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We've had the privilege of featuring many Black books on the KidLit in Color blog written and illustrated by Black creatives. Below are some of our features and favorites in picture books. We hope you'll check out the author interviews for those we've featured to learn about the inspiration and writing process behind these remarkable titles. We also hope you'll help readers find these titles and more to curate a diverse home and school library.  Brown Baby Lullaby by Tameka Fryer Brown, illustrator AG Ford Together We Ride by Valerie Bolling, illustrator Kaylani Juanita Your Name is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins Bigelow, illustrator Luisa Uribe Jayden’s Impossible Garden by Mélina Mangal, illustrator Ken Daley Better Together Cinderella by Ashley Franklin, illustrator Ebony Glenn Under the Clam Moon by Kaitlyn Wells, illustrator Mariyah Rahman Everybody in the Red Brick Building by Anne Wynter, illustrator Oge Mora Prince: A Little Golden Book Biography by Nikki Shannon Smith, illustrator Don Tate Josey Johnson’s Hair and the Holy Spirit by Esau McCaulley, illustrator LaTonya Jackson Fly by Brittany J. Thurman, illustrator Anna Cunha Opal Lee and What it Means to Be Free: The True Story of the Grandmother of Juneteenth by Alice Fay Duncan, Keturah A. Bobo, illustrator The Bronx is My Home by Alyssa Reynoso-Morris, illustrator Kim Holt Not Done Yet by Tameka Fryer Brown, illustrator Nina Crews Stella Keeps the Sun Up by Clothilde Ewing, illustrator Lynn Gaines The March of Hope by Valerie Bolling, illustrator Monica Mikai The Juneteenth Story by Alliah L. Agostini, illustrator Sawyer Cloud All Aboard the Schooltrain by Glenda Armand, illustrator Keisha Morris All Because You Matter by Tami Charles, illustrator Bryan Collier Hold Them Close: A Love Letter to Black Children by Jamilah Thompkins Bigelow, Patrick Dougher, photography Jamel Shabazz Six Triple Eight by Tonya Abari, illustrator Lance Evans Keyana Loves Her Family by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley, illustrator Charnelle Pinkney Barlow The ABC’s of Black History by Rio Cortez, illustrator Lauren Semmer Big Tune by Alliah L. Agostini, illustrator Shamar Knight-Justice Peaches by Gabriele Davis, illustrator Kim Holt Elijah’s Easter Suit by Brentom Jackson, illustrator Emmanuel Boateng Zara In the Middle by Erika Lynne Jones Miles of Style by Lisa D. Brathwaite, illustrator Lynn Gaines They Built Me for Freedom by Tonya Duncan Ellis, illustrator Jenin Mohammed Old to Joy by Anita Crawford Clark A Season for Fishin’: A Fish Fry Tradition by Pamela Courtney, illustrator Toni D. Chambers Leo Wakes Up Grumpy by Corlette Douglas William Still and His Freedom Stories by Don Tate Ripening Time by Patrice Gopo, illustrator Carlos Vélez Aguilera Dear Star Baby by Malcolm Newsome, illustrator Kamala Nair Jump In! By Shadra Strickland Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrator Floyd Cooper Locs Not Dreads by Tonya Abari, illustrator Chasity Hampton BIG by Vashti Harrison The Walk (A Stroll to the Poll) by Winsome Bingham, illustrator E.B. Lewis There Was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynolds, Illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey A Walk in the Woods by Nikki Grimes, illustrators Jerry Pinkney, Brian Pinkney Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller, by Breanna J. McDaniel, illustrator April Harrison Our Joyful Noise by Gabriele Davis, illustrator Craig Stanley A Voice of Hope: The Myrlie-Evers Williams Story by Nadia Salomon, illustrator London Ladd Before She Was Harriet by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrator James Ransome Blues Boy: The B.B. King Story by Alice Faye Duncan, illustrator Carl Joe Williams I Love My People by Kim Singleton, illustrator Kim Holt Not Quite Snow White by Ashley Franklin, illustrator Ebony Glenn Sing A Song: How "Lift Every Voice and Sing" Inspired Generations by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Keith Mallett Because Claudette by Tracey Baptiste, illustrated by Tonya Engel You So Black by by Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D., illustrated by London Ladd CeeCee: Underground Railroad Cinderella by Shana Keller, illustrated by Laura Freeman The Story of We by Nikkolas Smith Extraordinary Magic: The Storytelling life of Virginia Hamilton by Nina Crews Yvonne Clark and Her Engineering Spark by Allen R. Wells, DeAndra Hodge illustrator Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement by Angela Joy, Janelle Washington, illust. Sparrow Loves Reptiles by Murry Burgess, Tamisha Anthony, illustrator A Cup of Quiet by Nikki Grimes, Cathy Ann Johnson, illustrator The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes, Vanessa Brantley-Newton, illustrator The Last Stand by Antwan Eady, Jerome Pumphrey (Illustrator), Jarrett Pumphrey (Illustrator) A Place For Us by James Ransome
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 KLiC: What was your inspiration for JEONG IS JEONG? JY: I was reading the novel Babel by R.F. Kuang, and the book's magic system is based on the premise that there is no such thing as a perfect translation between languages. It made me think about how even as a kid who was most comfortable speaking English, I would still use certain Korean words when talking with family members. Even at a young age, I recognized that there weren't always equivalent words in English. It made me curious if there were any picture books that explored this idea, and I started thinking about what Korean words I would want to write about. KLiC: Did you do research for JEONG IS JEONG? If so, what kind? JY: I researched a number of uniquely Korean concepts before landing on jeong. In fact, as a Korean American who isn't completely fluent in Korean, I wasn't familiar with the word until working on this book! When I read about jeong, it was a total aha! moment. It was a concept that I knew in my bones and was now finally able to name. After I wrote the manuscript, I had my parents read it to make sure they felt I was accurately representing the spirit of jeong. I also researched comp titles. I wanted to: 1) see if picture books about words in other languages had been done before and 2) ensure I wasn't writing something too similar. I came across a number of lovely picture books, including Eleven Words for Love by Randa Abdel-fattah and Maxine Beneba Clarke, I Am You: A Book about Ubuntu by Refiloe Moahloli and Zinelda McDonald, and Namaste Is a Greeting by Suma Subramaniam and Sandhya Prabhat.  KLiC: What are your favorite illustrations in the book? JY: Michelle Lee's art is full of warmth, love, and so much jeong! I truly adore every page, but if I had to pick favorites, it would be the endpapers. There are so many little details to discover. And you'll definitely want to compare the front and back versions because Michelle did something really fun in the design! Also, I'm going to cheat and name one other thing that I thought was completely brilliant. As the main character Luna learns what jeong means, Michelle has the Korean characters in the background of one spread transform into the Romanization of jeong. Seeing Michelle capture the idea of translation within the illustrations in that way was really magical. What's the one thing you want children to take away from your book? Jeong is a word that I hope will resonate with kids (and their grown-ups!) and spur them into action. In its simplest form, jeong represents the stickiness of relationships, all the big and small things that bond us over time. Particularly today, when the world is so polarized, sharing jeong feels more important than ever.  Jessica Yoon is a Korean American author from Philadelphia (Go Birds!). Her current and forthcoming books include BLACKPINK: A Little Golden Book Biography, Jeong Is Jeong, Kpop Demon Hunters: The Deluxe Junior Novelization, and The Legend of Ban-Dal. She is a member of the Harrisburg Asian Writers Collective and a recipient of the Highlights Foundation’s Anti-Bias Book Bearer Scholarship. When not writing, Jessica enjoys Pilates, spicy food, and spending time with her husband, two kids, and dog. You can find her online at jessicayoon.com, on Instagram, and Substack.
