Coretta Scott King Award

1. Dr. Jewell Parker Rhodes“I love saying “Mama Ya-Ya.”Her name sounds so bright and happy, just like Mama Ya-Ya is.”Coretta Scott King Award Recipient Michelle Hall & Stephanie Boxler

2. Coretta Scott King Award • This award was established in 1970 to recognize African American authors and illustrators for outstanding and inspirational educational literature. • The title shows the understanding and appreciation for all cultures in their pursuit of the American dream. • This award honors Ms. Coretta Scott King for her continued work for peace and world brotherhood. Michelle Hall & Stephanie Boxler

3. Main Character: Lanesha, 12 year old orphan Author portrays the events of Hurricane Katrina through the eyes of a little girl. Mama Ya-Ya, Lanesha’s caretaker, has a gift to see the future. Mama and Lanesha have to depend on each other, their senses, and what they know to survive. She finds strength within herself and the skills taught by Mama to survive. Lanesha has a second sight that allows her to see her mother who passed away giving birth to her. Michelle Hall & Stephanie Boxler

4. Rhodes Writing Style • Rhodes has written two books about historical fiction- Hurricanes. • She has written two guides for black authors: Free Within Ourselves and The African American Guide to Writing and Publishing Non-Fiction. • The majority of her writing I have seen revolves around magic and voo-doo for the adult reader. Books such as Voodoo Dreams, Voodoo Season, Yellow Moon, and Magic City compliment her bookshelf of award winning novels. Michelle Hall & Stephanie Boxler

5. Who’s attention is Rhodes trying to get with this book? Young Readers: The detail that Rhodes gives to the audience can make almost anyone Grades 5-8: This is a poignant book that will catch the attention of our youth. Genre of book: African American Children’s Literature Michelle Hall & Stephanie Boxler

6. Author’s Life: • Born and raised in Manchester, a largely African-American neighborhood on the North Side of Pittsburgh, she received a Bachelor of Arts in Drama Criticism, a Master of Arts in English, and a Doctor of Arts in English (Creative Writing) from CarnegieMellon University • Her work has been published in Germany, Italy, Canada, Turkey, and the United Kingdom and reproduced in audio • She has been a featured speaker at the Runnymeade International Literary Festival (University of London-Royal Holloway), Santa Barbara Writers Conference, Creative Nonfiction Writers Conference, and Warwick University, among others. • Dr. Jewell Parker Rhodes is the Artistic Director for Global Engagement and the Piper Endowed Chair of the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing at Arizona State University. • A professor of creative writing and American literature at Arizona State University, she lives in Scottsdale, Arizona Michelle Hall & Stephanie Boxler

7. What influenced your decision to write for children? • “I have ALWAYS wanted to write for children. My entire life I’ve been trying to become good enough, confident enough to write for children. • My childhood was difficult. My mother abandoned me as an infant and my Grandmother raised me. Grandmother Ernestine had never finished elementary school yet she was a fantastic storyteller. Summer nights, we’d sit on the porch and she told soul-stirring stories. In a very real sense, Grandmother gave me my profession!” • “I’ve never stopped reading children’s literature and searching for stories to tell.   Yearly, I’d speak to my literary agent about story ideas.  Frankly, I think my soul was waiting to be called.  When Hurricane Katrina hit, I worried and wondered about the children.  In 2008, when Hurricane Ike was bearing down upon New Orleans, I thought, “Oh, no, not again.”  This time, Lanesha’s voice popped inside my head. I’d been sleeping.  When I woke, the first line of Ninth Ward came to me:  “They say I was born with a caul… .”  Finally, I had Lanesha’s voice.  I needed her voice to begin writing; and, so I wrote, keeping the journey very private.  When I was done, I knew my life had come full circle.  I knew I had achieved my heart’s desire—a children’s book.” Michelle Hall & Stephanie Boxler

8. Who is the artist behind the cover? And who is responsible for the books design? • Shino Arihara, a Los Angeles based artist, created the cover art. She captured beautifully the spiritual peace and loveliness that can still exist in a world ravaged by storm. I love how Lanesha looks straight ahead, unafraid of the future, and using a magnolia, a flower symbolizing dignity and beauty, as her umbrella. • Alison Impey, Senior Designer at Little Brown Books for Young Readers, designed the jacket art and the visual look of the overall book and its' pages. It's Alison's vision and attention to aesthetic detail that makes Ninth Ward so stunning. I think Alison understood the book perfectly and she helped me, too, in her splendid visuals, to understand the calming power of the tale. • Jewell has written books for all age levels, Ninth Ward was her first Children’s Book. Michelle Hall & Stephanie Boxler

9. Websites used in research: Online Interview with Jewell http://coloronline.blogspot.com/2010/11/interview-with-jewell-parker-rhodes.html Audio of her telling why she wrote the book http://www.teachingbooks.net/book_reading.cgi?id=4613&a=1 Why she wanted to write a children’s book http://throughthetollbooth.com/2010/08/03/introducing-jewell-parker-rhodes/ Michelle Hall & Stephanie Boxler

10. So you can better understand the author: Jewell decided to write this children’s book after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2008. It took her a long time to recover emotionally from the damage that was created by the hurricane. Jewell wrote this book because she had a personal connection with the city of New Orleans. She had visited the city many times and visited only 1 month after the hurricane hit. While conjuring up ideas for a children’s book, Jewell heard a small voice that later became Lanesha’s voice. After Katrina, Jewell was worried and scared for the children of New Orleans. It was at this time she felt that her soul was leading her to write the book. The first line of the book came to her in her sleep. She remembered waking up and felt that the voice of Lenesha and the first line of the book fit together. She finally had the story that went with the character. She kept this story in a private journal until she was finished. After finishing the book, she realized that she had created her first children’s book and that her life had come full circle. Michelle Hall & Stephanie Boxler