There are so many talented and diverse children’s authors and illustrators being published! To celebrate them, I have decided to celebrate their birthdays on a seasonal basis starting with summer, and hopefully continuing throughout the year 2021-22. I was greatly inspired by Eric VanRaepenbusch’s website, Happy Birthday Author, and highly recommend it!

VanRaepenbusch’s website focuses on creating “memorable reading experiences by celebrating author and Illustrator birthdays.” He has engagingly documented the authors and illustrators he as a homeschooling parent has studied with his children, and the STEAM activities they have done together to create an incredible resource for other parents and educators. I have included below great titles from children’s authors and illustrators whose birthdays are in June, July and August – enjoy!

Writer Kyle Lukoff, Birthday: June 5th
Too Bright to See
(Grades 4-6)
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“In the wake of his uncle's death, a transgender boy on the cusp of middle school grapples with grief, friendship, and identity. Bug lives in a haunted house, but the ghosts of long ago never bothered him before this summer. Then Uncle Roderick, who was gay, passed away, and now the house feels different with just Bug and his mom left. Usually he would spend a month away at camp, the only place he feels connected to a group, but money is tight this year. When a ghost begins following Bug and his dreams turn to nightmares, he searches for answers about who is haunting him and why. As the ghostly mystery unfolds over the course of the summer, Bug struggles with new tension with his best friend, Moira, a girl whose interest in the duo's reinventing themselves in middle school feels overwhelming and full of expectations he doesn't know how to meet. This coming-of-age and coming-out story takes a needed departure from other stories about transgender youth by illuminating the perspective of a young person who does not initially know how to identify his discomfort. The narrative pushes against gendered stereotypes about interests like sports and makeup, challenging restricting ideas about gender and self-expression. A chilling, suspenseful ghost story balances the intimate, introspective narrative style. Most of the characters are White, including Bug, his family, and Moira. Haunting and healing.” – Kirkus Reviews
Illustrator Jim Yellowhawk, Birthday: June 5th
In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse written by Joseph Marshall III
(Grades 4-6)
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“School bullies claim Jimmy McClean's blue eyes, fair hair, and Scottish surname mean he's not a real Indian; to validate Jimmy's Lakota heritage, Grandpa Nyles suggests a road trip in search of another Lakota with fair hair and skin: Crazy Horse. Their journey takes them across the Great Plains to where Crazy Horse first witnessed attacks on his people and where he fought to end white appropriation of their homeland. Accounts of battles and stories of his integrity and commitment to providing for the weak and elderly in need bring Crazy Horse into focus. The Lakota author's first book for children (The Day the World Ended at Little Bighorn, 2007, etc.) doesn't airbrush tragic events; they are here, placed in context. At each site, Nyles tells the story (set in italics) of what happened to Crazy Horse there. Between stops, Nyles answers Jimmy's questions in conversations that allow readers distance to process often bleak events and to reflect on their meaning today (the art's storybook sensibility helps here). The story's heavy in losses and defeats, but it's also uplifting in ways seldom addressed in children's fiction. Crazy Horse could have led his last small band of warriors to a heroic end in battle. But great leadership mandates a different kind of courage. He chose surrender as the best hope for protecting his people-the vulnerable children, women, and elderly. This powerful introduction to a great warrior and leader invites readers to ponder the meaning of ‘hero.'” – Kirkus Reviews
Writer Supriya Kelkar, Birthday: June 30th
American as Paneer Pie
(Grades 4-6)