 KLiC: What was your inspiration for PRAYER IS? TFB: In 2022, I received a tip from Agent Kelly Dyksterhouse—who I’ve known for nearly two decades—that Joy Peskin at FSG was looking for a picture book about prayer from a Christian perspective. Since the project hadn’t been a fit for any of her clients, and she knew Joy and I had worked together previously, she asked if this was a project I’d be interested in. It absolutely was. I reached out to Joy and said something like, “A little birdie told me you were interested in a pb manuscript about prayer. Is that still the case?” She said yes and we were off and running. KLiC: What are your favorite illustrations in the book? TFB: I’m glad you asked this question in the plural. I have many, but I’ll just point out two. I’m kind of obsessed with the illustration where our main character is sprawled on the bed, fuming. Alleanna did such a great job infusing both humor and relatability in this picture. Anger and frustration are common impediments to one’s desire and ability to pray. But as I say in the book, trying is what counts most with God. Sometimes trying is the best we can do. That’s true about prayer, and it’s true about other aspects of life as well. Another one of my favorite illustrations is the church scene near the end of the book, where congregants are praying in various ways that feel authentic to them. My favorite part about this scene is the teenager in the back giving that bit of side-eye. Is it because of the crying baby, or is she one of the “doubters” that the text refers to? It could be either…or both. It was important for me to state that prayer is for believers and doubters because my study of the Bible has shown me that God wants to hear whatever it is we are thinking or feeling—including our doubts. Even if they are about Him. I’m not ashamed to admit that I have prayed “Lord help my unbelief” on more than one occasion. Alleanna captured the spirit of inclusion through this character in a subtle but powerful way.   KLiC: What’s the one thing you want children to take away from your book? TFB: That prayer is less about memorization and recitation, and more about talking honestly to God. That it’s about more than just asking for stuff. That no one is ever too young (or too anything else) to pray. That’s three things, but I think they’re all equally important. KLIC: What’s next for you? TFB: I have a book coming out in 2027 with Candlewick called MORE THAN ENOUGH. It’s my most personal picture book to date. Not only is it a lyrical celebration of all the everyday people, places, and experiences that shape us, it’s also a reminder that each of us is worthy of the same respect, honor, and dignity afforded to everyone else in the room—no matter who we are or where we come from. This ode to Miami, my childhood home, is being illustrated by Jenin Mohammed, who was also born and raised in South Florida. MORE THAN ENOUGH will mark my first time publishing with Candlewick. They have an amazing reputation in the industry so I’m excited to be on this publication journey with them!  To learn more about Tameka Fryer Brown, please visit:
tamekafryerbrown.com  The Stories We Tell Ourselves By: Brandi-Ann Uyemura I am one of the slowest writers. My debut picture book comes out on March 17, 2026. Yet, I wrote this manuscript when my 12-year-old was barely a year old. Yes, the publishing industry is slow, but I hear of authors all the time who finished their manuscripts with lightning speed. I hold a BA in English and Ethnic Studies, and a master’s in counseling psychology. Why did writing my story take so long? I am a Japanese American writer born and raised on the island of Oahu. My mom grew up on a Kauai sugar plantation. She lived in a plantation camp, a type of ethnic enclave insulated from the rest of the world. I was fascinated by her upbringing, which is why I minored in Ethnic Studies. The desire to tell these stories was strong, but so was the voice that questioned their desirability and worthiness in the well of mainstream stories. When I was also told that my story was, “too niche,” and that there were already a lot of diverse stories, it was enough to make me want to give up. Winning a PBChat mentorship on Twitter, where I had the opportunity to work with award-winning author Andrea Wang, however, gave me the motivation and confidence to keep revising. The mentorship also helped me get eyes on my work, which was how I eventually sold my picture book. My initial pub date was this summer, and waiting has been hard, but I’m also continually haunted by the fear of exposing my family’s stories and culture. There is a part of me afraid of not getting it right. There is the ancestral fear of being scapegoated and discriminated against as a Japanese American, especially in the current time we are living in. But there is another part of me that has always wanted to share my family’s story of strength, courage and resilience, which is what my debut picture book, I Am a Bon Dancer, is about. I recently heard a podcast about the power of storytellers and how our stories are sacred. It got me thinking about what would happen if we were all too afraid to write. If we tell ourselves that our stories are not interesting or too bold or not mainstream enough, no one will ever know them. If we stay silent and allow fear to stop us, what chance do any of us have in knowing where we came from, fighting inequality, or standing up to what’s wrong in the world? Courage doesn’t come from writing without fear. It comes from creating with fear on your back and being led by the voice that says, “It matters. We matter. Our stories matter.”  Brandi-Ann Uyemura is a freelance writer mom, born and raised on the island of Oahu where she currently lives. Her debut picture book, I Am a Bon Dancer, illustrated by Amy Matsushita-Beal will be published by Holiday House on March 17, 2026. You can find her on Instagram and her website at Brandi-AnnUyemura.com.
