Richard Gregory Christie (born July 26, 1971) is an American author and illustrator of

picture book A picture book combines visual and verbal narratives in a book format, most often aimed at young children. With the narrative told primarily through text, they are distinct from comics, which do so primarily through sequential images. The images ...

chapter book A chapter book is a story book intended for intermediate readers, generally age 7–10. Unlike picture book A picture book combines visual and verbal narratives in a book format, most often aimed at young children. With the narrative told pri ...

s, middle grade novels, and

album cover An album cover (also referred to as album art) is the front packaging art of a commercially released studio album or other audio recordings. The term can refer to either the printed paperboard covers typically used to package sets of and 78-r ...

s best known for his

Coretta Scott King Award The Coretta Scott King Award is an annual award presented by the Ethnic & Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table, part of the American Library Association (ALA). Named for Coretta Scott King, wife of Martin Luther King Jr., this award re ...

-winning books ''No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller, Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. Marshal,'' and ''Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan, Only Passing Through,'' and the

NAACP Image Award The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. Similar to ...

-winning ''Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the Pioneers of Change.'' He has illustrated more than 60 books.

Personal life

Christie was born on July 26, 1971, in Plainfield, New Jersey, to Ludra V. St. Amant Christie and Gerard A. Christie. His mother was a

Louisiana Creole Louisiana Creole ( lou, Kréyòl Lalwizyàn, links=no) is a French-based creole language spoken by fewer than 10,000 people, mostly in the state of Louisiana. It is spoken today by people who may racially identify as White, Black, mixed, and ...

and his father was a pharmacist. He was raised in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, close to the Jerseyland Resort. He went to St. Bartholomew the Apostle Elementary School. Christie recalls always having an interest in art and drawing characters from comic books from age 5. Christie began painting illustrations of public broadcasting service shows when he was eight years old. While attending Fanwood High School in 1985, he worked for Commercial Art and Supply, formerly known as Art Mart in Plainfield. He graduated from Fanwood High School in 1989 and attended New York City's

School of Visual Arts The School of Visual Arts New York City (SVA NYC) is a private for-profit art school in New York City. It was founded in 1947 and is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design. History This school was started by ...

. During that time, he worked at the

Solomon R. Guggenheim museum The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, often referred to as The Guggenheim, is an art museum at 1071 Fifth Avenue on the corner of East 89th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City. It is the permanent home of a continuously exp ...

bookshop in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the List of co ...

and again after its renovation, as a security guard. During his time on the nightshift it took him six months to complete what would become his debut picture book. Christie graduated from the School of Visual Arts in 1993, with a BFA. Christie currently lives and paints in Atlanta, Georgia.

Career

His first illustration was published in the

Star Ledger ''The Star-Ledger'' is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to ''The Jersey Journal'' of Jersey City, ''The Times'' of Trenton and the ''Staten Island Advance'', all of wh ...

, the largest circulated newspaper in New Jersey, in 1990, while he was still attending university. Christie started his career working on album covers for several record companies, including Moserobie Music,

Impulse Records Impulse! Records (occasionally styled as "¡mpulse! Records" and "¡!") is an American jazz record company and label established by Creed Taylor in 1960. John Coltrane was among Impulse!'s earliest signings. Thanks to consistent sales and positiv ...

, and

MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group. Pre-history MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 wi ...

, mostly working on jazz records. His preferred medium is working with acrylics. His first official illustration job for a book was for a volume of poetry called ''The Palm of My Heart: Poetry by African American Children,'' with text by Davida Adedjouma, was published by Lee & Low in 1996 and inspired by the works of the painters

Ernie Barnes Ernest Eugene Barnes Jr. (July 15, 1938 – April 27, 2009) was an American artist, well known for his unique style of elongated characters and movement. He was also a professional football player, actor and author. Early life Childhood ...

Pablo Picasso Pablo Ruiz Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th century, he is ...

, and Egyptian art. It won him the Coretta Scott King Award at age 25''.'' Since then, many of the books he has worked on have gone on to win major awards, including six more Coretta Scott King Honors, a

Caldecott Honor The Randolph Caldecott Medal, frequently shortened to just the Caldecott, annually recognizes the preceding year's "most distinguished American picture book for children". It is awarded to the illustrator by the Association for Library Servic ...

, the

Schneider Family Book Award The Schneider Family Book Award is an award given by the American Library Association (ALA) recognizing authors and illustrators for the excellence of portrayal of the disability experience in literature for youth. There is a category for children ...

