Special Collections

Coretta Scott King Award Winners

Description: The Coretta Scott King Book Awards are given to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values. #award #kids #teens


Showing 51 through 75 of 91 results
 
 

Uptown

by Bryan Collier

Discover the vibrant world of Harlem, New York, as seen through the eyes of one little boy who lives there. "Uptown ...Harlem, New York. Chicken and waffles. Jazz. Home. "Uptown is a rich mix of flavors, colors, sounds, and cultures that come together to create a vibrant community like no other in the world. Seen through the eyes of one little boy who lives there, the details of life in Harlem are as joyous as a game of basketball on a summer's afternoon and as personal as a trip to the barbershop where old-timers reminisce. Bryan Collier's spare, poetic text and beautiful, intricate illustrations evoke every aspect of Harlem, from the legendary Apollo Theater to chocolate-colored brownstones, weekend shopping on 125th Street, and the music of Duke Ellington.

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal

Date Added: 08/10/2017


Year: 2001

Award: Illustrator

Miracle's Boys

by Jacqueline Woodson

From a three-time Newbery Honor author, a novel that was awarded the 2001 Coretta Scott King award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize

For Lafayette and his brothers, the challenges of growing up in New York City are compounded by the facts that they've lost their parents and it's up to eldest brother Ty'ree to support the boys, and middle brother Charlie has just returned home from a correctional facility.

Lafayette loves his brothers and would do anything if they could face the world as a team. But even though Ty'ree cares, he's just so busy with work and responsibility. And Charlie's changed so much that his former affection for his little brother has turned to open hostility.

Now, as Lafayette approaches 13, he needs the guidance and answers only his brothers can give him. The events of one dramatic weekend force the boys to make the choice to be there for each other--to really see each other--or to give in to the pain and problems of every day.

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal

Date Added: 08/10/2017


Year: 2001

Award: Author

Bud, Not Buddy

by Christopher Paul Curtis

It's 1936, in Flint, Michigan. Times may be hard, and ten-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy on the run, but Bud's got a few things going for him: he's got a suitcase filled with his own important, secret things; he's the author of Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Marking a Better Liar Out of Yourself and, although his momma never told him who his father was, she left a clue: flyers of Herman E. Calloway and his famous band, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression! Bud's got an idea those flyers will lead him to his father, and nothing's gonna stop him.

Newbery Medal Winner and Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal

Winner of Pacific Northwest Library Association’s Young Reader’s Choice Junior Award

Date Added: 05/20/2019


Year: 2000

Award: Author

I See the Rhythm of Gospel

by Michele Wood and Toyomi Igus

'We free now, baby,' mama whispers as we bounce and sway with the wagon's twists and turns over roads of clay through the land that oppressed us to a new world, a brand new day. The dynamic author/illustrator team of Toyomi Igus and Michele Wood has come together again to produce I See the Rhythm of Gospel, a sequel to the Coretta Scott King Award-winning I See the Rhythm. Readers of all ages will be captivated by this informative and inspirational blend of poetry, art, and music that relates the history of gospel music as reflected through the journey of African Americans from their arrival as slaves in America to the election of our first black president, Barack Obama.

Date Added: 08/10/2017


Year: 1999

Award: Illustrator

Heaven

by Angela Johnson

A poignant novel of deception and self-discover from three-time Coretta Scott King Award winner Angela Johnson.You never know what's gonna come down--in Heaven. At fourteen, Marley knows she has Momma's hands and Pops's love for ice cream, that her brother doesn't get on her nerves too much, and that Uncle Jack is a big mystery. But Marley doesn't know all she thinks she does, because she doesn't know the truth. And when the truth comes down with the rain one stormy summer afternoon, it changes everything. It turns Momma and Pops into liars. It makes her brother a stranger and Uncle Jack an even bigger mystery. All of a sudden, Marley doesn't know who she is anymore and can only turn to the family she no longer trusts to find out. Truth often brings change. Sometimes that change is for the good. Sometimes it isn't. Coretta Scott King award-winning author Angela Johnson writes a poignant novel of deception and self-discovery -- about finding the truth and knowing what to do when truth is at hand.

Date Added: 08/10/2017


Year: 1999

Award: Author

Forged By Fire

by Sharon M. Draper

When Gerald was a child he was fascinated by fire. But fire is dangerous and powerful, and tragedy strikes. His substance-addicted mother is taken from him. Then he loses the loving generosity of a favorite aunt. A brutal stepfather with a flaming temper and an evil secret makes his life miserable. The one bright light in Gerald's life is his little half sister, Angel, whom he struggles to protect from her father, Jordan Sparks, who abuses her, and from their mother, whose irresponsible behavior forces Gerald to work hard to keep the family together. As a teenager, Gerald finds success as a member of the Hazelwood Tigers basketball team, while Angel develops her talents as a dancer. Trouble still haunts them, however, and Gerald learns, painfully, that young friends can die and old enemies must be faced. In the end he must stand up to his stepfather alone in a blazing confrontation. Sharon M. Draper has interwoven characters and events from her previous novel, Tears of a Tiger, in this unflinchingly realistic portrayal of poverty and child abuse. It is an inspiring story of a young man who rises above the tragic circumstances of his life by drawing on the love and strength of family and friends.

