SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: WILLIAM STILL AND HIS FREEDOM STORIES
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: www.dontate.com/
CITY: Austin
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 242
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born December 21, 1963, in Des Moines, IA; married; wife’s name Tamera; children: Kolby (son), Autumn and Jheris (daughters).
EDUCATION:Des Moines Area Community College, A.A.A., 1984.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Commercial artist and illustrator of children’s books. Des Moines Register, Des Moines, IA, news artist, 1997-99; Austin American-Statesman, Austin, TX, graphics reporter, 1999—. Speaker and exhibitor at literary festivals.
MEMBER:Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators.
AWARDS:Best Children’s Books of the Year selection, Bank Street College of Education, 2002, and Children’s Crown Gallery Award, National Christian School Association, both for Summer Sun Risin’ by W. Nikola-Lisa; Best Children’s Books of the Year selection, Bank Street College of Education, and Amelia Bloomer listee, American Library Association, both 2011, both for She Loved Baseball by Audrey Vernick; New Voices Award Honor Book selection, Lee & Low Books, and Ezra Jack Keats Book Award, 2012, both for It Jes’ Happened; Ezra Jack Keats Book Award, 2016 for Poet; Carter G. Woodson Book Award, 2020, for Carter Reads the Newspaper; Texas Institute of Letters book prize, 2016.
WRITINGS
Cofounder of the Brown Bookshelf blog.
SIDELIGHTS
A self-taught painter and commercial artist who works in oil, acrylics, and digital media, Don Tate has illustrated such children’s books as Patricia Hubbel’s Black All Around!, Audrey Vernick’s She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story, and Anna Harwell Celenza’s Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite. Exhibiting his talent for storytelling, Tate is also the author of It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw, a picture-book biography featuring artwork by R. Gregory Christie. (open new)His self-illustrated titles include Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton, Strong as Sandow: How Eugen Sandow Became the Strongest Man on Earth, and William Still and His Freedom Stories: The Father of the Underground Railroad. (close new—more below)
Tate’s illustrations have been widely praised by critics. “Exuberant acrylic paintings keep the pages turning in this African-American girl’s imaginative ode to the color black,” commented School Library Journal contributor Ajoke’ T.I. Kokodoko in a review of Black All Around! In Summer Sun Risin’ the illustrator’s “sunny acrylic and oil paintings on textured paper” complement W. Nikola-Lisa’s rhyming text to “portray a summer day in the life of a hardworking African-American farm family,” according to a Kirkus Reviews critic.
Describing Tate’s work for the biography of noted New York Mets baseball player Willie Mays in Say Hey!, School Library Journal contributor Blair Christolon commented that the artist’s “colorful acrylic paintings” show “exciting movement and action across the pages.” Khafre Abif, reviewing the same book for the Black Issues Book Review, also enjoyed Tate’s illustrations, explaining that his use of live models and a digital computer program to obtain his three-dimensional effect produces colorful art which “hits a home run.”
Tate’s other illustration projects include The Hidden Feast: A Folktale from the American South, a retelling of a Joel Chandler Harris story by Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss. The plot revolves around a barnyard dinner party that upsets one guest, an argumentative rooster. “Lushly painted acrylics capture the animals at their silliest and rooster at his sulkiest,” noted a writer in Kirkus Reviews, and Booklist reviewer Gillian Engberg applauded the “bright, clearly arranged paintings of the expressive, whimsically outfitted animals” in The Hidden Feast.
Walter Wangerin, Jr.’s poignant tale told in verse, I Am My Grandpa’s Enkelin, concerns a young girl’s relationship with her German-born grandfather. According to Booklist reviewer Carolyn Phelan, Tate’s “impressive, large-scale paintings illustrate the story with clarity, economy, and certainty of purpose.” Rose Blue and Corinne J. Naden recall an event from the childhood of U.S. astronaut Ron McNair in their text for Ron’s Big Mission, a picture book that addresses racism and segregation. A number of critics praised Tate’s decision to portray the characters in this book with oversized heads, thereby “showing the strongly felt emotions of each character,” as a critic in Kirkus Reviews maintained.
Vernick explores the life of a pioneering African-American baseball executive in She Loved Baseball, which is set during the first half of the twentieth century. School Library Journal reviewer Marilyn Taniguchi cited “Tate’s vibrant illustrations” as a highlight of this work, and Engberg explained that the paintings “convey both the historical setting and the timeless excitement in the ballpark.”
In Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite Celenza recounts a groundbreaking collaboration between jazz great Duke Ellington and his friend and fellow musician Billy Strayhorn. Tate’s mixed-media illustrations “create movement across paint-spattered spreads studded with stars, snowflakes and musical notes,” reported a contributor in Kirkus Reviews.
(open new)Other notable African American historical figures are at the center of The Cart That Carried Martin, The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch, Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions, and No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and His Kingdom in Kansas. The Cart That Carried Martin tells the story of the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from the perspective of the cart that carried his coffin from Ebenezer Baptist Church, where his funeral was held, to Morehouse College, where an additional service occurred. In an interview with Uma Krishnaswami, contributor to the Writing with a Broken Tusk website, Tate discussed being taken by the photographs of King’s funeral, which he viewed when researching the book. He stated: “When studying history, I sometimes feel a disconnect between myself and the people I’m studying about. Stories about slavery, Reconstruction, the 1960s civil rights years, that happened awhile ago, most of it before my lifetime. The people can seem so far away. Almost unreal. Photographs don’t lie, though, and serve as a reminder that these things really happened, the people were real. … As I looked through the photos of King’s funeral and procession, I saw myself. That’s why stories like The Cart That Carried Martin are so important, so we don’t forget.” The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch, written by Chris Barton, is a biography of a Black Mississippi man who became an important politician in the state. In an interview with a contributor to the Eerdlings website, Tate stated that he hoped that readers of the book would learn that “that [Lynch’s] work with civil rights and social equality helped lay the groundwork for the 1960s Civil Rights Movement that we so often honor and celebrate. We can’t forget about civil rights trailblazers like Lynch.” Tate and Barton collaborated again on Whoosh!, the story of the pioneering Black inventor, Johnson. A Kirkus Reviews critic described the book as “a delightfully child-friendly and painfully necessary diversification of the science field.” Written by Tonya Bolden, No Small Potatoes follows Groves as he goes from being enslaved to becoming a successfully entrepreneur. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews described the book as “an excellent research resource for teachers and students alike.” A Children’s Bookwatch critic called it “very highly recommended.”
Par-Tay!: Dance of the Veggies (and Their Friends), written by Eloise Greenfield, finds Tate illustrating a group of vegetables having fun in the fridge while the humans have gone out for the evening. “Tate’s big shapes, bold colors, and infectious beats will hold up to many readalouds,” suggested a Publishers Weekly reviewer. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews called it “a rousing read-aloud begging for enthusiastic performers.” A quirky real-life musician with an equally-quirky nickname stars in Michael Mahin’s Stalebread Charlie and the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band, also illustrated by Tate. Charlie’s groundbreaking music was initially maligned, but it eventually gained a following. A Kirkus Reviews writer called the book “an upbeat introduction to the scrappy origins of a little-known bit of American musical history.” An iconic and highly talented basketball group is the subject of Swish!: The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters. Written by Suzanne Slade, the book offers a history of the team and discusses its significance in the civil rights history of the U.S. Booklist critic, Ronny Khuri, commented: “Tate’s artwork beautifully reflects the joy, talent, and athleticism through big smiles and elongated limbs.” “From beginning to end, fans will feel connected to the dynamic style of the Globetrotters,” asserted a contributor to Kirkus Reviews.(close new—more below)
In his original story for It Jes’ Happened Tate profiles a self-taught folk artist. Born into slavery in 1854, Bill Traylor worked as a sharecropper most of his life before winding up on the streets of Montgomery, Alabama, where his sketches caught the eye of a young artist who helped Traylor nurture his talents. “Tate crafts prose that is clear and specific,” a writer stated in Kirkus Reviews, while in Horn Book critic Kathleen T. Horning described It Jes’ Happened as a “finely crafted account” of Traylor’s accomplishments.
(open new)Poet is the first volume of which Tate serves as both author and illustrator. It tells the story of George Horton, an influential literary figure. In an interview with a writer on the Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast website, Tate discussed researching Horton’s life for the book. He stated: “George Horton’s life and the things he accomplished as an enslaved man totally surprised me. Horton was likely the best paid poet of his Southern contemporaries, black or white. He made enough money from his poetry to pay his master for his time, which allowed him to live at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a full-time writer. He published two books while enslaved and delivered two commencement speeches to graduates. All of this happened a time when African-American literacy was discouraged, devalued, even outlawed. George’s life was full of surprises.” Reviewing the volume in Horn Book, Robin L. Smith asserted: “Tate tells a compelling story for any age.”
Friedrich Wilhelm Muller is the name of the Prussian boy who would eventually become the famous strongman, Eugen Sandow, the subject of another self-illustrated work by Tate, Strong as Sandow. Readers follow Sandow from boyhood to the height of his celebrity. “Tate’s celebration of Eugen Sandow makes a solid addition to any biography section,” asserted a Kirkus Reviews writer.
In William Still and His Freedom Stories, Tate profiles the titular figure, who was born to two formerly enslaved people and strove to help others trying to escape slavery. Still became one of the founders of the Underground Railroad and assisted countless people as they crossed from the South to the North. A Kirkus Reviews writer noted that the book “brings deserved attention to the life of a man who dedicated himself to recording the lives of others.”(close new)
Discussing his dual roles as writer and illustration, Tate remarked to Cynsations online interviewer Cynthia Leitich Smith that “I’ve found writing to be very similar to illustrating, at least, creatively speaking. When I write, I first rough out my thoughts on paper, not paying any particular attention to spelling, grammar, voice, or anything. From there, I start the process of molding these words into a story by reworking, revising, changing, researching, and so on. Illustration works exactly the same way, only the end result is with paint.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Black Issues Book Review, July, 2000, Khafre Abif, review of Say Hey! A Song of Willie Mays, p. 73; May-June, 2003, Suzanne Rust, review of Black All Around!, p. 58.
Booklist, February 15, 2000, Bill Ott, review of Say Hey!, p. 1115; February 15, 2003, Ilene Cooper, review of Black All Around!, p. 1089; March 1, 2006, Gillian Engberg, review of The Hidden Feast: A Folktale from the American South, p. 95; February 15, 2008, Carolyn Phelan, review of I Am My Grandpa’s Enkelin, p. 85; February 1, 2009, Kay Weisman, review of Ron’s Big Mission, p. 58; September 1, 2010, Gillian Engberg, review of She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story, p. 119; November 1, 2011, Courtney Jones, review of Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite, p. 69; April 1, 2015, Edie Ching, review of The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch, p. 35; October 15, 2015, Lucinda Whitehurst, review of Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton, p. 40; April 15, 2018, Lucinda Whitehurst, review of Stalebread Charlie and the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band, p. 61; September 1, 2020, Ronny Khuri, review of Swish!: The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters, p. 89.
Children’s Bookwatch, December, 2018, review of No Small Potatoes.
Horn Book, May-June, 2012, Kathleen T. Horning, review of It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw, p. 120; September-October, 2015, Robin L. Smith, review of Poet, p. 133; July-August, 2016, Elissa Gershowitz, review of Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions, p. 152; September-October, 2017, Patrick Gall, review of Strong as Sandow: How Eugen Sandow Became the Strongest Man on Earth, p. 117.
Kirkus Reviews, April 15, 2002, review of Summer Sun Risin’, p. 575; March 15, 2003, review of Black All Around!, p. 468; April 1, 2004, review of Sure as Sunrise: Stories of Bruh Rabbit & His Walkin’ Talkin’ Friends, p. 333; April 1, 2006, review of The Hidden Feast, p. 347; April 1, 2009, review of Ron’s Big Mission; October 15, 2010, review of She Loved Baseball; October 15, 2011, review of Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite; March 1, 2012, review of It Jes’ Happened; August 15, 2013, review of The Cart That Carried Martin; February 15, 2015, review of The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch; March 15, 2016, review of Whoosh!; June 15, 2017, review of Strong as Sandow; March 1, 2018, review of Par-Tay!: Dance of the Veggies (and Their Friends); May 1, 2018, review of Stalebread Charlie and the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band; August 1, 2018, review of No Small Potatoes; October 1, 2020, review of Swish!; October 15, 2020, review of William Still and His Freedom Stories: The Father of the Underground Railroad.
Publishers Weekly, April 22, 2002, review of Summer Sun Risin’, p. 68; March 10, 2003, review of Black All Around!, p. 70; May 3, 2004, review of Sure as Sunrise, p. 191; October 11, 2010, review of O, Pioneers, p. 42; September 26, 2011, review of Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite, p. 72; February 19, 2018, review of Par-tay!; December 3, 2018, review of Carter Reads the Newspaper, p. 55.
