Photo credit: Bill McGuinness
The children’s literature world lost a giant when celebrated illustrator and author Ashley Bryan died on Feb. 2, 2022 in Sugar Land, Texas, at the home of his niece Vanessa Robinson. He was 98.
Tag: Nikki Grimes
New Cynsations Reporter for New England Helen Kampion
By Gayleen Rabakukk and Stephani Martinell Eaton
We are thrilled to welcome Helen Kampion to Cynsations as a reporter covering the New England area.
Helen is very active in the children’s-YA literature community and we’re excited about the posts she will contribute!
Welcome, Helen! You’ll be covering the New England youth literary scene.
Continue Reading New Cynsations Reporter for New England Helen Kampion »
In Memory: Jerry Pinkney
Photo credit: Alvin Trusty
Celebrated and legendary illustrator Jerry Pinkney died of a heart attack Oct. 20 at Phelps Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, New York. He was 81.
Obituary: Jerry Pinkney by Shannon Maughan from Publishers Weekly. Peek: “Renowned children’s book illustrator Jerry Pinkney,
In Memory: Floyd Cooper
Photo credit: Velma Cooper
Celebrated illustrator Floyd Cooper died on Friday, July 16, 2021, in Easton, Pennsylvania after a battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife Velma and sons Dayton and Kai and his grandchildren. He was 65.
Guest Interview: Uma Krishnaswami & Vaunda Micheaux Nelson Reflect on Writing’s Journey
I have been a fan of Vaunda Micheaux Nelson’s work for decades now. We’ve been together in a writing group since 1997. I can’t imagine letting a manuscript go to my agent without having this amazing writer and friend cast her eyes on it first. I feel so fortunate that she is in my writing circle—my life circle.
In Memory: Arnold Adoff
Arnold Adoff—noted anthologist, poet, and author—died on May 7 at home in Yellow Springs, Ohio surrounded by family after a brief illness. He was 85.
Obituary: Arnold Adoff from Publishers Weekly by Shannon Maughan. Peek: “Children’s poet, author, and anthologist Arnold Adoff, widely noted for his inventive poetry style and for depicting African American experiences in his work,
Guest Interview: Nikki Grimes on Writing Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice
By Kekla Magoon
As many people did, I followed the recent presidential election cycle fairly closely. During the early months of the primary season, I was hard at work on my picture book biography of Thurgood Marshall, The Highest Tribute: Thurgood Marshall’s Life, Leadership and Legacy, illustrated by Laura Freeman (Quill Tree Books,
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Cynsational Return: Happy New Year 2021!
Happy New Year and welcome back to Cynsations!
We love bringing you upbeat and useful information and inspiration about the children’s-YA literature community, writing, illustration, and publishing. And we are particularly excited about what we have lined up for you in the coming months.
As always,
Author Interview: Lisa Krok on Novels In Verse for Teens: A Guidebook with Activities for Teachers and Librarians
Congratulations, Lisa on the release of Novels in Verse for Teens: A Guidebook with Activities for Teachers and Librarians (ABC-CLIO, 2020)! What is it about novels in verse that fascinates you?
Thank you so much, Cynthia! I think novels in verse first grabbed my attention when I attended an event a few years ago where author Kwame Alexander performed live rap-like performances for his poems from The Crossover (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,
Author Interview: Nikki Grimes on The Power of Words
By Traci Sorell
Memoir is one of my favorite genres to read. When Nikki Grimes shared some poems from hers last summer, I knew I must read Ordinary Hazards (Boyds Mills & Kane, 2019), the entire book.
Written in verse, her words captivated me much as the act of writing did her at an early age.
Continue Reading Author Interview: Nikki Grimes on The Power of Words »