Use these teaching resources to learn more about the critically acclaimed author walter dean myers and his many books for children and young adults. Monster won a coretta scott king honor award and was a national book award finalist. His awardwinning body of work includes sunrise over fallujah, fallen angels, monster, somewhere in the darkness, slam. Walter dean myers books, author biography, and reading level. Harlem by walter dean myers, the dancers by walter dean myers, the dragon takes a wife by walter dean. Walter dean myers august 12, 1937 to july 1, 2014 is the winner of the first 2010 coretta scott king virginia hamilton award for lifetime achievement. This engaging historical novel is based on the true story of the meteoric rise of an immensely talented young black dancer, william henry lane, who influenced todays tap, jazz, and step dancing. Walter dean myers, prolific author of more than 100 books in a variety of forms and genres, was 76 at the time of his death, following a short illness, on july 1, 2014.
August 12, 1937 july 1, 2014 was an american writer of childrens books best known for young adult literature. The late walter dean myers was the 201220 national ambassador for young peoples literature. The adventures of huckleberry finn, by mark twain 15. Author of over seventy childrens and young adult books, walter dean myers was born walter milton myers on august 12, 1937, in martinsburg, west virginia. Quotations by walter dean myers, american writer, born august 12, 1937. Monster by walter dean myers overview while on trial as an accomplice to a murder, sixteenyearold steve harmon records his experiences in prison and in the courtroom in the form of a film script as he tries to come to terms with the course his life has taken. Before the crack of dawnworking with christopher myerswords they can relate tothe rhythms of harlem reading is like airthe urban experienceinnercity kidsbooks were my friendsbefore the crack of dawni get up fairly early, between 4. Walter dean myers biography childhood, life achievements. Me, mop, and the moondance kid by walter dean myers and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Of the 416 books challenged or banned in 2017, the top 10 most challenged books are. Myers passed away in 2014 after a 45yearlong career as an author of children and young adult books focused on the africanamerican.
Short stories to show how love can be found, and thrive, in the most unlikely places. Below is an edited transcript from reading rockets interview with walter dean myers. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Walter dean myers, the awardwinning childrens author best known for his many novels that portray the often difficult life experiences of young africanamericans, died on july 1 following a brief. Myers has received two newbery honors and five coretta scott king. Of 3,200 childrens books published in 20, just 93 were about black people, according to a study by the cooperative childrens book center at the university of wisconsin. Scorpions, a newbery honor book by national ambassador for young peoples literature walter dean myers, is celebrating its twentyfifth anniversary when it was first published in 1988, scorpions amazed readers. The awardwinning author of many books for children and young adults, myers is best known for his novels about urban life. Curtis finds love in iraq as he struggles to stay alive in a war he doesnt want to fight, and letha discovers her own beauty in the love of her child.
Walter dean myers writes books troubled teens can relate. Walter dean myers he wrote more than one hundred books including picture books and nonfiction, and was best known for young adult literature. He has written over one hundred books including picture books and nonfiction. Written by the former national ambassador for young peoples literature, the late and much beloved walter dean myers, the book focuses on contemporary hotbutton issues such as. A video transcript from an interview with walter dean myers.
Listen to thousands of best sellers and new releases on your iphone, ipad, or android. He has more than a hundred booksshort stories, novels and nonfiction alikein his repertoire as an author. Myerss books, i have come to expect the unexpected. Looking like me illustrated by christopher myers egmont usa, 2009 grade level. Walter dean myers is one of americas preeminent authors of. The ala office for intellectual freedom tracked 354 challenges to library, school and university materials and services in 2017. This story will help young readers understand that disastrous events can change things significantly. One of the juvenile nonfiction books written by awardwinning writer walter dean myers. He won the coretta scott king award for africanamerican authors five times. He was born in martinsburg, west virginia, but was raised in harlem, new york city. Through the years, walter dean myers has written dozens of books for.