 KLiC: What was your inspiration for Abdullah's Bear Needs a Name? YH: The inspiration for the book title came from the story behind the book. During the pandemic, I started working with a primary school in the west of Scotland. About 90% of the school’s pupils at that time were from an ethnic minority background but the pupils didn’t see themselves as the main character in books and didn’t use their own names in creating stories in class. Names, which were from their own culture, community, religion, or heritage. I remember one of the teachers telling me that the children had been putting together a list of teddy bear names for a raffle and had chosen predominantly European names like Jack, Alan and Sarah. Not one of those children had picked a name like their own such as Anum, Omar or Fauzia. This anecdote became crucial to the school developing a project called ‘We Can Be Heroes’ where myself and two other writers worked with the pupils to help create stories where those children saw themselves in the books they read and were the heroes of those stories. My time at the school was also the inspiration for both the story and title of my book, Abdullah’s Bear Needs A Name!, about a boy called Abdullah who gets gifted a teddy bear passed down through generations, but he can’t find the right name for the bear until one day he hears an old story about his Dadaji (granddad).  KLIC: What are your favorite illustrations in the book? YH: I can’t praise Sophie Benmouyal, who is the illustrator of the book enough! She’s done such a terrific job and really brought the story to life more than I could have imagined. There are so many favourite illustrations to pick from! I think every spread where Abdullah is holding the bear you can see the love on his face. I really valued the collaborative process with my publishers in terms of the illustrations where I was asked for my opinion and feedback which was then given to Sophie who would then go ahead and do the illustrations based on that. I think this makes the book more authentic and richer in cultural experience and really goes that extra mile. For example, the detail on the shalwar kameez (clothes that the characters are wearing), the Pakistani food, the shops on the street, etc. But one of my favourite illustrations is where Abdullah asks his Abba to tell him a bedtime story. The details are wonderfully done and this was based on my own experience visiting Pakistan. A fun fact, Sophie started to research into her own Moroccan heritage for the book’s illustrations, so the book really is a piece of so many people’s heart – their experiences, stories, culture and histories. KLIC: What's the one thing you want children to take away from your book? YH: I want children to believe that they are worthy of being the central character in books. I want them to develop confidence and believe in themselves. For a long time growing up, I believed that only those who looked a certain way were worth reading about. I hope Abdullah’s Bear Needs A Name! will help change that perception and encourage all children to believe that they are important and worth reading and writing about, no matter who they are. Abdullah's Bear Needs a Name! releases in February 2026, but you can learn more or pre-order here.  Yasmin Hanif is a British-Pakistani author, poet and educator from a Muslim background. She worked on the 'We Can Be Heroes' project, which tackled the lack of diversity in children's literature and won several UK awards. Yasmin's debut picture book Abdullah's Bear Needs a Name! is inspired by this project. She lives in the west of Scotland, UK.
 We are so excited to host debut picture book author Moniza Hossain! Her picture book, Street Puppy, Masjid Cat releases on October 7th. It is illustrated by Wastana Haikal. Read more below: What was your inspiration for Street Puppy, Masjid Cat? I was looking after my sister’s dog when I wrote this book. Every evening, we would go for a walk past our neighborhood mosque, and the dog was absolutely obsessed with the cat that lived in the mosque. He would sit at the gate and cry while the cat glared out at him. Needless to say, his love was not reciprocated. I decided to write him a happier ending in my book, where a dog and a cat find common ground in an unlikely friendship. I love the fact that cats often live in mosques and I’ve always thought that a picture book about this unique cultural phenomenon would be cute and sweet. Serendipitously, the universe threw a mosque cat story in my lap. I think this was a story that was always meant to be written. There are so many misconceptions about Islam and Muslims, and this story gave me the perfect opportunity to shed some light on the importance of kindness in my religion. Please tell us about your writing process. How long did it take you to write and sell this book? I tend to write my picture books very quickly. Once inspiration strikes, I can usually have the story drafted in about three days. The first few lines of this book (which have not changed since I wrote them) came to me while I was walking the dog. I took my phone out and dashed the lines out in the notes app. I built on those lines once I got back home and then shared the draft with my critique partners. I did a few more rounds of edits and then sent the manuscript off to my agent. I don’t remember how long it took for the book to sell, but my editor came back with a R&R fairly quickly. She wanted me to flesh out the friendship arc within the story a little bit more. Once