, the

, and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. His illustrations have also appeared on

HBO Kids ''HBO Kids'' (formerly ''Jam'') is an American preschool/children's television morning block operated by Home Box Office, Inc. (HBO), a division of Warner Bros. Discovery. The block runs on HBO Family, HBO's sister station that targets children a ...

and the

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of ed ...

children's show

Between the Lions ''Between the Lions'' is an American animated/live-action/puppet children's television series designed to promote reading. The show was a co-production between WGBH in Boston and Sirius Thinking, Ltd., in New York City, in association with Mi ...

. As a freelance illustrator, some of his clients include

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issue ...

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...

Vibe Magazine ''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down productio ...

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

The Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...

Reading Is Fundamental Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. (RIF) is the oldest and largest non-profit children's literacy organization in the United States. RIF provides books (print and digital) and reading resources to children nationwide with supporting literacy resources ...

Marlo Thomas Margaret Julia "Marlo" Thomas (born November 21, 1937) is an American actress, producer, author, and social activist. She is best known for starring on the sitcom ''That Girl'' (1966–1971) and her children's franchise '' Free to Be... You and ...

, and

Pete Seeger Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American folk singer and social activist. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, Seeger also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of the Weavers, notabl ...

. He cites the works of American artists William H. Johnson and

Romare Bearden Romare Bearden (September 2, 1911 – March 12, 1988) was an American artist, author, and songwriter. He worked with many types of media including cartoons, oils, and collages. Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, Bearden grew up in New York City ...

and

Ezra Jack Keats Ezra Jack Keats (né Jacob Ezra Katz; March 11, 1916 – May 6, 1983) was an American writer and illustrator of children's books. He won the 1963 Caldecott Medal for illustrating ''The Snowy Day'', which he also wrote. Keats wrote ''A Letter t ...

' children's books as the sources of some of his inspiration. Many of Christie's works center on mostly African American historical figures and he has worked on picture book biographies of

Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, ...

Sojourner Truth Sojourner Truth (; born Isabella Baumfree; November 26, 1883) was an American abolitionist of New York Dutch heritage and a women's rights activist. Truth was born into slavery in Swartekill, New York, but escaped with her infant daughter to f ...

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...

Langston Hughes James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1901 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri. One of the earliest innovators of the literary art form called jazz poetry, H ...

, Louis Armstrong and Richard Wright, among others. In 2012, Christie launched a

Kickstarter Kickstarter is an American public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative projects to life". As of July 2021, K ...

campaign for a combined children's bookstore and arts literary center called GAS ART GIFTS, planned to open in

North DeKalb Mall North DeKalb Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located in unincorporated DeKalb County, near Decatur, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Opened in 1965, the center currently comprises more than eighty-five stores on one level. Anchor s ...

Decatur, Georgia Decatur is a city in, and the county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, which is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. With a population of 24,928 in the 2020 census, the municipality is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple ZIP Codes ...

, but was ultimately unable to meet the goal. After the campaign failed, Christie relaunched the campaign on Indiegogo with a lower goal, reached success and ended up opening the store shortly after. Today it is an online combination of bookstore and art studio specializing in products and services originating from Christie's artwork. Also in 2012, Christie's art was displayed on New York City's subway lines in the form of a poster named "The Subway Soiree". It was up for the entire year as a part of the

MTA Arts & Design MTA Arts & Design, formerly known as Arts for Transit and Urban Design, is a commissioned art program directed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for the transportation systems serving New York City and the surrounding region. Since 1 ...

program. 2013 brought more major commissions for Christie. The biggest of all was the United Postal Service's commission of this artist for the

Kwanzaa Kwanzaa () is an annual celebration of African-American culture from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a communal feast called '' Karamu'', usually on the sixth day. It was created by activist Maulana Karenga, based on African harvest ...

stamp. Additionally in that year, Christie did the Congo Square

New Orleans Jazz Festival The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (commonly called Jazz Fest or Jazzfest) is an annual celebration of local music and culture held at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jazz Fest attracts thousands of visitors to New ...

poster showcasing Louisiana legend,

Buckwheat Zydeco Stanley Dural Jr. (November 14, 1947 – September 24, 2016), better known by his stage name Buckwheat Zydeco, was an American accordionist and zydeco musician. He was one of the few zydeco artists to achieve mainstream success. His music gro ...

