Introducing The Brown Bookshelf

According to the Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC), less than two percent of children's books published last year were written by African American authors. Want the raw numbers? That's just 87 children's books by African-American authors out of an estimated 5,000 children's books published in 2006 overall.



When author Kyra E. Hicks shared that statistic on her blog and the African American Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (AACBWI) yahoo! listserv, I was shocked. I felt blessed to be a published, African-American children's book author, but saddened that there were still so few of us in print.



Sometimes we're faced with big issues and it feels overwhelming, like the enormity of it can just swallow us up. Other times, we search for small ways we can chip away at the problem. I found a way I could contribute when I was invited to be part of The Brown Bookshelf, a group dedicated to celebrating African-American authors writing for young readers. It will take time for children's book publishing to be more inclusive of African-American voices. But The Brown Bookshelf has embarked on a mission we can tackle right now -- letting parents, librarians, teachers and others know about wonderful black authors and books they've written.

November 1, The Brown Bookshelf officially launched. Members include founders Paula Chase and Varian Johnson, who are YA authors, illustrator/author Don Tate, author Carla Sarratt and me. That morning, we also announced our first campaign: 28 Days Later, an initiative to celebrate some of the best voices in African-American children's literature and shine a light on new African-American authors and good books that are being overlooked.

Our partners in this project are the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and AACBWI. We'd also like to count on you. We're taking recommendations of African-American authors offering the best in picture books, middle-grade and YA reads. Please nominate your favorite books and authors at this link:

http://thebrownbookshelf.com/28-days-later/

We can make a difference, one name at a time :).

Happy Reading,

Kelly

Happy Birthday One Million Men and Me

My new picture book with illustrator Peter Ambush, One Million Men and Me, has officially debuted! I'm so excited. This story has been years in the making. I am so grateful to my publisher, Just Us Books, for signing this book and bringing it into print. Thanks, too, to Peter who did a beautiful job bringing the story to life.

I belong to a wonderful yahoo! listserv called AACBWI (African American Children's Book Writers and Illustrators). Recently, moderator Karen Strong asked us to share the story of how our latest book came to be. Reflecting on that journey brought back so many memories -- joy and pride of being at the March, contentment of finally getting the story onto paper. This is a book I felt called to write.

So here's the story behind One Million Men and Me:

In 1995, I attended the Million Man March and was transformed by what I saw. So many images touched me -- a sea of Black men spread like a quilt across the Washington Mall, brothers of all beliefs and backgrounds hugging and praying as the voices of speakers soared around them, an amazing youth addressing the masses like that was what he was born to do. Then, I saw a little girl walk past the Reflecting Pool clutching her daddy's hand. Her eyes, big as quarters, glittered like diamonds. She looked like a little princess among kings.

A decade later, I started working on the draft of One Million Men and Me, a picture book story that would show the March through the eyes of a little girl who was there with her daddy the day black men made history. I struggled at first to get my idea on paper. I tried to write it as a narrative, but it wouldn't flow that way. I believed in the story, but felt frustrated and put it aside for a while. Then, I attended a fatherhood conference in NC where I live. As I looked at the beautiful men around me who clasped hands and worked together, I was taken back to the March. In a flash, I remembered the images that made me hold my head high and the poetry of that incredible moment in history. I went home and the draft came together in a matter of hours.

Just Us Books offered me a contract on my book later that year. It was the beginning of an exciting journey. One Million Men and Me is my first picture book, the realization of a dream. Editors pushed me to polish the story and make sure I added details that would help children get a sense of what this historic March was about.

I've gone to libraries and asked kids to tell me what they know about the Million Man March. They mention Dr. King, who was assassinated in 1968. For them, the MMM is just as distant as the March on Washington even though the MMM took place just 12 years ago.

I hope children are inspired to learn more about the March. I hope teachers and parents will talk to them about the men -- and women -- who were there that day and what it meant for our people. I would love for children to start asking men in their communities what it was like to be part of the March. These men are living history.

A cool part of the publication process was getting a chance to see my words brought to life by illustrator, Peter Ambush. He created such a sweet portrait of my main character Nia and her father. Creating a picture book really is a partnership. Author and illustrator are storytellers. It was an enriching experience to be part of that collaboration. I feel such pride when I look at the book cover. When I look back, the idea for One Million Men and Me was born at the March more than a decade ago. Now, it's a reality. It's still surreal to see my book on the shelf. I feel really blessed.