Booklist columnist michael cart shared the following tribute to the late national ambassador for young peoples literature a giant of young adult literature has left us. Walter dean myers, who died on july 1, 2014, was a prolific writer, having published over 100 books for children and teenagers. Into a memoir that is gripping, funny, heartbreaking, and unforgettable, walter dean myers richly weaves the details of his harlem childhood in the 1940s and 1950s, a loving home life with his adopted parents, bible school, street games, and the vitality of his neighborhood. Walter dean myers, author winning children book author. Walter dean myers named new national ambassador for young. Walter dean myers was a writer of childrens books best known for young adult literature. I am a product of harlem and of the values, color, toughness, and caring that i found there as a child. His best known works include fallen angels, hoops, the scorpion, and monster, which was the inaugural winner of the prestigious michael l. The best walter dean myers books score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Top 10 most challenged books lists advocacy, legislation. He wrote more than one hundred books including picture books and nonfiction. Looking for the easy life 2011 life is pretty good on monkey island, but oswego pete is bent on finding the easy life a place where a monkey never has to. A prolific author of more than one hundred titles, he received every major award in the field of childrens literature. But even these kids who are known as losers can win by speaking up.
Enjoy the best walter dean myers quotes at brainyquote. Browse audiobooks written by walter dean myers sorted by. View the censorship by the numbers infographic for 2017. The relaunch of walter dean myers popular middlegrade series. Harlem by walter dean myers, the dancers by walter dean myers, the dragon takes a wife by walter dean myers, fly, jimmy, fly. Walter dean myers is amazing he really inspired me big time i want to be an author because of him rest in peace walter dean myers rest in peace. Walter dean myers used steves script as part of the story, which allows steve to. A novel 2015 walter dean myers s last novel, delivers a gripping story based on the life of a real dancer known as master juba, who lived in the nineteenth century.
The perks of being a wallflower, by stephen chbosky 11. He was born in martinsburg, west virginia, but was raised in harlem. Cruisers book 1 by walter dean myers paperback book. Walter dean myers biography life, family, children, name. Walter dean myers sommer reading a blog about books. At age two, myerss mother, mary green, died, and florence brown dean, his fathers exwife and her husband, herbert dean, raised him. A stunning blackandwhite graphic novel adaptation of walter dean myerss. Walter dean myers books list of books by author walter.
A tough childhood led him to writing and his school teachers would encourage him in this habit as a way to express himself. Zander and his crew are underdogs at davinci academy, one of the best gifted and talented schools in harlem. Walter dean myers returns to the world of 145th street. The health of the authors, educators, librarians, and students scheduled to attend the event is of greatest concern to we need diverse books.
New york times bestselling author walter dean myers tackles the social. Walter dean myers central rappahannock regional library. About walter dean myers walter dean myers is a published au. The transcript is divided into the following sections. Several of them contain pictures that have been painted by great artists like. Myers has received two newbery honors, five coretta scott king awards, and the inaugural recipient of the coretta scott kingvirginia hamilton. Opinion where are the people of color in childrens books. Walter dean myers biography walter dean myerss fiction and nonfiction books have reached millions of young people. The peoples champion illustrated by alix delinois new york, harpercollins, 2009 grade level. Walter dean myers is a pioneer of young adult fiction. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. Discover the best 111803010 myers, walter dean in best sellers. Walter dean myers was a pioneer in the field of american childrens literature. Discover book depositorys huge selection of walter dean myers books online.
Walter dean myers is the critically acclaimed new york times bestselling author of more than eighty books for children and young adults. Walter dean myers is the critically acclaimed new york times bestselling author of more than eighty books for children and young adults, including sunrise over. Please be advised we need diverse books will cancel the diversity in childrens literature symposium and the walter dean myers award ceremony on friday, march, 2020, out of an abundance of caution. Walter dean myers walter dean myers poems poem hunter. Discover the best myers, walter dean in best sellers. Myers has chosen reading is not optional as the heading for his platform. Herbert and florence dean took walter and his halfsisters to be. Walter dean myers answers questions about his writing.
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