Black Kid's Lit Authors - Down 12% in 2007

The number of African American Children's Book authors published in 2007 has declined nearly 12% since 2006!

The Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) at the University of Wisconsin, Madison has tracked children's books by and about people of color in the US since 1994. Its study of African American children's book authors goes back further to 1985 (based on the books received by the CCBC). Recently the CCBC released the 2007 stats - an estimated 77 children's books by African American authors were published in 2007 out of an estimated 5,000 children's books published!

Seventy-seven Black Children's Book Authors - only? Indeed all kid lit authors of color are the same or down in 2007, according to the CCBC:

• 42 Latino Children's Book Authors in 2007, just as 2006
• 56 Asian American Children's Book Authors in 2007, down from 72 in 2006
• 6 American Indian Children's Book Authors in 2007, down from 14 in 2006

What's happening? Is there anyone talking about this decline in publishing circles or on the Internet? Have you read these CCBC statistics in the news? Did the CCBC send out a press release on these stats? Are authors of color just producing less? Or, does it just not matter?

There are several self-published children's book authors. Heck, I'm one! As part of the marketing of my book, Martha Ann's Quilt for Queen Victoria, I donated a copy to the CCBC to ensure that I was counted... and to ensure that an organization that promotes and studies children's literature has my book in its catalog for future readers. Ensuring that institutions that teach children's literature have your book, especially books about kids of color, in their libraries is important.

Is there a sense that the number of African American children's book authors published in 2008 will increase? What say you?

My Sister Kairitu is Sick by Dr. Lydiah Nganga

Dr. Lydiah Nganga, is an assistant professor of Education at the University of Wyoming. She's also a native of Kenya, educated in both the US and Africa. And, she's the author of "My Sister Kairitu is Sick."

This 52-page, full-color children's book is about Kairitu, a young girl in Kahawa Sukari, a suburb of Nairobi, who wakes up one morning with a fever. Her sister, Kate, tells the reader about her sister and the how the day unfolds when the family learns Kairitu has ... the mumps! This book is actually two stories in one - as a family member tells a fable within the book about a crocodile and a monkey. Dr. Nganga includes background about Kenya and glossary to help one pronounce Kiswahili and Kikuyu words used in the illustrated book.

Patrick G. Mwangi, who lives in Nairobi, illustrated the book. My Sister Kairitu is Sick is published via Booksurge. The retail price is $21.99, yes, it's a bit high, but it's 52 pages in color. Congratulations to Dr. Nganga for sharing with us a story from Nairobi! Enjoy!

ABC3D - Innovative Pop-up - Oct 2008

While over on This Next website, I came across this soon to be published book, ABC3D by Maion Bataille. Wow!

Adjoa J. Burrowes - Author, Illustrator, Blogger

Illustrator and author Adjoa J. Burrowers is blogging on the website "Big Universe," dedicated to promoting children's literature online. You can read her blog posts on Big Universe by clicking here. Adoja has illustrated 17 picture books, including the popular Grandma's Purple Flowers. I had the pleasure of catching up with Adjoa recently as we both participated in reading our books at the Nineteenth National African American Read-In at the the Sherwood Regional Library in Alexandria, Virginia. She is a wonderful spirit! Enjoy!

Dehanna Bailee's Database of POD Publishers

If you are interested in comparing the offerings of DOZENS of Print-on-Demand publishers, do check out the recently (Feb 2008) POD Database listing prepared by author Dehanna Bailee. This 22 page PDF is free from Dehanna. Enjoy!

Carla R. Sarratt - Teen Lit Author, Self-Publisher

Carla R. Sarratt, author of Freshman Focus: Carter G. Woodson High School, is blogging about her self-publishing experience on her blog, Keeping Up with Carla. Good stuff!

New Black Online News Source - TheRoot.com

Check out www.TheRoot.com - a new website by the Washington Post company. This online magazine is targeted to African Americans - with news and commentary on politics and culture as well as tools for researching one's family genealogy. Henry Louis Gates Jr is the editor of TheRoot.com. Lynette Clemetson is the Managing Editor. Check out the site or read article from the New York Times. Let's hope there will be future stories on African American reading and book purchasing trends, author and illustrator profiles! Enjoy!