I did that, she took the manuscript to acquisition, and the book sold. What are your favorite illustrations in the book? It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I love every page of this book. I had the honor of working on this story with Wastana Haikal, who is a brilliant Indonesian artist, and he brought the story to such vivid life with his exuberant, colorful art that it took my breath away when I first saw it. My favorite page is probably the page that introduces the two main characters, because their distinct personalities leap off the page so charmingly. The dog is sweet, the cat a little naughty. You get a peek at the setting of the story; the Southeast Asian city the stray dog roams about in and the beautiful mosque the cat lives in. The book is rife with cultural details that add to the beauty of the tale. -- Moniza Hossain is a Singaporean author of Bengali descent who writes children’s books inspired by her heritage. Her debut picture book, Street Puppy Masjid Cat, is coming out in October of 2025 with Little Bee Books, and her sophomore picture book, Ritu In The Sun, will be published by Random House Children’s Books in 2026. She also writes books for middle-grade readers. Her middle-grade debut, The Fear Factory, will be published by Holiday House Books in 2026. She has a short story in the award winning anthology Being Ace, and another in an anthology entitled The Beasts Beneath the Winds, that will be published in the fall of 2025 with Abrams. When she’s not busy writing, she teaches English literature and paints dragons. Follow her at: Twitter: @moniza_hossain Instagram: @monizahossain   We are excited to feature Nadia Salomon on the blog today to discuss her newest picture book, A Rakhi For Rakesh, published July 8, 2025 with HarperCollins (Versify), illustrations by Nabi H. Ali. KLiC: What was your inspiration for A RAKHI FOR RAKESH? NS: I wrote A RAKHI FOR RAKESH after celebrating Raksha Bandhan with my big brother, Superman. We used to exchange rakhis via mail. But as we got older, we realized the power of siblinghood. Once our parents are gone, we’ll only have each other. In 2018, Superman happened to visit during Raksha Bandhan weekend. We performed the rakhi ceremony. We choked up, there were tears, and I thought...I would love to write about this emotional experience for littles. KLiC: What are your favorite illustrations in the book? NS: I love all the illustrations in the whole book - Nabi's art is incredible. He created the images in a new style that I'm incredibly thankful for. After having read our book and flipped through the pages - my favorite illustrations are:
They capture emotion and joy beautifully.  KLiC: Please tell us about your writing process. How long did it take you to write and sell this book? NS: I use a cheat sheet to draft story ideas. While some stories write themselves, others are 'hot'. Some of my stories require a lot of revision, research, and additional brainstorming. I apply craft tools I learned along the way to write better stories. I wrote A RAKHI FOR RAKESH in 2017. I revised and polished it for a year. At the time I was unagented. I shopped it around myself and a small press offered publication in March of 2018. I was thrilled. This happened right around the same time I accepted literary representation. Sadly, I lost the book deal during the process. I was devastated, but my agent assured me we would find it a home. I set the story aside for several months. We revised A RAKHI FOR RAKESH then took it out on sub in early 2021. It sold to Editor, Elizabeth Agyemang, who fell in love with it and offered publication in August of 2021.  KLiC: What’s the one thing you want children to take away from your book? NS: I want children to takeaway, that love is a complicated emotion filled with conflicting feelings. KLiC: Do you have any tips for pre-published authors? Giving up is easy. Staying the course is hard, but so worth it in the end. Set goals. Follow through to complete them. Put the effort in and don't expect others to do the work for you. If something isn't working the way you expect, try something different. Querying wasn't working for me, I entered pitch events and landed my agent that way. I didn't get here alone. I'm thankful for every single person who helped me along the way. It took lots of hands and support from so many wonderful creatives who cheered me on, showed me how to write, and to believe in my words. They were shoulders for me to cry on, and were always standing by to help me reframe when I couldn't see through the forest. I'm a firm believer in paying it forward. Always give something back to the community that raised you. Knowledge is a gift and power. Be responsible with it.  Nadia Salomon is an award-winning journalist. She is the author of Goodnight Ganesha, a Bank Street Best Children’s Book and an ALSC Día Selection. A Voice of Hope is her acclaimed release. It received the 2025 BCALA, SLJ Children and Youth Literary Award, a 2025 Notable Social Studies Trade Book award, a Bank Street Best Children's Book award, and earned two starred reviews from SLJ and The Horn Book. Nadia's title, A Rakhi for Rakesh, released with HarperCollins (Versify) in July 2025. It's about a pair of siblings who must overcome big emotions to celebrate the sibling holiday, Raksha Badhan. She works closely with SCBWI, 12x12 Challenge, Kids Comics Unite, and Storyteller Academy. When Nadia’s not spinning yarns, you’ll find her blogging about her favorite reads at Nadia’s Nook.
