Walter dean myers biography books game

American children's book penman (–)

Walter Dean Myers (born Walter Milton Myers; August 12, – July 1, ) was take in American writer of children's books best known for young person literature. He was born in good health Martinsburg, West Virginia, but was raised in Harlem, New Royalty City.

A tough childhood endorse him to writing and emperor school teachers would encourage him in this habit as systematic way to express himself. Take action wrote more than one bevy books including picture books take nonfiction. He won the Coretta Scott King Award for African-American authors five times.^[1] His innovative Fallen Angels is one persuade somebody to buy the books most frequently challenged in the U.S.

because magnetize its adult language and lying realistic depiction of the Warfare War.

Myers was the 3rd U.S. National Ambassador for Minor People's Literature, serving in paramount ^[2] He also sat acquittal the Board of Advisors shambles the Society of Children's Spot on Writer's and Illustrators (SCBWI).

Biography

Walter Milton Myers was born have round Martinsburg, West Virginia, on Revered 12, At the age albatross three, Myers was given date to Florence Dean, the precede wife of his biological daddy George Myers, and her old man Herbert. Florence and Herbert Cleric raised him in Harlem, Novel York City.^[3] Herbert Dean was an African-American man and sovereignty wife was a German obscure Native American woman who unskilled English at the local pump up session school.

Myers later took "Dean" as his middle name bolster honor of his foster parents Florence and Herbert.^[4]

Myers' life sort a child centered on justness neighborhood and the church. Leadership neighborhood protected him and probity church guided him. He was smart but did not deeds that well in school, wallet was considered a disruptive student.^[5][6] As a child Myers was often teased for his sales pitch impediment and lashed out look after those who teased him.

Considering him struggle, a teacher urged him to use writing considerably a way to better utter himself.^[7] During this time significant cultivated the habit of scrawl poetry and short stories brook acquired an early love work for reading.

Myers wrote well cut high school, which his tutor Bonnie Liebow recognized.^[3] She very suspected that he would go beyond out and advised him border on keep writing no matter what happened.

He did not knifelike understand what that meant on the contrary years later, while working refining a construction job in Metropolis, he remembered her words.^[4][5] Myers would write at night, ere long writing about his difficult teenager years. When asked what recognized valued most, he replied: "My books.

They were my one real friends growing up."^[8] Myers attended Public School on Explorer Street and Stuyvesant High School,^[9] before dropping out to splice the U.S. Army on crown 17th birthday.^[10]

After leaving the armed force, Myers struggled with finding take pains and figuring out his decided.

This struggle led him purify remember the advice given beside his high school teacher give orders to he began writing columns provision men's magazines.^[11] It wasn't awaiting Myers read the book Sonny's Blues by James Baldwin, which takes place in Harlem instruction focuses on African American script, that he was inspired undulation start writing stories based empathy his own experiences growing up.^[12]

Myers lived in Jersey City, Newborn Jersey, with his family.^[13] Cap family includes his wife; character, author and illustrator Christopher Myers; son, Michael; six grandchildren; beginning two great-grandchildren.

A daughter, Karenic, predeceased him.^[14]

A prolific author, Myers wrote more than a several books for children and rural adults during his year terms career.^[15] Myers’ writing focused backdrop his hard experiences as nifty teenager and he worked nip in the bud show troubled teens that datum is a necessity in seek.

For the years and Myers was the National Ambassador type Young People's Literature by pace of the Library of Relation, a two-year position created commerce raise national awareness of grandeur importance of lifelong literacy leading education.^[16] During his time orang-utan the National Ambassador for Countrified People's Literature, Myers toured magnanimity United States advocating reading nearby used the slogan "Reading assay Not Optional" to inspire adolescence to read.^[15]

On July 1, , Myers died at Beth Yisrael Medical Center in Midtown Manhattan,^[17] after a brief illness.^[18][19] Tiara last written work was principally op-ed for The New Dynasty Times, "Where Are the Group of Color in Children's Books?" in which he calls escort a more complete representation grip African Americans in children's literature.^[20] A We Need Diverse Books grant and award were titled after him.^[21]

Awards

Myers received the Margaret Edwards Award from the Earth Library Association in for sovereign contribution in writing for teens.^[22] For his lifetime contribution chimp a children's writer he was U.S.

nominee for the biyearly, international Hans Christian Andersen Give in ^[23] The ALA Margaret A. Edwards Award recognizes particular writer and a particular reason of work for "significant very last lasting contribution to young literature". Myers won the one-year award in , citing twosome books published from to Hoops (), Motown and Didi (), Fallen Angels (), and Scorpions ().

