Springfield-Greene County Library District Coretta Scott King Book Awards
Find these books and more online at http://catalog.coolcat.org
2024
Winner
An American Story
A picture book in verse that threads together past and present to explore the legacy of slavery during a classroom lesson.
Honor Books
- Big by Vashti Harrison
- Holding Her Own : The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes by Traci N Todd Illustrated by Shannon Wright
- There Was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynolds Illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey & Jarrett Pumphrey
2023
Winner
Standing in the Need of Prayer : A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual
The popular spiritual, Standing in the Need of Prayer, has been reworked to chronicle milestones, struggles, tragedies, and triumphs of African American people and their history. The text and illustrations of this inspirational book are informative reminders of yesterday, hopeful images for today, and aspirational dreams of tomorrow.
Honor Books
- Me and the Boss : A Story About Mending and Love by Michelle Edwards Illustrated by April Harrison
- Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas
- Victory. Stand! : Raising My Fist for Justice by Tommie Smith Illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile
2022
Winner
Unspeakable : The Tulsa Race Massacre
Celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrator Floyd Cooper provide a powerful look at the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in our nation's history --Provided by publisher.
Honor Books
2021
Winner
R-E-S-P-E-C-T : Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul
Aretha Franklin was born to sing. The daughter of a pastor and a gospel singer, her musical talent was clear from her earliest days in her father's Detroit church. Aretha sang with a soaring voice that spanned more than three octaves. Her incredible talent and string of hit songs earned her the title the Queen of Soul. This Queen was a multi-Grammy winner and the first female inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And there was even more to Aretha than being a singer, songwriter, and pianist: she was an activist, too. Her song Respect was an anthem for people fighting for civil rights and women's rights. With words that sing and art that shines, this vibrant portrait of Aretha Franklin pays her the R-E-S-P-E-C-T this Queen of Soul deserves--|cProvided by publisher. ________ Includes bibliographical references.
2020
Winner
The Undefeated
The Newbery Award-winning author of The Crossover pens an ode to black American triumph and tribulation, with art from a two-time Caldecott Honoree.
Honor Books
2019
Honor Books
- Hidden Figures : The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly Illustrated by Laura Freeman
- Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson Illustrated by Frank Morrison
- Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop : The Sanitation Strike of 1968 by Alice Faye Duncan Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
2018
Winner
Out of Wonder : Poems Celebrating Poets
PART I: GOT STYLE? How to write a poem / celebrating Naomi Shihab Nye (Kwame Alexander) -- In every season / celebrating Robert Frost (Marjorie Wentworth) -- I like your / celebrating e. e. cummings (Kwame Alexander) -- Contemporary haiku / celebrating Bash? (Chris Colderley) -- Snapshots / celebrating Nikki Giovanni (Chris Colderley) -- Jazz jive jam / celebrating Langston Hughes (Kwame Alexander) -- PART II: IN YOUR SHOES. Walter, age ten / celebrating Walter Dean Meyers (Kwame Alexander) -- A field of roses / celebrating Emily Dickinson (Chris Colderley) -- The blue alphabet / celebrating Terrance Hayes (Marjorie Wentworth) -- How Billy Collins writes a poem / celebrating Billy Collins (Marjorie Wentworth) -- The Music of the earth / celebrating Pablo Neruda (Marjorie Wentworth)-- Tambourine things / celebrating Judith Wright (Chris Colderley) -- (Loving) the world and everything in it / celebrating Mary Oliver (Marjorie Wentworth) -- PART III: THANK YOU. Hue and cry / celebrating Gwendolyn Brooks (Kwame Alexander) -- The poet inside me / celebrating Sandra Cisneros (Chris Colderley) - No idle days / celebrating William Carlos Williams (Chris Colderley) -- Song of Uhuru / celebrating Okot p'Bitek (Kwame Alexander) -- For our children's children / celebrating Chief Dan George (Chris Colderley) -- Spin a song / celebrating Rumi (Marjorie Wentworth) -- Majestic / celebrating Maya Angelou (Kwame Alexander) -- About poets being celebrated -- About the authors.
Honor Books
- Before She Was Harriet by Lesa Cline-Ransome Illustrated by James Ransome
- Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes Illustrated by Gordon C. James
2017
Winner
Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
This picture book biography of the 1980's cultural phenom introduces young readers to the powerful message that art doesn't always have to be neat or clean--and definitely not inside the lines--to be beautiful.
Honor Books
- Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
- Freedom Over Me by Ashley Bryant
- In Plain Sight by Richard Jackson Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
2016
Winner
Trombone Shorty
Hailing from the Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews got his nickname by wielding a trombone twice as long as he was high. A prodigy, he was leading his own band by age six, and today this Grammy-nominated artist headlines the legendary New Orleans Jazz Fest.
