I’ve invited non Black people who are in someway connected to youth literature to share a list of 5-10 books written or illustrated by Blacks that will appeal to children. I asked for anything from board books and graphic novels to biographies and adult crossover. The authors or illustrators could be living or dead, U.S. residents or not.
Today’s guest is Matthew C. Winner (@MatthewWinner), a school librarian in Owings Mills, MD and host of The Children’s Book Podcast where he regularly host children’s authors and promotes literacy practices. Matthew chose to give voice to his students by sharing their mock Coretta Scott King Award nominations for the 2020 award. Perhaps he’ll inspire other librarians to develop mock CSK awards.
Thank you so much for extending the invitation to recommend book titles by Black authors and illustrators. I’m including our nominees for our mock CSK, the books we are reading to our students in K-4 to compete in a bracket-style competition that will end with our winner and honor books being named just before the YMAs. I do a sort of hybrid CSK, combining both the Author and Illustrator awards into a picture book award where nominees are written and illustrated by African American bookmakers.
Here are our nominees:
- The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes; illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
- Hair Love by Matthew C. Cherry; illustrated by Vashti Harrison
- Saturday by Oge Mora
- Another by Christian Robinson
- Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’O; illustrated by Vashti Harrison
- Layla’s Happiness by MariaHadessa Ekere Tallie; illustrated by Ashleigh Corrin
- Hands Up! by Breanna J. McDaniel; illustrated by Shane W. Evans
- Not Quite Snow White by Ashley Franklin; illustrated by Ebony Glenn
- I Got Next by Daria Peoples-Riley
- I Can Write the World by Joshunda Sanders; illustrated by Charly Palmer
- Sing a Song by Kelly Starling Lyons; illustrated by Keith Mallett
- Going Down Home with Daddy by Kelly Starling Lyons; illustrated by Daniel Minter
- The Roots of Rap by Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrated by Frank Morrison
- Undefeated by Kwame Alexander; illustrated by Kadir Nelson
