about to be put to the ultimate test.

Publisher: Urban Renaissance, 288 pages

I and I: Bob Marley by Tony Medina

2009-09-20T07:36:00.009-04:00

Abstract: A biography in verse about the Jamaican reggae musician Bob Marley, offering an overview of key events and themes in his life, including his biracial heritage, Rastafarian beliefs, and love of music. End notes on poems provide further biographical information

Publisher: Lee & Low Books, 48 p.

Shooting Star by Fredrick L. McKissack Jr.

2009-08-17T08:03:00.002-04:00

Abstract: Jomo Rogers, a naturally talented athlete, starts taking performance enhancing drugs in order to be an even better high school football player, but finds his life spinning out of control as his game improves.

Publisher: Atheneum, 288 p.

Black Angels by Linda Beatrice Brown

2009-08-15T07:01:00.006-04:00

Abstract: Three Southern children, two black and one white, escape from their homes during the horrors of the Civil War and, after meeting in the woods, gradually come to rely on each other as they make their way slowly north, enduring hunger, fear, sickness, and constant danger, before arriving in Harper's Ferry, West Virginia.

Publisher: Putnam's, 272 p.

Flipping the Script by Paula Chase

2009-07-22T11:02:00.002-04:00

Abstract: It's junior year at Del Rio Bay High, and Mina's feeling insecure while her boyfriend Brian is at Duke University. Meanwhile, Rob's presence around the clique triggers star athlete JZ's feelings of homophobia.

Publisher: Kensington, 280 p.

Mother Poems, words and pictures by Hope Anita Smith

2009-07-21T15:38:00.008-04:00

Abstract: A young girl thinks of her mom as a superhero, a doctor, her North Star. She feels loved in her mother's arms and capable of conquering the world. But when her beloved role model unexpectedly dies, she cannot even cry; sadness is too overwhelming. As she struggles with grief, she must learn how to carry on while keeping the memory of her mother very much alive inside her heart.

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co., 72 p.

What Goes Around by Denene Millner and Mitzi Miller

2009-07-16T13:52:00.000-04:00

Abstract: Wealthy and beautiful African American twin sisters Sydney and Lauren must solve a family mystery before their privileged life in Atlanta comes to an end.

Publisher: Scholastic, 317 p.

Just Another Hero by Sharon M. Draper

2009-07-13T18:43:00.001-04:00

Abstract: As Kofi, Arielle, Dana, November, and Jericho face personal challenges during their last year of high school, a misunderstood student brings a gun to class and demands to be taken seriously.

Publisher: Atheneum, 280 p.

The Way We Roll by Stephanie Perry Moore

2009-07-09T17:53:00.007-04:00

Abstract: New pledge Malloy Murray runs into her crush, Kade, and things heat up fast. But Sharon, a Beta sister, is dating Kade and vows to do everything she can to keep Malloy out of the sorority.

Publisher: Dafina/ Kensington, 210 p.

Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the Pioneers of Change by Michelle Cook, art by 13 Illustrators

2009-06-24T13:58:00.010-04:00

llustrators: Cozbi A. Cabrera, R. Gregory Christie, Bryan Collier, Pat Cummings, Leo and Diane Dillon, AG Ford, E. B. Lewis, Frank Morrison, James Ransome, Charlotte Riley-Webb, Shadra Strickland and Eric Velasquez

Abstract: Part historical, part poetry, and entirely inspirational, this unique picture book takes the reader through the cumulative story of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, expanding the popular slogan beyond Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and Barack Obama to include more key players in the struggle for equality.

Publisher: Bloomsbury, unpaged

Mare's War by Tanita S. Davis

2009-06-15T09:31:00.006-04:00

Abstract: Teens Octavia and Tali learn about strength, independence, and courage when they are forced to take a car trip with their grandmother, who tells about growing up Black in 1940s Alabama and serving in Europe during World War II as a member of the Women’s Army Corps.

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf, 341 p.

Amiri & Odette: A Love Story, a poem by Walter Dean Myers, paintings by Javaka Steptoe

2009-06-11T00:55:00.006-04:00

Abstract: Presents a modern, urban retelling in verse of the ballet in which brave Amiri falls in love with beautiful Odette and fights evil Big Red for her on the streets of the Swan Lake Projects.

