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by Heather Burnell, Oroville Library

Today we would like to welcome author Tameka Fryer Brown to the NCW Libraries’ blog! Tameka is an award-winning picture book author whose titles include Brown Baby Lullaby, My Cold Plum Lemon Pie Bluesy Mood, and Around Our Way on Neighbor’s Day. Her work is also featured in the acclaimed anthology, We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices. Brown’s forthcoming picture books, Twelve Dinging Doorbells and Shirley Chisholm: Not Done Yet, are scheduled for release in 2022. To learn more about Tameka Fryer Brown, visit tamekafryerbrown.com.

As you may suspect, authors do a lot of reading. It’s a fun part of the job! I asked Tameka to share some reading suggestions with us. She has something for every age on her great list. Maybe you’ll find your next winter read!

Tameka, what are some of the titles that you are looking forward to cuddling up with this winter season:

There are a number of books on my TBR list that I’m looking forward to finally reading, such as Torrey Maldonado’s What Lane?Mike Jung’s The Boys in the Back Row, and Zeno Alexander’s The Library of Ever and Rebel in the Library of Ever. I’ve read wonderful books from these authors before, and I’ve listened to them each speak about the backstories behind these titles. I am confident every one of these books will be blanket-and-hot-cocoa cuddle-worthy.

There are also a couple of graphic novels I’m going to read (actually re-read): Jerry Craft’s Class Act and Varian Johnson’s Twins. They are the kind of highly entertaining, authentically rendered stories that all readers should experience more often. I’m reading them for pleasure and as mentor texts.

Speaking of mentor texts…as an author of picture books, they are always on my reading list. Tiara’s Hat Parade by Kelly Starling Lyons and Nicole TagdellPraline Lady by Kirstie Myvett and Kameko MadereThe Arabic Quilt by Aya Khalil and Anait Semirdzhyan; and A Ride to Remember by Sharon Langley, Amy Nathan, and Floyd Cooper are just a few of the ones I’ll be enjoying and studying. I’m particularly looking forward to Unspeakable by Carole Boston Weatherford and Floyd Cooper. They are a dynamic duo when it comes to crafting books for young people and I’m eager to see how they’ve told this story.

Most of my reading time tends to be spent on kidlit, but I do plan to read Eddie S. Glaude, Jr.’s Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own. Both Baldwin and Glaude are renowned for their unflinchingly honest insights, so I know I’ll be enriched and stimulated by this one.

Want to read the books Tameka is reading? Place a hold on them now!

Read Tameka Fryer Brown’s Books:

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