School Library Journal, August, 2000, Blair Christolon, review of Say Hey!, p. 172; May, 2002, Anna DeWind Walls, review of Summer Sun Risin’, p. 124; May, 2003, Ajoke’ T.I. Kokodoko, review of Black All Around!, p. 120; June, 2004, Mary N. Oluonye, review of Sure as Sunrise, p. 128; April, 2006, Catherine Threadgill, review of The Hidden Feast, p. 126; June, 2008, Carolyn Janssen, review of I Am My Grandpa’s Enkelin, p. 115; February, 2009, Steven Engelfried, review of Ron’s Big Mission, p. 72; November, 2010, Marilyn Taniguchi, review of She Loved Baseball, p. 94; November, 2011, Joan Kindig, review of Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite, p. 84.
ONLINE
Brown Bookshelf, https://thebrownbookshelf.com/ (March 1, 2021), author profile.
Cynsations, http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/ (March 28, 2006), Cynthia Leitich Smith, interview with Tate; (May 5, 2012) Don Tate, “On It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw.”
Design Inspiration, http://designinspiration.blogspot.com/ (March 1, 2021), author interview.
Don Tate website, http://dontate.com (March 1, 2021).
Eerdlings, https://eerdlings.com/ (February 23, 2015), author interview.
Lone Star Literary, https://www.lonestarliterary.com/ (October 25, 2020), Michelle Newby Lancaster, author interview.
School Library Journal blog, http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/afuse8production/ (March 23, 2012), Elizabeth Bird, review of It Jes’ Happened.*
Seven Impossible Things before Breakfast, http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/ (December 20, 2011), author interview; (January 26, 2015), author interview.
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Austin Chapter website, https://austin.scbwi.org/ (January 28, 2014), author interview.
Writing with a Broken Tusk, http://umakrishnaswami.blogspot.com/ (October 7, 2013), Uma Krishnaswami, author interview.
Don Tate: Author and Illustrator
Hello—thank you for visiting my website. I am the author of numerous award-winning picture book biographies, and the illustrator of more than eighty critically acclaimed trade and educational books for youth.
Some of the books I’ve illustrated are Carter Reads The Newspaper (Peachtree Publishing, 2019); No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and His Kingdom in Kansas (Knopf, Oct. 2018); Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions (Charlesbridge, 2016); many others.
Some of the books I’ve written are Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton (Peachtree, 2015); It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started To Draw (Lee & Low Books, 2012), both Ezra Jack Keats Book award and honor winners: and Strong As Sandow: How Eugen Sandow Became The Strongest Man on Earth (Charlesbridge, 2017).
A forthcoming title that I wrote and illustrated include William Still and His Freedom Stories: Father of the Underground Railroad (Peachtree, Nov. 2020); and Swish! The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters (Little Brown, Nov. 2020), written by Suzanne Slade, which I illustrated.
Please look for my short stories for middle grade students, Whiz Kid and Dance Like You Draw, in Been There, Done That: School Dazed.
In addition to writing and illustrating, I enjoy presenting at elementary schools, reading and writing conferences, book and literary festivals. Please contact me for more information.
I am a founding host of the The Brown Bookshelf –a blog dedicated to promoting youth literature created by black authors.
on Tate is an award-winning author, and the illustrator of numerous critically acclaimed books for children. He is also one of the founding hosts of the blog The Brown Bookshelf – a blog designed to push awareness of the myriad of African American voices writing for young readers, with book reviews, author and illustrator interviews. Don frequently speaks at schools, public libraries and writing conferences, and participates in book festivals.
Please take a look around. On my site, you’ll find free downloadable activity guides to be used along with most of my books.
If you’ve planned a school visit or other literary event and need hi-res photos of me, you can download them from here.
If book covers are needed, you can find them on individual book pages.
If you’re an author looking to publish independently, please understand that I only work through my literary agent, Andrea Brown Literary Agency.
I’d love to visit your school library. If you’d like to inquire about a school visit, please visit my booking agent, The Booking Biz.
Thank you for welcoming me and my books into your libraries!
Biography
All about Don Tate, an award-winning author and the illustrator of numerous critically acclaimed books for children.
Media Biography
Biographical information and images for media use.
Awards
Awards given to Don.
Buzz
Links to Don Tate interviews and articles.
Biography
DON-TATE-MEDIA-profile2Don Tate is an award-winning author and the illustrator of numerous critically acclaimed books for children.
Carter Reads The Newspaper (Peachtree Publishing, 2019), written by Deborah Hopkinson, is a 2020 Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books for the Year, and a 2020 Carter G. Woodson Book Award Honor Book winner in the Elementary category.
No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and his Kingdom in Kansas (Knopf, 2018), written by Tonya Bolden, is a Junior Library Guild Selection for Fall of 2018, and has received starred reviews from Kirkus and School Library Journal.
Stalebread Charlie and the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band (Clarion, 2018), written by Michael Mahin, was described by Kirkus as “An upbeat introduction to the scrappy origins of a little-known bit of American musical history.”
Par-Tay! Dance Of The Veggies (And Their Friends) (Alazar Press, 2018), written by Eloise Greenfield, was praised by the Horn Book: “Tate’s vibrant illustrations turn run-of-the-mill roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds into characters with vivacious personalities for this joyful story.”
Strong As Sandow: How Eugen Sandow Became the Strongest Man on Earth (Charlesbridge, 2017), written and illustrated by Don Tate, is a Junior Library Guild Selection for Fall of 2017, and has received starred reviews from School Library Journal, and The Horn Book. It is also a finalist of a 2017 Writer’s League of Texas Book award.
Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions (Charlesbridge, 2016), written by Chris Barton, is on the 2017-18 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List. It received starred reviews from Kirkus, and Publishers Weekly, as well as being selected as a Kirkus
Best Informational Picture Book of 2016, more.
Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton, written and illustrated by Don Tate, published in September of 2015. It received starred reviews from Kirkus, School Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly, as well as being selected as a Kirkus Best Children’s Books List Selection, 2015, and an ALA Notable Children’s Book, 2016.
In 2016, it received an Ezra Jack Keats Book Award, The Christopher Award, a Texas Institute of Letters Literary Award, a Writers’ League of Texas Book Award, and an SCBWI Crystal Kite Award. (see complete list of Poet awards)
It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, (Lee & Low Books, 2012)(ages 4-up) marks his debut as an author. It Jes’ Happened is a Lee & Low New Voices Honor winner, and an Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor winner, 2012. It received starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, and School Library Journal, as well as being selected as a Kirkus Best Children’s Books List Selection, a Booklist Editors’ Choice, 2012, and a New York Public Library Top 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, and more! Also honored as a Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year, 2012.
The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch (Eerdmans Publishing, April, 2015), written by Chris Barton has received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and Booklist.
The Cart That Carried Martin (Charlesbridge, Nov. 2013), written by Eve Bunting, is a Junior Library Guild Selection and a North Carolina Book Award nominee, 2016.
Hope’s Gift (Putnam Juvenile, 2012), written by Kelly Starling Lyons, is a Winter/Spring Okra Pick by Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA).
Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite (Charlesbridge, 2011), written by Anna Harwell Celenza, has been recognized in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times holiday guides.
She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story (HarperCollins, 2010), written by Audrey Vernick, is a Junior Library Guild selection. School Library Journal said, Both author and illustrator are on top of their games as they bring this inspiring story to life.” She Loved Baseball was honored by the Bank Street College of Education as a Best Children’s Books of the Year.
Ron’s Big Mission (Dutton, 2009), written by Rose Blue and Corrine Naden, is a Junior Library Guild spring 2009 selection. School Library Journal said, “…Vibrant illustrations portray a cozy small town where rules are obeyed, mostly without thinking. Tate’s figures feature oversized heads with very expressive faces that vividly convey well-meant kindness and the frustrations of injustice.”
Summer Sun Risin’ (Lee & Low Books, 2002) was honored by the Bank Street College of Education as “Best Children’s Books of the Year for 2002.” It also received a Children’s Crown Award, 2003 by the National Christian School Association Master List. Publisher’s Weekly says, “…the pictures will immediately engage readers.”
Don is also the illustrator of Say Hey: A Song of Willie Mays (Jump at the Sun, 2000). This book, the first trade picture book of his career was praised by Publisher’s Weekly, who said, “…Tate’s sharp-edged pictures boast vivid, sparkling colors and a vibrant immediacy, ideal for the subject.” It was also named a Child Magazine suggested title.
His other trade picture books include, Black All Around! (Lee & Low Books); The Hidden Feast (August House, 2006); The Legend of the Valentine(Zondervan, 2002), which is a Christian Bookseller’s Association best seller.
Don has been a featured illustrator/speaker/exhibitor at various literary festivals, including the Texas Book Festival; San Antonio Book Festival; The Savannah Children’s Book Festival, The Dallas Children’s Book and Literary Festival, Bookamania, and such conferences as the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE); American Association of School Librarians (AASL); National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS); The International Reading Association; Texas Library Association Black Caucus Roundtable, The National Alliance of Black School Educators. He speaks at schools, college/universities, public libraries and writing conferences, including the Vermont College of Fine Arts; Texas Writer’s League; Society of Children’s Writers and Illustrators; Pathways to Literacy Conferences(International Institute of Literacy Learning). Hope’s Gift, a book that Don illustrated, was featured at the Pavillion of the States at the 2013 National Book Festival.
Articles about or quoting Don, or his books, have been featured in The New York Times Children’s Book Review; Black Issues Book Review; School Library Journal Blog; The Writer’s Institute (upcoming); The Austin American-Statesman and Des Moines Register newspapers. Other outlets of note include highlights on Cynsations, Cynthia Leitich Smith’s children’s literary blog; African-American Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators; News Channel 8, Des Moines Iowa, Leading The Way TV segment. He was also featured on author Angela Medearis’ Angela’s Notebook, a 30-minute children’s television program featuring award-winning children’s book authors and illustrators.
In addition to children’s books, Don also licenses his art to product manufacturers. KIDZ is a line of juvenile bed and bathroom products that includeswallpaper, light switches, wall art and drawer knobs. He also has a line of children’s textile/fabric available at specialty fabric shops, which feature his designs.My Peepz, a group of African American characters, is marketed to ‘tweeners and has been a hit in the calendar market.
Don earned an AAA degree from Des Moines Area Community College. He has worked as a graphics reporter at the Des Moines Register and Austin American-Statesman newspapers, and as a publication designer for the Perfection Learning Corporation, an educational publishing company. In addition, he was the art director at an advertising and market research firm, and a graphic artist at a print shop. He also flipped burgers in high school and swept floors at the mall.
A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Don currently resides in Austin, Texas with his wife and son. In his spare time, Don is a gym-rat, having competed (in better fit days) in natural, drug-free bodybuilding.
Media Biography
DON-TATE-MEDIA-profile2Skinny bio:
Don Tate is an award-winning illustrator of numerous critically acclaimed books for children, including Carter Reads The Newspaper (Peachtree Publishing, 2019), No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and his Kingdom in Kansas (Knopf, 2018), Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions (Charlesbridge, 2016) The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch (Eerdmans, 2015); many others.
He is also the author of Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton (Peachtree,2015); It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started To Draw (Lee & Low Books, 2102), both books are Ezra Jack Keats award winners, and most recently, Strong As Sandow: How Eugen Sandow Became The Strongest Man on Earth (Charlesbridge, 2017).
New titles include Par-Tay! Dance of the Veggies (and their friends), written by Eloise Greenfield (Alazar, 2018), and Stalebread Charlie and the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band, written by Michael Mahin (Clarion, 2018).
Forthcoming titles include William Still and his Freedom Stories: Father of the Underground Railroad (Peachtree Publishing Company, Nov. 2020), and Swish! The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters, written by Suzanne Slade (Little Brown, Nov. 2020).
Don is a founding host of the The Brown Bookshelf –a blog dedicated to books for African American young readers; and a one-time member of the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign, created to address the lack of diverse, non-majority narratives in children’s literature.
He lives in Austin, Texas, with his family.
Hefty bio:
DON-TATE-MEDIA-austin2
Don Tate is an award-winning author, and the illustrator of numerous critically acclaimed books for children. He is also one of the founding hosts of the blog The Brown Bookshelf – a blog designed to push awareness of the myriad of African American voices writing for young readers, with book reviews, author and illustrator interviews. Don frequently speaks at schools, public libraries and writing conferences, and has participates in book festivals throughout the country.
Below is a listing of a few of his books:
William Still and his Freedom Stories: Father of the Underground Railroad (Peachtree Publishing Company, Nov. 2020).
