NLS Kids Zone
Coretta Scott King Award and
John Steptoe Award for New Talent
The Coretta Scott King Award is given to African-American authors and illustrators for outstanding contributions to children's and young adult literature in books which promote appreciation of the contribution of all people to the realization of the American Dream, to peace, and to world brotherhood. The John Steptoe Award for New Talent is established to affirm new talent and to offer visibility to excellence in writing and/or illustration which otherwise might be formally unacknowledged within a given year within the structure of the two awards given annually by the Coretta Scott King Task Force.
All winning titles are listed with the corresponding NLS book number. Web-Braille books have a direct link for registered borrowers to download the braille file. The RC number is for requesting the loan of the audio cassettes from an NLS network library.
About the King Award About the Steptoe Award
2010
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal
by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
Biography of African American Bass Reeves (1838-1910), a hero of the Old West. Discusses Reeves’s escape from life as a slave in Texas, his qualifications for being a deputy marshal, and some of his exploits with desperadoes. For grades 2-4. 2009.
BR 19015 PRINT/BRAILLE in process
DB 71397
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book
Mare’s War
by Tanita S. Davis
Teens Octavia and Tali reluctantly take a cross-country road trip with their eighty-year-old grandmother. But Mare’s stories about growing up black in 1940s Alabama and running away from home to join the army during World War II make the journey worthwhile. For grades 6-9. 2009.
BR 18763 (2 vols.) in process
DB 70850 in process
John Steptoe Award for New Talent—Author
The Rock and the River
by Kekla Magoon
Chicago, 1968. Sam respects the teachings of his peaceful civil-rights activist father. But when Sam and his girlfriend Maxie witness a friend’s brutal beating by white police officers, Sam questions waiting versus action. And his brother joins the Black Panther Party. Some violence. For junior and senior high readers. 2009.
BR 18709 (2 vols.) in process
DB/RC 69290 in process
2009
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
We Are the Ship
by Kadir Nelson
Presents the history of Negro League baseball from its beginnings in the 1920s through its decline after Jackie Robinson moved to the major leagues in 1947 and broke the racial barrier. Discusses gifted athletes, discrimination, and the players’ passion for the sport. For grades 3-6 and older readers. 2008.
DB/RC 66426
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book
Keeping the Night Watch
by Hope Anita Smith
In a series of prose poems, thirteen-year-old C.J. chronicles the reactions of his family to the return of his father, who had walked out on them. Sequel to The Way a Door Closes (RC 58637). For grades 5-8. 2008.
DB/RC 68339
The Blacker the Berry
by Joyce Carol Thomas.
Thirteen poems praising various shades of skin color, from raspberry black and golden bronze to coffee black, eggplant purple, and snowberry white. In "Cranberry Red" a boy considers the possibility of Irish ancestors who reddened the Africa in his face. For grades 2-4. 2008.
BR 18046 PRINT/BRAILLE
Becoming Billie Holiday
by Carole Boston Weatherford.
Jazz vocalist Billie Holiday (1915-1959) reflects on her early years in this fictional memoir written in verse. In "I Can’t Face the Music" Billie overcomes stage fright. In "Trav’lin’ Light," her songs are her home. Some violence and some strong language. For senior high readers. 2008.
DB/RC 69069
2008
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Elijah of Buxton
by Christopher Paul Curtis.
Buxton, Canada; 1860. Born free in a settlement for runaway slaves, eleven-year-old Elijah Freeman discovers the horrors of slavery when he accompanies Mr. Leroy to Michigan. They track a thief who stole the money Mr. Leroy saved to buy his family's freedom. For grades 4-7.
DB/RC 66054
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book
November Blues
by Sharon Draper.
Two months after her boyfriend Josh dies, sixteen-year-old November finds out that she is pregnant. She faces difficult options with support from her mother, girlfriends, and Josh's cousin Jericho. Sequel to The Battle of Jericho (RC58023). For senior high readers.
RC 66188
Twelve Rounds to Glory: The Story of Muhammad Ali
by Charles Smith.
Rap-inspired verse celebrates the life of American boxing champion Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Clay in 1942. Covers Ali's 1960 Olympic gold medal, his conversion to Islam, objections to the war in Vietnam, attitudes towards racism, and battle with Parkinson's disease. For grades 5-8.
RC 67173
2007
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Copper Sun
by Sharon Draper.
Amari is taken from her African village when she is fifteen and sold to a southern plantation owner in America. Amari and Polly, a white indentured servant, risk everything to escape. Descriptions of sex and violence. For senior high and older readers.
DB/RC 63855
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book
The Road to Paris
by Nikki Grimes.
Paris, a biracial eight-year-old, goes to a loving foster home while her ten-year-old brother Malcolm is sent to an institution for "incorrigible" boys. Paris must make a difficult decision when her birth mother wants to reunite the family. Some strong language. For grades 4-7.
RC 66168
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom
by Walter Dean Myers.
Portrays the bravery and faith of Harriet Tubman, who fled slavery before the Civil War. Describes how she risked her new safety to return to the South many times and led slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad. For grades 2-4.
BR 17014 PRINT/BRAILLE
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
Jazz
by Walter Dean Myers.
This celebration of American jazz contains a brief history of this musical tradition; fifteen poems linked to various styles from ragtime to swing, from bebop to fusion, and from funeral to dance; a glossary of jazz terms; and a chronology. For grades 3-6 and older readers.
BR 17019 PRINT/BRAILLE
Langston Hughes
edited by Arnold Rampersad & David Roessel.
Twenty-six poems by African American writer Langston Hughes (1902-1967), whose work reflects the language and heritage of his people. "Aunt Sue's Stories" celebrates oral tradition while "I Dream of a World" expresses a hope for all mankind. Includes explanatory notes and a biographical essay. For grades 4-7 and older readers.
RC 63798
John Steptoe Award for New Talent—Author
Standing against the Wind
by Traci L. Jones.