To celebrate the release of One Million Men and Me, Just Us Books has launched a national essay contest that asks children in first through fifth grade to write about the most memorable moment spent with a father or father-figure. There are cash prizes. Please spread the word and encourage kids you know to enter. Here's the link:

http://www.justusbooks.com/modules/content/index.php?id=87

Sweet Surprise

I went to the bookstore searching for my daughter's latest fascination, Fancy Nancy. I searched the shelves and jumped when I came across a familiar spine: Lyons/Ambush One Million Men and Me.

My book was on the shelves of a local Barnes & Noble. And in bulk. There were five copies. I turned one of them face-out and thanked the manager. It was a great visit and a sweet surprise.

The Incredible Stuff of Life

I'm working on a new picture book. It's inspired by a simple, yet delightful discovery my daughter made. I feel blessed to have a chance to see the world through her eyes -- wonder at the many shades of skin, glee at learning to somersault, pride at reading a word on her own. It's the stuff of life and to her, it's magic. As I watch her eyes sparkle, I'm caught up in the spell too. But then comes the tough part: How do I turn special moments like those into story gold?

As I write and rewrite, I keep pondering that question. Typically, I'm drawn to picture books that tackle big themes -- coping with separation from a loved one, overcoming racial divides. But lately, I've been marveling at the genius of authors who capture those every-day jewels of childhood and make them feel just as incredible as a child experiencing them the first time.

I admire the vision of authors who see a world in a child's painting or a celebration in a girl learning to skip or poetry in a girl in PJs longing to dance at her parent's fancy party.

These moments I've mentioned are all parts of wonderful picture book stories I've read recently. I discovered Lily Brown's Paintings by Angela Johnson and illustrated by E.B. Lewis on a trip to a library. My daughter and I read it over and over and keep finding something new to make us laugh or smile. It's a simple concept: A child drawing a picture. But oh, what a beautiful story. For me, it was like being given a pair of wings to fly back to my childhood.

Ready, Set, Skip by Jane O'Connor and illustrated by Ann James called to me from a Barnes & Noble shelf. I connected with it right away. So did my 3-year-old daughter who had been yearning to skip but hadn't quite mastered it. After reading the book, I took a lead from the mama in the story and showed my daughter the hop, switch foot, hop that led Jane's main character to skipping victory. I cheered when my daughter did it on her own. We skipped around the house in joy.

Then, there's Mabel Dancing by Amy Hest and illustrated by Christine Davenier. I found this book a year ago and it still captivates me. Each time I read it, I become the little girl who's so entranced by the music, she dances down the stairs to her parent's party and lets her blanket cape float behind her. I dance with my daughter like Mabel's parents did with her and it's magic.

Picture books are some of the toughest stories to write. But when they're done well. They're a marvel.

Straight from the Heart

Two summers ago, I attended the Writers Workshop at Chautauqua. It was incredible week full of inspiration and lessons. I learned so much from faculty members like my mentor Clay Winters and manuscript advisor, Patricia McKissack. I returned home with a notebook packed with priceless tips. But there's one pearl of wisdom I keep coming back to. Patti Lee Gauch, renowned editor and author, shared seven seven simple words that spoke straight to my heart:

Write the story only you can tell.

Have you ever had a moment when it feels like a crowded room clears and the speaker is talking right to you? That's how I felt.

I thought about growing up in working-class Pittsburgh, going on fishing trips with my grandparents to Lake Erie, admiring my single mom's courage and sacrifice. I thought of struggling to deal with the death of my grandfather, coming of age in a place where my cousins were my best friends.


Last week, I shared Patti's words with young people at a special camp. They were there to learn about the ways people in different careers integrate technology into their professsions. My workshop was on writing and publishing. I explored where to find ideas, talked about what makes a story and encouraged them to find their voice.

I asked the students to make idea lists. Then, their assignment was to choose one idea and do some freewriting. I told them to write quickly and without judgment. Just give their mind free reign to create. After 10 minutes, I asked if anyone wanted to share what they wrote. The students were hesitant at first, giggling a bit, looking away when we made eye contact. But one by one, many of them walked to the front of the classroom, held their paper with trembling hands and dared to bare their words:

They read passages about special parts of family reunions, experiences with dating, scary moments of nearly losing loved ones, important connections with dad. As they read, I saw writers being born.

A Dream World

Yesterday, I facilitated my girl's book club. Each month, we read two picture books by African-American authors and illustrators. My selections for July were Destiny's Gift by Nastasha Anatasia Tarpley and illustrated by Adjoa J. Burrowes and I Dream For You a World: A Covenant for Our Children by Charisse Carney-Nunes and illustrated by Ann Marie Williams.