Swish! The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters, written by Deborah Hopkinson (Peachtree, Feb. 2019).
Carter Reads The Newspaper, written by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Don Tate (Peachtree, Feb. 2019).
No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and His Kingdom in Kansas , written by Tonya Bolden (Knopf, Oct. 2018), is a Junior Library Guild Selection for Fall of 2018.
Stalebread Charlie and the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band, written by Michael Mahin (Clarion, 2018).
Par-Tay! Dance of the Veggies (and their friends), written by Eloise Greenfield (Alazar, 2018)
Strong As Sandow: How Eugen Sandow Became The Strongest Man on Earth (Charlesbridge, 2017), is a Junior Library Guild Selection for the fall of 2017, and a Writer’s League of Texas honor book award winner.
Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions (Charlesbridge, 2016), has been named one of the best children’s books of the year by the American Booksellers Association, the American Society for Engineering Education, the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association, the National Science Teachers Association, and more. It’s also made more that 20 state reading lists!
The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch (Eerdmans, 2015), made the 2016 Texas Bluebonnet Masterlist, and a Carter G. Woodson award winner.
Other books includeThe Cart That Carried Martin(Charlesbridge, 2013) a Junior Library Guild Selection, 2014 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People recipient, 2013 Blue Ribbon winner presented by The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, and a North Carolina Book Award nominee;Hope’s Gift(Penguin, 2012), selected for the 2014 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People; Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite (Charlesbridge, 2011); She Loved Baseball (HarperCollins); and Ron’s Big Mission (Penguin).
Don is also the author ofIt Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started To Draw, an Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor winner. The book was also selected as a Kirkus Best Children’s Books List Selection, a Booklist Editors’ Choice, 2012, and a New York Public Library Top 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, as well as one of Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year, 2012; and Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton (Author and illustrator, Peachtree), a Kirkus Best Book of 2015, Ezra Jack Keats Book Award winner, a recipient of a 2016 Christopher Award, winner of the Texas Institute of Letters book awards, a Writers’ League of Texas book award winner, and an SCBWI Crystal Kite, 2016 award, more.
Don is a founding host of the The Brown Bookshelf –a blog highlighting books created by African American authors and illustrators; and a member of the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign, created to address the lack of diverse, non-majority narratives in children’s literature.
He lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Tammy, and his son, Kolby.
Don Tate is an award-winning author, and the illustrator of numerous critically acclaimed books for children, including The Cart That Carried Martin, (Charlesbridge); One Hope’s Gift, (Penguin); Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite (Charlesbridge); She Loved Baseball (HarperCollins); and Ron’s Big Mission, (Penguin). He is also the author of It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started To Draw, an Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor winner. Don lives in Austin, Texas, with his family.
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Don Tate
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Don Tate
Tate at the 2017 Texas Book Festival
Tate at the 2017 Texas Book Festival
Born Don Tate
Occupation Illustrator, Author
Nationality American
Genre children's books, African-American literature
Notable works
Say Hey, A Song of Willie Mays
It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw
Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton
Website
dontate.com
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 to discover a multicultural world; based on the children's books of his day he "thought the world was white".[1] He co-founded the young African American blog The Brown Bookshelf and helps run the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign to improve diversity of material in children's books.[2]
Contents
1 Career
2 Bibliography
2.1 Author
2.2 Illustrator
2.3 Short stories and essays
3 Other activities
4 Personal
5 Further reading
6 References
7 External links
Career
Tate began his career as an illustrator with Say Hey: A Song of Willie Mays (Jump at the Sun/Hyperion, 2000), written by Peter Mandel.
His first book as an author, It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, was published by Lee & Low Books in 2012. It is a "captivating"[3] biography of folk artist Bill Traylor, a former slave. The book received numerous awards such as a Lee & Low New Voices Honor Award[3] and an Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor.[4] It was selected as a Kirkus Best Children’s Books List Selection,[5] a Booklist Editors’ Choice, 2012,[6] and a New York Public Library Top 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing as well as one of Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year, 2012.[7]
Tate's 2015 illustrated picture book Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton tells the story of the 19th century slave in Chatham County, North Carolina who subsequently became the first African American in the Southern United States to write a book.[8] Tate was inspired to write about Horton via a friend; he researched his life in the University of North Carolina archives.[9] The Wilson Library at UNC hosted the national launch of the book on September 3, 2015.[10][11] A review in the School Library Journal called the book "A lovely introduction to an inspirational American poet."[12] The Boston Globe called it "a moving biography of a slave who taught himself to read using a discarded spelling book".[13] In 2016, Tate won an Ezra Jack Keats Book Award,[14] A Christopher,[15] and a Texas Institute of Letters book prize.[16]
In his work, Tate often writes about historical figures who persisted during the period of American slavery.[17] In the New York Times article "'A Fine Dessert': Judging a Book by the Smile of a Slave," Tate was quoted on the topic, saying, "children's books needed to show a range of experience, including suffering and enduring."[18] In 2016 television segment of Texas Country Reporter, Tate spoke about his work with stories of enslaved people and preserving these important narratives, stating the importance of telling children the truth and not sugar coating history.
Bibliography
Author
Strong As Sandow: How Eugen Sandow Became The Strongest Man On Earth. Charlesbridge Publishing. 2017
It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. Lee & Low Books. 2012
Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton. Peachtree Publishers. 2015 (for which Tate won the Carter G. Woodson Book Award)
Illustrator
Carter Reads The Newspaper (Peachtree Publishers, Feb 1. 2019), written by Deborah Hopkinson. The Story of Carter G. Woodson, "Father of Black History.".
No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and His Kingdom in Kansas (Random House Children’s Books / Alfred A. Knopf BFYR), October. 2018), written by Tonya Bolden. Named a Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, 2019, assembled in cooperation with the Children’s Book Council (CBC).
Stalebread Charlie and the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band (Clarion Books, July 10. 2018), written by Michael Mahin.
Par-Tay! Dance of the Veggies (And Their Friends) (Alazar, April 1. 2018), written by Eloise Greenfield.
Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream on Inventions (Charlesbridge, May. 2016), written by Chris Barton. A Junior Library Guild Selection, 2016.
The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch (Eerdmans Publishing, April. 2015), written by Chris Barton. A review in the School Library Journal said Tate was "the best possible artist for this story."[19]
The Cart That Carried Martin (Charlesbridge, Aug. 2013), written by Eve Bunting. A Junior Library Guild Selection, 2013.
Hope’s Gift (Putnam Juvenile, 2012), written by Kelly Starling Lyons. A Winter/Spring Okra Pick by Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA).
Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite (Charlesbridge, 2011), written by Anna Harwell Celenza. (Recognized in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times holiday guides.)
She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story (HarperCollins, 2010), written by Audrey Vernick,. A Junior Library Guild selection. School Library Journal said, "Both author and illustrator are on top of their games as they bring this inspiring story to life.” She Loved Baseball was honored by the Bank Street College of Education as a Best Children’s Books of the Year.
Ron’s Big Mission (Dutton, 2009), written by Rose Blue and Corrine Naden, is a Junior Library Guild spring 2009 selection.
I Am My Granda's Enkelin (Paraclete Press, 2007), written by Walter Wangerin Jr.
The Hidden Feast (August House, 2006), written by Mitch Weiss and Martha Hamilton.
Sure As Sunrise: Stories of Bruh Rabbit & His Walkin' Talkin' Friends (Houghton Mifflin, 2004), written by Alice McGill. Honored in 2005 with an Aesop Accolade Award from the American Folklore Society.
Black All Around! (Lee & Low Books, 2003), written by Patricia Hubbell.
The Legend of the Valentine: An Inspirational Story of Love and Reconciliation (Zondervan, 2002), written by Katherine Grace Bond.
Summer Sun Risin’ (Lee & Low Books, 2002). Honored by the Bank Street College of Education as “Best Children’s Books of the Year for 2002.” It also received a Children’s Crown Award, 2003 by the National Christian School Association Master List.
Say Hey! A Song of Willie Mays (Hyperion Books for Children , 2000), written by Peter Mandell.
Short stories and essays
Macaroni and Cheese — with Ketchup, in Cookin' 'N Bookin' Texas Style, written by Tara Henderson Forrest, published by the Texas State Reading Association, Jan. 2004.
Stolen Jeans, Smoke Rings, and Self-Esteem in Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves, edited by Miranda Kenneally and E. Kristin Anderson, published by Zest Books, Oct. 2012.
Dance Like You Draw in Been There, Done That: School Dazed, edited by Mike Winchell, published by Grosset & Dunlap, August 23, 2016.
Wiz Kid in Been There, Done That: School Dazed, edited by Mike Winchell, published by Grosset & Dunlap, August 23, 2016.
Other activities
In addition to children’s books, Tate also licenses his art to product manufacturers. KIDZ is a line of juvenile bed and bathroom products including wallpaper, light switches, wall art and drawer knobs. He also has a line of children’s textile/fabric available at specialty fabric shops, which feature his designs. My Peepz, a group of African American characters, is marketed to tweeners and has been successful in the calendar market. Tate created the calendars due to a lack of African Americans on existing products.[20]
Tate speaks at schools,[21] public libraries and writing conferences, including the Vermont College of Fine Arts;[22] Texas Writer’s League; Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators; Pathways to Literacy Conferences(International Institute of Literacy Learning).
Tate has been a featured illustrator/speaker/exhibitor at various literary festivals, including the Texas Book Festival,[23] The Savannah Children’s Book Festival,[24] The Dallas Children’s Book and Literary Festival, Bookamania (Chicago Public Library),[25] and such conferences as: The International Reading Association; Texas Library Association Black Caucus Roundtable[26] and The National Alliance of Black School Educators.[27]
Personal
He and his family live in Austin, Texas.[28]
Lone Star Listens: Don Tate and the True Story
Fulfilling childhood dreams, shining a light on Black creators
Photo Credit:
Sam Bond Photography
Sunday, October 25, 2020
Michelle Newby Lancaster
“I love living in Texas, which is rich in talent. So many prominent, award-winning writers live here. Literary organizations here have embraced me and my work.”
LONE STAR LITERARY LIFE: Mr. Tate, you have a new picture book publishing in November, William Still and His Freedom Stories: Father of the Underground Railroad. Please tell us about your newest book.
DON TATE: William Still was born in 1821 near Washington Township, New Jersey (now Shamong). While he was born free, his parents had been enslaved in Maryland a generation before. His father had purchased his freedom, his mother had escaped with two children—leaving two young boys behind. William grew up hearing his parents’ stories about their enslavement and the painful story of his brothers.
When William grew up, he took a job in Philadelphia at the Anti-Slavery Society Office. He also opened his home as a “station” on the Underground Railroad—becoming one of its top “conductors.” As freedom-seeking people passed through his line of the railroad (a secret system of hiding places from slavery to freedom), William recorded details about them and their stories, with a goal to help families torn apart by slavery to be reunited. Little did he know that his work would reunite him with one of those long-lost brothers.
You are a prolific author and illustrator, closing in on ninety children’s picture books. How and when did you know you wanted to be a writer and illustrator? Which came first?
I was inspired to become a children’s book creator by an aunt who wrote young-adult novels. When Eleanora E. Tate’s book, Just An Overnight Guest, was made into a movie and debuted at our local library, I decided I wanted to become a storyteller, too.
I entered the field as an illustrator and book designer. I worked at an educational publishing company in Des Moines, Iowa, where I grew up. There, I illustrated educational aids and books to be used in the classroom. My first book as an illustrator, on the trade side, Say Hey: A Song of Willie Mays, came out in 2000. I continued to illustrate about one book per year after that. My first book as an author, It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw, published in 2012.
If I’m not mistaken, all of your picture books are biographies, several of which have been won awards and recognition—Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books for the Year, a Carter G. Woodson Book Award Honor Book, Kirkus Best Informational Picture Book, an Ezra Jack Keats Book Award, the Christopher Award, a Texas Institute of Letters Literary Award, a Writers’ League of Texas Book Award, an SCBWI Crystal Kite Award, and Junior Library Guild Selections; this is a partial list. What inspired you to work in biography for children and how do you select your subjects?
During my personal reading time, I prefer nonfiction, especially biographies. I’ve read the biographies or memoirs of Frederick Douglass, Jack Johnson, Malcolm X, Shelley Stewart, James McBride, Antwone Fisher, Nathan McCall, George Bush, Clarence Thomas, [and] so, so many others. I love stories of interesting, inspirational, or even controversial figures. So, I guess it makes sense that when I decided to start writing, I chose biographies.
