Blooming Books
Leaving Lymon has been chosen as a NYPL April Staff pick! Described as:
In a companion to the award-winning Finding Langston, young Lymon is uprooted by tragedy from his life in the Deep South of 1946 before the limits of his talents and resilience are tested in two Northern cities. Perfect for readers who love music or historical fiction.
- Hanna Brownlee-Holbrook
Check out the rest of the NYPL recommended titles here: https://www.nypl.org/books-more/recommendations/staff-picks/teens
Our Virtual Reality
With fellow panelists Jasmine Warga, Kimberly Willis Holt, Desiree Cueto at Tucson Festival of Books, Looking Back, Moving Forward through Relationships
If I’m not sitting on a panel I’m listening to others on one. It is the season of conferences and in this virtual world in which we now live, we are in many ways, all the better for it. I have a notebook filled with the wisdom of authors, editors and agents and find such inspiration in listening and relistening to engaging discussions between colleagues. Who knows what the country reopening will bring? But I sure hope it doesn’t bring a complete end to the access we gain in hearing these vital discussions about books, literature, and the creative process and sharing the stage with incredible writers, interviewers and moderators like Andrea Davis Pinkney, Atia Abawi, Chelsea Clinton, Chloe Grant, Sarah MacKenzie, Desiree Cueto and Rose Brock. Some of my recent panels and interviews here:
Flip Grid She Persisted Virtual Field Trip
Dog Years
I often feel I cannot cram one more item on my calendar, not one more do on my to do list, but then I stumbled across the website of my local shelter. I know that future travel will prevent me from having a dog full time at the moment, but who knew you could foster a dog? Offer a temporary home to a dog in need while they were awaiting adoption? I completed the application and before I could even add it to my calendar, I had an interview scheduled with the Foster Counselor and was dragging along my husband one chilly Saturday morning to the shelter. The counselor asked what types of dogs I preferred, and I confessed I had an aversion to small dogs. Wouldn’t you know it, they only had larger breed dogs available. I was the only fool---er---prospective foster parent--- looking for a larger breed.
One by one, I went into the outdoor yard and met the dogs. One 8-year old Pitbull mix named Miles with the energy of a puppy looked me in the eyes and asked, “Are you looking for an office mate?” The next thing I knew Miles was in our car, and headed home with us. The first few days were rocky as we got to know each other. And when I thought he was asking about being my office mate, he was actually asking how many couches I owned. As I said, we were just getting to know each other and things got misinterpreted. Despite my very strict No Dogs on the Furniture policy, he’s slept on every single couch and chair in the house. So, just when I thought I couldn’t squeeze one more second into my days, I am now taking long morning and afternoon walks, helping Miles rescue unretrievable balls that have rolled under bookcases, scratching his ears, kissing his nose, deciphering every whimper and whine, and buying way too many dog toys, Apparently, not being able to find time to do one more thing in each day, didn’t include a sweet thing named Miles.
Miles and many of his friends are looking for permanent homes. Contact https://dcspca.org/ for additional information on donations, adoption or fostering.
2020: What a Year!
It was the year we will never forget. A crushing pandemic, a racial reckoning, a bruising election. Even murder hornets. But among the death and despair, bright spots remained. Among them were the way many of us rediscovered family and community and the ability to stay connected through zoom, distanced visits and our blessed phones. For me it was also a year to rediscover my love of cooking, puzzles, plants, playing records on my turntable and attending to reading my ever growing stack of books. Books saved me in 2020, as I know they did many others. And I am so grateful for the love my own books received from young readers and teachers throughout the country. Here's to cherishing what we lost in 2020 and remembering what matters in 2021.
Two titles, One great list!
Overground Railroad and Leaving Lymon join the list of Evanston Public Library's 101 Great Books for Kids 2020 List, curated by Betsy Bird of School Library Journal's Fuse #8 Production blog.
Hop to It
“I said a hip-hop, the hippie, the hippie
To the hip, hip-hop and you don't stop the rockin'
To the bang-bang boogie, say up jump the boogie
To the rhythm of the boogie, the beat.”
I started writing "hop" and my brain took me back to the 1978 Sugar Hill Gang song Rapper's Delight. But isn't that the power of lyrics, rhymes and poetry? If you are looking for more, check out Hop To It: Plans to Get you Moving, the crazy good anthology featuring many wonderful poets compiled by Janet Wong and Sylvia Vardell and one from me entitled A New Day (pg. 37)
“A-skiddlee bebop, we rock a scooby doo
And guess what, America, we love you...”
Order your copy today at https://pomelobooks.com/
Finding Langston Book Club
Congratulations to Malcolm Brogdon of the Indiana Pacers and the Brogdon Family Foundation for their continued support of Indiana Public Schools. In November they are sponsoring the Finding Langston Book Club and have purchased 1800 copies for Indianapolis School district students. I look forward to joining in their book group discussion in November.
Digging Non Fiction
At a time when truth, facts and science are in seemingly short supply, Melissa Stewart's Non Fiction Writers Dig Deep has brought together an eclectic mix of NF authors and a rich collection of essays on research, the unique challenges of informational writing, teaching strategies and activities they use to engage young readers.
Current research indicates that 40 percent of elementary students prefer non-fiction books, and according to Nielson Bookscan, nearly 45 percent of children's books are non-fiction.
Check out my essay featured in this title, Facing Our Past, Healing Our Future, on how my personal history informs the picture book biographies I write featuring people of color and their role in truth, justice and the fight for equity in this country.
To preorder your copy, click on the link below:
She Persisted: Claudette Colvin
I'm proud to announce Claudette Colvin coming in February 2021, part of the new She Persisted Chapter Book biography series starring women who spoke up and rose up against the odds! Each book features an introduction from Chelsea Clinton. So excited to be a part of the #Persisterhood!
There's No Place Like Home
The New England Patriots. The Boston Celtics. The Red Sox. I am a Boston girl through and through, so you can imagine my joy when seeing Finding Langston was just selected by the Boston Public Library, Boston Public Schools, WBGH and Scholastic Press as the Summer Reading Together for all rising 6th graders. To see the full list of Summer Books for Grades K through 12, click here.
A Parents' Choice Gold Medal for The Power of Her Pen
It all begins with an idea.
Parents know best and that is precisely why The Power of Her Pen: The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethel L. Payne was just awarded the Parents’ Choice Gold Medal of 2020! Check out the bio of one of the very first African American White House Press corps journalists who posed questions to presidents from Eisenhower to Jimmy Carter, as a powerful representative of the black community. As for the amazing illustrations—hats off to John Parra for his warm, textured layered images that brought Ethel to life.
Helping Middle Graders Feel Less Alone
It all begins with an idea.
I remember the years during junior high school as being some of the most challenging of my childhood years, filled with bouts of insecurity, transition and low self-esteem. Those experiences have often made their way into my middle grade novel characters Langston in Finding Langston and now, Lymon in Leaving Lymon. This week, Horn Book included Leaving Lymon in their roundup of four titles to help middle graders feel less alone in dealing with life changes. Shout out to the other featured authors Hena Khan, Renee Watson, and Rebecca Stead, whose wonderful interview I just enjoyed on one of my fav podcasts, Jennifer Laughran’s Literaticast.