Sunday, January 4, 2009

2009 Coretta Scott King Awards - Another Year of Mock Silence?


Do a blog search - is there any chatter on mock Coretta Scott King Awards for 2009? No librarians seem to be talking about the CSK awards? No bloggers? No book industry publications? I have not been able to find any, so decided to start a thread given the awards are coming out later this month. Here are my picks for 2009 - what are yours?

2009 Mock CSK - Author Award Nominees

2009 Mock John Steptoe New Talent Award - Author Nominees

2009 Mock CSK - Illustrator Award Nominees
2009 Mock John Steptoe New Talent Award - Illustrator Nominees
Now, if there was a CSK Award for compiling a book ... my nominee would be
I also think if there were awards for promoting the cause of African American literature in 2008, one nominee would be ....
So, who do you think will win CSK Awards in 2009? How many new winners will there be? How many women? Will there be a year when a self-published African American author or illustrator wins? What say you?

42 comments:

Keri said...

Kendra by Coe Booth was amazing and should definitely be considered. I'd love to see My Life as a Rhombus but Varian Johnson get some attention as well.

Cynthia Leitich Smith said...

I'm strongly seconding Coe Booth and Varian Johnson. I also loved Becoming Billie Holiday by Carole Boston Weatherford and Floyd Cooper.

Anonymous said...

CSK illustrators award to We Are The Ship by Kadir Nelson - its a masterpiece, with honors to Art From Her Heart by Shane Evans and Becoming Billie Holiday by Floyd Cooper

Kim / POWER OF RUN said...

I love the Ruby books by Derrick Barnes.

Ali said...

The only one of those that I've read is Sunrise Over Fallujah, and I think it's worthy of the award. I'm going to get the Hip Hop Speaks to Children for my kids to read, it looks like something they'd love.

Douglas Florian said...

We Are the Ship:The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson is a true labor of love and a masterpiece. I would give both Becoming Billy Holiday and Art From Her Heart: Folk Artist Clementine Hunter an honor award.

Don Tate II said...

Great post you have here. I'll have to follow up at BBS, too, though I did Twitter it.

My thoughts: Becoming Billie Holiday, March On! Christine King Farris. There's so many. Kadir, definitely! But what category, illustration or writing. Maybe both?!

I'd like to see Zetta Elliott be recognized for Bird.

Mary Ann Scheuer said...

Great post - I absolutely agree with you about the need for this. Thanks for a great list!

Unknown said...

Honestly, I wasnt sure if they were still doing the CSk awards since I dont hear anything about it. I'm glad you posted this. My daughter(11) and I vote for the Ruby book.

Anonymous said...

Rubert the Jumping Duck by Jessica Bernard and Rubert the Jumping Duck Goes on Vacation should definitely be entered into this contest aside from it be written by a seven year old children. One reviewer describes Rubert the Jumping Duck as Funny little Rubert, a duck who loves to jump, jumps throughout all his preparations for school, and his jump muscles get stronger and stronger. He jumps to visit his best friends, Maggie the dog and Rickie the raccoon, and then he jumps so high that he lands on a big fluffy cloud. But when he jumps off the cloud, he accidentally lands on the group of neighbors below that are watching him. Thankfully, everyone laughs at Rubert’s antics, and he jumps all the way to school http://www.curledupkids.com/rubertjd.htm. My vote goes for Rubert the Jumping Duck

Megan Germano said...

Ooo, I love these lists! Thanks for the lists.

Kookla said...

CHAMELEON by Charles R. Smith Jr.

CAS said...

How about After Tupac and D. Foster by Jacqueline Woodson? I know that she won an CSK for Miracle's Boys and an honor for Locomotion, and I think After Tupac... is arguably stronger than either of those. Hard to say if it could beat out offerings as wonderful as We are the Ship and Sunrise over Fallujah, though.

Kelly said...

I'd love to see Becoming Billie Holiday by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Floyd Cooper or I, Matthew Henson by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Eric Velasquez recognized. Carole writes such beautiful books. It would be great for her to win a King Award.

Paula said...

