The purpose of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards for authors and illustrators is to "encourage the artistic expression of the African American experience via literature and the graphic arts, including biographical, historical and social history treatments by African American authors and illustrators.” (Awards Home Page)
The 2010 Coretta Scott King Author Award
According to the American Library Association (ALA), "Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal...is a biography of a legendary peace officer. Born into slavery in 1838, Bass had a hard life and a strong sense of right and wrong. Bass was one of the most feared and respected lawman in Indian Territory....“'The winning title for text was selected because it is engaging, meticulously researched, and offers a riveting account of an unsung African American hero,' said Carole McCollough, Award Jury Chair."(ALA 1/18/10 media release)
(Carolrhoda Books, A Division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., 2009. ISBN: 9780822567646) Compare prices.
The 2010 Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book
Mare’s War, a young adult book by Tanita S. Davis (Alfred A. Knopf, An Imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a Division of Random House, Inc., 2009. ISBN: 9780375857140) Compare prices.The 2010 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award
Charles R. Smith Jr. won the 2010 King Illustrator Award for illustration of My People, by Langston Hughes. "Smith’s vibrant sepia photographs celebrate the beauty and diversity of African Americans. The close-ups of illuminated faces filled with jubilant, loving expressions emerge from black backgrounds and capture the spirit of Langston Hughes’ eloquent poem." (ALA 1/18/10 media release) For more about the book, see my review of My People.(Ginee Seo Books, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2009. ISBN: 9781416935407) Compare prices.
The 2010 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
The Negro Speaks of Rivers, by Langston Hughes, illustrated by E. B. Lewis (Jump at the Sun Books, An imprint of Disney Book Group, 2009. ISBN: 9780786818679) Compare prices.The 2010 Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award
Kekla Magoon was awarded the John Steptoe New Talent Award for The Rock and the River.- "In 1968 Chicago, Sam Childs is living in the shadows of two important people – his father, a civil rights activist working with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his older brother 'Stick' who has joined the Black Panther Party. These different approaches to achieving racial equality place Sam between the rock and the river." (ALA 1/18/10 media release)
With a wide variety of good books, from a biography to several poetry books, the Coretta Scott King Book Award winners are valuable resources for both young readers and educators.