There have been different reasons for each subject I chose to write about. Author friend Dianna Aston suggested I write about outsider artist Bill Traylor. Author friend Chris Barton suggested George Moses Horton. So, I’ve been open to the suggestions of friends. But I wrote about Victorian strongman Eugen Sandow because I’d participated in bodybuilding myself. And I wrote about artist Ernie Barnes because I’ve been inspired by his artwork since I was a child.
How does your process differ between illustrating your own words and visually enhancing another author’s words? Is it ever difficult to make that switch?
I’ve noticed that I’ve become more critical of other author’s works when I illustrate them. I find myself asking: Why didn’t they word it this way or that way? Or maybe they could change the story arc to be this way or that . . . lol! I’m not supposed to do that, and I can’t. But I’m also not shy about making a suggestion if something really stands out to me as either wrong or needs more clarification.
When I illustrate my own works, I can make as many adjustments to the text as my editor will allow, and I usually do make revisions right up until print day.
In addition to the activity guides available on your website, you present school programs. What can a class expect of a Don Tate presentation? How have you adapted these programs to the restrictions of COVID-19?
My presentations are very visual and interactive. I like to get the students involved; it can’t be a presentation that’s all about me, me, me. Author day is their day too, and I want them fully invested. I tell stories. I tell them about my childhood dreams to become an artist—and how I went about making that happen. I talk about my revision process. My favorite part of the presentation is when I draw for them.
Of course, everything is virtual now, but what I’ve discovered is that my in-person presentations aren’t much different than what I present virtually. And the drawing portion is even better, I think, because that kid who might have been in the back row and can’t see, is now front and center.
You are a founding host of The Brown Bookshelf, a website devoted to bringing greater awareness of Black writers to younger readers. Please tell us about the founding of The Brown Bookshelf.
The Brown Bookshelf was the idea of authors Varian Johnson and Paula Chase Hyman. They’d both published new books and were frustrated about the lack of attention the publishing industry gave to books written by Black authors. They came up with the idea of creating the Brown Bookshelf to shine a light on books written and/or illustrated by Black creators. Several other authors, including Kelly Starling Lyons, Tameka Fryer Brown, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, and myself, joined the team. Later, we added many other talented book creators to the team.
For those who enjoy your work and would like to discover more great books for their children, which of your fellow Texas children’s authors do you particularly enjoy and recommend? Which writers and artists have been most influential to your career?
Cynthia Leitich Smith, an Austin writer for young readers and author/curator of a Native-focused book imprint, was my biggest influence as a writer. When I decided to write, she mentored and encouraged me at a time when I didn’t have a lot of confidence. I have many other friends locally with wonderful books: Chris Barton, Cynthia Levinson, Carmen Oliver, [and] Donna Janelle Bowman all write great fiction and nonfiction for young readers. In addition, each of these authors have helped or influenced my career in huge ways. I fear leaving someone out, though. Please take a look at the local SCBWI website—there is great talent in Austin.
Since this is Lone Star Lit, I always ask what Texas means to a writer and their work. You are originally from Iowa. How did you come to Texas and how has Texas impacted your work?
I moved to Texas from Des Moines, Iowa, to work as a graphics reporter for the Austin American-Statesman. That was more than twenty years ago. I love living in Texas, which is rich in talent. So many prominent, award-winning writers live here. Literary organizations here have embraced me and my work. I am thankful to the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the Writers’ League of Texas, Texas Library Association, Texas Institute of Letters, Texas Book Festival, the Library Foundation. And I can’t forget BookPeople! Each of these organizations and so many others have had an impact on my career.
Can you tell us what’s next for you and your work?
I’m in the process of finishing off my next book, Pigskins to Paintbrushes: The Story of Football-Playing Artist Ernie Barnes. Another book on the subject beat mine to market, so I had to rewrite my story and push it to a later pub date. It will now publish in the fall of 2021. It’s the true story of Ernie Barnes, a kid who dreamed of becoming an artist someday. But in his community, art was not considered a manly aspiration. So, Ernie became a football player—a really good defensive lineman. After playing professional ball for five seasons, he retired and became the artist he always dreamed of.
What books are on your nightstand?
Reading in the pandemic, in our new Zoom-conference world, has become impossible. However, the audiobook has saved me. Over the summer, I listened to How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi; Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds; and Ordinary Hazards by Nikki Grimes.
Currently, I’m listening to Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. Next will be a book by local authors Cynthia Levinson and Sanford Levinson, Fault Lines in the Constitution.
Don Tate is an award-winning author and the illustrator of numerous critically acclaimed books for children. He is also one of the founding hosts of The Brown Bookshelf, a blog designed to push awareness of the myriad of African American voices writing for young readers, with book reviews and author and illustrator interviews. Don frequently speaks at schools, public libraries and writing conferences, and participates in book festivals.
QUOTED: "that his work with civil rights and social equality helped lay the groundwork for the 1960s Civil Rights Movement that we so often honor and celebrate. We can’t forget about civil rights trailblazers like Lynch."
Five (or Twenty) Questions with Don Tate
Don Tate
Date: February 23, 2015
Author: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
4 Comments
Don Tate
Don Tate
The rules of our Five Questions interview series are simple: we send each of our guests a long list of questions. Some are serious; some are . . . not so serious. They choose their favorites and respond.
Our guest today is Don Tate, a children’s author and illustrator and onetime strongman (keep reading — you’ll see) living in Austin, TX. He teamed up with fellow Austinite Chris Barton as the illustrator of The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch.
In this special edition of Five Questions for Black History Month, Don was gracious enough to answer a literal score of questions about his new book, his influences from Black History, his craft, and the past and future of his own story.
* * *
What figures or moments in Black History have shaped and inspired you?
The election of Barack Obama to the U.S. Presidency inspired me deeply. I fought off tears every time I watched candidate Obama give a speech or participate in a debate. The tears flowed when he was elected to be president — both times. I didn’t believe that a black man could be elected to be president of the United States; I don’t think any black man or black person believed that. Can you imagine how many young black minds were corrupted by that notion? His election changed me. I’m stronger, more self-assured. I can now stand in front of an audience of 800 people and confidently deliver a keynote presentation by thinking about President Obama.
The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch
What is your goal when writing and illustrating stories from Black History such as The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch?
Telling the truth. I owe it to my ancestors to be honest and truthful when telling their stories.
What is the unique legacy of John Roy Lynch in Black History?
During Reconstruction it was deadly for an African-American to even try to exercise their right to vote. Black politicians were often dragged from their homes in the middle of the night and beaten or lynched. But that did not stop this black man — John Roy Lynch — from becoming Speaker of the House of Representatives — in Mississippi nonetheless! I think that John Roy Lynch’s legacy is similar to that of Barack Obama, who taught generations of black children that yes, you can! The problem is that most children don’t know about Lynch’s story. I hope that our book will change all that.
What’s something not enough people know about John Roy Lynch?
That his work with civil rights and social equality helped lay the groundwork for the 1960s Civil Rights Movement that we so often honor and celebrate. We can’t forget about civil rights trailblazers like Lynch.
What’s something not enough people know about the Reconstruction Era in the South?
Many people do not know about the Reconstruction Era at all. I certainly didn’t know much about it before illustrating this book. It’s a difficult and controversial subject to broach with children, and so I think most people don’t.
What challenges did you face in illustrating The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch?
Reconstruction has been described as the reenslavement of African-American people but under new laws. It was not a pretty time in American history. The challenge was in portraying the truth about this history to young readers without giving them nightmares. My own 11-year-old son cried when I shared some of the research materials with him; super-realistic paintings of whippings and church burnings would not work for very young readers. And so as much as some people might have preferred a more realistic approach, I decided to meet the challenge by using a softer illustration style.
"In a way, the Civil War wasn't really over . . ."
“In a way, the Civil War wasn’t really over . . .”
What makes The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch a unique book?
I can only think of a few books that are set in the Reconstruction years — and those books do not deal with the horrors of the Reconstruction years. While it was not our goal to focus on those horrors, they had to be included in the story in order for the reader to fully understand how “amazing” John Roy Lynch’s accomplishments really were.
How did your collaboration with Chris Barton materialize, and what’s your process for working together?
Chris Barton and I were manuscript critique partners at the time. We’d get together once a month and review each other’s works in progress, so I read his John Roy Lynch manuscript early on. My first reaction was likely one of pause. Frequently, aspiring authors who are African-American contact me with questions about how to get their stories about African-Americans published. Most of their manuscripts face rejection and go unpublished, while white authors seem to have no problem getting stories about black historical figures published. That was in the back of my mind, yes. But that’s a big industry problem that I could not really address by myself. In the meantime, I had a wonderful manuscript in my hands written by someone who I knew personally, liked and respected. Chris Barton is a wonderful person, a huge advocate for social justice of all kinds (and, by the way, the inspiration behind the Modern First Library initiative, whose goal is to pair classic picture books with other favorites that reflect our diverse, global society). The initial pause melted away. I was fully on board with telling this story with this author.
One day a few years later as I walked into the exhibit hall at the Texas Librarian Association conference, an art director at Eerdmans Publishing approached me about the possibility of illustrating The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch, saying that it was Chris’s idea. I was so flattered that Chris would want me to bring this story to life. When it came to creating the book however, Chris and I really didn’t work together closely. We respected the publishing tradition of author and illustrator working independently. I did call on him more than a few times with questions and for clarification, and he shared all of his reference books with me, which helped greatly.
What are you reading right now?
I just returned from the American Library Association conference where Kwame Alexander won the Newbery. I just began reading his The Crossover. The last book I read was Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming.
Which book has done the most to make you who you are today?
Richard Wright’s Black Boy and Native Son made me a reader that I am today.
What were your favorite books when you were a young reader?
Don’s favorite childhood book (really!)
My family’s Better Homes and Gardens Illustrated Medical Encyclopedia — really! My grandmother had a lot of nursery rhymes collections around the house. I enjoyed reading those, too.
Which book(s) would you/did you/will you make a point of reading to your own children?
I will always remember reading Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo by Kevin Lewis and Daniel Kirk to my son. We’d read that book and make the chugga-chugga noise, and it was just as much fun for me as it was for him. He is now 13 years old and last summer I introduced him to Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian. And he recently turned me on to Maze Runner, which is now on my reading list.
It’s two a.m. and you can’t sleep. What book do you reach for to while away the early morning hours?
Facebook.
Imagine you’re at the book talk of your dreams. Who’s the author or illustrator? What’s the book? And who are the people sitting next to you scribbling witty notes on their programs?
I think I will have this exact opportunity this summer when Dan Santat, the recent Caldecott winner, speaks at SCBWI in Los Angeles. I will be there as a blogger, but I will be just as much a participant, along with many other illustrators.
How did you get your start illustrating children’s books?
I took a job right out of college at an educational publishing company in Des Moines, Iowa. I was a graphic artist (or publication designer), but my strongest skill was with illustration. I soon became an in-house illustrator. Soon my illustration work was in demand at publishing houses across the country, so I decided to leave that job so I could accept more work. My first trade book came along many years later with Say Hey, The Song of Willie Mays (Hyperion, 2000).
What’s one thing not many people may know about you?
I had a brief stint with natural bodybuilding. I won two trophies, too! I wrote a book on the subject, which comes out in a few years.
What are you doing when you’re not writing or illustrating (or answering questions for Eerdlings)?
Honestly, these days I just work. I need to find other things to do. Life’s too short.
What’s the best advice you can give to aspiring authors or illustrators?
Read a lot. Write a lot. Join a critique group. And join the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) or other writing groups where you can find mentors.
What’s next for you?
I wrote and illustrated a book called Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton (Peachtree, Sept. 2015). It’s the story of an enslaved poet who became the first African American to publish a book in the south. And he published protesting his enslavement.
What’s your favorite color?
Purple. But not just any purple. Light purplish blue.
Keep up with Don Tate on his website (www.DonTate.com) and on Twitter (@Devas_T), and click here to order The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch.
QUOTED: "George Horton’s life and the things he accomplished as an enslaved man totally surprised me. Horton was likely the best paid poet of his Southern contemporaries, black or white. He made enough money from his poetry to pay his master for his time, which allowed him to live at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a full-time writer. He published two books while enslaved and delivered two commencement speeches to graduates. All of this happened a time when African-American literacy was discouraged, devalued, even outlawed. George’s life was full of surprises."
A Visit with Don Tate …
h1January 26th, 2015 by jules
Author-illustrator Don Tate, who visited 7-Imp for breakfast back in 2011, is back today to talk about his upcoming picture books. As it turns out, I had an opportunity to do one of those so-called cover reveals for his book Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton of Chapel Hill, which will be on shelves from Peachtree in the Fall. (Yes, FALL! I know. Seems so far away.) And then it turned into an opportunity to ask him about the book (I read an early PDF version) and to show some spreads from it, and I’m all for that. Even better. To boot, Don is even sharing some images from another forthcoming book, written by Chris Barton, called The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch (Eerdmans), which I believe will be on shelves in April. So you’ll see that below too.