Inner city Chicago. Shy, studious eighth-grader Patrice Williams hopes to win a scholarship to a boarding school in Mississippi. When classmate Monty Freeman defends her from some harassing boys, Patrice finds an unexpected ally. For grades 6-9.
RC 64961
2006
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Day of Tears: a novel in dialogue
by Julius Lester.
Savannah, Georgia; 1859. When Pierce Butler his slaves to cover gambling debts, he includes Emma, the daughter of his cook, beloved by his own daughters. Both families express thoughts and feelings while flashbacks and flash-forwards reveal the consequences of this act. For grades 5-8. 2005.
RC 62709
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book
Maritcha: a nineteenth-century American girl
by Tonya Bolden.
Biography of Maritcha Rémond Lyons (1848-1929), an African American girl who fought to attend the town’s only high school—an all-white one. Describes her family and childhood in New York and Rhode Island before, during, and after the Civil War. Based on Lyons’s memoir. For grades 4-7 and older readers.
A Wreath for Emmett Till
by Marilyn Nelson.
A sequence of fifteen interlinked sonnets written as a poetic homage to Emmett Till, the fourteen-year-old victim of racial prejudice and lynching in 1955 Mississippi. Includes a historic note on the events and sonnet notes. For senior high and older readers. Printz Honor book.
DB/RC 69550
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
Rosa
by Nikki Giovanni.
Account of Rosa Parks's decision to stay in her bus seat in 1955 Alabama, in defiance of segregation laws. Explains the resulting bus boycott by civil rights activists that led to the Supreme Court ruling ending racial segregation on buses. For grades 3-6. Coretta Scott King, Caldecott Honor. 2005.
BR 16045 Print/braille
2005
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Remember: The Journey to School Integration
by Toni Morrison
An account of the thoughts and feelings of children involved in school desegregation. Provides background to the 1954 groundbreaking Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision and the movement to eliminate racist laws. For grades 3-6. 2004.
RC 58483
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
Who Am I without Him?: Short Stories about Girls and the Boys in Their Lives
by Sharon G. Flake
Ten short stories about African American teens and their sometimes problematic search for love. In "So I Ain't No Good Girl" an unattractive young lady allows her good-looking boyfriend to demean her. In "A Letter to My Daughter" an absentee father sends advice. For senior high readers. 2004.
RC 58922
2004
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
The First Part Last
by Angela Johnson
Sixteen-year-old Bobby's carefree teenage life changes forever when he becomes a father. After tragedy strikes, he must care for his adored baby daughter, Feather, by himself. Despite mistakes, Bobby's courage and love enable him to carry on with the aid of supportive adults and friends. Strong language. For senior high readers. 2003.
RC 57618
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
Days of Jubilee: The End of Slavery in the United States
by Patricia C. and Fredrick L. McKissack
Drawing on slave narratives, letters, diaries, and other documents, the authors chronicle the steps that led to the emancipation of slaves in America. They review events and issues from colonial times through the Civil War in 1861-1865 and the following Reconstruction era. For grades 5-8. 2003.
RC 56729
Locomotion
by Jacqueline Woodson
In a collection of different types of poems eleven-year-old Lonnie writes about his life. After his parents' death he is separated from his sister and lives in a foster home, where writing eases his pain. For grades 3-6. 2003.
RC 56304
The Battle of Jericho
by Sharon Draper
High school junior Jericho and his cousin Josh are invited to join a prestigious club at Frederick Douglass High. But the hazing the pledges have to go through causes Jericho to doubt the group's benefits. Then a tragedy occurs. For senior high readers. 2003.
RC 58023
John Steptoe Award for New Talent—Author
The Way A Door Closes
by Hope Anita Smith; illustrated by Shane W. Evans
Thirteen-year-old C.J. describes in thirty-four poems his family's struggles. The first twelve celebrate their close-knit life while the rest lament abandonment by their father and express hope and healing upon his return. For grades 5-8.
RC 58637
John Steptoe Award for New Talent—Illustrator
My Family Plays Music
Illustrated by Elbrite Brown; written by Judy Cox.
An African American girl joins her musical family playing on a variety of instruments in various settings. She participates in a marching band and a string quartet and performs at church, in a café, in a ballroom, and in a concert. For preschool—grade 2.
BR 16002 Print/Braille
2003
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Bronx Masquerade
by Nikki Grimes
Tough students at a Bronx high school reveal their innermost thoughts, dreams, and fears during the monthly English class's Open-Mike Fridays. Through their expressions of rap, free verse, and rhymes, the students learn they are more alike than they are different. For junior and senior high readers.
RC 55776
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
The Red Rose Box
by Brenda Woods
In 1953, Leah's Aunt Olivia sends her a red rose traveling case for her tenth birthday and train tickets from New Orleans to Los Angeles, where there are no Jim Crow laws. A hurricane changes Leah's life and ideas about home and family. For grades 4-7. Coretta Scott King Honor Book. 2002.
RC 56079
Talkin' About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman
by Nikki Grimes
Biography of the first licensed African American female pilot. Bessie grew up in the early 1900s when airplanes were new, pilots were men, and racial prejudice against African Americans was strong. She became a daring stunt flyer anyway. For grades 3-6 and older readers.
BR 15024 Print/Braille
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
Talkin' About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman
illustrated by E. B. Lewis; text by Nikki Grimes
Biography of the first licensed African American female pilot. Bessie grew up in the early 1900s when airplanes were new, pilots were men, and racial prejudice against African Americans was strong. She became a daring stunt flyer anyway. For grades 3-6 and older readers. Coretta Scott King Award. 2002.
BR 15024 Print/Braille
John Steptoe Award for New Talent—Author
Chill Wind
by Janet McDonald
Nineteen-year-old Aisha from Spellbound (RC 56560) is living on welfare with her two children when her checks run out. Faced with homelessness, she is forced to try workfare until she discovers a job as a large-sized model. For senior high readers.
RC 56891
2002
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
The Land
by Mildred Taylor
Mississippi, post-Civil War. Paul-Edward, the son of a white plantation owner and a slave of African-Indian heritage, follows his dream of owning his own land through hard work and determination. Prequel to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (RC 50326), the story of Paul-Edward's granddaughter, Cassie Logan. For grades 6-9. 2001.