You can find her online on her website and on Instagram @nadiasalomon.author.  Book Release News for GOAL SETTING IN THE WRITING CLASSROOM: BUILDING STUDENT AGENCY, INDEPENDENCE, AND SUCCESS Book Description Goal setting is an integral part of life. But when and how do we teach this important skill to students? And how can we do so in ways that are engaging, rewarding, and nestled into our other priorities in the writing classroom? In Goal Setting in the Writing Classroom: Building Student Agency, Independence, and Success, Valerie Bolling breathes new life into the work of goal setting with students. Bolling guides teachers, step by step, through helping students set goals, monitor progress, revise (and sometimes even abandon!) goals, and celebrate their achievements along the way. Moreover, Bolling illustrates how teachers, themselves, can set their own goals so that they are learning alongside their students and serving as models for them. Goal Setting in the Writing Classroom draws on Valerie Bolling’s experiences as a teacher, instructional coach, and children's book author to offer relevant and engaging stories, lessons, strategies, and graphic organizers to help all students become successful and independent goal setters and writers. Pre-Release Buzz “When it comes to motivating writers, self-selected goals are much more powerful than school-selected goals, and this book offers practical steps that not only help students to make and revise goals, it also offers reflective practices that foster continual improvement. I like how Goal Setting in the Writing Classroom positions the students to do the thinking.” ―Kelly Gallagher, author of Write Like This and Teaching Adolescent Writers “Valerie skillfully blends her experience as a children’s author and middle school writing teacher to offer practical strategies that help students set and achieve personal writing goals. This book is a valuable tool for educators.” ―Dr. Towanda Harris, author of The Right Tools: A Guide to Selecting, Evaluating, and Implementing Classroom Resources and Practices “In Goal Setting in the Writing Classroom, Valerie Bolling shares her knowledge and experience as an educator, author, and human that gives new meaning to the term mentor author. Students will love learning about her process, can reflect on her work and find easy to implement steps to improve their own writing. She shares her secrets to meaningful goal setting ‘that leads to confidence, perseverance, and self-reflection.’ Read, write, reflect, and repeat.” ―JoEllen McCarthy, educator, literacy advisor, and author of Layers of Learning: Using Read Alouds to Connect Literacy and Caring Conversations Release Date and Purchase Information Goal Setting in the Writing Classroom: Building Student Agency, Independence, and Success is released TODAY on June 20, 2025. You may order here: Bookshop Routledge Amazon How This Book Came to Be My editor, Kassia Omohundro Wedekind, saw me present on a panel during the 2023 NCTE annual conference. After the conference, she emailed me to see if I’d be interested in writing a book for teachers. I wasn’t sure at first because I’d never written such a book. Though I’d been an educator for 30 years, I doubted if I’d be able to do it, especially when I was told that I’d need to write a minimum of 30,000 words! (This book is almost 40,000 words.) After careful consideration – and encouragement from my husband, agent, and friends – I decided to accept the challenge. Having only published children’s books before, I was hesitant, but Kassia assured me that she would be a collaborator throughout the process, and she kept her word. Each step of the way she was there, and I’m so grateful for her guidance and support. Why It Made Sense for Me to Write This Book I believe in goal-setting, personally and professionally, and I have witnessed how taking this action has contributed to my success as well as my students’. My husband and I set goals every year as a couple and as individuals. When I was a classroom teacher and instructional coach, I set goals each year. I determined what I would study and learn to develop a particular skill or gain an understanding of something new. I also looked at student data to set goals for what I wanted students to learn and improve. As a writer, I set goals, too. I have set goals to study and write new genres, read a certain number of books, and schedule events to promote and sell my books. Most importantly, I have achieved or surpassed most of the goals I’ve set, and many of my students have exceeded their goals. My 30 years as an educator and five years as an author of 11 children’s books make me a credible source for writing about this topic. What’s Next I’m working on my second book for teachers, which I’m co-authoring with Pamela Courtney. My first picture book biography, A Flea for Justice: Marian Wright Edelman Stands Up for Change (illustrated by TeMika Grooms) will be released on Sept. 16, 2025. I also have another picture book, The March for Hope (illustrated by Monica Mikai), scheduled for release in 2026 and a board book, Chloe’s Community Garden (illustrated by Felicia Whaley) slated for 2027.  Valerie Bolling is an award-winning educator and author. She was an educator for 30 years, teaching grades 2, 4, 5, and 8 and working as an instructional coach and planning professional development for middle and high school teachers. She has been an author of children’s books for five years, having published more than 10 books. Goal Setting in the Writing Classroom is her first book for teachers. A graduate of Tufts University and Teachers College, Columbia University, Valerie has always loved teaching and writing, and she enjoys connecting with both children and adults and inspiring them to write their own stories.
