Kirkus has given a starred review to The Scott Joplin Rag (Clarion) by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson.

The review says “Johnson’s exquisitely rendered acrylic and watercolor paintings, finished digitally, contribute mightily to readers’ understanding, incorporating gauzy swaths of color (especially magenta and chartreuse) layered over the urban scenes. Reminiscent of Aaron Douglas’ work, backgrounds are less saturated and specific than foregrounds, providing depth. Golden leaves, notes, and sheet music float over singers and structures, adding movement and celebrating Joplin’s famous “Maple Leaf Rag.” Piano keys detach from one another, ebony sliding away from ivory.”

The book will be published January 19. 2027.

Congratulations Cathy Ann!!

Booklist has given a starred review to Freedom’s Eve, A Story of Watch Night (FSG) by Pamela Courtney, illustrated by Keisha Morris.

The review says “The big feelings reflected in the faces of the dark-skinned young narrator and those around her in Morris’ painted-tissue illustrations really ramp up the emotion as a community gathers to celebrate the vigil that many of their Black ancestors kept on New Year’s Eve 1862, the night before the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect.”

The book will be published October 13, 2026.

Congratulations Keisha!

Publishers Weekly joins Kirkus and School Library Journal in giving a starred review to Here Comes the Band (Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster) written by Shadra Strickland, illustrated by John Holyfield.

They write “Capturing the precision, spirit, and cultural pride at the heart of the show, it’s a dynamic collective performance that spotlights the experience of a young “biggest fan.”

The book is also a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Congratulations Shadra!

I Love My People: A Child’s Celebration of Black Culture (Beaming Books) by Kim Singleton, illustrated by Kim Holt has been selected as a finalist for the 2026 Black Authors Matter Children’s Book Awards. The winners will be announced at the 2026 National Black Book Festival’s Networking and Awards Breakfast on Saturday, October 24 in Houston.

Good luck, Kim!

Get the book here

Songbird in the Light (Abrams) by Billy Porter, illustrated by Charly Palmer has been selected for the Society of Illustrators Original Art Show.

The 46th Annual The Original Art exhibition will be on view from October 31, 2026 to January 30, 2027, at the Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators.

Get the book here

Art from Big Apple Diaries (Macmillan) by Alyssa Bermudez is now part of the permanent collection of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Several pieces are currently on display in an exhibition titled Responding in Ink. The exhibition explores how comic book and graphic novel artists joined the 9/11 response. It delves into the use of the World Trade Center as a target for fictional attacks before 9/11, as well as the multi-decade response to the terrorist attacks through the lens of comics and graphic novels. The exhibition will be on view through February 2028.

Get the book here

Shadra Strickland‘s Here Comes the Band, illustrated by John Holyfield, has received Starred Reviews from School Library Journal and Kirkus!

The SLJ review says the book is “a great read-aloud to introduce readers to all the grace and rhythm of marching bands as well as the vibrant, enduring culture present at HBCUs.”

Kirkus writes, “Transcending simple description, Strickland’s buoyant verse moves to the rhythms of an HBCU halftime show. Band terminology, traditions, and rollicking rhymes surge forward in a cadence that mirrors the music itself, yielding the spotlight whenever Holyfield’s magnificent acrylic illustrations demand it. And demand it they do.”

Congratulations Shadra!

Betsy Bird interviewed Frank Morrison and author Derrick Barnes on their book, Seven Million Steps, for the Fuse8 Blog. The book chronicles Dick Gregory’s 1976 two-and-a-half month run from Los Angeles to NYC to raise awareness about food insecurity and poverty in the US.

When Frank was asked to describe what appealed to him about working on the book, he said, “I’m just trying to do my part by collaborating with this amazing team, visualizing a world where everyone has their basic needs met. This is not about us, it’s about the people. During the pandemic, the world came together and mobilized in response—can you imagine if we had that kind of stance for the poor and hungry?”

See the full interview here.

Seven Million Steps was also included in the New York Times article, “How Four Picture Books See America at 250.” The article says, “Frank Morrison’s expansive illustrations emphasize Gregory’s lean physique and robust spirit, the natural beauty he encountered and the people he welcomed into his orbit. That there were no parades for him when he crossed the George Washington Bridge on July 4 did not bother him; Gregory believed that “what we’re here for” is doing all that we can to help those in need. This may not seem like a particularly American ideal, then or now, but we can amend our selves at any age.”

You can read the article here.

And GeekDad included the book in its “Stack Overload: 14 Books for June,” writing, “The illustrations feel made in oils, all pictographic and speedy in quality, you feel this runner rushing by!”   Find the full blog post here.