RC 53538
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
Money-Hungry
by Sharon G. Flake
Thirteen-year-old Raspberry Hill is obsessed with making money so that she and her mother never have to worry about being homeless again, even though living in the projects is bad enough. For grades 6-9. Coretta Scott King Honor Book. 2001.
RC 54516
Carver: A Life in Poems
by Marilyn Nelson
Award-winning poet's series of poems portraying incidents in the life of multitalented George Washington Carver (1864?-1943), the botanist and inventor. Covers his start as an orphaned slave eager for education, his friendship with Booker T. Washington, and his career as a researcher at Tuskegee Institute. For grades 6-9. 2001.
RC 53915
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
Goin' Someplace Special
illustrated by Jerry Pinkney; text by Patricia C. McKissack
Nashville, 1950s. An African American schoolgirl takes her first trip alone in a segregated city. Her grandmother's wisdom helps 'Tricia Ann cope with the prejudice she encounters on her journey to one place where all are welcome. For grades K-3.
BR 14020 Print/Braille.
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books
Martin's Big Words
illustrated by Bryan Collier; text by Doreen Rappoport
An introductory biography of the American civil rights leader using his own words to portray his ideals and message to United States citizens and people all over the world. For grades K-3. 2001.
BR 14023 Print/Braille.
2001
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Miracle's Boys
by Jacqueline Woodson
Three orphaned African American brothers confront the challenges of growing up in New York City. The eldest, Ty'ree, works to support the boys; hostile and sullen Charlie returns from two years in detention; and Lafayette, the youngest, longs for family closeness. Some strong language. For grades 6-9.
RC 51471
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
Let It Shine! Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters
by Andrea Davis Pinkney; illustrated by Stephen Alcorn
Portraits of ten African American women who advanced the causes of women's rights and racial justice: Sojourner Truth, Biddy Mason, Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Mary McLeod Bethune, Ella Josephine Baker, Dorothy Irene Height, Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Shirley Chisholm. For grades 4-7. Coretta Scott King Honor. 2000.
RC 52743
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
Uptown
by Bryan Collier
A young boy points out his favorite places in Harlem from the brownstone houses to the street market, from the Apollo Theater to the barbershop. He remarks on the sounds and rhythms, activities, and people—all that he loves about Harlem, his home.
BR 13088 Print/Braille.
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books
Virgie Goes to School with Us Boys
illustrated by E.B. Lewis; text by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard
In the post-Civil War South, a young African American girl is determined to prove that she can go to school just like her older brothers.
2000
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Bud, Not Buddy
by Christopher Paul Curtis
During the Great Depression, ten-year-old Bud, a motherless boy, runs away from his latest (bad) foster home in Flint, Michigan. He sets out for Grand Rapids in search of the man he believes to be his father--renowned bandleader Herman E. Calloway. For grades 4-7. Coretta Scott King and Newbery awards. 1999
RC 49311
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
Francie
by Karen English
Twelve-year-old Francie yearns for the day she and her family will join her father in Chicago, where he has gone for work. Meanwhile, in segregation-era Alabama Francie teaches sixteen-year-old newcomer Jesse to read. When Jesse is accused of a crime, Francie decides to help him escape. For grades 5-8. Coretta Scott King Honor Book. 1999.
RC 50019
Black Hands, White Sails: The Story of African-American Whalers
by Patricia C. and Frederick L. McKissack
A history of African American whalers between 1730 and 1880, describing their contribution to the whaling industry and their role in the abolition movement. Due to limited job opportunities, both free blacks and runaway slaves worked as sailors despite the low pay and savage conditions. For grades 6-9. Coretta Scott King Honor Book. 1999.
RC 51501
Monster
by Walter Dean Myers
Sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon sits in jail accused of being a lookout in a deadly robbery. An aspiring filmmaker, Steve reviews his time in jail as a movie script. He wonders if he has become the monster that the prosecutor has made him out to be. For senior high readers.
RC 56569
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
In the Time of the Drums
illustrated by Brian Pinkney; text by Kim L. Siegelson
Mentu, an American-born slave boy from the Georgia Sea Islands, learns African traditions from his grandmother Twi. But one day, drums announce the arrival of a boat loaded with unhappy Ibo slaves, and African-born Twi leaves Mentu to lead the Ibo out of captivity. For grades 2-4.
BR 13010 Print/Braille.
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books
My Rows and Piles of Coins
illustrated by E. B. Lewis; text by Tololwa M. Mollel
A Tanzanian boy saves his money for a long time to buy a bicycle to carry goods to market for his mother. But his savings are nowhere near enough for a new bicycle. Then his parents find a way to reward him for his good intentions. For grades K-3. Coretta Scott King Honor. 1999.
BR 13013 print/braille
1999
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Heaven
by Angela Johnson (Simon & Schuster)
Fourteen-year-old Marley is content with her life in Heaven, Ohio, until a letter arrives from a church in Alabama. Marley is shocked to find out that her parents are really her aunt and uncle—and she feels that they have been deceiving her. For grades 5-8.
RC 48669
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
Jazmin's Notebook
by Nikki Grimes
Fourteen-year-old Jazmin has spent most of her life in foster homes. For the past year, she has lived with her older sister CeCe in a small apartment in Harlem. Jazmin refuses to let her past get her down. Instead she spends hours on the stoop of her building, dreaming about her college future and jotting down her observations. For grades 6-9.
RC 47277
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books
Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra
illustrated by Brian Pinkney; text by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Recounts the life of Edward Kennedy Ellington, who became known as "Duke" while growing up in Washington, D.C. The author tells how Ellington's parents encouraged him to play the piano although he didn't think the "umpy-dump" noise was headed anywhere. But years later, she says, he turned the sound into his own ragtime rhythm. For grades 2-4.
