Being the Change He Hopes to See: Gregory Christie’s Contribution to Community

Visit Decatur, Georgia, and you’ll quickly notice that it’s one of the most eclectic neighborhoods in Atlanta.  Down the road from the African American storefronts and mega-churches, nightclubs, and braiding salons are trendy haunts and quietly plush homes where the upper middle class raise their families.  Just beyond this, a vibrant South Asian community has flowered and brought with it jewelers, sari shops, grocery stores, and beauty salons.  In the thick of it all is GAS-Art Gifts Autographed Children’s Bookstore owned and operated by Coretta Scott King Book Award-winning illustrator R. Gregory Christie.

GAS-Art Gifts, short for Gregarious Art Statements, is unique.  Located inside Decatur’s North Dekalb Mall, it blends the feeling of an upscale art gallery with a come-one-come-all community center where visitors can choose to engage their own creativity or simply shop.

Opening a store was a chance opportunity that came when an art dealer operating in the mall invited Christie to display his books for Black History Month.  “Black grandmothers and soccer moms of all ethnicities cleared my table off each week.  And before I knew it, I had to keep ordering cases of books to keep up with the demand,” Christie says, sounding both amused and deeply appreciative.

From there, he transformed what he describes as a raw and uninviting space into what can now only be described as a brightly hued oasis.  It’s the kind of space that Christie would have appreciated having when growing up in suburban New Jersey, where museums and art education were sparse.  He drew inspiration from any place he could, namely the library and public television.  “Art was a savior for me, says Christie, “It built my self-esteem.” Over time, art also opened doors for him to live abroad in various European cities. Ones where he says, “If someone decides, ‘I want to be an Egyptologist,’ they can study that, and they don’t have to go broke.” He wants to share that same expansive vision with his young customers.

Christie says that he spends about seventy hours a week working in his store.  “I do everything from sweeping the floor to cleaning the toilets to shaking the hands of anyone who comes in.”  And because GAS-Art Gifts also serves as his studio, it gives his young and old visitors the rare opportunity to see an artist at work.  Getting to meet his book-buying audience is gratifying.  He says, “It keeps an internal balance for me.  I can have a flow of words and consciousness.  What I’m thinking can be expressed because I’m always speaking to people.”

Christie goes on to add, “Because this mall has been good to me, I pass it on to the customer.”  He does this by offering affordable individual and group instruction as well as paint parties for children and adults.  And while he says that his motivation is to address some of the grave inner deficits that he sees growing in society, he emphasizes that his store is a service, not a charity.  “Yes, this shop is for profit.  But, it’s very fair.”

While serving the community, Christie has also found time to help promote the work of The Sweet Blackberry Foundation, with whom he has collaborated to make animated films.  These accompany the books that he and the actress Karyn Parsons have created to tell the stories of marginalized African American achievers.

Creating new work, appearing at festivals, doing school visits, and managing a store may seem like a lot for some.  But Gregory Christie seems to believe in the old African American adage of lifting as one climbs.  “Maybe thirty years of my life have been spent learning everything I can.  Bookbinding, sculpture, painting, photography.  I’ve gained a lot of knowledge, and I want to teach people things that I wish I’d known.”

Post by Jené Watson

Jené Watson works as a public librarian at a system in suburban Atlanta, where she coordinates Books in the Barbershop and family meditation programs.  She is the author of The Spirit That Dreams: Conversations with Women Artists of Color.

A Tribute to Jason Low

Jason Low at 2017 CSK Awards Breakfast.
Photo: Mary Jo Humphreys

The Coretta Scott King Awards breakfast is always the highlight of my ALA conference trip. This year was even more special as I watched Jason Low’s face and demeanor shine with joy and pride when Caldecott Winner and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Winner Javaka Steptoe applauded the dedication to diversity from Lee & Low’s publishing house. Steptoe said:

“For those of you who believe multicultural titles do not sell, I say this to you: I have received checks for over fifteen years from every book I have published with Lee & Low. They have taken the time to find places outside the system where diverse communities exist. They are invested in keeping their backlist alive and do not throw money away on projects they will not support. They publish a spectrum of multicultural books without concern about competition. I understand that you don’t want the head to compete with the tail, but you have to at least support the books in your backlist about people of color that are succeeding.”

