See you in Philly!

I have a few days this week to prepare my BlackademicsTV talk on race and symbolic annihilation in children’s literature. Then it’s off to Philadelphia on Saturday for the annual African American Children’s Book Fair. If you’re in the area, please stop by and meet the many award-winning authors who are participating in this event. February also means it’s time for the National African American Read-In, so grab a book and read! And check out Dr. Ebony Thomas’ brilliant post on the urgent need to “diversify the metaphors we read by.” I just started Jason Reynolds’ When I Was the Greatest, which just won the Coretta Scott King John Steptoe New Talent Award. You should also head over to The Brown Bookshelf to meet the book creators featured in their annual 28 Days Later. Lastly, in case you missed it, the YMAs were announced yesterday—the most diverse group of winners EVER! Here’s a list of the winners and honorees. Congratulations to all the writers and illustrators!