RC 47297
1998
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Forged by Fire
by Sharon M. Draper
The day before his ninth birthday, Gerald's world changes again. For the past six years he has been living with Aunt Queen while his mother was in prison for child abuse. Now she is re-entering his life, along with a half sister, Angel, and a stepfather. Realizing that Angel is being abused by her father, Gerald tries to protect her. Companion to Tears of a Tiger (BR 10779). For junior and senior high readers.
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
Bayard Rustin: Behind the Scenes of the Civil Rights Movement
by James Haskins
Biography of the skillful political organizer of the huge March on Washington in 1963. Explains how he acquired his beliefs in nonviolent protest and how he later influenced Martin Luther King Jr., starting at the 1955 bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama. For grades 5-8.
RC 49213
I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly: The Diary of Patsy, a Freed Girl
by Joyce Hansen
Mars Bluff, South Carolina, 1865. As a joke, the plantation owner's niece gives Patsy a little book in which to write her "beautiful thoughts." But to Patsy it is a wonderful gift, for she has learned to read and write while tending the children of the house. Over the next year, Patsy begins to share her knowledge with other slaves as they adjust to their freedom. For grades 4-7.
RC 45643
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
In Daddy's Arms I am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers
illustrated by Javaka Steptoe; text selected by Alan Schroeder
Thirteen poems in praise of fathers. Contains short biographical notes about the poets. For grades K-3 and older readers.
BR 12035, Print/Braille
RC 51324
1997
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Slam
by Walter Dean Myers
hen Harlem basketball talent Greg "Slam" Harris transfers to a magnet high school in the Bronx, everyone expects him to do well and go on to college. But Slam is feeling pressure in school and at home, then discovers that his best friend is dealing drugs. For senior high readers.
RC 49501
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman
illustrated by Jerry Pinkney; text by Alan Schroeder
In this fictional account of Tubman's childhood, young Harriet dreams of escape while working as a slave on a Maryland plantation in the 1820s. Her father helps her prepare for her journey by teaching her how to fish, hunt, swim, and read the signs of a tree and the stars in the night sky. For grades K-3.
RC 44518
John Steptoe Award for New Talent
Another Way to Dance.
by Martha Southgate.
Vicki Harris, fourteen, has been chosen to study at the School of American Ballet for the summer. Her family is concerned that Vicki will have to turn her back on her African American heritage to succeed in the mostly white world of ballet. As the summer progresses, Vicki must deal with her own concerns about race. For junior and senior high and older readers.
1996
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Her Stories
told by Virginia Hamilton.
A collection of folktales, fairy tales, and true stories of legendary women, all taken from traditional African American folklore. These stories are variously humorous, touching, scary, magical, and inspiring. For grades 5-8 and older readers.
RC 43189
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963
by Christopher Paul Curtis
The whole "Weird Watson" family drives from Michigan to visit Grandma Sands in Alabama. She is the only one who can put some sense into the head of Kenny's older brother, Byron, who acts up just too many times. The kids have never been to the South, where they experience segregation and racism. The family's sense of humor helps, but life there holds serious problems. Some strong language. For grades 5-8. Newbery Honor Book.
RC 41921
Like Sisters on the Homefront
by Rita Williams-Garcia
At fourteen, Gayle is pregnant for the second time in Jamaica, New York. Her mother takes her for an abortion and then sends Gayle and her young son to stay with the family of Gayle's minister uncle in Georgia. Whining and missing her homegirls, Gayle is disgusted by her straitlaced relatives including her cousin, Cookie. But by summer's end, Gayle's whole world has been turned upside down. Some strong language. For junior and senior high readers.
RC 43031
From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun
by Jacqueline Woodson
For the most part, thirteen-year-old Melanin Sun is happy living with his single mother, hanging out with his friends, and dreaming about a girl. But when forced to come to terms with differences in sexual preferences and race, Melanin Sun turns to his journal, where he records thoughts he can't speak out loud. For junior and senior high readers.
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books
Her Stories
illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon; text by Virginia Hamilton
A collection of folktales, fairy tales, and true stories of legendary women, all taken from traditional African American folklore. These stories are variously humorous, touching, scary, magical, and inspiring. For grades 5-8 and older readers. Laura Ingalls Wilder Award and Coretta Scott King Award.
RC 43189
The Faithful Friend
illustrated by Brian Pinkney; text by Robert San Souci
Retelling of a tale from the French West Indies, in which a native boy falls in love and sets off with his best friend, a boy of French descent, to bring home his intended bride. But along the way, they encounter several weird obstacles set in place by the girl's uncle, who does not approve of the marriage. For grades 2-4.
RC 44324
1995
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters
by Patricia C. & Frederick L. McKissack
It's 1859. The Virginia plantation is getting ready for Christmas. The Big House is clean, the tree decorated, the fireplace lit, and food prepared. Visitors will be welcomed, carols sung, stories told, and gifts unwrapped. There will be talk about war. Meanwhile, preparations in the Quarters are for singing, dancing, eating, and family reunions. The slaves talk about freedom. For grades 3-6.
RC 40586
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
The Captive
by Joyce Hansen
West Africa, 1788. Kofi, a twelve-year-old Ashanti boy, is sold into slavery by his father's own slave. After a few years of servitude in Massachusetts, Kofi manages to escape and is rescued by Paul Cuffe, an African-Indian ship captain who abhors injustice. For grades 5-8. 1994.
RC 49852
I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This
by Jacqueline Woodson
Twelve-year old Marie is a popular eighth grader in a predominantly African American class when Lena, a poor white girl, arrives. Because both girls have lost their mothers, they are soon drawn to one another. Then Lena reveals that her father is molesting her. Marie refuses to believe her, but once Marie gets over the shock, she begins to ask questions and to try to help Lena find a way out of her tragic situation. For junior and senior high and older readers.
Black Diamond: Story of the Negro Baseball League
by Patricia C. & Frederick L. McKissack
History of the baseball leagues formed when entry into the major leagues was denied. Describes the teams, players, and competition that existed from the nineteenth century until their dismantlement almost one hundred years later. Includes a player profile list as well as a time line. For grades 6-9 and older readers.