Kyra, I love the factoids you've provided with some of the selections. Your point about the same illustrators receiving the award is of special interest because Don Tate has really helped increase my awareness of some really good illustrators out there. I hope the committee really has their ears to the ground or eyes to the pictures, in this case. Because there seems to be a lot of good talent out there worthy of CSK illo recognition.

On the author front - it was especially thrilling last year when Sundee Frazier won the Steptoe b/c her book was so contemporary and she's an author of mixed race. It gave me hope that the awards were going to take a broader approach to their selections as we move forward.

Anonymous said...

Kyra,
Thanks for making me aware of this post. I have seen so many posts on blogs for the best of this, best of that and knew that I just could really begin to put together such a list because I was gone for more than half the year and missed reading many, many books. I can say that I have put "Chess Rumble" into anyone's hands who stand still long enough; I've gotten numerous students to read "My life as a rhombus" and I most want to read "Ms. Thang", "Shadow Speaker" and "Hot Sour Salty Sweet".
I agree with your nomination for the Brown Book Shelf Blog and would also recommend a special award for L. Divine. Her books continue to be the post populars books among African American girls both in my school media center and on my blog. Hats off to her for getting them to read something more age appropriate!

Anonymous said...

What a great post! You ask some bold & provocative questions, Kyra--I'm particularly struck by the lack of recognition (work?) being given to black women illustrators. I'm new to the field of children's literature, and I have to say--so far I'm seeing a LOT of imbalances that make me more than a little uneasy. The community of black writers and illustrators seems quite small, and that doesn't bode well for intra-group diversity and a wide range of reading options for our youth. I do hope you'll say more about the future of self-published kids lit, since I see myself moving in that direction. But mostly this post taught me that I have a LOT of reading to do; I stopped reading juvenile fiction when I stopped writing for kids 5 years ago...but now I'm back, and I see there's a lot of work yet to be done, unspoken stories yet to be told. Thanks for citing BIRD as a contender--I do hope Shadra Strickland wins the new talent award for illustration, b/c she richly deserves it.

shadrieka said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
shadrieka said...

P.S. Thanks for the vote for BIRD. It was an honor to work on such a beautiful story.

shadrieka said...

Where my girls at?!?!
Yes, it is interesting that there are less women of color in the field. Recently, when asked to make a list I struggled to do so.

When I was choosing my adviser (Pat Cummings) while I was in grad school, it meant so much that she was available to lead me down the book-making road because 1) her work is fabulous, and 2) she was, at the time, the only Af. Am. female illustrator who I knew to have such an impressive career. Her creative energy is mind boggling.

There are many women that I can name now-Cozbi Caberera, Nicole Tadgell, Jan Spivey Gilchrist, Brenda Joysmith (though more fine arts), Adjoa J. Burrowes. Hopefully the list will continue to grow.

BTW, because "we" have the CSK awards, and thank heaven for that, does that then exclude Af. Americans from winning the Caldecott too? I'm just curious. On my giant Caldecott poster in my studio–right next to my giant CSK poster ;-), there has been no single Af. Am. person to win (which excludes the Dillons since Leo is a part of a team). I've always wondered....

Maybe Kadir will take it this year with "We Are the Ship"....Good luck to everyone on the road to the CSK!

Paula said...

because "we" have the CSK awards, and thank heaven for that, does that then exclude Af. Americans from winning the Caldecott too?

I think this point has been brought up before in the blogosphere, but I'm unable to pinpoint where.

There's definitely a nagging sense that books by/for African Americans perhaps aren't as seriously considered for the Caldecott because the CSK will absorb them.

When I step back from the issue, I have to ask myself - is that a battle we choose or do we simply focus on making sure the CSK continues to broaden its selections?

I'm mixed on the answer!

shadrieka said...

I think it's both. Unless we bookmakers want to end up making the same book over and over again to appease the industry gatekeepers (to borrow from Z.E.), we shouldn't become complacent on the issue. The Caldecott is awarded to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. Does that then exclude Af. Am. artists because we have an award for us already?

