New Books by African American Authors and Illustrators -- Post 9

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.

This book fits the qualifications and could, in 2013, be on the list of winners. Find our other “nominees” here. If you read an additional new book that you feel is qualified for a Coretta Scott King award, please email so that we may include it in our list. If you have read these titles and want to comment, please do so below. We’d love to hear from you!

Harlem’s Little Blackbird: the Story of florence Mills by Renee Watson; Christian Robinson, illustrator

Summary: Zora and Langston. Billie and Bessie. Eubie and Duke. If the Harlem Renaissance had a court, they were its kings and queens. But there were other, lesser known individuals whose contributions were just as impactful, such as Florence Mills. Born to parents who were former-slaves Florence knew early on that she loved to sing. And that people really responded to her sweet, bird-like voice. Her dancing and singing catapulted her all the way to the stages of 1920s Broadway where she inspired songs and even entire plays! Yet with all this success, she knew firsthand how bigotry shaped her world. And when she was offered the role of a lifetime from Ziegfeld himself, she chose to support all-black musicals instead.