RC 49035
John Steptoe Award for New Talent
Tears of a tiger
Sharon M. Draper
Andy Jackson is consumed with guilt when his drinking causes an accident that kills his best friend Robert Washington, a star athlete. Journal entries, letters, homework assignments, newspaper articles, and conversations tell the tragic story of Andy's inability to deal with his depression. For junior and senior high readers.
1994
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Toning the Sweep
by Angela Johnson
her husband was murdered for being an "uppity nigger," and moved to the desert. Emily, fourteen, loves the desert as much as Ola. Perhaps due to the trauma of seeing her father murdered, Emily's mother hates the desert. Ola is moving to Cleveland with Emily and Mama, and they have come together to close up Ola's house--and find strength to face the past and the future. For grades 6-9 and older readers.
RC 37726
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
Brown Honey in Broom Wheat Tea
by Joyce Carol Thomas; illustrated by Floyd Cooper
A dozen poems evoking visions of an African-American home that knows love, sadness, hard times, joy, pain, pride, fear, togetherness, separation, and hope. The verses converge to create an image of tea slowly brewing, a symbol of the author's family. For grades K-3.
RC 40134
Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary
by Walter Dean Myers
This controversial man challenged the civil rights movement and "scared America" with his anger. Discouraged in school, Malcolm X became a sharp-dressing street hustler who ultimately found satisfaction in the sober life-style and black nationalist philosophy of the Nation of Islam, where he became a leader and chief critic of the nonviolent tactics of Martin Luther King. For grades 5-8 and older readers.
RC 36735
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books
Brown Honey in Broom Wheat Tea
by Joyce Carol Thomas; illustrated by Floyd Cooper
A dozen poems evoking visions of an African-American home that knows love, sadness, hard times, joy, pain, pride, fear, togetherness, separation, and hope. The verses converge to create an image of tea slowly brewing, a symbol of the author's family. For grades K-3.
RC 40134
Uncle Jed's Barbershop
illustrated by James Ransome; text by Margaree King Mitchell
It takes Sarah Jean's Uncle Jed a long time to open his barbershop, but he does not give up his dream. In the 1920s in the rural South where most black people are sharecroppers, Uncle Jed travels around the county cutting hair and saving for the barbershop. Sarah Jean needs an operation, then the banks fail, and Uncle Jed has to start over again, but he opens his barbershop on his seventy-ninth birthday. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K-3 and older readers.
BR 9921
1993
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Dark Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural
by Patricia C. McKissack.
The author invites readers to gather in the "dark-thirty"—the eerie half hour just before dark, for ten tales inspired by African-American folklore and history. In "We Organized" a cruel owner is forced by magic to free his slaves; in "Justice" a KKK lynching victim returns to haunt; and in "The 11:59" a porter knows when his time is up. Coretta Scott King Award. For grades 5-8 and older readers.
RC 36183
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
Mississippi Challenge
by Mildred Pitts Walter
The author documents the struggle of African-Americans in Mississippi to overcome pervasive racism and gain the right to vote. The influx of cotton farmers in the early nineteenth century led to the enslavement of four million blacks by the start of the Civil War. Walter discusses Reconstruction and the racial and economic terror that followed. She then focuses on the 1960s and the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. For grades 6-9 and older readers.
RC 36631
Somewhere in the Darkness
by Walter Dean Myers
"I'm your father," the man tells Jimmy Little in the dimly lit hall of his New York City tenement. They don't know each other. Crab, the father, has been in jail for nine years. Seriously ill, he has escaped from prison in an attempt to clear his name and win his son's respect. As they drive to Chicago, then to Crab's hometown in Arkansas, the police close in, and Jimmy sees the failure of his father's dreams. For junior and senior high and older readers.
RC 36958
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books
Sukey and the Mermaid
illustrated by Brian Pinkney; text by Robert San Souci
Sukey's new do-nothing step-pa is always yelling at her to do her chores. One day she sneaks off to the beach where she meets a mermaid named Mama Jo. When Sukey's step-pa threatens the friendship, Mama Jo offers Sukey a different kind of life. For grades K-3.
RC 43029
1992
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Now is Your Time: The African American Struggle for Freedom
by Walter Dean Myers.
Against the historical backdrop of the constant struggle of African-Americans for freedom and equality, Myers weaves the personal stories of influential and ordinary people—slaves, soldiers, inventors, artists, and political leaders. For grades 6-9 and older readers.
BR 9071
RC 35154
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
Tar Beach
by Faith Ringgold.
The author draws upon her childhood in Harlem in this tale of a young black girl who dreams of flying above New York City. "Tar Beach" is the rooftop of her apartment building, and neighbors often gather there on hot summer nights to talk, eat, and play. "Tar Beach" was first presented as a story quilt, and is part of the Guggenheim Museum collection in New York City. For grades K-3 and older readers.
BR 8940
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books
Night on Neighborhood Street
illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist, text by Eloise Greenfield
A collection of poems that weaves together the sights, sounds, and smells of Neighborhood Street. As night falls in this urban black community, children chant jump-rope rhymes, church congregations sing "Hallelujah," and the Robinsons gather for "fambly time." PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K-3 to share with older readers.
BR 8968
1991
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
The Road to Memphis
by Mildred D. Taylor
Cassie, now seventeen, recounts the harrowing events of 1941. A high school senior, Cassie aspires to become a lawyer. Her brother Stacey, who works in a factory, has recently bought a car. Cassie, Stacey, and chums Clarence and Willie help their friend Moe escaped north after he is provoked into attacking some white bullies. Sequel to Let the Circle Be Unbroken. For grades 6-9 and older readers.
BR 8470
RC 32965
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
Aida
illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon; text by Leontyne Price
African-American opera diva Leontyne Price, of world renown for her portrayal of Verdi's Aida, retells the story of that opera. Aida, a beautiful Ethiopian princess, is captured and enslaved in Egypt. When she falls in love with Radames, the handsome young captain of the Egyptian army, tragedy befalls all involved. For grades 4-7 and older readers.