Jason Low is a strong voice behind the movement for more diverse books. He not only seeks out new diverse authors, but he also puts in the time to write articles, lead panels, contact publishers, create surveys, and fund data studies to share with the publishing and library industry. One of his recent initiatives was Lee & Low’s infographic series, which illustrates the lack of diversity in many industries, including publishing, film, television, theater, and politics. Several infographics have gone viral and were picked up by outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Huffington Post. The first infographic, on the lack of diversity in children’s books over a twenty-year period, is now used in articles, college classes, and reports to illustrate the problem.

Low recently created the Diversity Baseline Survey, a landmark study that measures different aspects of diversity among publishing staff and reviewers. The study is the first of its kind in scope and subject, looking at racial diversity and gender, sexual orientation, and disability among employees.

Jason Low was a featured speaker at the Texas Library Association Diversity Summit in April 2014. I continue to see Low inconspicuously sitting in a corner or stopping for a brief visit at diverse author events.  His presence at the Brown Book Shelf presentation in San Antonio brought a smile to the faces of Kelly Starling Lyons and Gwendolyn Hooks. He does not tolerate librarian excuses such as “my community will not support that type of book” but, on the contrary, gently seeks to change the minds of those who are not supportive of the ALA Core Values.  He has made more than a few uncomfortable challenging the slow movement toward changing the statistics of diverse books and author representation in this publishing field.

Javaka Steptoe’s words resonate with all of us. Jason Low’s pleas and passions come alive in his voice, gentle laugh, and a mighty pen. Low remains optimistic and channels his energies into concrete, actionable steps. The world has changed, and Jason Low sets the example of leadership in this change. When children and adults enter libraries or bookstores and can read books and see illustrations in these books about people like themselves, we can thank Jason Low and his publishing house for continuing this uphill struggle and for being a friend to all.

Post by Mary Jo Humphreys

Mary Jo Humphreys is a retired school librarian and administrator who continues to be active in the Texas Library Association.  She served as Coordinator of the Texas Bluebonnet Committee and Chair of the Texas Association of School Librarians.

The 48th Annual Coretta Scott King Book Awards Breakfast

This year’s Coretta Scott King Book Awards Breakfast, held early Sunday morning, June 25th, in Chicago at the Hilton, sold out twice! Everyone was excited to celebrate the 2017 CSK winning authors and illustrators, the winner of the John Steptoe Award for New Talent, and the recipient of the Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Dr. Pauletta Bracy, Chair of the Coretta Scott Book Awards Committee,  provided a welcome, Pastor Kimberly Ray of Angie Ray Ministries delivered the invocation, and ALA president Dr. Julie Todaro spoke. Breakfast was served.

Then the awards were presented. Nicola Yoon was awarded the  John Steptoe Award for New Talent for The Sun Is Also a Star (Delacorte Press).

Coretta Scott Illustration Honors were awarded to R. Gregory Christie for Freedom in Congo Square (author Carole Boston Weatherford, Little Bee Books); Jerry Pinkney for In Plain Sight (author Richard Jackson, Neal Porter/Roaring Brook Press); and Ashley Bryan for Freedom over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life (author Ashley Bryan, Atheneum).

Ashley Bryan was also awarded a Coretta Scott King Author Honor for Freedom over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life (illustrator Ashley Bryan, Atheneum). Jason Reynolds was awarded a Coretta Scott King Author Honor for As Brave as You (Atheneum).

The Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award was presented to Javaka Steptoe for Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat (author Javaka Steptoe, Little Brown). Read Javaka Steptoe’s acceptance speech here as printed in The Horn Book.

The Coretta Scott King Author winners were Congressman John Lewis and Andrew Aydin for the third volume of the March Trilogy (illustrator Nate Powell, Top Shelf). Nate Powell spoke for Andrew Aydin, who could not be present, and Congressman Lewis spoke, receiving his award. The acceptance speeches were not received in time to be published in the current edition of The Horn Book but can be viewed here.

The Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement was awarded to Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop. Read Dr. Bishop’s acceptance speech here as printed in The Horn Book.

Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop chaired the 2017 Coretta Scott Book Awards Committee Jury. Other jury members included Kacie V. Armstrong, Sam Bloom, Erica T. Marks, April Roy, Martha V. Parravano, and Ida W. Thompson.