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“Kelkar depicts the life of Lehka, an 11-year-old Indian American girl navigating two worlds with heart and compassion. As ‘Home Lehka,’ she lives with her parents in a suburb of Detroit, where her family is the only Indian American family in the neighborhood. Her best friend and neighbor, Noah, is appreciative of Lehka's culture and the flavorful food her family enjoys. But as ‘School Lehka,’ her voice is absent. She allows teachers and students to mispronounce her name and to make disrespectful comments about her heritage. When a new Indian American family-with a daughter of Lehka's age-moves to her neighborhood, she is thrilled, assuming that her new friend Avantika will also prefer to keep her two identities separate. But Avantika confidently talks about her family and traditions, even at school, and Lehka is simultaneously inspired and confused. As she begins taking tentative steps toward speaking up about what matters to her, a classroom assignment to write an opinion piece becomes the catalyst for embracing her identity. Secondary plots and minor characters enrich the story of a girl striving to find her voice, especially in scenes involving Lehka's swim team and a touching moment in which Lehka speaks out about what it means to be American. VERDICT Filled with references to Lehka's rich culture, this title is a tender depiction of a young girl navigating prejudice and finding ways to be her whole self in the process.” – School Library Journal
Writer Malala Yousafzai, Birthday: July 10th
We Are Displaced: My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls Around the World
(Grades 5-8)
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“In this uplifting work Yousafzai shares the survival stories of female refugees from around the world. Before she was a Nobel Peace Prize winner, Yousafzai was displaced. When she was just 11-years-old, the Taliban forced Yousafzai and her family to leave their idyllic home in the Swat Valley and join the ranks of Pakistan's Internally Displaced Persons. Yousafzai recounts the agony of leaving behind her books, friends, and pet chickens and the disappointment of interrupted schooling. She also vividly describes the horror of seeing schools reduced to rubble as a result of bombings, an experience that both politicized her and forced her family into exile in England. The author devotes only about a quarter of the book to her own story, the remainder is a collection of oral histories from displaced women and girls from countries ranging from Yemen to Colombia to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Each refugee's tale of survival is equal parts devastating and inspiring, and the narrators do not shy away from the complex, contradictory experiences of fleeing a homeland. The narratives are filled with emotionally specific descriptive details that render each voice powerful and unique. In the prologue, Yousafzai specifically states that her purpose is to transform refugees from nameless, faceless statistics into who they really are: humans whose identities are more than just their displaced status. A poignant, fascinating, and relevant read.” – Kirkus Reviews
Writer & Illustrator Patricia Polacco, Birthday: July 11th
Thank You, Mr. Falker
(Grades 1-4)
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“Fans of Polacco's (Thundercake; Pink and Say) work know well her talent for weaving her colorful family history throughout her picture books. Here Polacco shares her childhood triumph over dyslexia and discovery of reading in an inspiring if slightly formulaic story. Young Trisha is eager to taste the “sweetness of knowledge” that her grandfather has always revered (here symbolized by drizzling honey onto a book and tasting it, which harkens back to Polacco's earlier The Bee Tree). But when she looks at words and numbers, everything is a jumble. Trisha endures the cruel taunts of classmates who call her ‘dumb,' and falls behind in her studies. But finally the encouragement and efforts of a new fifth grade teacher, Mr. Falker, trigger a monumental turning point in Trisha's life. She begins to blossom and develop all of her talents, including reading. Polacco's tale is all the more heartfelt because of its personal nature. Young readers struggling with learning difficulties will identify with Trisha's situation and find reassurance in her success. Polacco's gouache-and-pencil compositions deftly capture the emotional stages–frustration, pain, elation–of Trisha's journey.” – Publisher’s Weekly
Writer Lesa Cline-Ransome, Birthday: July 12th
Counting the Stars illustrated by Raúl Colón
(Grades 1-4)
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“Emphasizing Katherine Johnson's unquenchable curiosity, as well as her persistence in the face of discrimination against women and African Americans, veteran biographer Cline-Ransome describes Johnson's childhood, accelerated education, and path to NASA, culminating in her successful calculations for America's first orbital spaceflight. The book's final spread hints at Johnson's future involvement with Apollo 11, and an author's note provides further facts about her life. Illustrator Colón's signature lithographs enhance the book's tone: layers of watercolors and colored pencils draw readers into the lush, textured scenes that range from expansive (capturing the immensity of starry skies) to nostalgic (capturing atmospheric period details). Most effective is a motif of swirling colors in Johnson's clothing, a visual reminder of how her mind swirled with numbers and questions. VERDICT Although the scientific content of the text is best suited to older elementary school students, the tone is straightforward and inviting. A solid choice for most libraries, especially those seeking to strengthen their STEM collections.” – School Library Journal