Connect with Me Website: valeriebolling.com Instagram: instagram.com/valeriebollingauthor Bluesky: valeriebolling.bsky.social Facebook: facebook.com/ValerieBollingAuthor LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/valerie-bolling-223a92271  We are so excited to interview the talented author-illustrator, Corlette Douglas. She has two books coming out on June 24th: LEO WAKES UP GRUMPY and LEO TAKES A BATH. For this interview we talked to her about LEO WAKES UP GRUMPY. KLiC: What are your favorite illustrations in the book? CD: My favorite illustration in the book is the one where Leo is screaming and the words Ah appear on the wall, as well as the one where Leo is tossing his toys, making a big fuss. KLiC: What’s the one thing you want children to take away from your book? CD: Learning to express one's emotions is vital for a developing young mind. But at times, it's essential to take a step back and breathe, think about our emotions, and if we can't do it alone, there's always an adult to help you remember that the grumpy way we're feeling will only last for a little while. KLiC: What’s next for you? CD: My goal is to keep writing fun stories and explore my illustrating and writing process. KLiC: Is there anything you want readers to know about you or your book(s)? CD: I hope the readers can see a little of Leo in themselves as they read these stories. We were all once or are becoming toddlers learning new helpful emotions for the first time, and patience goes a long way when handling toddlers who have tiny bodies and big emotions.  Corlette Douglas is a Guyanese-American artist and author of children’s books from Brooklyn, New York. She's a 10-year veteran in children’s media with work ranging from animation to print, creating content meant to educate and entertain. Readers will soon discover that she is a vibrant and colorful human being who carries those characteristics over into her work. Corlette adores creating characters that are compelling, authentic, and relatable. Her characters often deal with the everyday struggles of making hard choices, overcoming intimidating situations, or dealing with big emotions in a small body. Learn more about Corlette and order her books here.
 Valerie Bolling was thrilled to have the opportunity to interview her agent sister, Pamela Courtney, about her debut picture book, A Season for Fishin’: A Fish Fry Tradition. Let’s learn more about this beautiful book… VB: Pam, I’m so excited for your debut. What’s your one-liner to describe this book? PC: Chér and Papéré reel in a skillet full of Louisiana fun as the start of still water fishin’ and the flavors of the season’s first fish fry get underway... Let the Cane River fish fry begin. Howeeee! Sounds like fish fry Friday. VB: That’s a great description. I’m sure some readers are craving fried fish now. Tell us how this fish fry story came to be. PC: This book began as a poem in Renée LaTulippe’s Lyrical Language Lab class as part of a collection of poems for a novel in verse. However, it was suggested the poem would be a cool children’s book and that I had to add a young protagonist. All of my childhood memories of running from house to house on Friday evenings tasting the neighbors’ fried fare poured. I didn’t, couldn’t, move until my protagonist caught and ate her catch. I wrote the draft in one sitting. This does not happen often. But when it does, y’all . . . it's pure magic. Now, it has to be noted there were revisions after my completed first draft. I don’t like revising. However, my editor challenged me to add heightened depth to my character. So, I dug deeper. I researched for a second element that would add a new perspective to my character’s—well, character. Here's where I began adding layers to my character. My character wanted to be part of this family tradition of still water fishin’. What really is still water fishing? What would it mean to participate in this tradition? My character wanted to bring home a batch of bream for Maméré. What would this mean for the character’s standing in the family if she failed? What exactly are bream? The only thing I knew about bream is that it’s one of my mama’s favorite panfried fish. And the one thing my character needed to go still water fishin’ and catch some bream was a cane fishing pole. But what would that pole look like? AND how can it connect to this tradition? I researched everything. Oddly enough, through my research, I found so many interesting facts. I was having fun! Revision Fun Fact—During revision, I learned that bamboo, what we call river cane, is native to my part of