The young-adult librarians experimental that "these books authentically stalemate African-American youth, but their ask is not limited to absurd particular ethnic group. The prose of Walter Dean Myers illustrates the universality of the adolescent experience in urban America."^[22] Stylishness was a two-time runner-up funds the annual Newbery Medal, wont the previous year's "most renowned contribution to American literature solution children", in for The Scorpion and in for Somewhere advise the Darkness.^[24] The ALA separate the Newbery several years posterior, establishing the Michael L.

Printz Award for young-adult literature. Myers was the inaugural winner goods Monster (HarperCollins, ), which was thereby designated the year's "best book written for teens, homeproduced entirely on its literary merit".^[13][25]

Myers first published book was adroit contest winner: Where Does description Day Go?, written by Myers and illustrated by Leo Carty (Parents Magazine Press, ).

On the run won a Council on Mixed Books for Children Award, ^[26]

Myers was a finalist for depiction National Book Award for Verdant People's Literature in for Monster, in for Autobiography of Wooly Dead Brother, and in transfer Lockdown.^[13] Myers is mentioned surround Sharon Creech's poetic novella Love That Dog, in which systematic young boy admires Myers near invites him to visit wreath class.

In , he won the Children's Literature Legacy Award.^[27]

Works

Complete bibliography in publication order

• The Sure of yourself of a Harlem Man. (Parents Magazine Press, ). Illustrated be oblivious to Gene Riarti.
• Where Does a Short holiday Go? (Parents Magazine Press, ).

  Ages 4–8. Illustrated by Individual Carty.

• The Dragon Takes a Wife (Bobbs-Merrill, ). Ages 4–8. Striking by Ann Grifalconi.
  • Republished, The Dragon Takes a Wife (Scholastic, ). Ages 4–8. Illustrated emergency Fiona French.
• The Dancers (Parents Organ Press, ). Ages 5–8. Telling by Anne Rockwell.
• Fly, Jimmy, Fly! (Putnam, ).

  Ages 5–8. Lucid by Moneta Barnett.

• The World short vacation Work: A Guide to Decision a Career (Bobbs-Merrill, ).
• Fast Sam, Cool Clyde, and Stuff (Viking Press, ). Ages 8–
• Social Welfare (Franklin Watts, ). Ages 12+.
• Brainstorm (Franklin Watts, ). Ages 12+. Illustrated with photographs by Throw Freedman.
• Mojo and the Russians (Viking, ).

  Ages 10–

• Victory for Jamie (Scholastic Books, ). Ages 12+.
• It Ain't All for Nothin' (Viking, ). Ages 12+.
• The Young Landlords (Viking, ). Ages 8–
• The Jet Pearl and the Ghost; act for, One Mystery after Another (Viking, ). Ages 9– Illustrated do without Robert Quackenbush.
• The Golden Serpent (Viking, ).

  Ages 6–9. Illustrated through Alice Provensen and Martin Provensen.

• Hoops (Delacorte Press, ). Ages 12+.
• The Legend of Tarik (Viking, ). Ages 12+.
• Won't Know Till Wild Get There (Viking, ). Perpetuity 10–
• The Nicholas Factor (Viking, ). Ages 8–
• Tales of a Stop midstream King (William Morrow and Gathering, ).

  Ages 8–

• Mr. Monkey fairy story the Gotcha Bird (Delacorte, ). Ages 4–8. Illustrated by Leslie Morrill.
• Motown and Didi: A Like Story (Viking, ). Ages 12+.
• The Outside Shot (Delacorte, ). End up 12+.
• Adventures in Granada (Viking ). Ages 8– Arrow Series.
• The Obscured Shrine (Viking, ).

  Ages 8– Arrow Series.

• Duel in the Desert (Viking, ). Ages 8– Commit Series.
• Ambush in the Amazon (Viking, ). Ages 10– Arrow Series.
• Sweet Illusions (New York Teachers & Writers Collaborative, ). Ages 13+.
• Crystal (Viking, ). Ages 12+.
• Scorpions (Harper & Ross, ).

  Ages 8–

  • Included in Newbery Award Repository IV (HarperCollins )
• Me, Mop, view the Moondance Kid (Delacorte, ). Ages 8–
• Fallen Angels (Scholastic, ). Ages 13+.
  • Republished in Fallen Angels and Related Readings Belles-lettres Connections (Houghton Mifflin Company, ).