Writer Stacy McAnulty, Birthday: July 20th
Brave illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff
(Pre-School – 2nd Grade)
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“When one thinks of the word ‘superhero,’ it is typically in reference to a fictional character from a comic book. Brave proves that anybody can be a superhero, even children. Superheroes display courage simply by checking under the bed at night. They show bravery by rescuing the local kitten. McAnulty uses everyday kids and everyday situations to show readers that they are capable of extraordinary things. The text is simple yet effective enough to leave a lasting impression. The cartoon illustrations are bold and bright and feature an array of diverse children as characters. A majority of young readers will be able to see themselves represented in the book, leaving them inspired to see the bravery in their own day-to-day decisions. VERDICT This heartwarming, affirming book is a must-have for most library collections. Great for one-on-one and small group sharing.” – School Library Journal
Illustrator R. Gregory Christie, Birthday July 26th
The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth & Harlem's Greatest Bookstore
written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
(Grades 1-4)
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“Nelson and Christie bring the story of Harlem’s storied National Memorial African Bookstore to picture book readers in this companion to their 2012 YA collaboration, No Crystal Stair. The shop was opened in the 1930s by Nelson’s great-uncle, Lewis Michaux, who ‘started out with five books… and a mission.’ Writing in the voice of Michaux’s admiring son, Nelson illuminates Lewis’s generosity (he invited those who couldn’t afford books into his shop to read) and his fervent belief in the power of words and books to change lives. Michaux’s love of words comes through in his catchy aphorisms and sales pitches (‘Knowledge is power. You need it every hour. Read a book!’), which appear throughout, as well as his nickname for the shop, ‘The House of Common Sense and Home of Proper Propaganda.’ Christie’s paintings powerfully contrast the idea of the bookstore as a refuge with the tensions of the day, particularly during a section of the book about Michaux’s friendship with Malcolm X and his anguish following the activist’s assassination. It’s an emotive tribute to Michaux’s personal and professional legacy.” – Publisher’s Weekly
Writer James Howe, Birthday: August 2nd
Totally Joe
(Grades 4-6)
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“Delivering trenchant messages about tolerance, self-knowledge and the vacuity of teenage popularity, Howe's ultimately uplifting tale marks the welcome return of the Gang of Five (though there are really only four), introduced in The Misfits. The novel's innovative format reveals the ‘alphabiography’ of 13-year-old Joe Bunch, the gay member of the seventh-grade misfits. In this alphabetical survey, assigned by his English teacher, he shares his heartfelt, snappy reflections. For ‘A is for Addie,’ he recalls his earlier years, when he liked to dress up and play with Barbie dolls (a pastime that bonded him to Addie, also from the Gang of Five). He confesses that in fifth grade he wanted to be a ‘guy-guy’ so badly that he asked his friend to teach him how (‘Oh. My. God. It was pathetic’). Joe has a crush on ‘totally cool, smart’ Colin (the ‘C’ entry), a jock who returns his affection but is not ready to go public with their relationship and eventually calls it off. Encouraged by his insightful aunt, Joe takes a major leap when he comes out to his supportive family. Howe deals with weighty issues, but uses Joe's affable personality to interject ample humor, and the hero ends each segment with a ‘Life Lesson,’ many presenting principles appropriate to any kid (e.g., ‘Just be who you are, okay?’). This narrator is anything but an average Joe: he's candid, memorable and—though he might find this hard to believe—totally charismatic.” – Publisher’s Weekly
Illustrator Rafael López, Birthday: August 8th
Maybe Something Beautiful written by F. Isabel Campoy
(Pre-School – 2nd Grade)
