Zora Neale Hurston was born to be a storyteller. Inspired by the trickster tales of Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox she heard as a young girl, Zora made up her own stories for anyone who would listen including her mama who always encouraged her to “jump at de sun”. This instilled confidence and a great thirst for knowledge that propelled Zora to success in both school and writing but it was her research in black folklore that truly stirred her creativity. After journeying through the American South and the Caribbean, her path led her back to her hometown where she recorded the stories we cherish today. Dynamic illustrations capture the verve and vitality of the telling.
Alicia D. Williams is a Master Teaching artist, combining her love for drama and storytelling to teach arts-integration. Williams is a graduate of the MFA program at Hamline University. The New York Times reviewed her debut novel Genesis Begins Again as Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye for middle schoolers. Her novel received both a Newbery Honor and KIrkus Prize for Young Readers Literature Honor, a John Steptoe Award for New Talent, and was a William C. Morris Award finalist. Alicia resides in Charlotte, NC and is the proud mother of a collegiate daughter.
Jacqueline Alcántara is the illustrator of the critically acclaimed The Field and Freedom Soup. Her favorite days are spent drawing, painting, writing and walking her dog, Possum. Her experience working with children has led her to focus on children’s literature and specifically in pursuit of projects featuring a diverse main character. She won the 2016 “We Need Diverse Books Campaign” Mentorship Award and is excited to be working to promote inclusiveness and diversity in children’s literature and the illustration field.
Ages 4-9
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