BR 8936
RC 33189
1990
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
A Long Hard Journey: The Story of the Pullman Porter
by Patricia C. & Frederick L. McKissack
In 1859 George Pullman's first sleeping car made its debut run. Soon Pullman's sleeping cars were unrivaled in design and service. The porters who provided this service were at first ex-slaves, and for nearly 100 years all Pullman porters were black. In 1925, with the help of A. Philip Randolph, they organized the first African-American-controlled labor union. For grades 5-8.
RC 32703
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
Nathaniel Talking
by Eloise Greenfield, illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist
"It's Nathaniel talking/ and Nathaniel's me/ I'm talking about my philosophy/ About the things I do/ And the people I see/ All told in the words/ Of Nathaniel B. Free..." So begins a collection of poems about the world around as seen through the eyes of a nine-year-old boy. For grades 3-6.
RC 32433
The Bells of Christmas
by Virginia Hamilton
The year is 1890 and Jason, who's twelve, cannot wait for Christmas to arrive. He loves the bells of Christmas, both the bells that ring and the Bells who are his relatives. Jason lives in Ohio by the National Road--the first overland link between the Atlantic coast and the passersby. Now he waits by the road in the hope that snow and the Bells will soon appear. For grades 3-6 and older readers.
RC 32472
Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Freedom Movement
by Lillie Patterson
A biography of Dr. King that outlines his career and shows how he used the methods of Christ, Gandhi, and Thoreau to wage his non-violent war against poverty, oppression, and injustice. For grades 3-5.
BR 1146
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
Nathaniel Talking
illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist; text by Eloise Greenfield
"It's Nathaniel talking/ and Nathaniel's me/ I'm talking about my philosophy/ About the things I do/ And the people I see/ All told in the words/ Of Nathaniel B. Free..." So begins a collection of poems about the world around as seen through the eyes of a nine-year-old boy. For grades 3-6.
RC 32433
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
The Talking Eggs
illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, text by Robert San Souci
Creole folktale about a poor widow and her two daughters, Rose and Blanche. Rose is cross and mean, while Blanche is sweet and kind. When Blanche treats an old witch kindly, she is rewarded. When Rose tries, she is not so lucky. For grades K-3.
BR 8909
RC 51584
1989
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Fallen Angels
by Walter Dean Myers
With dreams of college fading, Ritchie Perry, a black youth from Harlem, enlists in the army. He is sent to Vietnam and into a bloody, violent nightmare where he sees desperate heroism and equally desperate cowardice. He struggles to survive racist officers, pitched battles, guerrilla raids, and multiple wounds. Strong language and violence. For high school and older readers.
RC 29775
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
A Thief in the Village and Other Stories
by James Berry
A collection of nine first-person vignettes about life in rural Jamaica. Some of the stories included are are "Becky and the Wheels-and-Brake Boys," "Elias and the Mongoose," and "The Banana Tree." For grades 6-9 and older readers.
RC 31348
Anthony Burns: The Defeat and Triumph of a Fugitive Slave
by Virginia Hamilton
In 1854, Anthony Burns, a twenty-year-old black man, was put on trial in Boston under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. Hamilton retells the day-by-day events of the trial, which polarized the city and caused a national furor among abolitionists and those determined to enforce the fugitive slave acts. For junior and senior high and older readers.
RC 29316
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
Mirandy and Brother Wind
illustrated by Jerry Pinkney; text by Patricia McKissack
First introduced in America by African slaves, the cake walk is a dance rooted in black American culture. Couples strut and prance around a large square, accompanied by fiddle or banjo music. Judged by a panel of elders, the winning couple takes home a cake. Young Mirandy is determined to catch Brother Wind so that she can win the junior cake walk. For grades K-3 to share with older readers.
BR 7545
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books
Under the Sunday Tree
illustrated by Amos Ferguson; text by Eloise Greenfield
A collection of poems that celebrate Caribbean island life. For grades 2-4 to share with older readers.
BR 7543
Storm in the Night
illustrated by Pat Cummings; text by Mary Stolz
Thomas, Grandfather, and Ringo the cat are left in the dark by a fearsome thunderstorm. There is little that they can do without electricity, so Grandfather decides to tell Thomas a story from his boyhood--when he was afraid of thunderstorms. For preschool-grade 2.
RC 30778
1988
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
The Friendship
by Mildred L. Taylor
Cassie Logan and her brothers witness a moving confrontation between Mr. Tom Bee, an elderly black man, and Mr. John Wallace, the white storekeeper, in Mississippi in the 1930s. For grades 5-8.
BR 7258
RC 27508
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
The Tales of Uncle Remus: The Adventures of Brer Rabbit.
by Julius Lester
A retelling of forty-eight Brer Rabbit tales in "modified, contemporary, Southern black English," with modern allusions. Includes "How the Animals Came to Earth," "Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby," and "Brer Rabbit Tricks Brer Bear." For grades 5-8 and older readers.
RC 26183
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale
by John Steptoe
Mufaro, an African villager, has two beautiful daughters, ill-tempered Manyara and kind Nyasha. Behind Mufaro's back Manyara often teases Nyasha, who retreats to her garden and sings. When the king sends out a call to find a wife, Mufaro prepares to present both his daughters. For grades 2-4 and older readers.
RC 26453
1987
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World
by Mildred Pitts Walter
Justin hates housework and feels that the reason his mother and two sisters do it better is because it's "women's work." When he visits his grandfather on his ranch, he is taught, with understanding and humor, to feel differently about cooking and cleaning. He also learns about the history of his family and other "Exodusters" who moved West after the Civil War, and about several famous black cowboys. For grades 3-6.
RC 26053
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
Which Way Freedom
by Joyce Hansen
Realistic novel of black participation in the Civil War. When their Southern master decides to sell them at the outbreak of the war, Obi Jennings and a young girl named Easter flee--only to be snared by Confederate soldiers. For grades 5-8.