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“In a neighborhood full of gray, young Mira shares her colorful art (and heart) with the world beyond her window. First Mira gives a painting of an apple to Mr. Henry, the shop owner. She then offers a songbird to Mr. Sax and a deep red heart to the local beat cop. Still, her art project hits its limit. ‘Her city was less gray–but not much.’ Soon a mysterious artist approaches Mira, offering a boost. ‘What do you see?’ Mira asks him. ‘Maybe…something beautiful,’ he replies. Leading readers on an infectious ride, Campoy and Howell's text bristles with dazzling energy. Words pop out of the page in bursts of oomph (‘BAM! POW!’) as color begins to fill the city. The authors, moreover, mix in dynamic moments with quiet scenes, producing a tone both lively and contemplatively hopeful. The illustrations, however, are the main attraction. Lopez, whose career as a muralist inspired this story, loads each double-page spread with curves, splashes of paint, and geometric shapes, changing page orientation for emphasis at times. As Mira's neighbors join in on the fun, the city comes alive with unforgettable human spirit. The mysterious artist sums it all up: ‘The world is your canvas.’ An inspiring and wistful message wrapped up in a subtle, thoughtful narrative and lively, beautiful art: simply superb.” – Kirkus Reviews
Illustrator and Writer LeUyen Pham, Birthday August 10th
Outside, Inside
(Pre-School – 2nd Grade)
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“Pham addresses the adversity and resulting growth experienced individually and collectively while the world sheltered in place. This uplifting reflection on the spring 2020 coronavirus lockdowns expounds on the resiliency of the human spirit as everyone the world over shut themselves indoors. Several different locales and styles of homes are depicted, highlighting the global impact of this almost universal experience. The simple, first-person narrative emphasizes we through deliberate pacing and repetitive use, firmly cementing the theme of togetherness and connection. While the narrative never explicitly names the virus, this accounting is sensitive to both the challenges and triumphs of navigating this new reality of shared vulnerability. A busy street scene filled with masked first responders and other essential workers is followed by a double-page montage of hospital views inspired by real events. One double-page spread shows families cooking and playing while also featuring anxious faces of adults and a frustrated child at a computer screen. These vignettes are outlined in angular edges, reflecting the uncertain, disjointed feelings experienced by all. A following spread shows a larger spectrum of daily moments, this time shaped in sturdy squares and rectangles that signal a newfound stability as people learned to endure and adapt. Told with a gentle but steadying reassurance, this book posits that despite differences or the distances among us, everyone stayed inside because ‘it was the right thing to do.’ Intentionally diverse, the characters represent a wide range of racial presentations.” – Kirkus Reviews
Illustrator and Writer Allen Say, Birthday: August 28th
Grandfather’s Journey
(Grades 1-3)
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“Say transcends the achievements of his Tree of Cranes and A River Dream with this breathtaking picture book, at once a very personal tribute to his grandfather and a distillation of universally shared emotions. Elegantly honed text accompanies large, formally composed paintings to convey Say's family history; the sepia tones and delicately faded colors of the art suggest a much-cherished and carefully preserved family album. A portrait of Say's grandfather opens the book, showing him in traditional Japanese dress, `a young man when he left his home in Japan and went to see the world.’ Crossing the Pacific on a steamship, he arrives in North America and explores the land by train, by riverboat and on foot. One especially arresting, light-washed painting presents Grandfather in shirtsleeves, vest and tie, holding his suit jacket under his arm as he gazes over a prairie: ‘The endless farm fields reminded him of the ocean he had crossed.’ Grandfather discovers that ‘the more he traveled, the more he longed to see new places,’ but he nevertheless returns home to marry his childhood sweetheart. He brings her to California, where their daughter is born, but her youth reminds him inexorably of his own, and when she is nearly grown, he takes the family back to Japan. The restlessness endures: the daughter cannot be at home in a Japanese village; he himself cannot forget California. Although war shatters Grandfather's hopes to revisit his second land, years later Say repeats the journey: ‘I came to love the land my grandfather had loved, and I stayed on and on until I had a daughter of my own.’ The internal struggle of his grandfather also continues within Say, who writes that he, too, misses the places of his childhood and periodically returns to them. The tranquility of the art and the powerfully controlled prose underscore the profundity of Say's themes, investing the final line with an abiding, aching pathos: “The funny thing is, the moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other.” – Publisher’s Weekly