Honor Books
- Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena Illustrated by Christian Robinson
- The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth & Harlem’s Greatest Bookstore by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
2015
Winner
Firebird
American Ballet Theater soloist Misty Copeland encourages a young ballet student, with brown skin like her own, by telling her that she, too, had to learn basic steps and how to be graceful when she was starting out, and that some day, with practice and dedication, the little girl will become a firebird, too. Includes author's note about dancers who led her to find her voice.
Honor Books
- Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker by Patricial Hruby Powell Illustrated by Christian Robinson
- Little Melba and her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown Illustrated by Frank Morrison
2014
Winner
Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me
"A boy wakes up one morning to find his father gone. At first, he feels lost. But his father has left him a letter filled with advice to guide him through the times he cannot be there"-- Provided by publisher.
Honor Books
- Nelson Mandela by Kadir Nelson Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
2013
Winner
I, Too, Am America
Presents the popular poem by one of the central figures in the Harlem Renaissance, highlighting the courage and dignity of the African American Pullman porters in the early twentieth century.
Honor Books
- Ellen's Broom by Kelly Starling Lyons Illustrated by Daniel Minter
- H. O. R. S. E. by Christopher Myers Illustrated by Christopher Myers
- I Have a Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr. by Martin Luther King Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
2012
Winner
Underground : Finding the Light to Freedom
"A stellar introduction to the Underground Railroad, narrated by a group of slaves. Readers experience the fugitives' escape, their long nighttime journey punctuated by meetings with friends and enemies, and their final glorious arrival in a place of freedom."--Amazon.com.
Honor Books
2011
Winner
Dave the Potter
The life of an astonishingly prolific and skilled potter who lived and died a slave in 19th-century South Carolina is related in simple, powerful sentences that outline the making of a pot.
Honor Books
- Jimi Sounds Like a Rainbow by Gary Golio Illustrated by Javaka Steptoe
2010
Winner
My People
Hughes's spare yet eloquent tribute to his people has been cherished for generations. Now, acclaimed photographer Smith interprets this beloved poem in vivid sepia photographs that capture the glory, the beauty, and the soul of being a black American today.
Honor Books
- The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Langston Hughes Illustrated by E.B. Lewis
2009
Winner
The Blacker the Berry
A collection of poems, including "Golden Goodness," "Cranberry Red," and "Biscuit Brown," celebrating individuality and Afro-American identity.
Honor Books
- Before John Was a Jazz Giant by Carole Boston Weatherford Illustrated by Sean Qualls
- The Moon Over Star by Dianna Hutts Aston
- We Are the Ship : The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
2008
Honor Books
- Jazz on a Saturday Night by Leo Dillon Illustrated by Leo Dillon
- The Secret Olivia Told Me by N. Joy Illustrated by Nancy Devard
2007
Winner
Moses : When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom
Describes Tubman's spiritual journey as she hears the voice of God guiding her north to freedom on that very first trip to escape the brutal practice of forced servitude. Tubman would make nineteen subsequent trips back south, never being caught, but none as profound as this first one.
Honor Books
- Jazz by Walter Dean Myers Illustrated by Christopher Myers
- Poetry for Young People : Langston Hughes by David Roessel Illustrated by Benny Andrews
2006
Winner
Rosa
The story of Rosa Parks and her courageous act of defiance. Provides the story of the young black woman who refused to give up her seat to a white passenger in Alabama, setting in motion all the events of the Civil Rights Movements that resulted in the end of the segregated south, gave equality to blacks throughout the nation, and forever changed the country in which we all live today....
Honor Books
2005
Winner
Ellington Was Not a Street
In a reflective tribute to the African-American community of old, noted poet Ntozake Shange recalls her childhood home and the close-knit group of innovators that often gathered there. These men of vision, brought to life in the majestic paintings of artist Kadir Nelson, lived at a time when the color of their skin dictated where they could live, what schools they could attend, and even where they could sit on a bus or in a movie theater. Yet in the face of this tremendous adversity, these dedicated souls and others like them not only demonstrated the importance of Black culture in America, but also helped issue in a movement that "changed the world." Their lives and their works inspire us to this day, and serve as a guide to how we approach the challenges of tomorrow.
Honor Books
- God Bless the Child by Billie Holiday Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
- The People Could Fly : The Picture Book by Virgina Hamilton Illustrated by Leo Dillon
2004
Winner
Beautiful Blackbird
In a story of the Ila people, the colorful birds of Africa ask Blackbird, whom they think is the most beautiful of birds, to decorate them with some of his "blackening brew."