. In 2017, Christie was attached as the illustrator for the Sweet Blackberry Foundation's animated shorts based on African American pilot

Bessie Coleman Bessie Coleman (January 26, 1892April 30, 1926) was an early American civil aviator. She was the first African-American woman and first Native American to hold a pilot license. She earned her license from the ''Fédération Aéronautique In ...

, inventor

Garrett Morgan Garrett Augustus Morgan, Sr. (March 4, 1877 – July 27, 1963) was an American inventor, businessman, and community leader. His most notable inventions were a three-position traffic signal and a smoke hood (a predecessor to the gas mask) notably ...

and ballet dancer

Janet Collins Janet Collins (March 7, 1917 – May 28, 2003) was an African American ballet dancer, choreographer, and teacher. She performed on Broadway, in films, and appeared frequently on television. She was among the pioneers of black ballet dancing, one o ...

, in collaboration with ''

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' is an American television sitcom created by Andy and Susan Borowitz for NBC. It aired from September 10, 1990, to May 20, 1996. The series stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart ...

'' actress

Karyn Parsons Karyn Parsons Rockwell (born October 8, 1966) is an American actress, author and comedian. She is best known for her role as Hilary Banks on the NBC sitcom ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' from 1990 to 1996. Parsons also starred in the 1995 film ...

Selected bibliography

Picture books * text by Patricia Hruby Powell ** ''Lift as You Climb: The Story of Ella Baker'' (McElderry, 2019) * text by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen ** ''The United States v. Jackie Robinson'' ( Balzer + Bray, 2018) * text by Alice Faye Duncan ** ''Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop: The Sanitation Strike of 1968'' ( Calkins Creek, 2018) * text by

Nikki Grimes Nikki Grimes (born October 20, 1950) is an American author of books written for children and young adults, as well as a poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by ...

** ''One Last Word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance'' (

Bloomsbury Bloomsbury is a district in the West End of London. It is considered a fashionable residential area, and is the location of numerous cultural, intellectual, and educational institutions. Bloomsbury is home of the British Museum, the largest mus ...

, 2017) * text by

Carole Boston Weatherford Carole Boston Weatherford is an African-American author and critic, now living in North Carolina, United States. She is the winner of the 2022 Coretta Scott King Award for '' Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre.'' She writes children's literatu ...

** ''Freedom in Congo Square'' (

Little Bee Books Bonnier AB (), also the Bonnier Group, is a privately held Swedish media group of 175 companies operating in 15 countries. It is controlled by the Bonnier family. Background The company was founded in 1804 by Gerhard Bonnier in Copenhagen, Den ...

, 2016) ** ''Sugar Hill: Harlem's Historic Neighborhood'' (

Holiday House A holiday cottage, holiday home, vacation home, or vacation property is accommodation used for holiday vacations, corporate travel, and temporary housing often for less than 30 days. Such properties are typically small homes, such as cottage ...

, 2014) * text by

Vaunda Micheaux Nelson Vaunda Micheaux Nelson is an American writer known for her fiction and nonfiction books for children and young adults. She was the winner of the 2010 Coretta Scott King Award and Gelett Burgess Children's Book Honor for her non-fiction book ''Bad ...

** ''The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth & Harlem's Greatest Bookstore'' (

Carolrhoda Lerner Publishing Group, based in Minneapolis in the U.S. state of Minnesota since its founding in 1959, is one of the largest independently owned children's book publishers in the United States. With more than 5,000 titles in print, Lerner Publi ...

, 2015) ** ''Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. Marshal'' (Carolrhoda, 2009) * self-authored and self-illustrated ** ''Mousetropolis'' (Holiday House, 2015) * text by Steven Sellers Lapham ** ''Philip Reid Saves the Statue of Freedom'' (

Sleeping Bear Press Gale is a global provider of research and digital learning resources. The company is based in Farmington Hills, Michigan, west of Detroit. It has been a division of Cengage since 2007. The company, formerly known as Gale Research and the Gale Gro ...

, 2013) * text by

J. Patrick Lewis J. Patrick Lewis (born May 5, 1942) is an American poet and prose writer noted for his children's poems and other light verse. He worked as professor of economics from 1974-1998, after which he devoted himself full-time to writing. Awards Lewis ...

** ''When Thunder Comes: Poems for Civil Rights Leaders'' (

Chronicle Books Chronicle Books is a San Francisco-based American publisher of books for adults and children. The company was established in 1967 by Phelps Dewey, an executive with Chronicle Publishing Company, then-publisher of the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' ...

