Category: The Brown Bookshelf

Brown Baby Lullaby is a Generations Book Club Pick!

Posted on by Tameka Fryer Brown

The Brown Bookshelf has established a new summer reading program called Generations Book Club. It is their new initiative designed to “inspire and empower readers of all ages.”

I’m honored to share that BROWN BABY LULLABY is a Generations Book Club Culture & Community picture book selection!

All titles are available for purchase at discounted prices through Brain Lair Books, official Generations bookseller and Black owned bookstore in South Bend, Indiana.

Generations Book Club launched on June 1; their Culture & Community titles will be featured on June 15. Be sure to visit The Brown Bookshelf to celebrate BROWN BABY LULLABY and all the other wonderful reads on this inaugural list!


28 Days Later: Nikki Giovanni

Posted on by Tameka Fryer Brown

WOTD: Fantabulous

The Fifth Annual 28 Days Later campaign is underway, and today’s honoree is none other than the incredible Nikki Giovanni!

28 Days Later is designed to spotlight various authors and illustrators of African descent, particularly those who are not as widely known as we think they should be.  Author-illustrator, Don Tate, and authors Kelly Starling Lyons, Varian Johnson, Paula Chase Hyman, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, Gwendolyn Hooks, Crystal Allen and yours truly make up The Brown Bookshelf team.

Our 2012 honorees are:

February 1 – Kwame Alexander– Acoustic Rooster (PB)
February 2 – Denise Lewis Patrick The Cecile Series: American Girl  (MG)
February 3 – Noni Carter Good Fortune (YA)
February 4 – James Haskins– BBS Vanguard (PB)
February 5 – NiNi Simone  The Break-Up Diaries (YA)
February 6 – Keith Shepherd Walking Home To Rosie Lee (PB)
February 7 – Nikki Giovanni BBS Vanguard (PB)
February 8 – Tracey Baptiste Angel’s Grace (YA)
February 9 – TL Clarke The Secret of the Scarlet Stone (MG)
February 10 – Atinuke Hooray for Anna Hibiscus (MG)
February 11 – Bryan Collier BBS Vanguard (PB)
February 12 – Earl Sewell Maya’s Choice (YA)
February 13 – Debbi Chocolate BBS Vanguard (PB)
February 14 – Lynda Jones Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker (MG)
February 15 – Calvin Alexander Ramsey Ruth & The Green Book (PB)
February 16 – L. Divine  The Drama High Series (YA)
February 17 – Charlotte Riley Webb Our Children Can Soar (PB)
February 18 – Bil Wright Putting Make-up On The Fat Boy (YA)
February 19 – Pansie Hart Flood It’s Test Day, Tiger Turcotte (PB)
February 20 – Traci Dant Some Kind of Love (PB)
February 21 – Nikki Carter Fab Life Series (YA)
February 22 – Sharon Robinson Promises to Keep (MG)
February 23 – Teresa Harris Summer Jackson: Grown Up (PB)
February 24 – Sofia Quintero Efrain’s Secret (YA)
February 25 – Malorie Blackman Boys Don’t Cry (YA)
February 26 – Alice Faye Duncan Honey Baby Sugar Child (PB)
February 27 – Elizabeth Zunon The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind (PB)
February 28 – Margaree King Mitchell When Grandmama Sings (PB)

Make sure you visit The Brown Bookshelf daily to find out about these phenomenal artists and their work!

Agape!

P.S. Since it’s leap year, February 29 will be our BBS Members Spotlight day. Look for posts from Crystal Allen, Don Tate, Gwendolyn Hooks, Kelly Starling Lyons, Paula Chase Hyman, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, and me, Tameka Fryer Brown.

 

 

Why We Write

Posted on by Tameka Fryer Brown

WOTD: Write

Since today is the National Day on Writing (YAAAY–go write something), all of us at The Brown Bookshelf have shared our reasons for writing. I stated my reasons in the following poem:

WHY I WRITE

by Tameka Fryer Brown

 

I write to express my thoughts, my feelings, my beliefs—

Poignant or not,

Sleeve-worn or not,

Endorsed by the general masses

Or not.

 

I write because I have something to say

And a right to say it.

 

I write because my muse has infused my literary tongue

With brilliance unparalleled;

And because she’s abandoned me so

I’m trying desperately to coax her back.

 

I write because I can.

 

I write to avoid mopping, dusting, vacuuming,

Tubs, toilets, tile,

Dirty windows, dirty laundry, and dirty dishes…

Because a writer has a good excuse to avoid these things,

But a stay-at-home mom

With kids in school all day

Does not.

 

I write toward self-actualization.

 

I write to keep my wits sharp.

 

I write to show insecure Girl-Me that I can,

To show other self-doubters that they can, too.

 

I write because words are beautiful things

That I cherish…

And I pray, someday,

Some child will cherish mine.

 

Kelly Starling-Lyons, Paula Chase-Hyman, Gwendolyn Hooks, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, and Don Tate also share their motivations for writing.

So…why do YOU write? Please share your answer at The Brown Bookshelf — or even *write* here.

(Haha. I crack me up.  Agape!)