Posted by Susan Polos

The Heart and Center

Love. Family. Science. Poetry. Deportation? A fascinating mix of subjects that Nicola Yoon blends very well in her story The Sun is Also a Star, the 2017 Coretta Scott King John Steptoe Award for New Talent.

At the heart of this story is a romance between Natasha, a Jamaican, and Daniel, a Korean American.  Natasha is a realist, stating scientific and mathematical facts and figures.  Daniel, on the other hand, is a poet who speaks from the heart.  When they meet in New York, Daniel believes Natasha is “the one,” while Natasha is reluctant to accept feelings and sticks to the facts.  For an intense 12 hours in New York City, Natasha and Daniel grapple with their feelings, Natasha’s possible deportation, and their families.

However, The Sun is Also a Star is more than a love story.  It is also a story about Natasha’s and Daniel’s family and their cultures. Yoon carefully reveals the family history and culture in short vignettes.  Connecting these stories, one learns why Natasha is facing deportation and why Daniel’s family owns an African American hair supply store.

Young people will love the intense relationship between Natasha and Daniel. Teachers, on the other hand, will try to figure out how to include this book into their curriculum/and or literary study.  The Sun is Also a Star can spark many ideas and activities. Love is such a universal theme that books like The Sun is Also a Star would easily fit in with other love stories.  Comparing and contrasting love between characters from different cultures could be compared to other love stories with characters from different backgrounds.  Studies in Jamaican and Korean culture would give students a greater understanding of different cultures.  Immigration laws, particularly during this time, would certainly be a good topic for any Government/Social Studies course.  Because the sun is really a star, students can state  scientific facts while also making literary inferences and meaning from the title.

By Karen Lemmons

Walter Dean Myers Inducted into New York State Writers Hall of Fame

Connie Myers                                                Photo Credit: Sara Kelly Johns

Walter Dean Myers was inducted into the New York State Writers Hall of Fame, Class of 2017, at the New York Center for the Book Induction ceremony on Monday, June 5,2017,  at the Princeton Club in New York City.

Master-of-Ceremonies William Schwalbe noted that among Myers’ many accomplishments are  five Coretta Scott King Awards as well as two Newbery Honors, the first Printz Award and the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement. Myers, the author of over 100 books, was also appointed by the Library of Congress as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, a post he held from 2012- 2013.

Phoebe Yeh                                                        Photo Credit: Leonardo Mascaro

Phoebe Yeh, publisher of Crown Books, Random House, delivered a moving tributespeaking of Myers connections to New York, where he was raised by his father’s first wife, Florence Dean, after the death of his mother.

Accepting the plaque in Myer’s memory was his widow, Connie Myers.  Also in attendance were Andrea Davis Pinkney, Vice President and Editor-at-Large of Scholastic Press, Emily Heddleson, Senior Manager of Library and Educational Marketing for Scholastic, and Jessica MacLeish, Editor at HarperCollins.

This is the not the first recognition of Walter Dean Myers by the Empire State Center for the Book. In 2015 during Children’s Book Week, the Center for the Book together with United for Libraries and the Children’s Book Council honored Myers with the dedication of a Literary Landmark at the George Bruce Branch of the New York Public Library, the library Myers frequented as a child.

Rocco Staino, Director of the Empire State Center for the Book, notes that in Myers’ memoir, Bad Boy, Myers wrote, “Harlem is the first place called ‘home’ that I can remember.” This sense of New York as home is reflected in Myers’ writing, including the picture book Harlem and the novels Monster and Darius & Twig.  Staino also notes that Florence Dean taught Myers to read in their kitchen, and when he began attending Public School 125, he could read at a second grade level.

Other writers in the Class of 2017 include Lillian Ross, Frederick Law Olmsted, Alexander Hamilton, Ron Chernow, Christopher Morley and William Kennedy.

By Susan Polos

50th Anniversary Information

The Coretta Scott King Book Awards Turn 50 in 2019! 

50 Years Strong

Exciting News! The Coretta Scott Book Awards Committee is in the midst of developing plans to celebrate our 50th anniversary throughout all of 2019. Lots of fabulous activities are being developed.