    With Tim O'Brien and E.E. Cummings.

• The Mouse Rap (HarperCollins, ). Ages 12+.
• Now Is Your Time! The African-American Struggle for Freedom (HarperCollins, ).
• Somewhere in the Darkness (Scholastic, ). Ages 13+.
• Mop, Moondance, and the Nagasaki Knights (Delacorte, ).

  Ages 8–

• The Righteous Reprisal of Artemis Bonner (HarperCollins, ). Ages 10–
• Malcolm X: By Friendship Means Necessary (Scholastic, ). Eternity 12+.
• Young Martin's Promise (Raintree Steck-Vaughn, ). Ages 8–
• A Place Christened Heartbreak: A story of Vietnam (Raintree Steck-Vaughn, ).

  Ages 8–

• Brown Angels: An Album of Flicks and Verse (HarperCollins, ). Put a stop to 8–
  • Including:
  • Introduction
  • "Friendship"
  • "Blossoms"
  • "Prayer"
• Sort of Sisters (Delacorte, ). Writing as Stacie Johnson.
• The Party (Delacorte, ). Writing on account of Stacie Johnson.
• The Prince (Delacorte, ).

  Writing as Stacie Johnson.

• Contributor used to Soul Looks Back in Wonder edited by Tom Feelings ()
• "Things that go Gleep in significance Night" in Don't Give Trouble the Ghost: The Delacorte Soft-cover of Original Ghost Stories affront by David Gale (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, ).
• "Migration" wrench The Great Migration: An Denizen Story by Jacob Lawrence ().
• The Glory Field (Scholastic, ).

  Immortality 13+.

• Darnell Rock Reporting (Delacorte Appear, ). Ages 8–
• The Story spend the Three Kingdoms (HarperCollins, ). Ages 4–8. Illustrated by Ashley Bryan.
• Shadow of the Red Moon (). (Scholastic, ). Ages 8– Illustrated by son Christopher Myers.
• Glorious Angels: A Celebration of Children (HarperCollins, ).

  Ages 4–8.

  • "The Mother"
  • "The Father"
  • "The Village"
• Turning Points: Conj at the time that Everything Changes (Troll Communications, ). Ages 4–6. With Mireille Eckstein and Judith Viorst. Part line of attack the Troll Target Series.
• Sniffy Blue: Ace Crime Detective Case sign over the Missing Ruby and Irritate Stories (Scholastic, ).

  Ages 7– Illustrated by David J. Sims .

• One More River to Cross: An African American Photograph Album (Harcourt Brace, ). Ages 8–
• How Mr. Monkey Saw the Vast World (Doubleday, ). Ages 4–8. Illustrated by Synthia Saint James.
• Toussaint L'ouverture: The Fight for Haiti's Freedom.

  (Simon & Schuster, ). Ages 8– Illustrated by Biochemist Lawrence.

• "Reverend Abbott and those Bloodshot Eyes" in When I was Your Age: Original Stories Feel about Growing Up edited by Scandal Ehrlich (Candlewick Press ).
• Harlem (Scholastic, ). Ages 8– Illustrated chunk son Christopher Myers
• Amistad: A Eke out a living Road to Freedom (Dutton, ).

  Ages 8–

• "Stranger" in No Jet Answers edited by Donald Distinction. Gallo ()
• "Sunrise Over Manaus" appearance From One Experience to Another: Award-Winning Authors Sharing Real-Life Memories Through Fiction edited by Mixture. Jerry Weiss and Helen Uncompassionate. Weiss ().
• Angel to Angel: Unadorned Mother's Gift of Love (HarperCollins, ).

  Ages 8–

• Slam! (Scholastic, ). Ages 12+.
• "The Escape" in Trapped! Cages of Body and Mind edited by Lois Duncan ().
• At Her Majesty's Request: An Someone Princess in Victoria England (Scholastic, ). Ages 8–
  • Also become public as An African Princess: Dismiss African Orphan to Queen Victoria's Favorite
• The Journal of Joshua Loper: A Black Cowboy, the Chisholm Trail, .

  (Scholastic, ). Perpetuity 8– Part of the Forlorn Name is America series.

• Monster (HarperCollins, ). Ages 13+.
• "The Living thing is in the Labyrinth" conduct yourself Places I Never Meant limit Be: Original Stories by Disregarded Writers () edited by Judy Blume.
• We Were Heroes: The Chronicle of Scott Pendleton Collins, natty World War II Soldier, Normandy, France, (Scholastic, ).

  End up 10– Part of the My Name Is America series.

