In these in-between months, something that keeps us looking forward are all the exciting upcoming literary events. In this newsletter we look forward to upcoming literary events, and celebrate the accomplishments of black authors and illustrators of children and young adult books.
YAing Updates
Have you read our new reviews of two thoughtful YA novels yet? Check out our reviewers’ Sara Francoeur and Logaine Navascués’ reviews of Half Life by Lillian Clark, and Mañanaland by Pam Muñoz Ryan.
Celebrating Black Excellence
The ALA has announced their 2021 Youth Media Awards, awarding top books, digital media, video and audio books for children and young adults. Among these awards, the Coretta Scott King Book Awards recognize outstanding African American authors and illustrators of children and young adult books.This year’s recipients are:
Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award Winner:
- Before the Ever After, written by Jacqueline Woodson (Nancy Paulsen Books).
Three King Author Honor Books were selected:
- All the Days Past, All the Days to Come, written by Mildred D. Taylor (Viking);
- King and the Dragonflies, written by Kacen Callender (Scholastic Press); and
- Lifting as We Climb: Black Women’s Battle for the Ballot Box, written by Evette Dionne (Viking).
Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award Winner
- R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, illustrated by Frank Morrison. The book is written by Carole Boston Weatherford (Atheneum Books for Young Readers).
Three King Illustrator Honor Books were selected:
- Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita, written by Samara Cole Doyon (Tilbury House Publishers);
- Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks, illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera, written by Suzanne Slade (Abrams Books for Young Readers); and
- Me & Mama, illustrated and written by Cozbi A. Cabrera (Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers).
Writers in Residence & Events
- Mark your calendars for An Evening with Gene Luen Yang, and online talk with Gene Luen Yang, cartoonist, author, and teacher behind such outstandings works as American Born Chinese and Avatar: the Last Airbender comics. He’ll explore the making of comics and graphic novels, and the significance of publishing culturally diverse narratives. Yang is the 2020-21 Distinguished Visiting Writer for the Calgary Distinguished Writers Program. The talk takes place on Thursday, March 11, from 7-8:30 p.m. MT – REGISTER HERE.
- Celebrated YA author Tanya Boteju is the 2021 FOLD Teen Writer-in-Residence. Boteju will host a FOLD Academy webinar in April for young writers, as well as a workshop for educators during the FOLD literary festival (May 1-15). Stay tuned for specific event scheduling.
As always, please do send us your news related to children’s and young adult literature at young.adulting@ubc.ca so we can feature them in future newsletters. Our newsletters are published on the 2nd and 4th Monday each month.
Take care, and happy reading,
The Young Adulting Editors
YOUNG ADULTING 