Books That Transform Us
Kelly Barnhill
Each year, the John Newbery Medal is awarded to an author for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. This year, Kelly Barnhill won the award for “The Girl Who Drank the Moon.”
Kelly has had many jobs: teacher, waitress, park ranger, secretary and janitor. These jobs have given her a lot of ideas for telling stories, she said. Today, she lives in Minneapolis with her husband, Ted, and their three children. “The Girl Who Drank the Moon” is a fantasy about a kind and gentle witch who accidentally creates a magical baby. She locks the magic deep within the baby, Luna, but as Luna grows up, she begins to realize her powers.
Kelly said she loves storytelling and fairy tales. Her advice to young writers: “Be prepared to write really, really, really crummy stories. Like, the crummiest in the world. It takes a long time to achieve a skill set that allows us to produce work that even comes close to what we value. It’s important to write the stinky stories because that is how you learn.”
Javaka Steptoe
Javaka Steptoe is the winner of the 2017 Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children. He illustrated and wrote “Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.” Javaka also won the 2017 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award for the book.
Javaka’s father, John, was also an illustrator and author. Javaka uses everyday objects and art supplies to create collages. He said about collages: “It is how black folks survived 400 years of oppression, taking the scraps of life and transforming them into art forms.” He has also won the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award.
“Radiant Child” tells the story of a famous 1980s collage artist, Jean-Michel Basquiat, from his childhood in Brooklyn, New York, to his fame as an adult.
Javaka said: “I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t an artist. There was something that fascinated me about being able to run my hand across a surface and make marks. With these marks I could communicate and manifest ideas that were in my head.”
His advice to kids: “Create art, look at art, ask questions and don’t be afraid of mistakes.”