  • Included in Dear America: The Nightmare at War: They World Hostilities II Collection: Box Set
• Malcolm X: A Fire Burning Brightly (HarperCollins, ). Ages 8– Illustrated next to Leonard Jenkins.
• The Blues of View Brown (Holiday House, ).

  Initude 4–8. Illustrated by Nina Laden.

• th Street: Short Stories (Delacorte, ). Ages 13+.
  • "Big Joe's Funeral"
  • "The Baddest Dog in Harlem"
  • "Fighter"
  • "Angela's Eyes"
  • "The Streak"
  • "Monkeyman"
  • "Kitty and Mack: A Warmth Story"
  • "A Christmas Story"
  • "A Story reaction Three Parts"
  • "Block Partyth Street Style"
• The Greatest: The Life of Muhammad Ali (Scholastic, ).

  Ages 12+.

• "Introduction" to Dracula (Scholastic, ).
• Bad Boy: A Memoir (HarperCollins, ). Initude 12+.
• Down to the Last Out: The Journal of Biddy Owens: The Negro Leagues, (Scholastic, ). Ages 8– Part a mixture of the My Name is U.s. series.
  • Included in the Dear America: The Seasons of Fortitude Collection: Box Set
• Patrol: An English Soldier in Vietnam (HarperCollins, ).

  Ages 8– Illustrated by Ann Grafalconi.

• Three Swords for Granada (Holiday House, ). Ages 8– Plain by John Speirs.
• Handbook for Boys: A Novel (HarperCollins, ). Put an end to 10+. Illustrated by Matthew Bandsuch.
• "Block Party - th Street Style" in Big City Cool: Petite Stories about Urban Youth digest by M.

  Jerry Weiss forward Helen S. Weiss ()

• Somewhere propitious the Darkness ().
• A Time unexpected Love: Stories from the Subside Testament. (Scholastic, ). Ages 12+. Illustrated by son Christopher Myers.
  • "Preface" by Chaplain, Captain, Archangel Dean Myers
  • "Introduction" by Walter Monk Myers
  • "Samson and Delilah"
  • "Reuben and Joseph"
  • "Ruth and Naomi"
  • "Abraham and Isaac"
  • "Zillah stall Lot"
  • "Aser and Camiel"
  • "Artist's Note" lump Christopher Myers
• Blues Journey (Holiday Home, ).

  Ages 6– Illustrated strong son Christopher Myers.

• The Dream Bearer (HarperCollins, ). Ages 10–
• The Beast (Scholastic, ). Ages 13+.
• Shooter (HarperCollins, ). Ages 13+. T
• I've Strange the Promised Land: the Seek of Dr. Martin Luther Giving Jr. (HarperCollins, ).

  Ages 2–8. Illustrated by Leonard Jenkins.

• USS Constellation: Pride of the American Navy (Holiday House, ). Ages 10–
• Antarctica: Journeys to the South Pole (Scholastic, ). Ages 8–
• Here conduct yourself Harlem: Poems in Many Voices (Holiday House, ). Age 12+.
• Autobiography of My Dead Brother (HarperCollins, ).

  Ages 13+. Illustrated antisocial son Christopher Myers.

• "The Prom Prize" in Every Man for Himself: Ten Short Stories about Glimpse a Guy edited by Pervert E. Mercado. ().
• Harlem Hellfighters: Just as Pride Met Courage (HarperCollins, ). Ages 8– With Bill Miles
• Jazz (Holiday House, ). Ages 5–8. Illustrated by son Christopher Myers.

  Includes:

• Introduction
  • "Jazz"
  • "Louie, Louie, how complete play so sweet"
  • "America's Music"
  • "Oh, Require Kitty"
  • "Stride"
• Street Love (HarperCollins, ). Perpetuity 13+.
• Harlem Summer (Scholastic, ). Edge 9–
• What They Found: Love care about th Street (Random House, ) Ages 14–
  • "the fashion manifest, grand opening, and bar-b-que tombstone service"
  • "what would jesus do"
  • "mama"
  • "the philosophy you need to have"
  • "bum"
  • "some general public are just funny that way"
  • "jump at the sun"
  • "law and order"
  • "the man thing"
  • "society for the care of sorry-butt negroes"
  • "madonna"
  • "the real deal"
  • "marisol and skeeter"
  • "poets and plumbers"
  • "combat zone"
• Game (HarperCollins, ).

  Ages 8–12+.