We want you to know that there are ample ways for everyone to be involved. Please keep your eye here for announcements, or reach out to Dr. Claudette McLinn, the chair of the 50th Anniversary Committee: CSK50YearsStrong@gmail.com

Throwback Thursday: June is Black Music Month

One way to celebrate “June is Black Music Month” is certainly through listening to all kinds of African American music. From African drums to blues, jazz, r&b, and hip-hop and rap, there is a music genre for everyone. While listening to music, read a book, like I See the Rhythm, illustrated by Michele Wood and written by Toyomi Igus. Take a colorful and literary journey through this book, viewing the artwork, reading the poems, and studying the historical timeline. A 1999 CSK Illustrator Award Winner, Michele Wood’s beautiful illustrations synchronize with Igus’ lyrical poetic beats to the different musical styles. The historical timeline provides just enough information to spark interest in music, poetry and art. This book could be a catalyst for in-depth multimedia presentations on a particular music genre, or a particular historical period, or simply enjoyed as a celebration of African American music.

 

By Karen Lemmons

I See the Rhythm, illustrated by Michele Wood and written by Toyomi Igus
I See the Rhythm, illustrated by Michele Wood and written by Toyomi Igus

My Life Beyond ‘Good Times’ with Bernadette Stanis: “Owning Your Voice” at the Texas Library Association Conference, San Antonio, TX, 2017

If TLA’s presiding motto for the 2017 conference focused on owning your profession, then the Black Caucus’s annual author’s brunch with Bernadette Stanis echoed the idea of ownership with emphasis on owning your voice!

Any young urban child from the 1960-80s knows the television sitcom, Good Times, would not have climbed in ratings nor earned a Golden Globe nomination had it not been for the leading ladies: Esther Rolle and Bernadette Stanis (better known as the mother/daughter duo Florida and Thelma Evans). The voices of these women made the show a reflective model in a world that didn’t quite know how to handle Black America on the small screen just yet.

As Bernadette stood before TLA’s Black Caucus members, her voice shook with joy and trepidation. She recounted the three women–and the words they used–that altered her life forever.

She began with her grandmother, who pushed her to join the arts, working extra jobs just to finance her love for dancing. Granny’s empowering advice: “Don’t let fear block you from walking into your destiny.”

Then, Bernadette’s mother encouraged a young and reluctant Bernadette to enter the beauty contest that led to the infamous audition with producer extraordinaire Norman Lear.

However, it was Bernadette’s own voice that piped up to tell a million dollar, successful executive producer, “Mr. Lear, project kids don’t talk like this!”

After scripting her own lines and performing as a bolder, sassier young woman, she inched towards her destiny. This pivotal moment of bravery–owning your voice–landed her the role of “Thelma,” and made her a primetime role-model.

 

Post by Jean Darnell

Illustrator Sketch-Off with Christian Robinson and Shadra Strickland at the Texas Library Association Conference, San Antonio, TX, 2017

During the Texas Library Association’s conference this year, I checked out the Ultimate Children’s Picture Book Illustrators Sketch-Off. This session gave six illustrators a chance to flaunt their skills in front of a large audience. The catch? They had ninety seconds to draw whatever the emcee selected as the topic for each round. As if that weren’t nerve-racking enough, the emcee’s topics came from the audience. Think Whose Line is it Anyway? with markers and easel pads.

I had the pleasure of speaking to Christian Robinson and Shadra Strickland just before the competition. I asked a few questions in hopes of discovering whether these illustrators were new to Texas and if they were first time TLA attendees. I also wanted to know which side they were on in the big Texas cuisine battle: Mexican or BBQ.

No stranger to Texas, Christian visited San Antonio for his first TLA experience. Despite never witnessing or participating in a Sketch-Off before, Christian arrived ready and hopeful. He took a break from reading I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou to stake out his competition. He’s a vegetarian who occasionally enjoys sushi, so the BBQ versus Mexican decision comes with some surprises. Ultimately, Christian prefers Mexican food because there are more vegetarian-friendly options. He does enjoy barbecue sides—mac and cheese and potato salad, to be exact. The crowd kept him pumped, and the strange topics jump-started his creativity. Midway through the competition, Christian shared his connection to an educator in his life, which started a chain of the other illustrators doing the same. He gained victory and made it to the final!