Poet is the story of George Moses Horton, the first African American poet to be published in the South. Horton’s story is a remarkable one, and Don talks a bit below about why. Let’s get right to it, especially so that we can see more of his art.
I thank him for visiting.
Jules: Can you talk a bit about your research for this one?
Don: I had so much fun researching Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton. It was like putting together a puzzle. The first piece of the puzzle began with a simple “budget line,” as they say in the newspaper business: George Moses Horton was an enslaved poet in North Carolina, who became the first African American to be published in the South. Many poems protested slavery. In order to complete the puzzle, I did a lot of research.
“George loved words. …”
(Click to enlarge)
I began by reading Horton’s own autobiography. It’s a very short but detailed account of his life that was published as a prefix in his second book, The Poetical Works of George M. Horton. The book was published in 1845. The archaic language was tough to understand.
Here’s a sample (which is in the public domain):
…Nevertheless did I persevere with an indefatigable resolution, at the risk of success. But ah! the oppositions with which I contended are too tedious to relate, but not too formidable to surmount; and I verily believe that those obstacles had an auspicious tendency to waft me, as on pacific gales, above the storms of envy and the calumniating scourge of emulation, from which literary imagination often sinks beneath its dignity, and instruction languishes at the shrine of vanity. I reached the threatening heights of literature, and braved in a manner the clouds of disgust which reared in thunders under my feet. …
Okay.
“Then George found an old spelling book. It was tattered and some pages were missing, but it was enough to get him started. …”
(Click to enlarge)
“… George was now a full-time writer, but he was still not a free man.”
(Click to enlarge)
So first I had some deciphering to do. One of my best resources came from a researcher at the University of North Carolina’s Wilson’s Special Collections Library. I can’t emphasize how much researchers there helped me to tell this story. I’d ask a question, and they’d return an abundance of information and sources — about Horton’s life; the clothes people wore; images of the old campus; literacy in slave communities. I had way more information than needed, but it gave me the confidence to tell an accurate story. I also consulted with the Chapel Hill Historical Society and the North Carolina Museum of History, and I studied the poetry from his three books: The Poetical Works, The Hope of Liberty, and Naked Genius.
(Click to enlarge)
“Now it was too dangerous for George to write poems that protested slavery.
But he didn’t stop writing altogether. …”
(Click to enlarge)
Jules: Did you learn anything that surprised you?
Don: Yes. As mentioned in my Author’s Note, George Horton’s life and the things he accomplished as an enslaved man totally surprised me. Horton was likely the best paid poet of his Southern contemporaries, black or white. He made enough money from his poetry to pay his master for his time, which allowed him to live at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a full-time writer. He published two books while enslaved and delivered two commencement speeches to graduates. All of this happened a time when African-American literacy was discouraged, devalued, even outlawed. George’s life was full of surprises.
Don: “This was a sample image used to sell the dummy. I sketched the entire book roughly — but painted this one piece. In the end, I decided to go with a less polished-looking style. I felt the loose watercolor and line worked better.”
(Click to enlarge)
There was another thing that surprised me. Slavery was a peculiar institution, to say the least. But I was surprised to learn that many slave owners in North Carolina viewed their slaves as family members. Is that strange or what? Slaves were considered the property of their masters. They performed day-long, back-breaking work for no pay. Their diet was typically poor and their clothing inadequate. They could be whipped or even killed by their masters for any reason and with no recourse. Some way to treat a family member, huh?
Don: “Originally to be our title page image. But I realized much later that this image would not have been accurate. While George did work alongside his mother, singing songs in a tobacco field, he would have been a toddler. I scrapped this image.”
(Click to enlarge)
Don: “This was another title page sketch. Again, the tobacco field was not accurate.”
(Click to enlarge)
Jules: I like in your closing Author’s Note that you talk about why you wanted to do this book — that you once were adamant about focusing on “contemporary stories relevant to young readers today,” especially given that “whenever the topic of black history came up, it was always in relation to slavery, about how black people were once the property of white people ….” Yet you were moved to tell this story anyway. Can you talk a bit here about why?
Don: As a young child, I was often embarrassed when the topic of slavery came up at school. There were many reasons for that, but mainly it seemed that when it came to the history of African Americans, slavery was the only thing ever mentioned. White kids sometimes made jokes about slavery. Black kids insulted each other by saying mean things like: “You look like Kunta Kente,” who was a character from the movie Roots. If someone got called Kunta, a fight was on! That’s sad when you consider what Kunta Kente went through in his lifetime. He was actually a hero.
Don: “This was the original opening illustration for the book. However, I questioned the race of the church congregation. Would George have worshipped with an all-black congregation? Or would he have worshiped together with the whites, but separate? Both scenarios could have been possible; we just don’t know. One of my sources, a curator at the Historic Hope Plantation in North Carolina. advised going with the all-black congregation. North Carolina had one of the largest free black populations in the colonies. It was more likely that he was inspired at church services
while hearing a free black preacher read the Bible.”
(Click to enlarge)
Because of those negative childhood memories, when I first got into the publishing industry, I promised myself that I would not illustrate stories about slavery, that I’d focus on telling other stories of my people. So what changed all of that? It was a journey.
I’m a dad and husband. I’m a provider. First and foremost, it’s my job to earn a living for my family. If I was going to become a published author, I figured that writing stories about apples didn’t make sense if oranges were in higher demand. Know what I mean? So for my first book, I wrote a story about a former slave who became a famed folk artist. I could have written a story about a contemporary African American child who . . . I don’t know, enjoys skateboarding and playing basketball. Which one do you think would have sold quicker?
Don: “This was one of my favorite images from my original book dummy. It portrays a couple reading one of George Horton’s love poems. We decided to nix this one,
opting to show George reciting a poem while a student wrote it out.”
(Click to enlarge)
But here’s the thing: When I wrote that first book, It Jes’ Happened [art here at 7-Imp], and I studied the narratives of other enslaved African American people, I fell in love with their stories of resilience. Slavery, civil rights, “issue” books? Why not? My people have overcome mountainous obstacles. These are stories that everyone can appreciate and relate to — not only African American children. Inspired, I decided that I wanted to focus my career on telling these important stories.
Hope’s Gift (Penguin, 2012), written by Kelly Starling Lyons, was another in that journey for me. It’s the fictionalized story of an enslaved family. The book celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Next up is a story that I illustrated, written by Chris Barton. It is called The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch (Eerdmans). It tells the story of a young man who in ten years went from teenage field hand to United States Congressman. The story is set during slavery and ends during Reconstruction, the era following the Civil War.
This book also presented many challenges. Reconstruction, which promised bright opportunities, was often a dangerous and deadly time for African Americans, who were basically reenslaved under new laws. Chris Barton dealt with the challenging subject matter honestly, and so did I. Some of the images in the book, like a KKK church-burning and others will generate a lot of discussion. Here are a few images from The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch.
(Click to enlarge)
“… Fellow former slaves reveled in the promises of freedom —
family, faith, free labor, land, education.
John Roy wanted to be part of that.”
(Click to enlarge)
(Click to enlarge)
“… Back home, white terrorists burned black schools and black churches.
They armed themselves on Election Day to keep blacks away.
They even committed murder.”
(Click to enlarge)
Jules: What’s next for you?
Don: A lot! Currently I’m illustrating a second book for Chris Barton called Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super Stream of Ideas (Charlesbridge, 2016). It’s the story of the creator of the Super Soaker squirt gun. I’m also creating thumbnail sketches for a book written by Michael Mahin called . . . get ready for it: Stalebread Charlie and the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band (Penguin, TBD). Whew! I thought I’d never be able to remember that name. But guess what? I can’t forget it! Next up is another book that I wrote that I’m not ready to talk about. It will be published by Charlesbridge and is out to my editor. I expect revision notes soon. I’m very excited about that project.
* * * * * * *
My name is Don Tate, I am an author and illustrator of children's picture books. I also speak at school and public libraries, and conferences. Here's a brief bio: http://dontate.com/media/
Website: http://dontate.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Don-Tate-author-illustrator/147178298689487
Twitter: @devas_t
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Tate
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dontate
When did you first decide to become an illustrator? Was there a pivotal moment?
At school visits I tell children that I've been drawing since I was old enough to hold a pencil in my hand. That's true. I've never considered doing anything else. In college I focused on illustration (though I'm self taught). In my first few jobs out of college at a print shop and an advertising agency, I was hired as a designer. But my design was illustration heavy. Later I was hired as a designer at an educational publishing company, but soon I became the in-house illustrator.
Who do you look up to? Who are your heroes in the industry?
I have a lot of people in the industry that I look up to and respect. It's hard to pick one or even a few. I especially appreciate illustrators who have a range of styles, like me. Illustrators like Daniel Kirk, Paul O Zelinsky, James Ransome, Eric Rohmann, AG Ford, all have nuanced styles. But I also have a high regard for others like Mark Teague, Kadir Nelson, Brian Selznick, Floyd Cooper, Brian Pinkney. But then there's also newer-comers like Arree Chung and Christian Robinson. And I can't forget the ladies, Melissa Sweet, Shadra Strickland, Vanessa Brantley-Newton, (Editors note: We had the distinct pleasure in interviewing Vanessa last year - http://designinspiration.blogspot.com/2014/09/vanessa-brantley-newton.html) Marla Frazee. And Ashley Bryan, I love his work! See, told you that I could not name a few.
Where does your training come from? Self-taught? College/Art School?
I attended a two-year community college, so I consider myself self-taught. Professional illustrators taught some of the courses, but I don't remember anything about how-to or technique, other than airbrush. They were big on airbrush in college. I've never touched an airbrush since then. I learned by trial and error.
Tell us a little about your process. What tools do you use?
I pride myself on being versatile. I've illustrated books using oils, acrylic, watercolor and pen, digital. Lately I've been using my Cintiq to sketch my books out, and then to establish a color pallet. But I am one who still enjoys getting my fingers wet. With my last few books, I used acrylic watercolors and ink. I'll draw the images out on the Cintiq. I'll print those out and lay them atop a light table, where I can then add pencil or ink. Then I finish with an acrylic watercolor wash.
How do you keep it "fresh"?
I'm not afraid to try something new. In fact with each book, I try to work differently than the previous book. That keeps me from getting stuck in a rut. Also, I try to use my art in different areas other than books. I've illustrated for books, textiles, apparel, wallpaper, digital clip art, calendars.
What are you currently working on?
I have several books that I am working on. Currently I'm illustrating a book called WHOOSH!, the story of inventor Lonnie Johnson who invented the Super Soaker squirt gun. I've finished writing a short story to be included in a middle grade anthology. And I'm working on thumbnails for a book about some homeless street children who some historians credit with creating jazz music.
Which of your projects are you the most proud of? And why?
I am most proud of the books that I wrote -- "It Jes' Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw," and "Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton." "It Jes' Happened" won an Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor. I always knew that I'd be a visual artist of some kind, I did not think I'd write a book. I take pride in trying new things and finding success in places I never considered before.
Are there any areas, techniques, mediums, projects in your field that you have yet to try?
I've never tried woodcut, though I did experiment with it at a Highlights conference once, in a class taught by Eric Rohmann. I'd like to learn how to paint successfully on my Cintiq. I now spend a lot of time on the road (typing this interview while stuck in a snow storm in Chicago). When I travel, my artwork comes to a stop. I need to be able to take my work on the road with me. Or travel less.
Any advice to the novice illustrator?
Probably seems basic, but you must draw/illustrate a lot. Every day. And some nights. Establish a web presence, so post your work on your website, Facebook, Instagram, and follow others in the industry.
What makes an illustration successful?
Depends upon the context. A successful illustration for a children's book does not complete the text but extends it. Picture book illustrations tell the story that the text can or should not. When someone flips through one of my books and follows the story without reading the text, I've done my job.
What do you do to keep yourself motivated and avoid burn-out?
Ironic. I'm feeling kind of burned out as I type this. Exercise in important. Typically I walk or run, work out at the gym, do yoga. Exercise gives me energy. I'm recovering from a back injury, so I haven't been able to exercise. Explains my current burnout. Also, I collect picture books. My studio bookshelves are filled with picture books that inspire and motivate me.
Finish this sentence. "If I weren't an illustrator I would have been a..."
Bodybuilder. I've always wanted to look like a superhero.
And finally, what is the best thing on TV right now?
Honestly, I do not watch TV. Almost never. As I type this, I'm watching the Super Bowl. I never do that.
Member Interview: Don Tate
Don-Tate-Media-Photos-4
I want to give a warm welcome to Don Tate, our interview guest for February. It seems silly to add an introduction when Don so eloquently tells us about himself below, so I'll just hand the "mic" to the talented, versatile, and very muscular Don, and let him take it away…
Where did you grow up, and did that place (or those places) shape your writing/illustrating? If so, how?