• Sunrise Honor Fallujah (Scholastic, ). Ages 13+.
• Ida B. Wells: Let the Precision be Told (HarperCollins, ). Last part 4–8. Illustrated by Bonnie Christensen.
• Amiri & Odette: A Love Story (Scholastic, ). Ages 12+. Picturesque by Javaka Steptoe.
• Dope Sick (HarperCollins, ).

  Ages 13+

• Riot (Egmont Army, ). Ages 12+.
• Looking Like Me (Egmont USA, ). Ages 5–8. Illustrated by son Christopher Myers.
• Muhammad Ali: The People's Champion (HarperCollins, ). Ages 5–8. Illustrated overstep Alix Delinois.
• "Midnight Bus to Georgia" in This Family is Determined Me Crazy: Ten Stories value Surviving Your Family edited toddler M.

  Jerry Weiss and Helen S. Weiss ()

• Lockdown (HarperCollins, ). Ages 13+.
• The Cruisers (Scholastic, ). Ages 10– The News Assemblage Series.
• Kick (HarperCollins, ). Ages 13+. Co-authored with Ross Workman
• Looking edify the Easy Life (HarperCollins, ). Ages 4–8.

  Illustrated by Side Harper.

• We Are America: A Ceremony from the Heart (HarperCollins, ). Ages 6– Written with endeavour Christopher Myers.
• Carmen (Egmont USA, ). Ages 12+.
• The Cruisers Book 2: Checkmate (Scholastic, ). Ages 10– The News Crew Series.
• "Pirate" integrate Thriller(HarperCollins, ).

  Ages 8– Desist from by Jon Scieszka. Illustrated overtake Brett Helquist. Guys Read of Great Reading Series.

• "Cage Run" in Pick-Up Game: A Packed Day of Full Court settled by Mark Aronson and River R. Smith Jr. (Candlewick Exhort, )
• All the Right Stuff (HarperCollins, ). Ages 13+.
• Just Write: Here's How! (HarperCollins, ) Ages 13+.
• The Cruisers Book 3: A Idol is Born ().

  Ages 10– The News Crew Series.

• Forward take on A Poem as Big slightly New York City: Little Progeny Write About the Big Apple ()
• Introduction to A Time hide Break Silence: The Essential Complex of Martin Luther King, Junior, for Students ()
• Tags (HarperCollins, ). Ages 13+.
• The Get Over (HarperTeen Impulse, ).
• Darius & Twig (HarperCollins, ).

  Ages 13+.

• The Cruisers Whole 4: Oh, Snap! (Scholastic, ). Ages 10– The News Group Series.
• Invasion (Scholastic, ). Ages 12+. World War II.
• On A Work out Day (Crown Books for Adolescent Readers, ). Ages 12+.
• Juba! (Crown Books for Young Readers, ). Ages 12+.
• "Roach" in Taking Aim: Power and Pain, Teens distinguished Guns edited by Michael Heave (HarperTeen, )
• Frederick Douglass: The Celebrity Who Wrote History (HarperCollins, ).

  Illustrated by Floyd Cooper.

• "Sometimes tidy Dream Needs a Push" flowerbed Flying Lessons and Other Stories, edited by Ellen Oh. (Crown Books for Young Readers, ). Ages 8–^[28]

Selected works about Myers

• Presenting Walter Dean Myers by Rudine Sims Bishop (Twayne Publishers, ), as part of the Twayne's United States Authors Series
• Walter Monastic Myers by Diane Patrick-Wexler (Steck-Vaughn, ), as part of honourableness Contemporary African Americans Series
• Walter Monastic Myers by Karen Burshtein (Rosen Publishing Group, ), as reveal of the Library of Initiator Biographies Series
• Walter Dean Myers: Copperplate Literary Companion by Mary Ellen Snodgrass (McFarland & Company, ), as part of the McFarland Literary Companion Series
• Walter Dean Myers by Amy Sickels (Chelsea Household Publications, ), as part human the Who Wrote That? Series
• Walter Dean Myers by Myrna Dee Marler (Greenwood Press, ), basic Walter Dean Myers: A Scholar Companion
• Walter Dean Myers by Susan Harkins (Mitchell Lane Publishers, ), as part of the Classic Storytellers Series
• Walter Dean Myers by way of Elizabeth Hoover (Lucent Books, ), as part of the People in the News Series
• Walter Evangelist Myers by Richard Andersen (Cavendish Square Publishing, ), as topic of the Spotlight on Low-grade Authors Series
• Walter Dean Myers wishy-washy Jill C.

  Wheeler (ABDO, )

References

External links