If that is the case then it should be stated as such, so that this question wouldn't have to be asked. The suggestion otherwise is disconcerting.

There are other minority artists who have won...and based on the guidelines of the Caldecott itself, the "most distinguished" does not come with a clause that says "except Af. American artists because there's a separate award specifically for them.

If a broader more inclusive attitude towards the Caldecott were adopted, would this then mean the end of the CSK? I would certainly say not!

My thoughts...

shadrieka said...

*Also, I love, love, love "Becoming Billie Holiday". I'm ashamed to say I haven't read it yet, but Floyd Cooper's images are glorious.

Doret said...

Soon Kadir Nelson is going to have to do like Oprah did with the day time Emmy's and take himself out of the running. I think After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson and Pemba's Ghost by Marilyn Nelson and Tonya Hegamin could medal. I totally forgot about You Can Do it by Tony Dungy.

yabooklady said...

In the Kansas City Metro area we do all of the Mock Awards including CSK. Although in this case, we only do the books on the younger end of the spectrum and we do not do the new author, etc. awards. Here is our list of nominees that we will be discussing and voting on next week.

Mock Coretta Scott King nominees
January 2009



Abe’s Honest Words. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson, written by Doreen Rappaport.

Art from her Heart: Folk Artist Clementine Hunter. Illustrated by Shane W. Evans, written by Kathy Whitehead.

Barack. Illustrated by AG Ford, written by Jonah Winter.

Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope. Illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Nikki Grimes.

Before John Was a Jazz Giant. Illustrated by Sean Qualls, written by Carole Boston Weatherford.

Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation. Illustrated by Brian Pinkney, written by Andrea Davis Pinkney.

Harvey Moon, Museum Boy. Illustrated and written by Pat Cummings.

Keena Ford and the Second-Grade Mix-Up. Illustrated by Frank Morrison, written by Melissa Thomson.

Keeping the Night Watch. Illustrated by E. B. Lewis, written by Hope Anita Smith.

Lincoln and Douglass: An American Friendship. Illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Nikki Giovanni.

March on! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World. Illustrated by London Ladd, written by Christine King Farris.

Moon Over Star. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, written by Diana Hutts Aston.

Night Runner. Illustrated by E.B. Lewis, written by Elisa Carbone.

Phillis’s Big Test. Illustrated by Sean Qualls, written by Catherine Clinton.

We are the Ship: the Story of Negro League Baseball. Illustrated and written by Kadir Nelson.

Kimberly Patton,
Central Youth Services, Teen Librarian,
Kansas City Public Library

Nicole Tadgell said...

Great post! Thanks for including my book, too! There are so many lovely books.
I've been collecting books illustrated by african-americans and have had the honor of meeting a lot of them - hopefully I'll be adding more to my collection soon!
It's true there aren't that many of us out there...so it is so wonderful to see those CSK books each year. Caldecotts are exceptional...and I have to keep reminding myself that those have more to do with being unusual and groundbreaking.
Anyway...best of luck to all!

PS Shadra Strickland's art rocks!!

Omoruyi Uwuigiaren said...

Krya,

Thank you for making me aware of this. I think it is time for the women to win.

taeeun yoo said...

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the book BIRD by Zetta Elliott and Shadra Strickland! The book is very stunning and speechlessly beautiful.

CW Cush said...

As an independent publisher, I'd like to see some independent publishing houses win an award. Check out my latest book at:

http://joylovebooks.com/product.htm

MotherReader said...

I would definitely put Boycott Blues in there - I loved the art and the way of telling the story.

Anonymous said...

It's an honor to have Howard's Great Hope appear on this list! All of the works here are superb!

Kelly Polark said...

I love the book by Nikki Giovanni!!! Her poetry rocks!

AnnieMac said...

I recently read We are the Ships, by Kadir Nelson. The illustrations and the text were both amazing and really stood out. I loved the dynamic illustrations full of emotion. The book really touches a topic that is not often discussed or covered, which is really great.

Anonymous said...

Chicago Public does have a mock CSK discussion - author and illustrator; it's just not on-line./

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