, 2012) * text by

Arnold Adoff Arnold Adoff (July 16, 1935, in Bronx, New York – May 7, 2021, in Yellow Springs, Ohio) was an American children's writer. In 1988, the National Council of Teachers of English gave Adoff the Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. He has sai ...

** ''Roots and Blues: A Celebration'' (

Clarion Clarion may refer to: Music * Clarion (instrument), a type of trumpet used in the Middle Ages * The register of a clarinet that ranges from B4 to C6 * A trumpet organ stop that usually plays an octave above unison pitch * "Clarion" (song), a 2 ...

, 2011) * text by

Don Tate Don Tate (born December 21, 1963) is an American author and illustrator of books for children. He is also an activist promoting racial and cultural inclusiveness in children's literature. He notes that as a child he had to read the encyclopedia ...

** ''It Jes' Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw'' (Lee & Low, 2010) * text by

Michelle Cook Michelle Cook (born January 19, 1970) is an American politician who has served in the Connecticut House of Representatives from the 65th district since 2009. References {{DEFAULTSORT:Cook, Michelle 1970 births Living people Democratic Pa ...

** ''Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the Pioneers of Change'' (Bloomsbury, 2009) * text by

Anne Rockwell Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie. Anne is sometimes used as a male name in the ...

** ''Open the Door to Liberty!: A Biography of Toussaint L'Ouverture'' (HMH, 2009) ** Only Passing Through (Dragonfly Books, 2000) * text by Muriel Harris Weinstein ** ''When Louis Armstrong Taught Me Scat'' (Chronicle, 2008) * text by Liza Wheeler ** ''Jazz Baby'' (HMH, 2007) * text by Dinah Johnson ** ''Black Magic'' ( Henry Holt, 2007) * text by

and Paul DuBois Jacobs ** ''The Deaf Musicians'' (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2006) * text by

** ''Dear Mr. Rosenwald'' (Scholastic, 2006) * text by

Steve Seskin Steve Seskin is an American singer, songwriter, and musician whose songs have been recorded by recording artists Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Waylon Jennings, Tim McGraw, Colin Raye, and Mark Wills among others. The debut single from McGraw' ...

and

Allen Shamblin Allen Shamblin is a country music songwriter who was born in Tennessee, and was brought up in Huffman, Texas. After graduating from Sam Houston State University he worked in Austin as a real estate appraiser. In 1987, he quit his job and mov ...

** ''A Chance to Shine'' (

Tricycle Press Ten Speed Press is a publishing house founded in Berkeley, California in 1971 by Phil Wood. Ten Speed Press was bought by Random House in February 2009 and is now part of their Crown Publishing Group division. History Wood worked with Barnes & ...

, 2006) * text by Beah E. Richards ** ''Keep Climbing, Girls'' (

Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster () is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest pub ...

, 2006) * text by Mary Williams ** ''Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan'' (Lee & Low, 2005) * text by Pat Sherman ** ''The Sun's Daughter'' (Clarion, 2005) * text by

Tonya Bolden Tonya K. Bolden (born March 1, 1959) is an American writer best known for her works of children's literature, especially children's nonfiction. Bolden has authored, co-authored, collaborated on, or edited more than forty books. Hillary Rodham ...

** ''The Champ'' (Dragonfly Books, 2004) ** ''Rock of Ages: A Tribute to the Black Church'' (

Knopf Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. () is an American publishing house that was founded by Alfred A. Knopf Sr. and Blanche Knopf in 1915. Blanche and Alfred traveled abroad regularly and were known for publishing European, Asian, and Latin American writers i ...

, 2001) * text by

Barbara M. Joosse Barbara M. Joosse (born February 18, 1949) is an American children's writer. She has been writing for children for over thirty years. She has published thirty-eight books for children, both picture books and chapter books. Through her writing, s ...

** ''Hot City'' ( Philomel, 2004) ** ''Stars in the Darkness'' (Chronicle, 2001) * text by

Rukhsana Khan Rukhsana Khan ( ur, ; born 1962) is a Canadian children's writer and storyteller, whose stories have enabled children of all cultures to connect with cultures of Eastern origins. Biography Khan was born in Lahore, Pakistan, in 1962. She imm ...

** ''Ruler of the Courtyard'' (

Viking Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and s ...