Louisiana. That’s what many use to make the fishing poles. As a child, I thought cane fishing poles were ONLY made from sugar cane stalks. VB: It’s really interesting to hear about your process, Pam. I didn’t realize how much research you did for the book, and you seem to have had a clear vision for it. Did the illustrator’s vision match yours? Were there any sweet surprises? PC: I fell in love the first time I saw my character’s sweet face. So much joy. There are some places where the movement and energy leap off the page. Toni Chambers shares her vision through these rich, saturated colors. Now in my mind, I envisioned this story in pastels (think E. B. Lewis). In hind-sight, no way would that work with the text. Having said that, I’m so glad I was not the illustrator. What Toni brought to this story is so much more than what my writer’s eye could ever see. Now, one of my favorite images in the book is . . . no, wait. I have several favorite moments that Toni gifted. I loveLoveLOVE that she gave our character this layered quirkiness by giving her a pair of yellow galoshes and purple hair. Imagine the personality of this kid in yellow Wellies fishing off the riverbank of Ol’ Cane River. Imagine! The next thing that almost brought me to tears was the matching overalls and striped shirts that the character and her papéré wore. There is no way I would ever have thought of showing their bond, their intimacy, in that sweet, sweet, yet oh-so-familiar way. Everyone knows that families down south love any occasion to dress alike. LOL. I enjoyed the story Toni delivered. VB: It's obvious that you love Toni’s illustrations and the sweet details she added to the story. How do you hope young readers will experience this book? What suggestions do you have for parents and teachers who read this book to children? PC: I wrote this book to share my multicultural experience in my rural Louisiana. I grew up speaking in a way I thought was purely unique to southern, Black American culture. However, the language of my childhood crisscrosses so many groups of people. Page after page shows that Black people are not a monolith. That’s important. Having said that, there are so many fun activities that can accompany this read aloud. Sharing the rich, yet complicated history of my hometown will be a fascinating lesson about powerful women in industry, the impact our waterways had on the nation’s economy, the influences of African, Tribal, and European peoples can be explored through food—so let’s cook up some Louisiana fare. Explore the sounds by sharing the multicultural blends of Zydeco music. Engage in the culture of the Mardi-Gras parade. This book demands you to have fun when creating activities. Laissez le bons temps rouler! VB: Wow, Pam! This book is such a treat! What book(s) can we look forward to next from you? PC: I have a book coming out in Fall 2026 called Freedom’s Eve: A Story of Watch Night. I am working on a piece of little-known American history, a biography, and a rhyming nonfiction story I’m excited for y’all to learn all about. But you’ll have to wait for those. VB: We’ll look forward to Freedom’s Eve next year and your future titles. Thanks so much for chatting with me, Pam, on the KidLit in Color blog. A Season for Fishin’: A Fish Fry Tradition is available wherever books are sold. Pam encourages readers to support their local bookstore.  Pam’s Louisiana upbringing inspired her 2025 spring publication, A Season of Fishin’—A Fish Fry Tradition, Macmillan (FSG) and nurtured her life’s passion of writing, teaching, and enjoying culturally diverse music. Combining these loves Pam created MyLMNOP,
a literacy and music program for early learners. With nearly three decades as an early childhood practitioner and elementary school teacher, Pam brings the eyes of an educator to each narrative she crafts, as she engages children in history, folklore, and the mysticism of her rural Louisiana culture. “My duty is great,” states Pam. “I’m a writer who teaches. I’m a teacher who writes.” Pam is the recipient of WeNeedDiverseBooks Mentorship, Highlights Diversity Fellowship, and the WeNeedDiverseBooks Walter Dean Myers Grant. Pam also serves as faculty for the Highlights Foundation. For more about Pam and her books... Website: https://www.pamelacourtney.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/pamismylmnop.bsky.social IG: https://www.instagram.com/pam_is_mylmnop/ Threads: https://www.threads.com/@pam_is_mylmnop TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pam_is_mylmnop?lang=en |
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