Publisher: Scholastic Press, 37 p.

Sassy: Little Sister Is Not My Name by Sharon M. Draper

2009-06-03T21:23:00.010-04:00

Abstract: Fashion-savy Sassy does not like being the smallest student in her fourth-grade class, until a family emergency calls for a pint-sized hero.

Publisher: Scholastic Press, 102 p.

The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon

2009-05-07T12:22:00.005-04:00

Abstract: In 1968 Chicago, fourteen-year-old Sam Childs is caught in a conflict between his father's nonviolent approach to seeking civil rights for African Americans and his older brother, who has joined the Black Panther Party.

Publisher: Aladdin, 290 p.

Ron's Big Mission by Rose Blue and Corinne J. Naden, illustrated by Don Tate

2009-04-19T08:19:00.008-04:00

Abstract: One summer day in 1959, nine-year-old Ron McNair, who dreams of becoming a pilot, walks into the Lake City, South Carolina, public library and insists on checking out some books, despite the rule that only white people can have library cards. Includes facts about McNair, who grew up to be an astronaut.

Publisher : Dutton Childrens Books, 30 pages.

The Brown Bookshelf interviews the current CSK Chairperson

2009-04-19T07:40:00.003-04:00

Deborah Taylor is the current chairperson of the real Coretta Scott King Book Award committee. The members of the Brown Bookshelf talk with her "about the award's journey. Where it came from, where it's been and where it and publishing, in general, should go." Visit The Brown Bookshelf for the interview.

Dope Sick by Walter Dean Myers

2009-04-09T10:31:00.006-04:00

Abstract: Seeing no way out of his difficult life in Harlem, seventeen-year-old Jeremy "Lil J" Dance flees into a house after a drug deal goes awry and meets a weird man who shows different turning points in Lil J's life when he could have made better choices.

Publisher: Amistad/HarperTeen, 186 p.

Fun Facts about the Coretta Scott King Book Awards

2009-04-04T19:10:00.002-04:00

Thanks to A Fuse #8 Production for posting the following list which she credits to Meghan Clinton:

CORETTA SCOTT KING BOOK AWARDS
40TH ANNIVERSARY FUN FACTS

Lillie Patterson was the first author to receive the Coretta Scott King Book Award for “Martin Luther King, Jr.: Man of Peace.”

The author who has won the most Coretta Scott King Book Awards: Walter Dean Myers with five wins.

The illustrator who has won the most Coretta Scott King Book Awards: Jerry Pinkney with five wins.

Coretta Scott King received a special citation in 1984 for “The Words of Martin Luther King, Jr.”

Critically-acclaimed actor, Sidney Poitier, won the Coretta Scott King Book Award in 1981 for “This Life.”

Internationally renowned artist, Lev Mills, designed the Coretta Scott King Book Award seal in 1974.

The Coretta Scott King Book Award has honored 113 authors and illustrators over the past 40 years.

In 1995, Sharon Draper was the first author to win the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award (formerly known as the Genesis Award) for “Tears of a Tiger.” Three years later, she won her first Coretta Scott King Book Award for “Forged by Fire.”

After winning her first Coretta Scott King Book Author Award for “Toning the Sweep” in 1994, Angela Johnson went on to win the 2003 MacArthur “Genius” Award.

In 2000, Christopher Paul Curtis became the first author to win the Coretta Scott King Book Award and the Newbery Medal for the same book “Bud, Not Buddy.”

In 1972, several dozens of librarians gathered for the first Coretta Scott King Book Awards gala breakfast. This year, close to 1,000 are expected to celebrate in Chicago, IL.

The 2009 winners of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards are Kadir Nelson, author of “We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball,” and Floyd Cooper, illustrator of “The Blacker the Berry.”

Mourning Mabel R. McKissick, Coretta Scott King Book Awards co-Founder

2009-03-25T21:58:00.005-04:00

We learned via an American Library Association news release that Mabel R. McKissick, co-founder of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards, died on Friday, March 20, 2009.

Our condolences to her family and friends.

Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith

2009-03-06T10:41:00.007-05:00

Abstract: During World War II, a light-skinned African American girl "passes" for white in order to join the Women Airforce Service Pilots.

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 275 p.