Author Julius Lester died Jan. 18 while Cynsations was on winter hiatus.
Julius Lester, whose literature explored African American life, dies at 78 by Emily Langer from The Washington Post. Peek:
“He once wrote that ‘the need to know more about my individual past led me to begin studying slavery.’
Photo courtesy of Heather Camlot; used with permission.
On the 21st of November, the Canadian Children’s Book Centre held its annual Canadian Children’s Book Awards, an evening devoted to awarding the best in children’s literature. Among the always decadent dishes and clinking glasses, there was feeling that something was missing—or someone.
Author Dianne de Las Casas died Aug. 21 while Cynsations was on summer hiatus.
A ‘Magnetic Personality’: Author, Storyteller Killed in Harvey House Fire by Jonathan Bullington from The Times-Picayune. Peek: “An award-winning author, Casas published more than two dozen books. She founded Picture Book Month,
Author and storyteller Jan Andrews died Sept. 2, while Cynsations was on summer hiatus.
Obituary Note: Jan Andrews from Shelf Awareness. Peek: “British-born storyteller and children’s author Jan Andrews, who immigrated to Canada in her 20s and ‘wrote books for children of all ages, often inspired by the people and landscape of her adopted home,’
Teacher and picture book expert Robin Smith died in June while Cynsations was on summer hiatus.
Robin Smith (1959-2017) from The Horn Book. Peek: “A second-grade teacher at Ensworth School in Nashville for the last twenty-four years, she was a longtime Horn Book contributor and reviewer and a founding co-author of the Calling Caldecott blog.
Author and illustrator Geoffrey Hayes died in June while Cynsations was on summer hiatus.
Obituary: Geoffrey Hayes by Shannon Maughan from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “…Hayes, best known for the comics-style artwork and expressive animal characters in his many titles for emerging readers, died suddenly on June 2, of apparent natural causes,
Author-illustrator Rebecca Bond died in August while Cynsations was on summer hiatus.
Obituary: Rebecca Bond by Emily Kantor from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “Rebecca Bond, who created 10 books for young readers, died on August 2 after a brief illness. She was 45.
“Bond was named a PW Flying Start in 1999 for her debut picture book,
Author Michael Bond died in June while Cynsations was on summer hiatus.
Obituary: Michael Bond by Shannon Maughan from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “Bond, widely known for his books starring the duffle-coat-donning Paddington bear, died at his home in London following a brief illness.
Author-illustrator Jill McElmurry died in August while Cynsations was on summer hiatus.
Obituary: Jill McElmurry by Jill Kantor from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “Acclaimed children’s book author and illustrator Jill McElmurry…died of breast cancer on August 3, at her home in Taos, N.M. She was 62 years old.
Patricia C. McKissack, honored children’s author from Chesterfield, dies at 72 by Jane Henderson
from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Peek: “…’I think my mother died of a broken heart.’ Fredrick McKissack Jr. said his mother and father were ‘best friends and partners.’”
Before becoming an author,