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal

Date Added: 08/10/2017


Year: 1998

Award: Author

Minty

by Jerry Pinkney and Alan Schroeder

Many people know about Harriet Tubman's adult life--how she helped hundreds of slaves escape to freedom along the Underground Railroad. But how many know about Harriet Tubman's life as a child? This dramatic portrayal is illustrated in full color by four-time Caldecott Honor recipient Jerry Pinkney.

Date Added: 08/10/2017


Year: 1997

Award: Illustrator

Slam!

by Walter Dean Myers

An ALA Best Book: “A Harlem teenager learns to apply the will he has to win at hoops to other parts of his life in this vivid, fluent story.” —Kirkus ReviewsWinner of the Coretta Scott King AwardSeventeen-year-old Greg “Slam” Harris can do it all on the basketball court. He’s seen ballplayers come and go, and he knows he could be one of the lucky ones. Maybe he’ll make it to the top. Or maybe he’ll stumble along the way. Slam’s grades aren’t that hot. And when his teachers jam his troubles in his face, he blows up. Slam never doubted himself on the court—until he found himself going one-on-one with his own future, and he didn’t have the ball . . . From New York Times–bestselling author Walter Dean Myers, a National Book Award finalist in Young People’s Literature, this is an “admirably realistic coming of age novel” about the challenges of moving toward adulthood—and out of your comfort zone (Booklist, starred review).

Date Added: 08/10/2017


Year: 1997

Award: Author

Her Stories

by Virginia Hamilton and Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon

In the tradition of Hamilton's The People Could Fly and In the Beginning, a dramatic new collection of 25 compelling tales from the female African American storytelling tradition. Each story focuses on the role of women--both real and fantastic--and their particular strengths, joys and sorrows.

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal

Date Added: 08/10/2017


Year: 1996

Award: Author

Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters

by Patricia C. Mckissack and Fredrick L. Mckissack

Describes the customs, recipes, poems, and songs used to celebrate Christmas in the big plantation houses and in the slave quarters just before the Civil War.

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal

Date Added: 08/10/2017


Year: 1995

Award: Author

Soul Looks Back In Wonder

by Tom Feelings

A collection of empowering poetry by acclaimed authors such as Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, and Askia M. Toure. The collection explores the creativity of the African community and how this creative flow provides hope for future generations.

Date Added: 08/10/2017


Year: 1994

Award: Illustrator

Toning The Sweep

by Angela Johnson

Spanning three generations of African-American women, each holding on to a separate truth, this novel details the struggle these women face in finding a common ground upon which to share their love, friendship, and hardships.

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal

Date Added: 08/10/2017


Year: 1994

Award: Author

The Dark-Thirty

by Patricia C. Mckissack and Brian Pinkney

In that special half-hour of twilight--the dark-thirty--there are stories to be told. Mesmerizing, suspenseful, and breathtakingly original, these tales make up a heart-stopping collection of lasting value, a book not quickly forgotten.

Newbery Honor Book

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal

Date Added: 08/10/2017


Year: 1993

Award: Author

Tar Beach

by Faith Ringgold

"Ringgold recounts the dream adventure of eight-year-old Cassie Louise Lightfoot, who flies above her apartment-building rooftop, the 'tar beach' of the title, looking down on 1939 Harlem. Part autobiographical, part fictional, this allegorical tale sparkles with symbolic and historical references central to African-American culture. The spectacular artwork resonates with color and texture. Children will delight in the universal dream of mastering one's world by flying over it. A practical and stunningly beautiful book. "--(starred) Horn

Winner of the Caldecott Honor

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal

Date Added: 08/10/2017


Year: 1992

Award: Illustrator

Now Is Your Time!

by Walter Dean Myers

History has made me an African American. It is an Africa that I have come from, and an America that I have helped to create.

Since they were first brought as captives to Virginia, the people who would become African Americans have struggled for freedom. Thousands fought for the rights of all Americans during the Revolutionary War, and for their own rights during the Civil War. On the battlefield, through education, and through their creative genius, they have worked toward one goal: that the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness be denied no one.

Fired by the legacy of men and women like Abd al Rahman Ibrahima, Ida B. Wells, and George Latimer, the struggle continues today. Here is African-American history, told through the stories of the people whose experiences have shaped and continue to shape the America in which we live.

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal

Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Honor Book

Date Added: 08/10/2017


Year: 1992

Award: Author

The Road to Memphis

by Mildred D. Taylor

As America hovers on the brink of World War II, Cassie Logan fights a battle closer to home--the battle of black against white. The third book in the powerfully written Logan family saga finds the 17-year-old Cassie Logan dreaming of college and law school. But no amount of schooling can prepare her for the violent explosion that takes place when her friend Moe lashes out at his white tormenters--an action unheard of in Mississippi. Moe will be in even greater danger if he stays in town, so it is up to Cassie, her brother, and their friends to accompany Moe on the road to Memphis--and to safety.