Honor Books
- Almost to Freedom by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson Illustrated by Colin Bootman
- Thunder Rose by Jerdine Nolen Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
2003
Winner
Talkin' About Bessie : The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman
Soar along with Bessie Coleman in this inspirational tale of a woman whose determination reached new heights. Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman was always being told what she could & couldn't do. In an era when Jim Crow laws and segregation were a way of life, it was not easy to survive. Bessie didn't let that stop her. Although she was only 11 when the Wright brothers took their historic flight, she vowed to become the first African -American female pilot. Her sturdy faith and determination helped her overcome obstacles of poverty, racism, and gender discrimination. Innovatively told through a series of monologues.
Honor Books
- Rap a Tap Tap : Here's Bojangles - Think of That by Leo Dillon Illustrated by Leo Dillon
- Visiting Langston by Willie Perdomo Illustrated by Bryan Collier
2002
Winner
Goin' Someplace Special
In segregated 1950s Nashville, a young African American girl braves a series of indignities and obstacles to get to one of the few integrated places in town: the public library.
Honor Books
2001
Winner
Uptown
A tour of the sights of Harlem, including the Metro-North Train, brownstones, shopping on 125th Street, a barber shop, summer basketball, the Boy's Choir, and sunset over the Harlem River.
Honor Books
- Freedom River by Doreen Rappaport Illustrated by Bryan Collier
- Only Passing Through : The Story of Sojourner Truth by Anne Rockwell Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
- Virgie Goes to School with Us Boys by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard Illustrated by E.B. Lewis
2000
Winner
In the Time of the Drums
Mentu, an American-born slave boy, watches his beloved grandmother, Twi, lead the insurrection at Teakettle Creek of Ibo people arriving from Africa on a slave ship.
Honor Books
- Black Cat by Christopher Myers Illustrated by Christopher Myers
- My Rows and Piles of Coins by Tololwa M. Mollel Illustrated by E.B. Lewis
1999
Winner
I See the Rhythm
Chronicles and captures poetically the history, mood, and movement of African American music.
Honor Books
- Duke Ellington : The Piano Prince and His Orchestra by Andrea Davis Pinkney Illustrated by Brian Pinkney
- I Have Heard of a Land by Joyce Carol Thomas Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
- The Bat Boy and His Violin by Gavin Curtis Illustrated by E.B. Lewis
1998
Winner
In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall : African Americans Celebrating Fathers
Illustrated by Javaka Steptoe. An innovative, stunningly illustrated picture book that celebrates the role of fathers in black families. Includes contributions from 12 poets. Illustrated in full colour throughout. Suitable for all ages. Winner of the Coretta Scott King Book Illustrator Award. 'This stunning homage to fathers offers a textured potpourri of voices and visuals' - Publishers Weekly 'This innovative, stunningly illustrated picture book' - School Library Journal
Honor Books
- Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry by Ashley Bryan Illustrated by Ashley Bryan
- Harlem by Walter Dean Myers Illustrated by Christopher Myers
- The Hunterman and the Crocodile by Baba Wague Diakite Illustrated by Baba Wague Diakite
1997
Winner
Minty : A Story of Young Harriet Tubman
Young Harriet Tubman, whose childhood name was Minty, dreams of escaping slavery on the Brodas plantation in the late 1820s.
Honor Books
- Neeny Coming, Neeny Going by Karen English Illustrated by Synthia Saint James
- Running the Road to ABC by Denize Lauture Illustrated by Reynold Ruffins
- The Palm of My Heart : Poetry by African American Children by Davida Adedjouma Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
1996
Winner
The Middle Passage : White Ships / Black Cargo
The Middle Passage is the name given to one of the most tragic ordeals in history: the cruel and terrifying journey of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean. In this seminal work, master artist Tom Feelings tells the complete story of this horrific diaspora in sixty-four extraordinary narrative paintings. Achingly real, they draw us into the lives of the millions of African men, women, and children who were savagely torn from their beautiful homelands, crowded into disease-ridden "death ships", and transported under nightmarish conditions to the so-called New World. An introduction by noted historian Dr. John Henrik Clarke traces the roots of the Atlantic slave trade and gives a vivid summary of its four centuries of brutality. The Middle Passage reaches us on a visceral level. No one can experience it and remain unmoved. But while we absorb the horror of these images, we also can find some hope in them. They are a tribute to the survival of the human spirit, and the humanity won by the survivors of the Middle Passage belongs to us all.
Honor Books
- Her Stories by Virginia Hamilton Illustrated by Leo Dillon
- The Faithful Friend by Robert D. San Souci Illustrated by Brian Pinkney
1995
Honor Books
- Meet Danitra Brown by Nikki Grimes Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
- The Singing Man by Angela Shelf Medearis Illustrated by Terea Shaffer
1994
Winner
Soul Looks Back in Wonder
In this compelling collection of words and pictures, the voices of thirteen major poets, including Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, and Walter Dean Myers, rise in response to the dazzling vistas and emotionally vivid portraits of award-winning artist Tom Feelings. A unique and moving collaboration that celebrates the sustaining spirit of African creativity.
