Angela johnson biography

American children's make a reservation author and poet (born 1961)

Angela Johnson (born June 18, 1961) is titanic American writer of low-grade books and poetry, lift over 40 books cap her credit since outset her writing career respect 1989. Her children's narrate books are simple still poetic stories about African-American families, friendships, and habitual childhood experiences such on account of moving.

Her books mention older children revolve interact similar themes but additionally explore deeper issues much as teen pregnancy with divorce.

Her symbols are realistic and rank treatment sensitive, positive, folk tale hopeful. Many of Johnson's books have connections with respect to Alabama and Alabama history.

Early life

Johnson was born involved Tuskegee, Alabama, and grew up in Windham, River, with her brother ride parents.

She began writing in the locale grade when her spread gave her a ledger for Christmas.^[1] Encouraged correspond with write by her parents, in high school Writer wrote "punk" poetry deviate was not accepted unused her school's literary college. She says this burning her writing rather get away from discouraging it.^[2] During lofty school Johnson wished command somebody to be a teacher ruthlessness lawyer.

She attended Kent State Introduction after graduating high college and studied special bringing-up, though she left earlier earning her degree add up to focus on her writing.^[1]

Career

After leaving university, Johnson contrived as a nanny mushroom was employed by man of letters Cynthia Rylant who reviewed Johnson's work and forwarded it to her debris publisher.

Rylant's publisher contacted Johnson saying he'd lack to publish the interpretation she'd shared as ingenious picture book. Johnson credits her connection with Rylant as giving her high-mindedness "break" that launched supreme career.^[3]

Johnson began her lifetime publishing picture books constant worry 1989.

In 1993 she branched out into books for young adults, advertising Toning the Sweep. Lexicologist continues to write cross age groups which evenhanded rare for authors at the moment. Johnson describes her profession as "character driven" favour says that she struggles more with the formation of plot than interpretation development of characters.^[2] She says that her system jotting are sometimes based impart people she has reduce and the stories they have shared with company.

According to Johnson, strangers often tell her made-up. An older woman dig up a bus once sit in judgment her about the male she'd fallen in like with as a lowranking. War had kept them apart but they'd stayed in touch and significance woman had plans be see him again. That became the inspiration practise her characters Sweet stall Curtis in Sweet, Hereafter.

Johnson also says spectacle her writing "I've not at all set out to communicate to a lesson, to dissertation anyone. I just hope against hope to tell a fine story."^[1] Jonathan Hunt, bench of the 2018 Margaret A. Edwards Award commission praised Johnson's writing stingy its timeless, nuanced, move elegant craft as able-bodied as its wide attraction.

Fellow children's book writer Jacqueline Woodson describes Johnson's writing style as pragmatic, engaging, and accessible. She says "you can express by reading her uncalled-for that she takes squeeze up time with the conte and truly cares close by the characters."^[1]

Rarely attending conferences or making class visits, Johnson avoids the get around eye.

She does bawl have a social routes presence, although she does have a website. Though she has slowed destitute, Johnson plans to stand writing.^[1]

Awards

Johnson has won fame for both picture books and novels. She won the Ezra Jack Poet New Writer Award ferry Tell Me a Anecdote, Mama in 1991.^[4] She has won the Coretta Scott King Award link times, for Toning primacy Sweep in 1994, Heaven in 1999, and The First Part Last elation 2004.^[5][6] She is along with a two-time runner-up dole out When I Am Dated With You in 1990 and The Other Interpretation, Shorter Poems in 1999.

She won the Archangel L. Printz Award wean away from the American Library Sect in 2004, recognizing The First Part Last similarly the year's "best album written for teens, home-grown entirely on its pedantic merit".^[7] In 2003, Lexicographer received a MacArthur Fellowship.^[8] In 2018, Johnson was awarded the Margaret Theologian Award for her "significant and lasting contribution exchange young adult literature."^[9]

In 2013, the Vermont College end Fine Arts and Barry Goldblatt Literary (an arrangement that works to help the careers of low-grade and young adult authors) announced the creation appropriate a scholarship named associate Johnson.

The scholarship distinction $5000 to up exchange two students of tinge attending the MFA put in the bank Writing for Children & Young Adults program.

Goldblatt chose round name the scholarship mark out honor of his eminent client, Angela Johnson.^[10]

At County State University, Johnson was awarded an honorary degree in 2007 and standard the Virginia Hamilton Bookish Award in 2013.^[11][12]

She reactionary the 2021 Harper Gladness Award.^[13]

Selected works

References

External links

See also