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I grew up in Des Moines, Iowa, where I had an aunt who worked for the Des Moines, Register. She was one of the first African-American journalists to work at the paper. Later she went on to write the middle-grade novel Just An Overnight Guest, which was later adapted into a movie. The movie debuted at the Des Moines Public Library, and I attended with my family.
I was impressed with what my aunt had achieved as a storyteller, and I knew that someday I would tell stories too — only I’d do so with pictures.
After college, I worked at the Perfection Learning Corporation as a book designer. I designed and illustrated educational classroom aids — teacher’s guides, basal reading programs, posters. That job offered me the opportunity to travel to various reading conferences like the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English. That is where I fell in love with the field of children’s literature.
Did you always want to be a writer or illustrator, or did that come later?
As a child, I was very focused. I knew at an early age that I wanted to be an artist when I grew up.
donkid
Art was always my favorite subject in school. In fact, I pretty much disregarded every other subject but art. Math? English? Reading? Who needs to read when I’m going to be an artist? I thought. I went to a vocational technical high school where my core area of study was commercial and advertising art. I was also inspired by the TV show Good Times, where the teenage character, J.J, was an artist, and in a later episode became an art director at an advertising agency.
If someone were to follow you around for 24 hours, what would they see?
I’m a workaholic, so if someone followed me around all day, they’d get bored. I draw, paint and/or write all day. I obsessively check my email. When I’m not working in my studio, I’m working out at the gym. I like to lift heavy stuff over and over again. I also enjoy walking or running.
When you get a new manuscript that you'll be illustrating for someone else, what is your process?
She-Loved-Baseball-by-Audrey-Vernick-illustrated-by-Don-Tate
My process is pretty typical, I think. I doodle as I read a manuscript as images come to mind. Then I create thumbnail sketches (tiny sketches, quickly drawn) to plan out the story. I share the thumbnails with my editor and/or art director.
If I’m illustrating a nonfiction story, I spend a lot of time doing visual research. I use Google, of course. But there are lots of online archives out there through government agencies, colleges and universities, newspapers and other media outlets. I love the research process.
For visual reference, I occasionally use models (often my son). But more often than not, I take pictures of myself. I guess that’s why Kirkus described my Effa Manley, from the book She Loved Baseball (HarperCollins), as “muscular.”
Tell us about some of your accomplishments that make you proud (writing, illustrating and/or otherwise).
ItJesHappened
As far as writing goes, I feel really good about It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw (Lee & Low). In the beginning, I didn’t have a lot of confidence as a writer. To get over my fears, I wrote in blogs. That was both a good thing and a mistake. Good because I finally became used to people reading my work. A mistake because, well, people were reading my work!
I made lots of mistakes. But overall, writing in the blogs boosted my confidence and is what led to finishing the first draft of a picture book manuscript. That was a big deal for me. That the book went on to get published and actually win awards—wow! That makes me feel proud.
What surprises you about the writing/illustrating life?
When I first moved to Austin, I decided to check out the SCBWI. I was curious. I’d been involved in a few professional organizations for graphic designers, but they were always stuffy, pretentious. I didn’t fit in and so I didn’t plug in. When I decided to (cautiously) check out the SCBWI, I found something very special here, a warm community of writers and illustrators. Everyone was so generous. They kept offering to help me! I certainly had not expected that. I would not be a published author had I not moved to Austin and plugged into this community.
It is a great community! Your craft is like a gift for your readers. When they open it, what do you hope they find? (You can talk about a particular book, or in general)
I hope to make my readers smile — not necessarily from humor, but because the reader somehow related to the characters, situations, the story. I want my reader to feel good about the outcome of a story. I love stories with huge obstacles and happy, meaningful endings. I want my readers to walk away with something they can use in life.
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Don Tate is an award-winning author, and the illustrator of numerous critically acclaimed books for children, including The Cart That Carried Martin, (Charlesbridge); Hope’s Gift, (Penguin); Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite (Charlesbridge); She Loved Baseball(HarperCollins); and Ron’s Big Mission, (Penguin). He is also the author of It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started To Draw, an Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor winner. Don lives in Austin, Texas, with his family.
QUOTED: "When studying history, I sometimes feel a disconnect between myself and the people I’m studying about. Stories about slavery, Reconstruction, the 1960s civil rights years, that happened awhile ago, most of it before my lifetime. The people can seem so far away. Almost unreal. Photographs don’t lie, though, and serve as a reminder that these things really happened, the people were real. ... As I looked through the photos of King's funeral and procession, I saw myself. That's why stories like The Cart That Carried Martin are so important, so we don't forget."
MONDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2013
Process Talk: Don Tate on Illustrating The Cart That Carried Martin
It's a rare picture book with two creators that manages to look as if it came from a single inspirational source. The Cart That Carried Martin from Charlesbridge is such a book. I'm so pleased to be able to interview illustrator Don Tate about his glorious art for this book.
[Uma] Don, welcome to WWBT. Talk to me about what research was involved in illustrating Eve Bunting's text for The Cart That Carried Martin. What did you learn from this project?
[Don] For research, I found hundreds, if not, thousands of photos online. They informed and inspired my drawings. I also visited the Martin Luther King Jr. National Site in Atlanta, where the cart is now on display. I took photos of the cart at every possible angle, and of the newly renovated Ebenezer Baptist Church.
What impressed me the most about the day were the sheer numbers of people who turned out to celebrate King's life. I learned that about 1,300 people were at the funeral held at Ebenezer Baptist Church, and between 50,000 and 100,000 followed behind the wooden cart that carried King's casket. Reading the numbers are one thing, seeing the photographs of the size of the crowds, that’s a whole other thing. The crowds were beautifully overwhelming.
When studying history, I sometimes feel a disconnect between myself and the people I’m studying about. Stories about slavery, Reconstruction, the 1960s civil rights years, that happened awhile ago, most of it before my lifetime. The people can seem so far away. Almost unreal. Photographs don’t lie, though, and serve as a reminder that these things really happened, the people were real. Slavery, whippings, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, lynchings, beatings, fire hoses and dogs — real people, just like me, experienced these things. As I looked through the photos of King's funeral and procession, I saw myself. That's why stories like The Cart That Carried Martin are so important, so we don't forget.
[Uma] You work in many media--why pencil and guache for this book? And the style here is quite different from some of your other work--would you like to talk about how form and content came together for you here?
Honestly when I read a new manuscript, I don't have a particular media, look or "style" on the ready. The story leads me to a particular media or style. Sometimes I don't even know until I sit down to render the first piece of art in a book. I may create sample studies and settle on illustrating a book in oils, only to sit down and pull out my watercolors, if that's what feels right when I begin to work. Most of my books have a slightly different look. But they all seem retain a familiar clarity, a sharpness -- hard lines, bold colors, tightly rendered ("muscular," as one reviewer described my art work). That's me. But for The Cart, I needed to loosen up because of all the crowd scenes, or else I'd have driven myself crazy trying to draw every little eye and nose and ear in a crowd. Loose lines, light-flowing colors, I felt that would be best for this story. And besides, with the subject matter being a funeral, realistic paintings might have given the book too somber a feel.
[Uma] There is one spread in this book that is utterly transcendent in its power--it's the one where the men walk in front holding the reins of the mules, and "The widow walked behind, her grief hidden by her veil." The words are so simple, and the art in the scene is deceptively simple as well. But something in the way the crowds melt at the edges, the perspective, the smallness of the people and the simple power of that wooden cart at the center--well, you just take a moment and center it there in a truly unforgettable way. All right, I'm done raving. I want you to tell me how you composed that scene, and what the creation of those pages meant to you.
[Don] Again, photographs of the day inspired the scenes. Love was the dominant theme for the day. As the cart wound its way through Atlanta streets, people looked on with admiration. They held hands. They embraced. They caressed the cart. Men walked alongside, reaching over to touch the casket.
At first I worried about picturing the coffin. To me, coffins are scary. When I see one, I get a sick feeling in my stomach, and I turn my eyes away quickly. I assumed that most kids felt this way, too, so I wasn't sure how to show the coffin. I experimented with drawing the cart at different angles, hiding the coffin on only showing hints. But ultimately, that would have been defeating the purpose of telling the story of the day. I chose to picture coffin in full view, where necessary. How could a scene with a coffin be scary when surrounded by so much love?
And finally:
[Uma] What's up next? Any projects coming up I should know about?
[Don] Oh, I have a lot on my slate. I feel blessed. The next project I'm illustrating is the story of John Roy Lynch. It's the story of a man who in ten years went from teenage field slave to Reconstruction-era Congressman. It is written by my friend, Chris Barton. Next, I will illustrate a book that I wrote. It's the story of George Horton, an enslaved poet who became the first African American to be published in the south, before the Civil War (his poetry protested slavery, a brave man, huh?). And I'm under contract to illustrate two more books, one that I wrote as well.
Thank you, Don! Congratulations on your beautiful book. I look forward to your new work and to many more conversations to come!
Posted by Uma Krishnaswami at 2:00 AM
Bunting, Eve THE CART THAT CARRIED MARTIN Charlesbridge (Children's None) $16.95 11, 1 ISBN: 978-1-58089-387-9
An old, unwanted cart becomes part of Dr. Martin Luther King's funeral procession. Two men borrow the cart from an antiques store and paint it green, the color of freshly watered grass. They take it to the Ebenezer Baptist Church and hitch two mules to it. Outside the church, crowds gather, while inside, the pews are filled with a weeping congregation. Slowly, the mules pull the cart carrying Dr. King's coffin through the streets of Atlanta to Morehouse College for a second service. The cart, its day's journey completed, is now part of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. Bunting uses simple declarative sentences to capture the sorrow of the day and the message that King's followers were intent upon proclaiming--his greatness came from humble beginnings. The mules, Belle and Ada, were a reminder that upon freedom, slaves were given forty acres and a mule. Tate's pencil-and-gouache artwork plays up the details of the cart and the two mules while depicting the crowds of mourners less distinctly. Adults looking for a title to share with young readers will find this helpful in imparting the emotions raised by King's assassination. An affecting snapshot of a tragic day. (afterword) (Picture book. 4-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2013 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Bunting, Eve: THE CART THAT CARRIED MARTIN." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Aug. 2013. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A339393590/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=fe9c0623. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch. By Chris Barton. Illus. by Don Tate. Apr. 2015. 50p. Eerdmans, $17 (9780802853790). 328.73092. Gr. 3-5.
The fascinating story of John Roy Lynch's life from slavery to his election to the U.S. House of Representatives at age 25, gets a stirring treatment here. Barton has a lot of territory to cover, from slavery to the Civil War to Reconstruction and beyond, along with Lynch's personal journey. Because of this, the information at times seems clipped, though it's consistently incisive. The complete time line at the end of the book helps fill in the gaps, and the story generates interest that will encourage additional research. Tate's often expansive illustrations emphasize important incidents in the text. A reference to harsh laws passed by whites is coupled with a dramatic two-page spread of whipping, a potential lynching, and lots of angry white faces in the foreground, fists clenched. A small African American boy covers his eyes at the scene. A scene of the horrors of a school burning shows praying figures overshadowed by masked attackers with burning torches. The emphasis in other illustrations is on faces, full of emotion, which adds to the power of the telling, and the rich, soft tones of Tate's palette welcome the eye to linger. Pair with Mumbet's Declaration of Independence, by Gretchen Woelfle (2014), for another story of a unique and relatively unknown figure in African American history. --Edie Ching
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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Ching, Edie. "The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch." Booklist, vol. 111, no. 15, 1 Apr. 2015, p. 35+. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A410769689/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=5f508862. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
Barton, Chris THE AMAZING AGE OF JOHN ROY LYNCH Eerdmans (Children's Picture Books) $17.00 4, 1 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5379-0
An honestly told biography of an important politician whose name every American should know. Published while the United States has its first African-American president, this story of John Roy Lynch, the first African-American speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives, lays bare the long and arduous path black Americans have walked to obtain equality. The title's first three words--"The Amazing Age"--emphasize how many more freedoms African-Americans had during Reconstruction than for decades afterward. Barton and Tate do not shy away from honest depictions of slavery, floggings, the Ku Klux Klan, Jim Crow laws, or the various means of intimidation that whites employed to prevent blacks from voting and living lives equal to those of whites. Like President Barack Obama, Lynch was of biracial descent; born to an enslaved mother and an Irish father, he did not know hard labor until his slave mistress asked him a question that he answered honestly. Freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, Lynch had a long and varied career that points to his resilience and perseverance. Tate's bright watercolor illustrations often belie the harshness of what takes place within them; though this sometimes creates a visual conflict, it may also make the book more palatable for young readers unaware of the violence African-Americans have suffered than fully graphic images would. A historical note, timeline, author's and illustrator's notes, bibliography and map are appended. A picture book worth reading about a historical figure worth remembering. (Picture book biography. 7-10)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Barton, Chris: THE AMAZING AGE OF JOHN ROY LYNCH." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2015. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A401284033/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=6ece9e16. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton. By Don Tate. Illus. by the author. 2015.36p. Peachtree, $16.95 (9781561458257). 811. Gr. 2-4.
