Coretta Scott King Author Award

Will's Race for Home by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316299336.
 Gr 6 Up–Will Samuels has always dreamed of adventure; but when he and his father set off to claim land in the 1889 Oklahoma Land Rush, he discovers that adventure in the Wild West may be more treacherous than he thought. Will, a young Black sharecropper in Texas, has thirsted for a chance to prove himself in the great American landscape. When his father comes home with a flier advertising the Oklahoma Land Rush, he jumps at the chance to join him. For Black folk in the American West, the journey is a tough one with enemies at every turn. As they unite with a former Union soldier, Caesar, who is also Black, Will matures under the hardships and triumphs of the American dream as a Black family. Written in hauntingly engaging prose, this brutal and heartrending ­depiction of a vital coming-of-age story is sure to grip readers. Short chapters and succinct ­language will draw in younger tweens, while the hard-hitting (and often ­forgotten) story of Black individuals ­carving out their place in the Oklahoma Land Rush will appeal to older ones. Rhodes deftly captures a unique ­aspect of this historical event, with a perspective that is ­often under-represented in historical ­fiction. VERDICT A poignant and honest look at the trials of racism that defined the ­historic land rush; a must-buy for all libraries.-Ashton Conley

Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books

The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze by Derrick Barnes. Viking. ISBN 9781984836755.
 Gr 6 Up–Barnes makes his middle grade debut with a masterly and searing account of a Black teen football prodigy. Henson Blayze is such a phenomenal athlete that he is starting and starring on the high school varsity team, despite only being 13. He is worshipped wherever he goes and treated like royalty in his small Mississippi town; treatment that, thankfully, does not corrupt Henson’s devotion to his family’s vineyard, father, and young neighbor, whom he treats like a little brother. However, when a vicious racist attack occurs, Henson learns of his community’s true thoughts about his value as a Black boy, and he must choose between entertaining the masses and standing up for justice. Barnes includes riveting historical storytelling elements, light magical realism, and an ample amount of truth about the treatment of Black people in the United States, especially in the sports and entertainment industry. VERDICT This powerful tale of race and American culture and history seamlessly weaves a popular middle grade topic, football, with crucial lessons about justice and humanity for tween and younger teens. This is Barnes at his best and is a required purchase for middle school libraries.-Kate Olson

The Library in the Woods by Calvin Alexander Ramsey. illus. by R. Gregory Christie. Lerner/Carolrhoda. ISBN 9781541599123.
 Gr 2-5–After Junior’s family’s farm is devastated for the second year in a row in 1959, his parents move them all to Roxboro, NC, with the hope of a more stable living in the city. Junior, who loved the country, struggles to adjust to the particulars of his new home, until some school friends introduce him to a gem: a library in the woods, for Black residents. This special place, featuring many books by Black authors, enchants Junior, who proudly brings home a book for himself and one book each for his mother and father. Through them, Junior learns more about his father’s relationship with reading and makes an important bond. A generous author’s note reveals to readers that this fictional story has roots in reality, including Ramsey’s time as a child spent at the library in the book. Christie’s striking and contemplative acrylic paintings, drifting effortlessly from spare but glowing landscapes to focused moments of emotion, are a perfect pairing for the slow-paced but affecting prose. VERDICT Quiet and powerful; purchase wherever picture book historical fiction is in demand.-Darla Salva Cruz

Split the Sky by Marie Arnold. Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316582872.
 Gr 9 Up–Fifteen-year-old Lala Russell lives in a small Texas town where the Confederate flag is a constant reminder of the racism permeating through the area. Lala wants to focus on playing the cello at her elite music school so that she can leave the town and its racism behind. Unfortunately for Lala, her family’s gift of Flashing, seeing glimpses of the future, does not give her that privilege. When Lala witnesses a Flash that could make a major change in social justice but cost the life of one of her classmates, she must make a choice: save one Black life or make life better for all Black lives. Lala’s dilemma of what to do is marked by struggle as she tries to decide the right course of action. Family members and a good friend help Lala as she tries to figure out what her decision will be. Pivotal moments in the Civil Rights Movement are featured and help highlight what the events of the Flash could mean for Black Americans. An unexpected twist will have readers thinking long past reading the final page. VERDICT A unique perspective on social justice fatigue with a magical realism element that will have readers run the gamut of emotions. A necessary purchase for young adult collections.-Ashley Leffel

