VG Blog: Educators and Parents: Find Children's Book Resources on VG

Patricia McKissack, Virginia Hamilton, and Andrea Davis Pinkney are award-winning authors of color who write primarily for children.

McKissack has written more than a dozen books for children, and says, “I write because there's a need to have books for, by, and about the African American experience and how we helped to develop this country.” Find out more about her on her artist biography page, including a selected bibliography, works about McKissack, and links to additional resources. The teacher resource file should be particularly helpful for current and aspiring educators.

Hamilton has been called “the Toni Morrison of children’s literature, and also has written more than a dozen books for children. Of her own work, she says, “I've attempted to mark the history and traditions of African Americans…while bringing readers strong stories and memorable characters living nearly the best they know how. I want the readers, both adults and children, to care about who the characters are. I want readers to feel, to understand, and to empathize.”

Read more about Hamilton on her artist biography page, and find relevant lesson plans from the Internet School Library Media Center.

Davis Pinkney is another award-winning author of children’s books. Information on her artist biography page includes summaries of her books, such as Dear Benjamin Banneker, Seven Candles for Kwanzaa, and Duke Ellington. You also can read a review of her book Let it Shine in the critique section.

Authors who write both for adults and for children

A number of VG artists write both for adults and children. The following list is not comprehensive; we encourage you to email us with additional suggestions at voices@umn.edu, or to post them below.

• Toni Morrison: Read her artist biography and find out more about her writing for children.

• Pat Mora: Read her artist biography, and also browse an annotated bibliography of children's literature focusing on Latino people, history, and culture:

• Mari Evans: Read her artist biography, which includes information about her children’s books.

• Sherley Ann Williams: Read her artist biography, which includes information about her book, Working Cotton, which won both Caldecott and Coretta Scott King awards.

• Claribel Alegria: Read her artist biography.

• Maryse Conde: Read her artist biography, which includes information about her children’s books.

• Lucille Clifton: Read her artist biography, which has information both about her poetry and her books for children.

• Bebe Moore Campbell: Read her artist biography, which includes information about her award-winning children's book, Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry.

• June Jordan: Read her artist biography. Among her children's works are Dry Victories, Fannie Lou Hamer (a biography), and New Life: New Room. According to her biography, “In her children's literature, she does not patronize young readers, but places emphasis on social realities and survival in a racist society."

• Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni: Read her artist biography and a review of her children's book Neela: Victory Song.

Do you have suggestions for additional children’s book authors? Do you want to write a review or an artist-biography page? Let us know below, or by emailing us at voices@umn.edu.