Karibu Books in DC to close

I received more than a couple emails about the closing of Karibu Books, an African American bookstore chain here in the Greater Washington, DC area. It's a sad event. The word from the Karibu website:

"After 15 years of service within the Washington, DC metropolitan area, Karibu Books, a Black bookstore chain will be closing its doors. We sincerely thank each and every one of you for your patronage and support. We are optimistic that our mission to empower and educate through a comprehensive selection of books by and about people of African descent will continue to resonate within the communities we proudly served."

You can also read more about customer reactions on the blogosphere:

• Author Connie Briscoe's blog
• Author Paula Chase Hyman's blog - she had a book signing at Karibu
• Author Tayari Jones's blog
  
• USA Today article about Karibu's closing and reader comments
• Washington Post article about the customer reaction to chain bookstore closing
  

Getting a Seat at the Coretta Scott King Book Award Table

The first Coretta Scott King Award for outstanding book for children and young adults by an African American author was presented in 1970. The award for illustrators was added in 1974. The 2008 CSK Awards were presented this week - congratulations to all winners!

Looking into my database on past CSK selections for winner, honor, and new talent awards, the following stats appear:

• 36.8% of ALL (winner, honor, and new talent) awards have been presented to 13 recipients, who have been recognized with a CSK distinction five or more times over the years. The total number of awards is 85 for these 13 recipients. In my database an award to co-authors or co-illustrators is counted only once.
  
• 38 total recipients have received 162 of all Coretta Scott King Awards since 1970. These recipients have received two or more CSK distinctions. Believe it or not, that's 70.1% of all 231 CSK awards given over the last 38 years!
  

Looking more closely at Author awardees:

• 9 African American authors have received 40.3% of the total CSK author-related awards. These nine authors have received at least 5 or more CSK distinctions since 1970.
• 22 Black authors received 66.7% or 96 of the total CSK author-related awards. These 22 authors received at least two or more CSK distinctions over the years.

Looking more closely at Illustrator awardees:

• 4 African American illustrators have received 31.0% of the total CSK illustrator-related awards. These four illustrators have received at least 5 or more CSK distinctions since 1974.
• 16 Black illustrators received 75.9% or 66 of the total CSK illustrator-related awards. These 16 illustrators have received at least two or more CSK distinctions over the years.

To read more about the history of the Coretta Scott King Award, you might check out:

• Visit the ALA website for the CSK Award page or submission info.
• The Coretta Scott King Awards, 1970 - 2004 by Henrietta M. Smith 3rd Ed., 163 pages

28 Days Later Calendar! The Brown Bookshelf

The Brown Bookshelf, a group organized to "shine the spotlight on the varied African American voices writing for young readers," announced the featured authors and illustrators for it's first national initiative, Twenty-Eight Days Later, a Black History Month celebration of children's literature. Enjoy!

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 and illustrator 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 and illustrator 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 and illustrator 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 and illustrator 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

Coretta Scott King Awards 1970 - 2008 Statistics

Since 1970 the CSK Award winner and honor awards have been presented to 231 persons. (Note, where two or more won an award, I've classified as Couple.)

• 62% total author awards, 38% illustrator awards
• Women represent 69% of the author awards presented and 50% of ALL awards presented
  
• Men represent 75% of the illustrator awards presented and 43% of ALL awards presented
• Working in teams - or the Couples - represent 8% of ALL awards presented, primarily in the Author category.
• While not shown in this table, 4 times the Illustrator Award, 4 times the New Talent Author Award, and 8 times the New Talent Illustrator Award were NOT presented.
  

What other statistics would you like to know about relative to the CSK awards? Share in the Comments area - and we'll look in the CSK Database! Enjoy!

Coretta Scott King Awards 2008 Winners

Congratulations to all the 2008 Coretta Scott King Award winners!