George Horton, an enslaved person living in early-nineteenth-century North Carolina, taught himself to read by listening to white children recite the alphabet and puzzling through an old spelling book. He could not write, but he began composing poetry and memorizing his work. Sent by his master to sell produce at the University of North Carolina, he started sharing his poetry with the students, who commissioned him to write poems for their sweethearts. Though still enslaved, Horton eventually learned to write and published his work. Although his master never let him purchase his freedom, he felt that "words loosened the chains of bondage long before his last day as a slave." Tate's full-color mixed-media illustrations are slightly cartoonish, which helps leaven the serious subject matter and effectively portrays Horton's love of language, while frequent quotations from Horton's poems keep his voice a constant presence. Though large blocks of text make this better suited to more experienced readers, the ample historical context and moving story will help children better understand the antebellum period.--Lucinda Whitehurst
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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Whitehurst, Lucinda. "Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton." Booklist, vol. 112, no. 4, 15 Oct. 2015, p. 40. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A433202246/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=08819d04. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
QUOTED: "Tate tells a compelling story for any age."
Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton
by Don Tate; illus. by the author
Primary Peachtree 40 pp. 9/15 978-1-56145-825-7 $16.95
Young people may have heard of Langston Hughes's poetry and Booker T. Washington's quest for literacy, but they most likely have never heard of George Moses Horton, who taught himself to read and compose poetry, and who lived as a slave in North Carolina until he was sixty-six years old. Tate tells Horton's story, omitting none of the sadness (he is sent away from his family at the age of seventeen to serve his master's son) but still making the story accessible to the young reader and listener. Horton's story is uplifting: he teaches himself to read from a tattered old spelling book; collects words and phrases from sermons, Bible verses, and songs; and eventually learns about poetry from reading the newspaper. When he finds an audience at the University of North Carolina, where he sells fruits and vegetables on the weekends, he becomes a paid poet, delivering love poems aloud and finally learning to write from a professor's wife (herself a published author) who appreciates his work. The illustrations--goauche, ink, and pencil--are as straightforward as the text but pack the appropriate emotional punch. Young readers may need an adult intermediary--a classroom teacher, perhaps--in order to understand the historical context, but Tate tells a compelling story for any age. Lengthy and interesting back matter adds much for the reader who wants to know more about this poet and the times in which he lived.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 The Horn Book, Inc.. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.hbook.com/magazine/default.asp
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Smith, Robin L. "Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton." The Horn Book Magazine, vol. 91, no. 5, Sept.-Oct. 2015, p. 133+. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A427758521/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=708ee817. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
QUOTED: "a delightfully child-friendly and painfully necessary diversification of the science field."
Barton, Chris WHOOSH! Charlesbridge (Children's Picture Books) $16.95 5, 3 ISBN: 978-1-58089-297-1
A tinkering African-American boy grows up to become the inventor of a very popular toy. Lonnie Johnson always tinkered with something. As a kid, he built rockets and launched them in the park amid a crowd of friends. (He even made the rocket's fuel, which once caught fire in the kitchen. Oops.) As an adult he worked for NASA and helped to power the spacecraft Galileo as it explored Jupiter. But nothing is as memorable in the minds of kids as his most famous invention (to date): the Super-Soaker. While testing out a new cooling method for refrigerators, Johnson accidentally sprayed his entire bathroom, and the idea was born. However, the high-powered water gun was not an instant success. Barton shows the tenacity and dedication (and, sometimes, plain good timing) needed to prove ideas. From the initial blast of water that splashes the word "WHOOSH" across the page (and many pages after) to the gatefold that transforms into the Larami toy executives' (tellingly, mostly white) reactions--"WOW!"--Tate plays up the pressurized-water imagery to the hilt. In a thoughtful author's note, Barton explains how Johnson challenges the stereotypical white, Einstein-like vision of a scientist. A delightfully child-friendly and painfully necessary diversification of the science field. (Picture book/biography. 4-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Barton, Chris: WHOOSH!" Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2016. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A446003807/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=f07ab729. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
Whoosh!:
Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking
Stream of Inventions
by Chris Barton; illus. by Don Tate
Primary, Intermediate Charlesbridge 40 pp.
5/16 978-1-58089-297-1 $16.95
e-book ed. 978-1-60734-640-1 $9.99
From childhood, African American inventor Johnson was a tinkerer: "Lonnie loved building and creating. Ideas for inventions just kept on flowing." We learn about how young Lonnie made model rockets--and rocket fuel ("When it caught fire in the kitchen, Lonnie's mom didn't make him stop. She just sent him to work outside")-and how in 1968 the robot he built won first place at a science fair held at the University of Alabama, "where only five years earlier, African American students hadn't even been allowed." We learn of his college life at Tuskegee Institute (he was known to study even during his own parties, complete with a light-and-sound system he created); his breakthrough engineering work for NASA; and his development of a super-blast water gun. Barton describes Johnson's ups and downs before he finally sold his Super Soaker to a toy company, but the straightforward text has a generally upbeat, you-can-do-it attitude. Tate's clear digital illustrations, with their time-period-appropriate details in decor and clothing (from pegged jeans to bell-bottoms to cut-off shorts with knee socks) help situate readers; there's no timeline provided (or even a birth year for Johnson). An appended note discusses Barton's inspiration-to draw attention to diversity within the scientific community--and encourages readers to "put this book down, step away from the computer screen, and get permission to take something apart." Terrific front and back endpapers provide simple schematics of some of Lonnie Johnson's inventions.
Chris Barton on Whoosh!
ELISSA GERSHOWITZ: What is one of the challenges and/or rewards of writing a picture-book biography of a contemporary figure?
CHRIS BARTON: One big reward so far has been the cautious hope in kids' voices when they ask, after I've read that last page aloud, "Is he still alive?" It's as if they picked up on my use of the present tense but can't quite bring themselves to believe that the inspiring life they just heard about is still happening. I love telling them, "Yes, he is"
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 The Horn Book, Inc.. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Gershowitz, Elissa. "Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions." The Horn Book Magazine, vol. 92, no. 4, July-Aug. 2016, p. 152+. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A457975662/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c298adca. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
QUOTED: "Tate's celebration of Eugen Sandow makes a solid addition to any biography section."
Tate, Don STRONG AS SANDOW Charlesbridge (Children's Informational) $17.99 8, 22 ISBN: 978-1-58089-628-3
Tate introduces his readers to one of the first international sports stars in a well-researched biography of bodybuilding strongman Eugen Sandow. Friedrich Wilhelm Muller began life in Prussia as a weak and sickly child who longed for activity. A boyhood trip to Italy changed Friedrich's life when he learned about the gladiators of Rome and their belief in daily strenuous exercise. Tate explores Muller's life as a student, circus performer, and model as he grows (pun absolutely intended) into the professional strongman Eugen Sandow. Digitally created illustrations use dramatic grainy shadows that suggest the inky carbon smudges of old newspaper photos. As in many old newspapers, all the characters depicted in the story are white. Tate wisely introduces some diversity in the backmatter by showing a multiracial group of boys and girls as models for four simple exercises. The other strongmen that appear in the book present a range of physiques, a nicely designed if subtle hat tip to the idea that fitness can be reflected in different weights and sizes. Additional backmatter includes an afterword on Sandow's life, Tate's relationship with the sport of bodybuilding, and a bibliography that includes web links when possible. The only thing that's missing is a timeline, a feature that is always appreciated. Readers will find parallels with Meghan McCarthy's picture-book biography of Charles Atlas, Strong Man (2007), but Tate's celebration of Eugen Sandow makes a solid addition to any biography section. (Picture book/biography. 7-12)
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"Tate, Don: STRONG AS SANDOW." Kirkus Reviews, 15 June 2017. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A495427594/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=b4ec8484. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
Strong as Sandow: How Eugen Sandow Became the Strongest Man on Earth
by Don Tate; illus. by the author
Primary Charlesbridge 40 pp.
8/17 978-1-58089-628-3 $17.99 e-book ed. 978-1-60734-886-3 $9.99
The life of Eugen Sandow (1867-1925), a Victorian-era bodybuilding superstar dubbed "the Modern Hercules," is rife with mystery. Not only did his family destroy his belongings after his death, but articles and books on Sandow are often contradictory. Tate (a former bodybuilder himself) reconciles these challenges by telling the story as "Sandow would have wanted it told"--with drama and flair. This decision could have easily resulted in an over the-top portrayal of the subject; instead, Tate's chronological narrative depicts an ambitious, hardworking showman with a drive for excellence--from "feeble" boy to acrobat, strongman, fitness guru, and creator of the first organized bodybuilding contest. And although admiring of Sandow's impressive physique and strength, Tate is skeptical of the man's purported antics (such as defeating a lion). Tate argues that Sandow was more than just a strongman; that his attention to both mind and body inspired the people of his time--and can inspire people today--to devote "more attention to their own health." The digital illustrations, rendered in a gentle, textured black outline housing a warm color palette, show an approachable version of the athlete. Additionally, decorative caption boxes and some stylized lettering (seen on marquees and banners) help develop a period feel. Back matter includes an after-word, exercise techniques, a bibliography, an author's note, and quotation sources. A powerful pairing with Meghan McCarthy's Strong Man (rev. 9/07) and Nicolas Debon's The Strongest Man in the World (rev. 5/07). PATRICK GALL
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 The Horn Book, Inc.. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Gall, Patrick. "Strong as Sandow: How Eugen Sandow Became the Strongest Man on Earth." The Horn Book Magazine, vol. 93, no. 5, Sept.-Oct. 2017, p. 117. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A503641855/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=04bbc016. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
QUOTED: "Tate's big shapes, bold colors, and infectious beats will hold up to many readalouds."
Par-Tay! Dance of the Veggies and Their Friends
Eloise Greenfield, illus. by Don Tate. Alazar, $17.95, ISBN 978-0-9977720-2-9
When the humans go out for the evening, the vegetables in the fridge--along with the sweet potatoes in the bin--go wild. "Par-tay!" shouts the cabbage--which becomes the book's refrain--and with the eggplant, basil, tomato, and Swiss chard on instruments, everybody else takes a turn on the floor. The baby limas, who can "barely stand at all," try their best to do the wobble dance; the corn and arugula waltz; and the sweet potatoes, dressed in pink tutus, do pirouettes. Greenfield writes vivid verses, with breezy references to different dance styles and flashes of real comedy ("Somebody save me!" says the ecstatic asparagus after "doing the pop"). And while the repetition of "Par-tay!" adds crowd-pleasing fun and predictability, a new chant of "Go, 'Choke! Go, 'Choke! Go, 'Choke!" inserts some irresistible surprise. Except for the refined waltzing couple, all the vegetables share a happy-go-lucky, jazzy vibe. Tate's big shapes, bold colors, and infectious beats will hold up to many readalouds. Ages 5-7. Author's agent: Marie Brown, Marie Brown Assoc. Illustrator's agent: Caryn Wiseman, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (Apr.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
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"Par-Tay! Dance of the Veggies and Their Friends." Publishers Weekly, vol. 265, no. 8, 19 Feb. 2018, p. 77. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A529357596/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=043b8ff6. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
QUOTED: "a rousing read-aloud begging for enthusiastic performers."
Greenfield, Eloise PAR-TAY! Alazar Press (Children's Fiction) $17.95 4, 1 ISBN: 978-0-9977720-2-9
Greenfield invites children to imagine what a fridge full of veggies might do once their people leave for the evening.
They dance, of course--once Cabbage summons them forth as the family departs. Greenfield's beginning and ending passages are in free verse. In between, syncopated rhymes introduce the fruits and vegetables, many of whom take up instruments to "make a mighty music / for the party that's to come." After turns by Zucchini and Hip-Hop String Bean, "The baby limas wobble-dance, / can hardly stand at all, / their mamas run / and catch them, / the moment they start to fall." Next up: hot chili peppers and a stately waltz from Mr. Corn and Ms. Arugula. "Then, / the sweet potato sisters / dance as sweet as pie, / pirouette and flit / and flutter, / curtsy with a sigh." After working up a sweat, it's time to slow-dance back into the "delicious coldness" of the fridge, "(sweet potatoes to the bin)," all contemplating "their / fantabulous / PAR-TAY. / YEAHHHH." The gifted Tate's illustrations resemble loose, translucent watercolors contoured by wide, waxy lines. Aside from some pink tutus for the sweet potato sisters and Mr. Corn's neat mustache, the visual focus is on the veggies' hip exuberance rather than gender stereotypes.