RC 25755
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
Half a Moon and One Whole Star
illustrated by Jerry Pinkney; text by Crescent Dragonwagon
As Susan dozes, sleeps, and dreams, the summer night comes alive. Owls, bats, and night frogs become active, Johnny goes to play his saxophone at the club, and bakers begin making bread. A "sleeptime" story in rhyme. For preschool-grade 2.
BR 7112
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books
C.L.O.U.D.S.
by Pat Cummings
Chuku, a new worker in the department of Creative Lights, Opticals, and Unusual Designs in the Sky (C.L.O.U.D.S.), is given the undesirable job of designing the sky over the city of New York each day. He comes to love creating incredible effects in the New York sky until the day he is told he'll be getting a transfer. The words convey the beauty of this elaborate, fantastical picture book. For grades 3-6.
RCN 3
1986
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
Junius Over Far
by Virginia Hamilton
Fourteen-year-old Junius misses Grandfather Jackabo, who raised him in Ohio while his parents worked. Jackabo is old now, and he has returned to his beloved native island in the Caribbean. Just before Christmas Junius and his family receive an alarming letter from Jackabo, a letter indicating that he is in danger and that something is terribly wrong on the island. Some strong language. For junior and senior high readers.
RC 23741
Trouble's Child
by Mildred Pitts Walter
Fifteen-year-old Martha lives in a small island village in the Louisiana bayous. The granddaughter of Titay, the village midwife and healer, she is expected to marry and follow in her grandmother's footsteps. Martha, however, longs to go to high school to broaden her world beyond folk medicine and superstition. But nearly everyone views her ambitions with contempt. For grades 6-9 and older readers.
BR 7761
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books
The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales
illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon; text by Virginia Hamilton
Animals, fantasy, the supernatural, and desire for freedom shape this anthology of retold African American folktales, born of slaves' sorrow but passed on in hope. Includes several stories where Bruh Rabbit triumphs. For grades 4-7 and older readers. Coretta Scott King Award. 1985.
BR 6518
1985
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Motown and Didi
by Walter Dean Myers
Motown, a Harlem "street kid," and Didi, a young woman who dreams of going away to college, meet when Motown rescues Didi from an attack. Didi's mother is losing her mind, and Didi's brother is a heroin addict. In an attempt to save her brother, she goes to the police, and now Touchy, the pusher who controls Harlem, is out to get her. Strong language. For junior and senior high and older readers.
RC 28677
1984
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Everett Anderson's Good-bye
by Lucille Clifton
A poem describes the pain Everett Anderson goes through after his father dies. He is angry and depressed, and he tries to make a bargain to bring his father back. But eventually Everett accepts the situation, knowing he will always love his daddy. For grades K-3.
RC 40475
Special Citation
The Words of Martin Luther King, Jr.
compiled by Coretta Scott King
Selections from King's speeches and writing arranged in seven areas of concern: the community of man, racism, civil rights, justice and freedom, faith and religion, nonviolence, and peace. Introduction by Coretta Scott King provides personal and historical background for King's words. Also includes a chronology of his life.
BR 10758
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
The Magical Adventures of Pretty Pearl
by Virginia Hamilton
Pretty Pearl, a spunky African child god, travels to America atop a slave ship to learn more about humankind. She disquises herself as a human and lives with a band of free black folk in their forest stronghold. An imaginative tale that blends history and mythology. For grades 6-9 and older readers.
RC 23813
Bright Shadow
by Joyce Carol Thomas
Abyssinia has taken to sitting on the porch each evening waiting for Carl Lee Jefferson to come by. When gruesome tragedy strikes in the Oklahoma countryside and Carl disappears, Abby finds it difficult to hope anymore. Sequel to "Marked by Fire" (RC 21117). For high school and adult readers.
RC 24337
1983
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush
by Virginia Hamilton
Fourteen-year-old Tree falls in love with a ghost who she knows will change her life, though she can't dream how. The handsome ghost draws Tree into a fascinating exploration of her family, leading her to an understanding of herself and her mother and of the power of love. A poetic novel for junior and senior high and adult readers.
RC 19388
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
This Strange New Feeling
by Julius Lester
Three love stories, based on actual historic incidents, about African American slave couples who gain their freedom. Stories portray the harsh realities of slavery, the terror of escape, and the problems of the newly free. For grades 6-9.
RC 44740
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books
All the Colors of the Race
illustrated by John Steptoe; text by Arnold Adoff
Poems conveying the thoughts and feelings of a child whose identity springs from the marriage of her mother, who is black and Protestant, and her father, who is Jewish. For grades 4-7 and older readers.
RC 23525
Just Us Women
illustrated by Pat Cummings; text by Jeanette Caines
A young girl and her favorite aunt are planning a car trip from New York to the family home in North Carolina. They plan to take "no boys and no men, just us women," so that they can stop as often as they like, and mosey down the back roads. For preschool-grade 2.
BR 7905
1982
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Let the Circle Be Unbroken
by Mildred D. Taylor
Cassie Logan continues the story of her Southern black family in the depths of the depression. The warmth and love of the family enable each member to stay proud despite poverty and injustice. Cassie and her brothers suffer paralyzing fear when one of their best friends is charged with a murder they know he didn't commit. Sequel to (Newbery Award Winner) "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry." For grades 6-9.
BR 6355
RC 17849
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
Rainbow Jordan
by Alice Childress
Abandoned again by her beautiful but free-spirited mother, Rainbow seeks love from a guy who just strings her along and she resists it from the prim, middle-aged guardian who truly cares for her. Based on the author's experience, this lifelike novel recreates the laughter and tears of four generations of black women. Some strong language. For junior and senior high readers.
RC 18885
Mary: An Autobiography
by Mary E. Mebane
An autobiographical account of young black woman born in the early 1930s who struggles to free herself from oppression in the back country of North Carolina. An evocation of the way life was, Mary's story is also one of triumph; she graduates with honors from a black college and later receives a PhD in English literature. Written with sensitivity and humor.