Christian won the audience’s hearts when he drew a likeness of illustrator Melissa Sweet.
Shadra arrived in Texas with her copy of On the Road by Gloria Steinem and a determination to win. TLA marks her first visit to the Lone Star State. Surprisingly, one of the first meals Shadra ate in San Antonio was sushi. (We forgive her!)  She’s more inclined to eat Mexican food while visiting as she frequents places in Baltimore where the BBQ is made with Southern roots. During the Sketch-Off, Shadra fed off the energy of her competitors. She even dropped the mic at the end of Christian’s aforementioned chain of educator connections! Shadra’s first competition brought her success, and she joined Christian in the final.

Shadra laughing with the audience as she drew a State Flower that grows out of the toilet for Round 3
Unfortunately,  Christian and Shadra didn’t win the Sketch-Off. But would they do it again? Christian left a little dazed, but he enjoyed the competition nonetheless. Christian believes the session was stressful but fun, and he may be up for a repeat if the chance arises. Shadra thinks the Sketch-Off had the perfect blend of people, and all the personalities made the session worth it. She found it quite different from something similar she does with museums in Baltimore. Shadra’s favorite sketch topic? A poster for a western movie about a town loner whose rival is a skunk! Her illustration involved tomato sauce and a giant pot. Overall, Shadra found TLA to be the friendliest library convention she’s attended.

We thank Shadra and Christian for participating, and welcome both illustrators back for a rematch in Dallas!

(photo album of the Illustrator sketch-off)

Post by Monique Sheppherd

Texas Bluebonnet Award Speed Dating with Don Tate and Crystal Allen at the Texas Library Association Conference in San Antonio, TX, 2017

Energetic and tireless Don Tate and Crystal Allen spoke at the Speed Dating event for authors and illustrators on the 2017-18 Texas Bluebonnet Award list. They rotated from table to table, talking about their titles and writing craft, answering questions, and posing for at least 100 photos. More than 250 participants eagerly listened to and admired these two dynamic literary artists.

This is Don Tate’s third appearance on the Texas Bluebonnet list, this time as the illustrator of Chris Barton’s Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson’s Super-soaking Stream of Inventions. With humor and an enigmatic smile, Don shared that he has illustrated 50 books and “written 30 of which only three were published.” He likes to write about little-known historical figures and to introduce the new subject matter to children, such as NASA engineer Lonnie Johnson. Tate labeled Strong as Sandow: How Eugen Sandow Became the Strongest Man on Earth as one of the most enjoyable books to research, write and illustrate.

Don identifies strongly with Sandow because of his own love of bodybuilding and his own award-winning physique. He told his audience members that this was the most fun he had with a book.

Just as he was once committed to being a bodybuilder contender, Tate has transferred that passion to writing, illustrating texts, and visiting schools year-round. He wants students to see that he is an African American male artist. He is adamant in his message that not all African American males play basketball. He sets the example of other successful options and occupations through his books and presentation so that students have a window into a future for themselves, further representing Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s message face-to-face with students.

Learn more about Don Tate from The Brown Bookshelf.

Holy Moly! Crystal Allen broke all records at Speed Dating. She is friendly, charming, and loquacious with a magnetic smile and personality sharing a lot of common traits with her literary character Mya Tibbs.

This is Crystal’s first time on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list with The Magnificent Mya Tibbs: Spirit Week Showdown. Crystal shared that she wants today’s fourth-grade girl to feel independent and good about herself. She wants to help elementary students be proud to have their own ideas and be their own person.  Crystal’s goal is to help elementary kids get to middle school and have fewer transitional issues. Ms. Allen focuses on “positive” family environments. Through Mya, students will learn a valuable lesson in not being judgmental.

The biggest takeaway for her audience is that she identifies most with Fern from Charlotte’s Web, exemplifying Fern’s kindness, patience, and consideration of others. And, finally, she wants all to know that Mya is not race-driven and that race does not drive her stories. “My books are for all children.”

Learn more about Crystal Allen at Brown Book Shelf.

Enjoy and use videos, interviews, activities, discussion questions, maker space ideas, and more from the: Crystal Allen Bluebonnet Resource page and the Don Tate Bluebonnet Resource page.

Post by Mary Jo Humpreys