Writer Kelly Yang, Birthday: August 29th
Front Desk
(Grades 4-6)
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“Yang draws effectively on her own childhood in this lively debut, which offers a candid portrait of one Chinese-American immigrant experience through the eyes of a gutsy, empathetic 10-year-old. In 1993, when Mia Tang’s parents become managers of a California motel, she envisions bright times ahead: the motel has a pool, and Disneyland is just down the road. But the mean-spirited motel owner bans her from the pool and cheats her parents out of money they deserve, keeping Disneyland far out of reach. While her parents work tirelessly, Mia takes charge of the front desk—and much more. Believing that ‘sometimes, you have to… be creative to get what you want,’ and flouting her mother’s repeated assertion that Mia’s English will never be as proficient as native-born Americans’, she writes letters—creatively forged—to aid others, including an African-American victimized by racial profiling and a Chinese immigrant abused by his boss. Mia’s story is one of indefatigable hope and of triumph over injustice, and her voice is genuine and inspiring.” – Publisher’s Weekly
Writer Cerrie Burnell, Birthday: August 30th
I Am Not a Label: 34 Disabled Artists, Thinkers, Athletes and Activists from Past and Present
(Grades 2-5)
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“English actor Burnell highlights the accomplishments of disabled people past and present. ‘Everyone deserves to see someone like them in a story or achieving something great,’ notes the author, who was born with one hand. To that end, she introduces a multiracial group of 34 noteworthy disabled people–with disabilities ranging from Down syndrome and spina bifida to depression and Crohn's disease–from around the world, using identity-first language and a straightforward, upbeat tone. Subjects include such historical figures as Deaf and blind American author Helen Keller and such contemporary trailblazers as fashion model Aaron Philip, a Caribbean trans woman with cerebral palsy, and Indian mountaineer Arunima Sinha, the first female amputee to scale Mount Everest. Their faces radiate joy and determination in Baldo's energetic, warmly hued illustrations…Though the book's wide geographical range provides much-needed intersectional representation, keeping track of such a large group may tax some readers' attention spans. Nonetheless, readers with and without disabilities will enjoy meeting talented disabled people who've thrived in eclectic occupations. Though brief, these optimistic profiles will encourage readers to ‘shine [their] own light.'” – Kirkus Reviews
Writer Erica S. Perl, Birthday August 31st
All Three Stooges
(Grades 4-7)
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“Seventh-grader Noah Cohen and his best friend, Dash, eat, sleep, and breathe comedy, so it's no surprise they choose to research Jewish comedians for their mitzvah project at Hebrew school, even if it means partnering with Noah's female nemesis, Noa Cohen. As long as Noah and Dash can spend their weekends watching movies and making up comedy sketches with Dash's dad, the ‘coolest guy on the planet,’ life is good. Until it isn't. Dash's father's unexpected death is devastating for Noah, not only because he misses Gil, but because it drives a wedge between the two best friends as Dash struggles to cope. What's worse is that Dash has found a new confidant seemingly overnight, leaving Noah reeling and desperate to win back his best friend. Despite the support of his two moms, his sister, and his rabbi, Noah leaps and lurches awkwardly through his first real experience with death. While it is uncomfortable and sometimes even painful to read, Noah's struggle also feels incredibly authentic. And fortunately for readers, there's just enough humor to help lighten the mood when things get dark. While the primary characters all appear to be white, it is beyond refreshing to see a story that is so thoroughly Jewish without a hint of persecution. And while bookshelves are filled with stories about children losing a family member, this novel offers something new by focusing on the unexpected loss of someone beloved but not related. An author's note and list of resources follow the story. An authentically awkward exploration of grief particularly well-suited for preteen boys.” – Kirkus Reviews