A rousing read-aloud begging for enthusiastic performers. (author's note, references) (Picture book. 3-6)
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"Greenfield, Eloise: PAR-TAY!" Kirkus Reviews, 1 Mar. 2018. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A528959786/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=b14ec0a2. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
Stalebread Charlie and the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band.
By Michael Mahin. Illus. by Don Tate.
July 2018. 32p. Clarion, $17.99 (9780547942018). Gr. 1-3.
Stalebread Charlie and his buddy Warm Gravy, homeless white kids living in 1890s New Orleans, are desperate for food or money. Inspired by adult street musicians, Stalebread decides to start a band. He finds an old stovepipe and starts singing into it. He puts some rocks in a can for Gravy to shake. Other boys join them, playing a "comb-made kazoo," pennywhistle, cigar-box fiddle, washboard, and spoons. Lively cartoon illustrations convey the movement of music, with colorful swirls suggesting sound waves, and phrases such as "skippity-bippity-skip" and "zip-zee-zoo" representing the noises made by the instruments. Based on actual events, the book ends with an author's note, which offers further context for so-called spasm bands, which were part of the musical evolution leading to jazz, fusing influences from blues, folk, gospel, ragtime, brass-band, and dancehall music. Little is known about the real Stalebread Charlie, but this story provides an intriguing glimpse into historical possibility. Instructions are included for making a homemade kazoo, as well as a link to more music crafts.--Lucinda Whitehurst
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 American Library Association
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Whitehurst, Lucinda. "Stalebread Charlie and the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band." Booklist, vol. 114, no. 16, 15 Apr. 2018, p. 61. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A537268228/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=2240ef22. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
QUOTED: "an upbeat introduction to the scrappy origins of a little-known bit of American musical history."
Mahin, Michael STALEBREAD CHARLIE AND THE RAZZY DAZZY SPASM BAND Clarion (Children's Fiction) $17.99 7, 10 ISBN: 978-0-547-94201-8
Drawing from the little that's known about Emile "Stalebread Charlie" Lacoume, Mahin presents a fictionalized story about the homeless New Orleanian boys who innovated "spasm band" music, considered one of jazz's precursors.
In 1895, Stalebread and pal Warm Gravy, both white, live in Storyville, which "smelled like trash and looked like trouble." The boys steal to eat, constantly dodging the coppers. Hearing a trio playing one night, Stalebread hatches an idea. "Gravy! We'll start a band. We'll never be hungry again!" With an old stovepipe to sing through and a pebble-filled can to shake, the boys debut their rhythms--to the neighborhood's general disdain. "No one liked their music. Not even the alley cats." A boy called Cajun (the band's sole kid of color) joins up with his "comb-made kazoo." Pennywhistler Monk is next, followed by kids on washboard, spoons, and cigar-box fiddle. Though more often chased off than cheered, the boys' luck finally turns when they bravely improvise for patrons at Mac's Restaurant and Saloon. Mahin's jaunty narrative uses occasional rhyme, and onomatopoeic words scroll through in arcing display type. Illustrator Tate's note mentions finding supporting research for his intentional visual diversity: Among the diverse denizens of Storyville, he depicts a black cop. The text ends abruptly, but Mahin's note adds lively details.
An upbeat introduction to the scrappy origins of a little-known bit of American musical history. (craft activity) (Picture book. 5-7)
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"Mahin, Michael: STALEBREAD CHARLIE AND THE RAZZY DAZZY SPASM BAND." Kirkus Reviews, 1 May 2018. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A536571023/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=9b9fa54e. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
QUOTED: "an excellent research resource for teachers and students alike."
Bolden, Tonya NO SMALL POTATOES Knopf (Children's Informational) $17.99 10, 16 ISBN: 978-0-385-75276-3
Junius G. Groves, named "Potato King of the World" by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1902, was the richest black man "living between the Missouri River and the Rockies," according to the Indianapolis Recorder.
This entertaining biography celebrates an African-American hero born into slavery in the late 1850s in Kentucky who realized his dreams for himself and eventually for his large family. Settling in the Great Kaw Valley, Kansas, Junius began working on a potato farm for 40 cents a day, "almost starvation wages," but he was determined to own a farm one day. First renting their land, Junius and his wife, Matilda, worked hard and saved, buying 80 acres in 1884 and paying off the balance in a year with the help of their three sons. Eventually he bought over 500 acres on which he grew 72,150 bushels--roughly 12 million potatoes--in one year, 1902. With 12 children and lots of hired hands, Junius built Groves Park, the community of Groves Center, a church, a store, and even a golf course. Every few pages, a sidebar punctuates Bolden's chatty, colloquial narrative with words from Groves himself. The mixed-media illustrations, awash in blues, greens, and browns, successfully represent the expansiveness of the land and the momentous nature of Groves' accomplishments. A glossary, a timeline, and other helpful backmatter make this an excellent research resource for teachers and students alike.
This a-peel-ing story will give readers a new appreciation for spuds. (Picture book/biography. 5-8)
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"Bolden, Tonya: NO SMALL POTATOES." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Aug. 2018. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A548137864/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=5183be3f. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
Carter Reads the Newspaper
Deborah Hopkinson, illus. by Don Tate. Peachtree, $17.95 ISBN 978-1-56145-934-6
In her conversational biography of Carter G. Woodson, whose work led to the establishment of Black History Month, Hopkinson (Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen) acknowledges that he is a hero "we sometimes forget." It focuses on his Virginia upbringing and the admirable individuals who inspired him, including his father, James Henry Woodson, who escaped slavery to join the Union Army and "gave Carter the courage to look anyone in the eye and declare, 'I am your equal.'" Reading newspapers to his illiterate father gave the boy his "first glimpse of the wider world," a vision enhanced by a friend and fighter for equality, Oliver Jones, who taught Woodson to learn "through others." Woodson became the second African-American (after W.E.B. Du Bois) to earn a PhD in history from Harvard. Told by a professor that "Black people had no history," Woodson set out to prove otherwise, and established Negro History Week in 1926, which endures today as Black History Month. Delicately textured mixed-media illustrations by Tate (The Cart That Carried Martin) offer spate, stylized images of this lesser-known crusader, as well as portraits of other African-American leaders. A bibliography, list of black leaders, and timeline conclude the volume. Ages 6-10. (Feb.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
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"Carter Reads the Newspaper." Publishers Weekly, vol. 265, no. 50, 3 Dec. 2018, p. 55. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A565609832/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=aede79bc. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
QUOTED: "very highly recommended."
No Small Potatoes
Tonya Bolden, author
Don Tate, illustrator
Knopf
c/o Random House Children's Books
1745 Broadway, 10-1, New York, NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com/kids
9780385752763, $17.99, HC, 40pp, www.amazon.com
Junius G. Groves came from humble beginnings in the Bluegrass State. Born in Kentucky into slavery, freedom came when he was still a young man and he intended to make a name for himself. Along with thousands of other African Americans who migrated from the South, Junius walked west and stopped in Kansas. Working for a pittance on a small potato farm was no reason to feel sorry for himself, especially when he's made foreman. But Junius did dream of owning his own farm, so he did the next best thing. He rented the land and worked hard! As he built his empire, he also built a family, and he built them both on tons and tons and tons of potatoes. He never quit working hard, even as the naysayers doubted him, and soon he was declared Potato King of the World and had five hundred acres and a castle to call his own. From award winning author Tonya Bolden and talented illustrator Don Tate, "No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and His Kingdom in Kansas" is an inspiring story of perseverance that reminds children ages 4-8 that no matter where you begin, as long as you work hard, your creation can never be called 'small potatoes'. While very highly recommended for family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library collections, it should be noted that "No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and His Kingdom in Kansas" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Please Note: Illustration(s) are not available due to copyright restrictions.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Midwest Book Review
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"No Small Potatoes." Children's Bookwatch, Dec. 2018. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A569113842/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=124252af. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
QUOTED: "Tate's artwork beautifully reflects the joy, talent, and athleticism through big smiles and elongated limbs."
Swish! The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters. By Suzanne Slade. Illus. by Don Tate. Nov. 2020. 40p. Little, Brown, $17.99 (97803164816701. K-Gr. 1. 796.323.
Nowadays, the Globetrotters are known more for trick moves and comical antics than competitive basketball, but it wasn't always so. This picture-book biography focuses on the squad as a whole, beginning with their Chicago origins as the New York Harlem Globetrotters and touching generally on the the team's inception, their barnstorming across the nation, and their road to becoming the most popular basketball team in the world. The story culminates with an extended section on their competitive showdown with the Minnesota Lakers, the all-white National Basketball League's best team. Slade gently highlights how racism and segregation constrained the Globetrotters and how their success broke racial barriers, but the primary focus is on the delightful play of this ongoing line of talented athletes. Lively text mimics the energy of the game--though some language ("one-handed dunk shots") may feel awkward to today's fans--and Tate's artwork beautifully reflects the joy, talent, and athleticism through big smiles and elongated limbs. Basketball fans will enjoy this introduction to an iconic sports institution.--Ronny Khuri
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 American Library Association
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Khuri, Ronny. "Swish! The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters." Booklist, vol. 117, no. 1-2, 1 Sept. 2020, p. 89. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A637433532/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=e5315eb9. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
QUOTED: "From beginning to end, fans will feel connected to the dynamic style of the Globetrotters."
Slade, Suzanne SWISH! Little, Brown (Children's None) $17.99 11, 10 ISBN: 978-0-316-48167-0
A lively look at the history of the Harlem Globetrotters.
Five serious African American basketball players with no opportunity to play in the top teams due to the racism of the 1920s took their basketball skills on the road, calling themselves the Harlem Globe Trotters (they became the Globetrotters sometime in the ’30s). White America had a hard time coping with the Trotters’ beating their teams—until the Trotters changed the way they played. They turned their games into theatrics, emphasizing slapstick and hilarity while at the same time honing their skills till “they played the most breathtaking, groundbreaking ball the country had ever seen.” In 1948, Globetrotters finally got an opportunity to challenge the Minnesota Lakers, the best team in the Whites-only NBA. The Globetrotters’ win caused the entire NBA to reconsider their recruitment policy. Slade has done careful, thorough research, easily engaging young readers as they learn about the Globetrotters’ groundbreaking history. Veteran illustrator Tate creates constant movement, visually underscoring the title with dynamic (sometimes impossible) perspectives and basketballs caught in stop-motion fashion as they fly across the court. Robust backmatter bolsters the account, including a detailed timeline that’s thoughtfully printed on the inside pages of the endpapers so that pasted-down jacket flaps will not obscure any of it.
From beginning to end, fans will feel connected to the dynamic style of the Globetrotters and how they influenced American history. (further information, artist’s note, selected sources, photos) (Informational picture book. 4-8)
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"Slade, Suzanne: SWISH!" Kirkus Reviews, 1 Oct. 2020. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A636726924/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a969ed98. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
QUOTED: "Brings deserved attention to the life of a man who dedicated himself to recording the lives of others."
Tate, Don WILLIAM STILL AND HIS FREEDOM STORIES Peachtree (Children's None) $18.99 11, 1 ISBN: 978-1-56145-935-3
William Still’s chance encounter with his long-lost brother changed the course of his life and those of many other African Americans striving for freedom.
When Sidney Still escaped slavery in Maryland to join her husband, Levin, in New Jersey with their two daughters, she left their two sons behind. There, the family grew until William was born in 1821, youngest of 15. Tate’s economical, urgent narrative lays out these facts before recounting how young William struggled to balance education with chores and Northern racism, At 26, he landed an office-clerk position at the Anti-Slavery Society in Philadelphia and eventually opened his home as a “station” along the Underground Railroad. Finally meeting his older brother Peter during the latter’s escape inspired Still to gather identifying information and stories of the runaways he assisted, work that was instrumental in reuniting families who had become separated and that became a chronicle of “slavery’s nightmare.” Tate’s sentences are often short, underscoring Still’s effort and drive; when they occasionally lengthen, they land with a punch: “With three dollars in his pocket, and a billion dollars in pride, William planted himself north of the Delaware River in east Philadelphia.” His paintings often likewise play out in vignettes that capture action over time then linger lovingly on the expressive faces of his characters.
Brings deserved attention to the life of a man who dedicated himself to recording the lives of others. (timeline, author’s note, bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 5-9)
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"Tate, Don: WILLIAM STILL AND HIS FREEDOM STORIES." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2020. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A638165854/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=7e998ce0. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.