Synopsis
Virginia Hamilton (1936-2002) changed children's literature for generations of readers, bringing a Faulknerian style of sophisticated and cutting-edge writing to the world of books for young readers. Hamilton was awarded the Newbery Medal, three Newbery Honors, the National Book Award, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, and many more. Readers will be enlightened by Hamilton's engaging, powerful, and witty perspective on African American literature as well as her own experiences as a writer and an American.
Strong-selling backlist:
Her Stories
The People Could Fly
M.C. Higgins, the Great (Newbery Medal)
The Planet of Junior Brown (Newbery Honor)
Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush (Newbery Honor)
In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World (Newbery Honor)
Publishers Weekly
This chronological collection of materials written by and about the acclaimed children’s book author forms an engaging portrait of an important figure. Her essays, speeches, and dialogues address such issues as racial identity in America, the role of a writer, and the influence of children’s literature (“I want to change the perception about young people,” she said in a 1993 lecture, “that generally they are not capable of enjoying complex stories”). Fans and scholars alike will value her intimate discussion of her craft in such beloved works as The Planet of Junior Brown and M.C. Higgins, the Great. Ages 10–up. (Feb.)