New Books by African American Authors

Included in the awards presented annually to children's books' authors and illustrators are the Coretta Scott King Book Awards. They are given to African American authors and illustrators for "outstanding inspirational and educational contributions" which "promote understanding and appreciation of the culture of all peoples and their contribution to the realization of the American dream of a pluralistic society." You can find a list of past winners here, on the American Library Association website. The books below fit the qualifications and could, in 2013, be on the list of winners. If you read an additional new book that you feel is qualified for Coretta Scott King award, please email. If you have read these titles and want to comment, please do so below. We'd love to hear from you!

	The Mighty Miss Malone Christopher Paul Curtis, author	With love and determination befitting the "world's greatest family," twelve-year-old Deza Malone, her older brother Jimmie, and their parents endure tough times in Gary, Indiana, and later Flint, Michigan, during the Great Depression.
	Ellen's Broom Kelly Starling Lyons, author; Daniel Minter, illustrator	Ellen has always known that the broom hanging on her family's cabin wall is a special symbol of her parents' wedding during slave days, so she proudly carries it to the courthouse when the marriage becomes legal.
	Freedom's A-Callin' Me Ntozake Shange, author; Rod Brown, illustrator	A collection of poems brings to life the treacherous journey of the travelers on the Underground Railroad, in a universal story about the human need to be free.
	Words Set Me Free: The Story of Young Frederick Douglass Lesa Cline-Ransome, author; James E. Ransome, illustrator	This picture book biography chronicles the youth of Frederick Douglass, one of the most prominent African American figures in American history. Douglass spent his life advocating for the equality of all, and it was through reading that he was able to stand up for himself and others.

The REAL 2012 Coretta Scott King Book Award Winners

Author Award & Illustrator Honor Award: Kadir Nelson

Illustrator Award: Shane W. Evans

Author Honor Award: Patricia C. McKissack

Author Honor Award: Eloise Greenfield

And OUR award-winners are . . .

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

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

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

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

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