New Books in Children & Young Adults
March 8, 2010
Designed to commemorate the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and to honor Mrs. Coretta Scott King for her courage and determination to continue the work for peace, the Coretta Scott King Book Awards annually recognize outstanding books for young adults and children by African American authors and illustrators that reflect the African American experience. Further, the Award encourages the artistic expression of the black experience via literature and the graphic arts in biographical, social, and historical treatments by African American authors and illustrators.
- Author Award Winner
“Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal,” written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, is the King Author Book winner. The book is illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, published by Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.
- Illustrator Award Winner
“My People,” illustrated by Charles R. Smith Jr., is the King Illustrator Book winner. The book was written by Langston Hughes and published by ginee seo books, Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
- Author Honor Book
“Mare’s War” by tanita s. davis and published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.
- Illustrator Honor Book
“The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” illustrated by E. B. Lewis, written by Langston Hughes and published by Disney – Jump at the Sun Books, an imprint of Disney Book Group.
- John Steptoe New Talent Author Award
“The Rock and the River,” written by kekla magoon, is the Steptoe winner. The book is published by Aladdin, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.
- Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement
Walter Dean Myers is the winner of this first-ever Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. The award pays tribute to the quality and magnitude of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton. Myers’ books include: “Amiri & Odette: A Love Story,” published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic; “Fallen Angels,” published by Scholastic Press; “Monster,” published by Amistad and HarperTeen, imprints of HarperCollins Publishers; and “Sunrise Over Fallujah,” published by Scholastic Press.
February 23, 2010
Back of the Bus
by Aaron Reynolds
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Philomel
Available 01/07/10 in Hardcover
It seems like any other winter day in Montgomery, Alabama. Mama and child are riding where they’re supposed to — way in the back of the bus. The boy passes the time by watching his marble roll up and down the aisle with the motion of the bus, until from way up front a big commotion breaks out. He can’t see what’s going on, but he can see the policeman arrive outside and he can see Mama’s chin grow strong. “There you go, Rosa Parks,” she says, “stirrin’ up a nest of hornets. Tomorrow all this’ll be forgot.” But they both know differently. With childlike words and powerful illustrations, Aaron Reynolds and Coretta Scott King medalist Floyd Cooper recount Rosa Parks’ act of defiance through the eyes of a child — who will never forget.
February 21, 2010
Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down
by Andrea Pinkney
Illustrated by Brian Pinkney
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Available 02/03/10 in Hardcover
It was February 1, 1960. They didn’t need menus. Their order was simple.A doughnut and coffee, with cream on the side.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. Andrea Davis Pinkney uses poetic, powerful prose to tell the story of these four young men, who followed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words of peaceful protest and dared to sit at the “whites only” Woolworth’s lunch counter. Brian Pinkney embraces a new artistic style, creating expressive paintings filled with emotion that mirror the hope, strength, and determination that fueled the dreams of not only these four young men, but also countless others.
January 8, 2010
Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya
Donna Jo Napoli (Author), Kadir Nelson (Illustrator)
Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
Available 01/05/10 in Hardcover
One woman. One seed.
One hope for the future.
Thayu nyumba — Peace, my people.
Wangari grew up in the shadow of Mount Kenya listening to the stories about the people and land around her. Though the trees towered over her, she had loved them for as long as she could remember. So strong, so beautiful, how the trees made her smile.Wangari planted trees one by one to refresh her spirit. When the women came to her for help with their families, she told them to do the same. Soon the countryside was filled with trees. Kenya was strong once more. Wangari had changed her country, tree by tree.
Donna Jo Napoli tells a story inspired by the life of 2004 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Wangari Maathai that will touch the hearts and spirits of all who read it. Kadir Nelson’s stunning collage illustrations honor the spirit of a land and of the woman who saved it.
January 1, 2010
On March 2, 1955, a slim, bespectacled teenager refused to give up her seat to a white woman on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Shouting “It’s my constitutional right!” as police dragged her off to jail, Claudette Colvin decided she’d had enough of the Jim Crow segregation laws that had angered and puzzled her since she was a young child.
But instead of being celebrated, as Rosa Parks would be when she took the same stand nine months later, Claudette found herself shunned by many of her classmates and dismissed as an unfit role model by the black leaders of Montgomery. Undaunted, she put her life in danger a year later when she dared to challenge segregation yet again — as one of four plaintiffs in the landmark busing case Browder v. Gayle.
Based on extensive interviews with Claudette Colvin and many others, Phillip Hoose presents the first in-depth account of a major, yet little-known, civil rights figure whose story provides a fresh perspective on the Montgomery bus protest of 1955-56. Historic figures like Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rosa Parks play important roles, but center stage belongs to the brave, bookish girl whose two acts of courage were to affect the course of American history.
December 30, 2009
Lee & Low Books
Available 10/01/09 in Hardcover
A recreation of events from the childhood and early career of Augusta Savage, a pioneering female sculptor and major figure of the Harlem Renaissance.
December 13, 2009
Illustrated by Patricia A. Lee
Infinity Publishing
Available 04/24/09
It is crunch time! Today we can mold more of our young boys to grow up to be goal-oriented, respectful, honest, confident young men. This interactive children s book is for boys who face great struggles in their daily environment. It offers advice on how they can build good character traits. It also gives some examples of how to build positive relationships within the family, at school, and among their friends. This book does not include many don’ts. Instead, it shows what they can do to handle difficult situations. The author writes this book to assure our boys that hope can be attained with prayer, encouragement, and persistence.
December 6, 2009
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Go Win The Gold: Christian Version
CreateSpace
Available 11/22/09
Go Win The Gold is a children’s book that encourages children to go after their dreams. With hard work and faith in God they can achieve anything. In this story a track star achieves the gold medal. This book is written in poetic format and is full of colorful illustrations.
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Go Win The Gold: Non-Christian version
CreateSpace
Available 11/30/09
This is a children’s book about a track star that achieved her biggest dreams of winning the gold medal at the Olympics. This book is in poetic format and the illustrations are full of color. Anyone can go win the gold in any of their dreams if they just keep on working hard to pursue their goals in their lives.
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November 16, 2009
Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. Marshal
by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
Carolrhoda Books
Available 11/01/09
Sitting tall in the saddle, with a wide-brimmed black hat and twin Colt pistols on his belt, Bass Reeves seemed bigger than life. As a U.S. Marshal – and former slave who escaped to freedom in the Indian Territories – Bass 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. He achieved all this in spite of whites who didn’t like the notion of a black lawman. For three decades, Bass was the most feared and respected lawman in the territories. He made more than 3,000 arrests, and though he was a crack shot and a quick draw, he only killed fourteen men in the line of duty. Bad News for Outlaws reveals the story of a remarkable African American hero of the Old West.
October 13, 2009
Title: Wendy Raven McNair’s Booksigning
Location: Borders at The Avenue, 4475 Roswell Rd. in Marietta, Georgia
Link out: http://wendyravenmcnair.com
Description: Wendy Raven McNair will discuss and sign copies of her fantasy novel, ASLEEP, a YA supernatural love story, at the Borders book store located at The Avenue shopping center, 4475 Roswell Rd. in Marietta, Georgia. ASLEEP is also available on amazon.com. For more details, call John Alford at (770) 565-0947.
Start Time: 12:00pm
Date: 2009-10-17
