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
- Sunrise Over Falluja by Walter Dean Myers (He's won a CSK Award 9 times before)
- Letters to a Young Sister by Hill Harper (Should have been honored for 2007 Letters to a Young Brother)
- Brand New School, Brand New Ruby by Derrick Barnes (Dark horse, I don't think any CSK Award has gone towards a series novel... Think Connie Rose Porter of the American Girls Addy book series ... or the Willimenia Rules! series by Valerie Wilson Wesley... or... you get my point.)
- You Can Do It! by Tony Dungy - a popular book with over 25 Amazon comments.
2009 Mock John Steptoe New Talent Award - Author Nominees
- Bird by Zetta Elliott. This book also won a Lee & Low New Voices honor award.
- Howard Thurman's Great Hope by Kai Jackson Issa
2009 Mock CSK - Illustrator Award Nominees
- Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope illustrated by Bryan Collier. Collier has won the CSK Illustrator award five times previous. Did the newly published book get submitted in time for the December deadline?
- We Are the Ships: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson, a three time CSK award winner. Very strong promotional efforts in 2008; many Amazon comments.
- A Man for All Seasons: The Life of George Washington Carver illustrated by Wil Clay. Clay has also won a CSK award before. Georgeous illustrations in this book, but is the subject of Carver too nineteenth century given the new dawn of Obama?
- No Mush Today illustrated by Nicole Tadgell. Just so sweet!
- Art from Her Heart: Folk Artist Clementine Hunter illustrated by Shane Evans. I admit, I'm biased on this and the next selection. How can we live in a world that Shane Evans' illustrations have not been at leasted HONORED for a CSK Award. Did you know that 31% of all past CLK Illustrator Awards have gone to just five illustrators (Ashley Bryan, Jerry Pinkney, Leo Dillion and Diane Dillion and Bryan Collier). Now, this is no disrespect to any winning illustrators - I just can't understand why one award would continue to go to the same folks year after year. Judges?
- Stitchin' and Pullin': A Gee's Bend Quilt illustrated by Cozbi Cabrera. Again, I'm biased. I'm a quilter and happen to be a fan of Cozbi's illustrations and dolls. There have been 37 illustrators to win any CSK Illustrator award - less than 10 have been women. Last year sistah Nancy Devard won an Honor award. As for the Gee's Bend Quilting subject matter, these quilts are of historical importance. In 2008 there were three different law suits regarding aspects of the Gee's Bend Quilt phenomena. What other woman illustrator would you nominate for 2009?
- Howard Thurman's Great Hope illustrated by Arthur L. Dawson.
- March On!: The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World illustrated by London Ladd.
- Bird illustrated by Shadra Strickland. Did you know there have been ZERO... NONE... NO female winners of the John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator award? None. Maybe 2009?
- Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat edited by sistah poet Nikki Giovanni
- The Brown Bookshelf blog - What a tremendous job this team of Paula Chase Hyman, Varian Johnson, Don Tate, Kelly Starling Lyons, and Carla Sarratt has done to keep us all updated on new books, authors and illustrators. I, for one, am looking forward to the 2nd annual 28 Days Later Black History calendar!
34 comments:
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.
I'm strongly seconding Coe Booth and Varian Johnson. I also loved Becoming Billie Holiday by Carole Boston Weatherford and Floyd Cooper.
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
I love the Ruby books by Derrick Barnes.
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.
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.
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.
Great post - I absolutely agree with you about the need for this. Thanks for a great list!
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.
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
Ooo, I love these lists! Thanks for the lists.
CHAMELEON by Charles R. Smith Jr.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
P.S. Thanks for the vote for BIRD. It was an honor to work on such a beautiful story.
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!
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!
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...
*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.
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.
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
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!!
Krya,
Thank you for making me aware of this. I think it is time for the women to win.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the book BIRD by Zetta Elliott and Shadra Strickland! The book is very stunning and speechlessly beautiful.
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
I would definitely put Boycott Blues in there - I loved the art and the way of telling the story.
It's an honor to have Howard's Great Hope appear on this list! All of the works here are superb!
I love the book by Nikki Giovanni!!! Her poetry rocks!
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.
Chicago Public does have a mock CSK discussion - author and illustrator; it's just not on-line./
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