BR 4845
RC 16756
1981
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
This Life
by Sidney Poitier
Autobiography of the black, Oscar-award-winning actor who was the youngest child of a proud, Bahamian farmer. Shipped to relatives in Miami at fifteen, Poitier ran away to New York and the fabled Harlem. He made his way from nobody to somebody--dishwashing, sleeping on roofs, and finally, winning himself a place in films and the American theater. Some strong language.
RD 15530
1980
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
The Young Landlords
by Walter Dean Myers
The "Action Group"--Paul, Gloria, Dean, Omar, Bubba, and Jeannie--have a new project. They are the proud owners of a run-down Harlem apartment building, which they bought for the grand sum of one dollar. For grades 6-9.
RC 23501
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
Childtimes: A Three-Generation Memoir
by Eloise Greenfield and Lessie Jones Little
Three black women--grandmother, mother, and daughter--talk about their childhoods and the past. The grandmother grew up in the late 1800s in rural North Carolina, the mother in the early 1900s in the same area, and the daughter in the 1930s in Washington, D.C. For grades 6-9.
RC 25458
1979
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
I Have a Sister, My Sister is Deaf
by Jeanne W. Peterson
Young girl describes with warmth and sensitivity how her deaf sister experiences everyday things. For grades K-3.
RD 11410
Skates of Uncle Richard
by Carol Fenner
A chubby nine-year-old who dreams of becoming the world's greatest figure skater is crushed when she receives an ugly old pair of hockey skates left over from her Uncle Richard's boyhood. For grades 3-6.
RC 14635
1978
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Africa Dream
by Eloise Greenfield; illustrated by Carole Bayard
A young child tells the story of a dream. She goes all the way to Africa and visits the marketplace, sings a song with new-old friends, rides a donkey, dances to her uncles' drums, and is rocked back to sleep by her long-ago grandma with Mama's face. For preschool-grade 2.
RC 41928
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books
The Days When the Animals Talked: Black Folk Tales and How They Came to Be
by William J. Faulkner
A collection of lively black folktales and dramatic anecdotes about the days of slavery. These stories were told to the author during his childhood by an old ex-slave. Includes twenty-four Brer Rabbit stories. For grades 4-7 and other older interested readers.
RC 12247
Marvin and Tige
by Frankcina Glass
A bittersweet relationship develops between two lonely people: a black, eleven-year-old, streetwise kid and a white, alcoholic, dropout, advertising executive. Some strong language.
RD 11718
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
Africa Dream
illustrated by Carole Bayard; text by Eloise Greenfield
A young child tells the story of a dream. She goes all the way to Africa and visits the marketplace, sings a song with new-old friends, rides a donkey, dances to her uncles' drums, and is rocked back to sleep by her long-ago grandma with Mama's face. For preschool-grade 2.
RC 41928
1977
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
The Story of Stevie Wonder
by James Haskins
Biography of the blind composer, pianist, and singer who emerged as a child prodigy and went on to win many Grammy awards. For junior and senior high readers.
RC 11600
1974
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Ray Charles
by Sharon Bell Mathis; illustrated by George Ford
Biography of the world-famous blind musician who has played to win against overwhelming odds. For grades 2-5.
BR 4236
RC 9584
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
Ray Charles
by Sharon Bell Mathis; illustrated by George Ford
Biography of the world-famous blind musician who has played to win against overwhelming odds. For grades 2-5.
BR 4236
RC 9584
1973
(Note: Prior to 1974, the Coretta Scott King Award was given to authors only)
I Never Had It Made: The Autobiography of Jackie Robinson
as told to Alfred Duckett
Baseball legend's account of his triumphs and tragedies on the road to becoming the first African American to play major league baseball. Descended from slaves and sharecroppers, Robinson recalls struggling to overcome racial barriers before and after his 1947 debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Introduction by Hank Aaron. 1995.
RC 58600
1970
Martin Luther King, Jr.: Man of Peace
by Lillie Patterson
A biography of Dr. King that outlines his career and shows how he used the methods of Christ, Gandhi, and Thoreau to wage his non-violent war against poverty, oppression, and injustice. For grades 3-5.
BR 1146
Coretta Scott King Award
The Coretta Scott King Award is presented annually by the Coretta Scott King Committee of the American Library Association's Ethnic Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT).
The award's purpose is to encourage the artistic expression of the African American experience via literature and the graphic arts, including biographical, historical and social history treatments by African American authors and illustrators. It is given to an African American author and an African American illustrator for an outstandingly inspirational and educational contribution. The books promote understanding and appreciation of the culture of all peoples and their contribution to the realization of the American dream. The award is further designed to commemorate the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and to honor Mrs. Coretta Scott King for her courage and determination to continue the work for peace and world brotherhood.
The full Coretta Scott King Award list is available at the American Library
Association's website
www.ala.org
John Steptoe Award for New Talent
The award is established to affirm new talent and to offer visibility to excellence in writing and/or illustration which otherwise might be formally unacknowledged within a given year within the structure of the two awards given annually by the Coretta Scott King Task Force.
The criteria for eligibility is the same as those for the writing and illustration awards, with the exception that the winner(s)' published works cannot exceed three in number. An author or illustrator who has already received or has just been selected to win one of the Coretta Scott King Awards in the current year is not eligible for the John Steptoe Award for New Talent. An author may receive this award one time.
The first award was presented in 1995. One award is presented annually for text or illustrations. The Committee may choose to select one book for writing and a second book for illustration. The award is not given if the committee so decides in a particular year.
The John Steptoe Award books follow the Coretta Scott King Award books in the list.
Information on NLS-produced titles
Most illustrated titles, when produced by NLS, have been produced as print/braille. In print/braille publication, the binding of copies of print books is removed, and the books are rebound with clear plastic sheets embossed with the braille text and interleaved between print pages.
Electronic braille versions available to registered Web-Braille readers are listed as links. They, along with other braille versions that are not linked, are also available to registered braille readers as embossed braille from cooperating network libraries. Audio versions in recorded cassetted (RC) are available to readers registered at a cooperating library.