Coretta Scott King Author Award
Christopher Paul Curtis - Elijah of Buxton (Scholastic)

King Author Honor
November Blues - Sharon Draper (Atheneum)
Twelve Rounds to Glory: The Story of Muhammad Ali - Charles R. Smith, Jr. (Candlewick Press)

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award
Ashley Bryan - Let It Shine (Atheneum)

King Illustrator Honor Books
The Secret Olivia Told Me illustrated by Nancy Devard (Just Us Books)
Jazz on a Saturday Night by Leo & Diane Dillon (The Blue Sky Press)

John Steptoe Award for New Talent - Author
Sundee T. Frazier - Brendan Buckley's Universe & Everything In It (Delacorte)

There was no John Steptoe New Talent - Illustrator award presented.

Free comic books from Federal Reserve

The Federal Reserve teaches kids about financial matters via comic books. You can order up to 35 copies of each title for free. There are 12 titles to choose from such as the Story of Banks, the Story of Money, A Penny Saved, and the Story of Inflation. Each comic is 24 pages. According to a Wall Street Journal article by Daniel Akst, the Fed "distributed 866,00 free copies" in 2006; the Once Upon a Dime title is the most popular. Enjoy!

Lookybook: Good or Bad Idea?

Illustrator and blogger Don Tate asks if Lookybook is a good idea. Lookybook is an online website with the mission to:

"create a comfortable place where a curious and devoted audience can search, view, talk about, and buy from a diverse and rapidly expanding collection of picture books. We intend to create the greatest opportunity for authors, illustrators and publishers to reach interested consumers and dramatically extend the life of their books."

What I like about the site:
1. Easy, convenient ability to search the site via keyword, author or illustrator and subject matter. Yes, there's a Lookybook African American listing.
2. Way to market one's picture book to new audience.
3. New opportunity to post and read reviews
4. Avenue for multi-cultural books to be promoted (I learned about several interesting titles!)
5. View great artwork! One feature I love about real bookstores is the chance to walk into the Children's section and see the outward facing book covers - all the marvelous, varied artwork. I get a similar rush from Lookybook.

What I'm not crazy about:
1. The page-turning images are fine, I just can't read the text of many of the books. There's no button to enlarge or magnify pages. Given the difficulty in reading the text on a computer screen, there's little fear that visiting Lookybook will subsitute for reading and not purchasing a book.

I can't see much differences between what Lookybook is doing than what Google Book Search or Amazon's Search Inside is doing - except for the fabulous emphasis on children's picture books. Where is the value add that Lookybook brings?

Lookybook seems ideal for backlist titles or out of print picture books or even non-English picture books. There are quick links to buy any title - probably via affiliate marketing links where the site gets a commission for each sale. Is there an opportunity for independently owned bookstores to participate?

There seems little reason for visitors to return to Lookybook after a first visit - I've already bookmarked Amazon.com. I WOULD return if Lookybook offered for sale, say, 25 copies of a title autographed by the author and/or illustrator... that would get me back to the site... and give publishers and authors reasons to promote not only the titles, but the site.

I'd LOVE to see Lookybook add picture books titles from other countries - with links for purchasing. What are the best selling UK or South African picture books?

Going back to the out-of-print titles, one of the reasons I buy from ABE.com is to get out-of-print titles. I'd love to SEE the inside of OOP picture books via Lookybook prior to purchasing.

On a minor point, Lookybook should add a counter on its homepage showing how many titles are within the site - unless a visitor clicks around, it's hard to know if new titles have been uploaded since one last visited or even if there's a substantial number of books on the site now (yes, there's over 200).

Don, Yes, I think the site has the potential to be another avenue to reach readers. Enjoy!

Can a Black Kid be President - What Picture Books Show Us

Images matter. No one can escape the Presidential campaign process. Can a Black Kid be President - if you had to look at picture book covers to determine this? Are there titles you would suggest sharing with an African American child to give him or her a sense that she could indeed become the President of the United States of America?

• If I Ran for President by Catherine Stier, illustrations Lynne Avril
• Barack Obama: An American Story: An American Story by Roberta Edwards, illustrations by Ken Call. 48 pages.
• Jesse Jackson: A Voice for Change by Steve Otfinoski
  
• Shirley Chisholm for President--the story of Shirley Chisholm by Leonore K. Itzkowitz (1974) Wish I had a picture of this one!