Honor Books
- Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea by Joyce Carol Thomas Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
- Uncle Jed's Barbershop by Margaree King Mitchell Illustrated by James Ransome
1993
Winner
The Origin of Life on Earth : An African Creation Myth
Retells the Yoruba creation myth in which the deity Obatala descends from the sky to create the world.
Honor Books
- Little Eight John by Jan Wahl Illustrated by Wil Clay
- Sukey and the Mermaid by Robert D. San Souci Illustrated by Brian Pinkney
- Working Cotton by Sherley Anne Williams Illustrated by Carole Byard
1992
Winner
Tar Beach
A young girl dreams of flying above her Harlem home, claiming all she sees for herself and her family. Based on the author's quilt painting of the same name.
Honor Books
- All Night, All Day : A Child's First Book of African American Spirituals by Ashley Bryan Illustrated by Ashley Bryan
- Night on Neighborhood Street by Eloise Greenfield Illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist
1991
Winner
Aida
With depth and understanding, acclaimed diva Leontyne Price retells this famous opera about the beautiful princess of Ethiopia.
1990
Winner
Nathaniel Talking
Beautifully composed in a variety of styles--rap, blues, and free verse--these 18 poems offers a black child's insights into his own heart and mind, and into the lives of family and friends. Nine-year-old Nathaniel reflects on what it's like to be curious, smart, and full of ideas.
Honor Books
1989
Winner
Mirandy and Brother Wind
Mirandy is sure she'll win the cake walk if she can catch Brother Wind for her partner, but he eludes all the tricks her friends advise.
Honor Books
- Storm in the Night by Mary Stolz Illustrated by Pat Cummings
- Under the Sunday Tree by Eloise Greenfield Illustrated by Amos Ferguson
1988
Winner
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale
Mufaro's two beautiful daughters, one bad-tempered, one kind and sweet, go before the king, who is choosing a wife.
Honor Books
1987
Winner
Half a Moon and One Whole Star
While a young girl sleeps, nighttime deepens all around her--in the woods and garden, on the ocean, in the city, and on the porch, where her parents sit.
Honor Books
- C.L.O.U.D.S. by Pat Cummings Illustrated by Pat Cummings
- Lion and the Ostrich Chicks and Other African Folk Tales by Ashley Bryan Illustrated by Ashley Bryan
1986
Winner
The Patchwork Quilt
Using scraps cut from the family's old clothing, Tanya helps her grandmother and mother make a beautiful quilt that tells the story of her family's life.
Honor Books
- The People Could Fly : American Black Folktales by Virgina Hamilton Illustrated by Leo Dillon
1984
Winner
My Mama Needs Me
Jason wants to help, but isn't sure that his mother needs him at all after she brings home a new baby from the hospital.
1983
Winner
Black Child
The sad, harsh realities of life in south Africa are sensitively revealed in photographs of children's faces.
Honor Books
- All the Colors of the Race by Arnold Adoff Illustrated by John Steptoe
- I'm Going to Sing : Black American Spirituals by Ashley Bryan Illustrated by Ashley Bryan
- Just Us Women by Jeanette Caines Illustrated by Pat Cummings
1982
Winner
Mother Crocodile : An Uncle Amadou Tale from Senegal
Because Mother Crocodile tells stories of the past, the little crocodiles choose to believe she is crazy until almost too late they learn otherwise.
Honor Books
- Daydreamers by Eloise Greenfield Illustrated by Tom Feelings
1981
Winner
Beat the Story Drum, Pum-Pum
Here are five Nigerian folktales, retold in language as rhythmic as the beat of the story-drum, and illustrated with vibrant, evocative woodcuts.
Honor Books
- Count on Your Fingers African Style by Claudia Zaslavsky Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
- Grandmama's Joy by Eloise Greenfield Illustrated by Carole Byard
1980
Winner
Cornrows
When Mama and Great-Grammaw weave the striking cornrow patterns of Africa into their children's hair, their gentle voices also weave a tale full of pride and heritage.
1979
1978
Winner
Africa Dream
An African-American child dreams of long-ago Africa, where she sees animals, shops in a marketplace, reads strange words from an old book, and returns to the village where her long-ago granddaddy welcomes her.
1974
Winner
Ray Charles
As a young boy he fell in love with music, and as a man, the world fell in love with his music. Ray Charles and his soulful, passionate rhythms and melodies have been embraced around the world for decades. Now, in this beautiful new edition of an award-winning biography, readers can follow Charles from his boyhood, when he lost his sight and learned to read and write music in Braille, until the age of 40, when he had become a world-renowned jazz and blues musician packing auditoriums and stadiums.