Destiny's Gift, with its touching storyline about a girl's connection to a community bookstore, drew them right in. They loved the image of bookstore owner Mrs. Wade closing her eyes as Destiny read her stories. They felt sadness as they learned with Destiny that the bookstore might close for good. Their favorite pictures were those of celebration. One girl pointed out the balloons flying in the air and the smiling faces as the community came together to try to save the store. The final image of Mrs. Wade and Destiny hugging taught them that some situations are tough to figure out, but there's always hope .

Hope was a strong theme in our next book -- one of our group's favorites so far-- I Dream for You a World. This beautiful story poem makes the tenets of Tavis Smiley's best-seller, The Covenant with Black America, real and accessible for children. The girls eagerly discussed the way we could help bring Charisse's dream to life. Their eyes lit up as I reminded them we would speak to the author in a few minutes on speaker phone.

They proudly shared with me the questions they would ask her such as why she wrote the book, how she came up with the title and how she became an author. When we called, they kneeled around the phone, eyes wide with excitement as they listened to Charisse's answers. When she shared that she thought of being a writer in third grade, they tugged on each other's arms. Many of them are near or at that age.

Charisse's book imagines a world where all of our children have food, a good education, safe and clean communities, justice, a sense of history and freedom. It's a powerful message and it was a powerful meeting. The girls turned serious as they discussed what they want to see in our world: Clean highways. Fair trials. Democracy. Good schools for everyone.

Then, they created collages and drawings that brought their dream worlds to life.

One girl cut her construction paper into a triangle and pasted a beautiful mansion on it. Her dream was for everyone to have a house to live in, food to eat and tea parties :).

Another girl drew an earth-shaped American flag. Her mother is a lawyer. She dreamed of a world where everyone had justice.

Still another drew the world complete with named continents. She pasted smiling children all around. It expressed her desire for kids everywhere to have a safe, loving world to grow and thrive in.


What a world. What a gift Charisse's book is.

You don't know where you're going . . .

Okay, so I'm new at blogging. I've made excuses about being too busy. I've resisted it, head shaking back and forth, like a child being offered a spoonful of castor oil. But as I've read the many wonderful blogs out there (P, Don, Kyra & Librarygrl, that means you ;), I've been inspired to add my voice.

Blogging is a way to connect with a community that's working to empower and entertain children, just like I am. It's a way to go on a journey of discovery and revelation. It's a way to share some of the thoughts and ideas that swirl in my mind. So I've stood by the side long enough. I'm ready to take the leap into the world of blogs. I'll start at the beginning. Here's why I write:

I write for children because I want them to see their faces and hear their voices in stories. I write for children to help them discover parts of the world and themselves. I write for children to give back.

African-American children's literature has a rich history and tradition. From Langston Hughes to Christopher Paul Curtis, from Virginia Hamilton to Sharon G. Flake, authors and illustrators have celebrated children and explored their dreams, experiences and history.

But as a kid, I saw just one children's book written by a black author -- Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. That's why I felt so drawn to multicultural children's books as an adult. One day, I saw a picture book called Something Beautiful by Sharon Dennis Wyeth and my life changed. Entranced, I read page after page until I reached the end. Then, I smiled, stroked the cover and read it again. If you haven't read it, you're in for something delightful.

The story takes you on a walk with a girl searching for "something beautiful" in her city neighborhood. She visits a laundromat, fruit stand and other places and learns what others consider beautiful. Then, she decides to create beauty herself by cleaning up her community. In the end, she learns who her mother considers the most beautiful person of all.

That book, just 32 pages, sent me through so many emotions -- wonder, sadness, fear, delight and finally contentment. The story was told with such economy and grace. It reminded me of the incredible power of children's literature. For an instant, I became that dreamy girl I used to be, who would warm her feet by the radiator on cold Pittsburgh days and lose and find herself over and over in the pages of books.

I write for children because so many others paved the way . . .

So in homage to those trailblazers, I'd like to thank some of the many authors who have inspired me:

Sharon Dennis Wyeth, Eleanora E. Tate, Wade & Cheryl Hudson, Madeleine L'Engle, thank you.
Virginia Hamilton, Mildred D. Taylor, Eve Bunting, Patricia & Fredrick McKissack, thank you.
Bernette and George Ford, Sharon Bell Mathis, Katherine Paterson, Walter Dean Myers, thank you.
Jacqueline Woodson, Carole Boston Weatherford, Amy Hest, Patricia Lee Gauch, thank you.
Angela Johnson, Natasha Anastasia Tarpley, Brenda Woods, thank you.

I would not be here without you.