The Fire Escape gets frequent queries from educators wondering where to find non-white authors and illustrators in the children's book world. "Is there an updated list of African-American authors and illustrators anywhere on the web?" they ask, and I can hear the frustration in their cyber voices. Well, my good librarians, teachers, and parents, whinge no more.
In celebration of Black History Month 2008, the Brown Bookshelf has gone way beyond a list. They're presenting us with the gift of 28 days later, featuring a different author and illustrator every day in February. Here's the schedule of luminaries and award-winners discussing their work (I've linked to the interviews that took place before today):
Feb 1 — Christopher Paul Curtis - Elijah of Buxton
Feb 2 — Michelle Meadows – The Way The Storm Stops
Feb 3 — Dana Davidson - Played
Feb 4 — Rita Williams-Garcia – No Laughter Here
Feb 5 — G. Neri – Chess Rumble & Sean Qualls - Phillis’s Big Test
Feb 6 — Janice N. Harrington – The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County
Feb 7 — Eleanora E. Tate – Celeste’s Harlem Renaissance
Feb 8 — Patricia McKissack – The All-I’ll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll
Feb 9 — M. Sindy Felin – Touching Snow
Feb 10 — Jabari Asim – Daddy Goes To Work
Feb 11 — Mildred D. Taylor – The Road To Memphis
Feb 12 — Nina Crews - The Neighborhood Mother Goose & Leonard Jenkins – Sweet Land of Liberty
Feb 13 — Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu – The Shadow Speaker
Feb 14 — Allison Whittenberg – Sweet Thang
Feb 15 — Walter Dean Myers - Game
Feb 16 — Tonya Bolden – George Washington Carver
Feb 17 — Troy Cle – The Marvelous Effect
Feb 18 — Eloise Greenfield – The Friendly Four
Feb 19 — Sundee T. Frazier – Brendan Buckley’s Universe and Everything In It & John Holyfield - Bessie Smith & the Night Riders
Feb 20 — Carole Boston Weatherford – I, Matthew Henson: Polar Explorer
Feb 21 — Karen English - Nikki & Deja
Feb 22 — Coe Booth - Tyrell
Feb 23 — Irene Smalls – My Pop Pop and Me
Feb 24 — Stephanie Perry Moore – Prayed Up: Perry Skky Jr. #4
Feb 25 — Kyra E. Hicks, Martha Ann’s Quilt for Queen Victoria
Feb 26 — Celise Downs – Dance Jam Productions & Shane Evans- When Harriet Met Sojourner
Feb 27 — Valerie Wilson Wesley – Willimena Rules!: 23 Ways to mess up Valentine’s Day
Feb 28 — Sherri L. Smith - Sparrow
In celebration of Black History Month 2008, the Brown Bookshelf has gone way beyond a list. They're presenting us with the gift of 28 days later, featuring a different author and illustrator every day in February. Here's the schedule of luminaries and award-winners discussing their work (I've linked to the interviews that took place before today):
Feb 1 — Christopher Paul Curtis - Elijah of Buxton
Feb 2 — Michelle Meadows – The Way The Storm Stops
Feb 3 — Dana Davidson - Played
Feb 4 — Rita Williams-Garcia – No Laughter Here
Feb 5 — G. Neri – Chess Rumble & Sean Qualls - Phillis’s Big Test
Feb 6 — Janice N. Harrington – The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County
Feb 7 — Eleanora E. Tate – Celeste’s Harlem Renaissance
Feb 8 — Patricia McKissack – The All-I’ll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll
Feb 9 — M. Sindy Felin – Touching Snow
Feb 10 — Jabari Asim – Daddy Goes To Work
Feb 11 — Mildred D. Taylor – The Road To Memphis
Feb 12 — Nina Crews - The Neighborhood Mother Goose & Leonard Jenkins – Sweet Land of Liberty
Feb 13 — Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu – The Shadow Speaker
Feb 14 — Allison Whittenberg – Sweet Thang
Feb 15 — Walter Dean Myers - Game
Feb 16 — Tonya Bolden – George Washington Carver
Feb 17 — Troy Cle – The Marvelous Effect
Feb 18 — Eloise Greenfield – The Friendly Four
Feb 19 — Sundee T. Frazier – Brendan Buckley’s Universe and Everything In It & John Holyfield - Bessie Smith & the Night Riders
Feb 20 — Carole Boston Weatherford – I, Matthew Henson: Polar Explorer
Feb 21 — Karen English - Nikki & Deja
Feb 22 — Coe Booth - Tyrell
Feb 23 — Irene Smalls – My Pop Pop and Me
Feb 24 — Stephanie Perry Moore – Prayed Up: Perry Skky Jr. #4
Feb 25 — Kyra E. Hicks, Martha Ann’s Quilt for Queen Victoria
Feb 26 — Celise Downs – Dance Jam Productions & Shane Evans- When Harriet Met Sojourner
Feb 27 — Valerie Wilson Wesley – Willimena Rules!: 23 Ways to mess up Valentine’s Day
Feb 28 — Sherri L. Smith - Sparrow