Congrats to our illustrator Elizabeth Zunon on two new fantastic releases! As Big As The Sky was published by Sterling Children’s Books on January 7th. Bedtime for Sweet Creatures was released on January 14th by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, and has already earned four starred reviews. Be sure to check the two books out here and here!
Frank Morrison is A Golden Kite Award Honoree!
Congrats to Frank Morrison! The Roots of Rap has been included on the list of Golden Kite Honor Books. The book is written by Carole Boston Weatherford, and published by Little Bee Books. The Golden Kite Honor includes a cash prize as well as a donation to a charity in Frank’s name. What an achievement!
You can find the full list of award winning books here. The Roots of Rap is available for purchase here.
Our Books Featured on Fuse8’s 31 Days, 31 Lists
School Library Journal’s Fuse 8 Blog featured a number of our authors and illustrators’ books on their “31 Days, 31 Lists,” written by Betsy Bird. Vanessa Brantley Newton’s The King of Kindergarten was featured on the “Best Picture Books of 2019” list. Arithmechicks Add Up, illustrated by Jia Liu, was included on the list of best math books of the year. Constance Lombardo‘s Everybody Says Meow appeared on the list of the best read-aloud picture books. Thanksgiving-centered Around the Table That Grandad Built, illustrated by Jamie Kim, was featured on the list titled “2019 Transcendent Holiday Picture Books.” And finally, Joanie Stone‘s The Kid and the Chameleon made an appearance on the list “Easy Readers and Early Chapter Books: Some of the Best of 2019.”
You can find the full lists here:
2019 Transcendent Holiday Picture Books
Easy Readers and Early Chapter Books: Some of the Best of 2019
Once Upon A Goat is a CYBILS Finalist!
Congratulations to our illustrator Eric Barclay! His latest work Once Upon A Goat is a CYBILS finalist in the picture book category! CYBILS writes, the book “succeeds at what the best children’s literature does: teaches a lesson without preaching a lesson.”
The full list of CYBILS finalists can be found here. Once Upon A Goat is available for purchase online here.
The Roots of Rap Selected as One of the Top Books of 2019 by School Library Journal
Frank Morrison has done it again! The Roots of Rap was featured on School Library Journal’s “Top 20 Books of 2019” list! Congrats Frank!
You can find the full list at the link here. Be sure to check out The Roots of Rap here!
King of Kindergarten Included In Washington Post’s Best Children’s Books of 2019 & BCCB’s Blue Ribbons List
Congrats to Vanessa Brantley-Newton for being included in the Washington Post’s “Best Children’s Books of 2019” list with THE KING OF KINDERGARTEN! The book was also featured on The Bulletin of the Center of Children’s Books Blue Ribbons list, commemorating the most magical books of the previous twelve months.
You can purchase The King of Kindergarten online here!
What Is A Refugee? Featured in New York Times Article
What is A Refugee? By Elise Gravel was included in a New York Times Article titled “Kids Have Questions. These Picture Books Have Answers.” NYT writes, “Gravel’s bubbly, cartoon-style art and plain-spoken explanations help soften the truth’s harsh edges.”
You can check out the full article here. What Is A Refugee? is available for purchase online here.
Two of Our Books on CSMCL’s Best of 2019 List!
Congrats to our illustrators Elizabeth Zunon and Vanessa Brantley-Newton for being featured on the CSMCL’s list of the best books of 2019! The CSMCL, the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature, highlighted Zunon’s I Am Farmer and Brantley-Newton’s The King of Kindergarten. What an achievement!
You can find the full list here.
Charnelle Pinkney Barlow Featured on Les Femmes Folles!
Charnelle Pinkney Barlow‘s debut children’s book, Just Like A Mama, explores “the dynamics and different emotions that can arise” within an unconventional family. Charnelle spoke with Les Femmes Folles, an organization that aims to support and promote women in all forms. Charnelle discussed her passion for illustration and the inspiration behind the story. She said, “I hope that people are not only able to enjoy the book, but that they are able to see a piece of themselves within the story.” You can check out the full interview here!
Just Like A Mama can be pre-ordered here. It hits shelves on January 14th!
The Chicago Public Library Includes The Roots of Rap On Their “Best of the Best of 2019” List
Congrats to Frank Morrison for being featured on The Chicago Public Library’s “Best of the Best” list for 2019. CPL calls The Roots of Rap “one of the very best informational books published for kids in Kindergarten through 3rd grade.”
You can check out the full list here!