, 2003) * text byt Tony Medina ** ''Love to Langston'' (Lee & Low, 2002) ** ''Deshawn Days'' (Turtleback Books, 2001) * text by William Miller ** ''Richard Wright and the Library Card'' (Lee & Low, 1997) * text by W. Nikola-Lisa ** ''America: My Land, Your Land, Our Land'' (Lee & Low, 1997) * text by Davida Adedjouma ** ''The Palm of My Heart: Poetry by African American Children'' (Lee & Low, 1996) Chapter books * text by

** Dyamonde Daniel Series **# ''Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel'' (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2000) **# ''Rich'' (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2009) **# ''Almost Zero'' (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2010) **# ''Halfway to Perfect'' (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2012) Middle grade * text by Gretchen Woelfle ** ''Answering the Cry for Freedom: Stories of African Americans and the American Revolution'' ( Calkins Creek, 2016) * text by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson ** ''No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller'' (Carolrhoda, 2012) Album covers * Justice System's ''Summer in the City'' and ''Rooftop Soundcheck'' (1994) * John Coltrane's ''Coltrane: The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings'' (GRP, 1997) * Joe Sample's ''Old Places Old Faces'' (1996) * George Benson's ''A Song for My Brother'' (1997)

Awards

* Nominee * 2015 Lee & Low New Voices Award ''It Jes' Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw,'' text by

* 2015 Bluestem Book Award for ''Rich'', text by

* 2013

Ezra Jack Keats Book Award The Ezra Jack Keats Book Award is an annual U.S. literary award. At the Ezra Jack Keats Book Awards Ceremony every April, the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation presents the New Writer Award (since 1985) and New Illustrator Award (since 2001) to an auth ...

for Writer for ''It Jes' Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw,'' text by Don Tate * 2013 CLEL Silver Bell Award for Sing for ''Jazz Baby'', text by Liza Wheeler * 2012 Ohioana Book Award for Juvenile for ''Roots and Blues: A Celebration,'' text by Arnold Adoff * 2010

Spur Award Spur Awards are literary prizes awarded annually by the Western Writers of America (WWA). The purpose of the Spur Awards is to honor writers for distinguished writing about the American West. The Spur awards began in 1953, the same year the WWA wa ...

for Best Storyteller (Illustrated Children's Book) for ''Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. Marshal,'' text by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson * 2008

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award is a literary award by the American Library Association (ALA) that annually recognizes the "author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished book for beginning readers published in English in the United States ...

for ''Jazz Baby'', text by Liza Wheeler * 2008

Charlotte Zolotow Award The Charlotte Zolotow Award is an American literary award presented annually for outstanding writing in a picture book published in the United States during the preceding year. By contrast, the Caldecott Medal is for outstanding illustration in ...

for Highly Commended Title for ''Jazz Baby'', text by Liza Wheeler Won * 2019 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrator Honor for ''Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop, text by'' Alice Faye Duncan *2017 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrator Honor ''Freedom in Congo Square'', text by Carole Boston Weatherford *2017 Caldecott Honor ''Freedom in Congo Square'', text by Carole Boston Weatherford *2016 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrator Honor ''The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth & Harlem’s Greatest Bookstore'', text by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson *2016 New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books Award, ''Freedom in Congo Square'', text by Carole Boston Weatherford *2013 Coretta Scott King Award for Author Honor for ''No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller,'' text by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson * 2012 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for ''No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller,'' text by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson * 2010 Coretta Scott King Award for Author for ''Bad News'' for ''Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. Marshal,'' text by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson * 2009 NAACP Image Award for Children for ''Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the Pioneers of Change,'' text by Michelle Cook * 2007 Schneider Family Book Award for Young Children's Book for ''The Deaf Musicians'', text by Pete Seeger and Paul DuBois Jacobs * 2006 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrator Honor for ''Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan,'' text by Mary Williams * 2002 New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books Award, ''Stars in the Darkness'', text by Barbara M. Joosse *2001 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrator Honor for ''Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth'', text by Anne Rockwell *2000 New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books Award, ''Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth'', text by Anne Rockwell *1997 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrator Honor for ''The Palm of My Heart: Poetry by African American Children,'' edited by Davida Adedjouma

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Christie, R. Gregory 21st-century American writers 21st-century African-American writers 1971 births Living people School of Visual Arts alumni Writers from Plainfield, New Jersey American children's book illustrators Caldecott Honor winners