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal

Date Added: 08/10/2017


Year: 1991

Award: Author

A Long Hard Journey

by Patricia C. Mckissack and Fredrick L. Mckissack

"An exciting labor history . . . an excellent introduction to the subject". --School Library Journal.

Coretta Scott King Award winner.

Date Added: 08/16/2017


Year: 1990

Award: Author

Mirandy and Brother Wind

by Patricia C. Mckissack and Jerry Pinkney

In this Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Award winning tale, Mirandy is determined to capture the best partner for the junior cakewalk jubilee. And who is the best partner? The wind, of course!

Grandmama Beasley says, “Can’t nobody put shackles on Brother Wind, chile. He be special. He be free.” With neighbors up and down Ridgetop suggesting all manner of strategies, and friend Ezel laughing at each foiled one, Mirandy grows ever more determined: she’ll get hold of that Brother Wind yet!

Patricia C. McKissack’s thoroughly engaging tale dances with spirit and rollicking good humor. Complemented by Jerry Pinkney’s rich, eye-catching watercolors of the rural South, here’s one of those rare, rewarding picture books that is sure to be read and enjoyed again and again.

Date Added: 08/16/2017


Year: 1989

Award: Illustrator

Fallen Angels

by Walter Dean Myers

On a jungle battlefront where one misplaced step could be any soldier's last, every move can mean the difference between death and survival. Perry, Lobel, Johnson, Brunner, and Peewee are in Vietnam, all hoping to make it out alive.

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal

Date Added: 08/16/2017


Year: 1989

Award: Author

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters

by John Steptoe

The king is going to marry. Mufaro has two very beautiful daughters. One is kind and considerate, the other selfish and spoiled. Which daughter will be chosen "The Most Worthy and Beautiful Daughter in the Land"? Which daughter will the king choose to be his wife?

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal

Date Added: 08/16/2017


Year: 1988

Award: Illustrator

The Friendship

by Mildred D. Taylor and Max Ginsberg

Cassie witnesses a black man address a white storekeeper by his first name. "A powerful story . . .Readers will be haunted by its drama and emotion long after they have closed the book." --Booklist

Date Added: 08/16/2017


Year: 1988

Award: Author

Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World

by Mildred Pitts Walter and Catherine Stock

Ten-year-old Justin hates that his sisters and his mama are always fussing at him. They make him feel stupid because he can't clean his room or cook. But why should he? He'd rather be outside playing. After all, cooking and cleaning is just "women's work." That's why Justin is glad when his grandfather invites him back to his ranch for the summer. Justin is sure he can get away from all the women and do some actual "men's work," such as cleaning fish, mending fences, and riding horses. But back at the ranch, Justin learns some unexpected lessons and soon realizes that anyone can do anything once they learn how.

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal

Date Added: 08/16/2017


Year: 1987

Award: Author

The Patchwork Quilt

by Valerie Flournoy

Tanya loved listening to her grand-mother talk about the patchwork quilt as she cut and stitched together the pieces of colorful fabric. A scrap of blue from brother Jim's favorite old pants, a piece of gold left over from Mama's Christmas dress, a bright square from Tanya's Halloween costume-all fit together to make a quilt of memories.

But one day Tanya's grandmother becomes ill, and Tanya doesn't know how to help her. It's then she decides to finish Grandma's masterpiece herself, and with the help of Mama and the whole family, she sets to work.

All the trust and sharing between a young girl and her treasured grand-mother is captured in Valerie Flournoy's story, lovingly illustrated in Jerry Pinkney's evocative paintings.

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal

Date Added: 08/16/2017


Year: 1986

Award: Illustrator

The People Could Fly

by Virginia Hamilton and Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon

"THE PEOPLE COULD FLY," the title story in Virginia Hamilton's prize-winning American Black folktale collection, is a fantasy tale of the slaves who possessed the ancient magic words that enabled them to literally fly away to freedom. And it is a moving tale of those who did not have the opportunity to "fly" away, who remained slaves with only their imaginations to set them free as they told and retold this tale.Leo and Diane Dillon have created powerful new illustrations in full color for every page of this picture book presentation of Virginia Hamilton's most beloved tale. The author's original historical note as well as her previously unpublished notes are included.Awards for The People Could Fly collection:Coretta Scott King Award, Booklist Children's Editors' Choice, School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, Horn Book Fanfare, ALA Notable Book, NCTE Teachers' Choice, New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year.

Date Added: 08/16/2017


Year: 1986

Award: Author

Motown And Didi

by Walter Dean Myers

Motown lives in a burned-out building one floor above the rats, searching out jobs every day, working his muscles every night, keeping strong, surviving. Didi lives in her cool dream bubble, untouched by the Harlem heat that beats down on her brother until only drugs can soothe him. Didi escapes, without needles, in her tidy plans and stainless visions, etchings of ivy covered colleges where her true life will begin. Didi can survive inside her own safe mind, until Motown steps into her real world and makes it bearable. Together they can stand the often brutal present. What about the future?

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Medal

Date Added: 08/16/2017


Year: 1985

Award: Author


Showing 51 through 75 of 91 results