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award

The Library in the Woods by Calvin Alexander Ramsey. illus. by R. Gregory Christie. Lerner/Carolrhoda. ISBN 9781541599123.
 Gr 2-5–After Junior’s family’s farm is devastated for the second year in a row in 1959, his parents move them all to Roxboro, NC, with the hope of a more stable living in the city. Junior, who loved the country, struggles to adjust to the particulars of his new home, until some school friends introduce him to a gem: a library in the woods, for Black residents. This special place, featuring many books by Black authors, enchants Junior, who proudly brings home a book for himself and one book each for his mother and father. Through them, Junior learns more about his father’s relationship with reading and makes an important bond. A generous author’s note reveals to readers that this fictional story has roots in reality, including Ramsey’s time as a child spent at the library in the book. Christie’s striking and contemplative acrylic paintings, drifting effortlessly from spare but glowing landscapes to focused moments of emotion, are a perfect pairing for the slow-paced but affecting prose. VERDICT Quiet and powerful; purchase wherever picture book historical fiction is in demand.-Darla Salva Cruz

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books

André: André Leon Talley—A Fabulously Fashionable Fairy Tale by Carole Boston Weatherford & Rob Sanders (text) & illus. by Lamont O’Neal. Holt. ISBN 9781250887283. 
Gr 2-4–Weatherford and Sanders have created a beautiful nonfiction book that ­covers a lot of ground. André Leon ­Talley’s story is one that begins with much darkness, but proceeds with much light, as he moved into a career as an American fashion journalist, stylist, creative director, author, and editor-at-large of Vogue magazine. His humble ­beginnings are discussed with care; bullying and abuse at the hands of adults were a part of his ­journey. Talley perseveres through this early pain to become one of the most influential fashion writers of our time. The authors gently discuss the abuse he endured; the topics are ­gracefully covered through the illustrations. O’Neal selects vibrant colors to illustrate ­Talley’s story. Seeped in ­vintage hues, these ­illustrations breathe life and color into the biography. ­Carefully chosen quotes from Talley are a feature of the text. Richness of color ­provides context for the indulgence of the fashion world, which is carefully and artistically rendered. This book is an ­homage to Black excellence. Talley rose to the top of his game in the fashion field, despite great setbacks and trauma. This book is a great tool to talk about abuse and racism, while the end pages offer extra support for anyone ­struggling. VERDICT An excellent addition to any collection for its ­beautiful illustrations and rich history lesson. An added ­bonus is that its lessons of inclusivity could be a real lifeline for any child ­navigating difficult times.-Kelly Costanza

City Summer, Country Summer by Kiese Laymon (text) & illus. by Alexis Franklin. Penguin/Kokila. ISBN 9780593405567.
 Gr 1-4–With perfect parity, Laymon poetically lays out how the Black boy from New York came to visit the Black boys in Mississippi, and what unfolds next. While their grandmother is at the chicken plant working, the boys, one called New York and the other two, the country children, walk through the woods to an underpass where they plan to slide on cardboard sleds. Tacitly, New York is moved by the country, the cool air away from his city streets, and his feelings are apparent to the other boys, too. Bolting back toward the houses, New York stares at the garden between Mama Lara’s and Grandmama’s, recalling his baby sister at home, and a familiar bodega. A game of Marco Polo breaks the ice, at last, and the boys are free to feel safe together, no matter where they come from. Franklin’s summer scenes read as classical oil paintings from the first view of the Mississippi street and its row of slightly dinged-up shotgun houses, shady trees, and front porches ready to welcome all. Laymon puts words to all the longing children have before they have the vocabulary to express it. The story leaves so much unsaid that, like the works of Anthony Browne and Jon Klassen, questions can be asked at story hours about the big feelings behind this summer day. VERDICT Author and illustrator, one working with a spare palette of barely expressed emotions, and one creating nakedly realistic, beautiful scenes of boyhood, deliver a story of bonding that is so very much greater than the sum of its parts.-Kimberly Olson Fakih

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award

Under the Neon Lights by Arriel Vinson. Putnam. ISBN 9780593858592.
Gr 8 Up–Jaelyn Coleman, 16, lives and breathes roller skating. WestSide Roll, her local rink, brings together the local Black Indianapolis community and allows her to skate her troubles and worries away, especially when her best friend Noelle is getting more and more distant. She even meets a cute boy, Trey, who asks her to teach him how to skate and while she tries not to fall for his charm, Jae ultimately agrees. Everything is rolling along, until they get the news that just like the rest of the neighborhood that has fallen to gentrification, WestSide Roll is closing. With only so many days left, Jae tackles her emotions about this place of so much community and culture disappearing as well as her feelings towards Trey, her changing friendship with Noelle, and her previously absent father now wanting to be in her life. This debut novel in verse by Vinson is a coming-of-age story with a budding romance that also highlights the consequences of gentrification, the importance of community, and issues surrounding trust, change, and new friendships. Readers see through the eyes and emotions of Jaelyn, but each character is vivid and full of life. The characters leap off the page and make readers feel immersed in the story. VERDICT With the vivid verse, realistic characters, and the soul that comes from this book, it is recommended for all libraries, especially for those where novels in verse are popular.-Kylie Woodmansee